Updates and new bugs

After a trip on Thursday to GBU Enterprises, I came home with some new bugs, a creature I have never kept on the Desktop before, and a critter that was happily released right after I snapped it’s photo.

A turtle, obviously. Something I have NEVER kept before.

3 Madagascar hissing beetles! Yep, I am bringing them back to the zoo!!

A Black Widow and her brood. After photos, they were kindly released away from my home and back into the wild!

She had a few hundred in there, I think. Now, they will be ‘enjoyed’ by the folks of Stockton, CA.

A Pink Toed spiderling 1″ whom I am still trying to name. Sid IV, if you will.

A cool shot of the spiderlings backside, and as one of the forum members pointed out, the spiderling resembles a Green Bottle Blue, though I doubt GBU made that big of a mistake. I am quite certain this is an avic.

 

I had a great time interviewing one of the co-owners of GBU. and may even be volunteering there if I can get out of some engagements that will take up most of my time over the next month or so.  In the meantime I will be enjoying these new additions, and hopefully will acquire more to begin doing private bug-shows and maybe getting back into selling again.  Who knows!

IT’S A BOY!!!

Mitzy, my fuzzy Lasiodora parahybana (also acquired from GBU back in February) has turned out to be a boy.  I’m toying with renaming him, but may keep it the same just to throw people off.  Even though he will not (most likely) have the opportunity to reproduce, I will still enjoy watching him grow, and will  be keeping him as a personal pet, along with Serj, my A. chalcodes female.  Serj, who can live for up to 25ish years, will hopefully become a companion for my son when he goes to college.  He’s 1 now, so just 17 years to go!

 

 

 

 

 

Related articles

• Spider Bugs (a10com.wordpress.com)

So you are a teen wanting a tarantula, but mom says “OH HELL NO!!”

Okay, maybe you are a spouse wanting a tarantula….or a roommate, and the counterpart of your household is vehemently opposed to your demands.  Here are a few tips to help you on your way that may or may not help you, but will at least get you hooked up with fellow spider enthusiasts (who according to your housemate are probably tattooed freaks and certified crazies.)  I assure you, and them, however, that there is nothing certifiable about your fascination with the hairy, 8-legged creatures of the night.  They are rather striking, and some are even handleable!  So, check out my latest article ‘How to convince your parents to let you have a tarantula’ and let these tips send you on your way to being a star keeper in no time!

Caution: there may be normal folks mentioned in this article!

C. fasciatum after a molt named Zero

A madagascar hissing roach

A nice little book on keeping tarantulas

Me and a G. rosea who later turned out to be male (pictured as mature and pink towards the top of this blog.

Me and another G. rosea whom I sent to be the first tarantula of a 13 year old girl.  An amazing event that has fueled my career as an invertebrate dealer.

Related articles

• Hairyback Tarantula Feed 17 July 2013 – Durban South Africa (melancholymons.wordpress.com)
• Theodora the Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula (creaturekeen.wordpress.com)
• You Might Want to Know… (meagangarner.wordpress.com)
• Advice about getting a Tarantula as a pet? (petsandcares.com)
• Central Valley Herpetological Society (sidnata.wordpress.com)
• Giant Tarantula Vs. Hawk Wasp (uniquedaily.com)
• Goal #1 – Hold a tarantula – Completed July 31, 2013 (martuo2013.wordpress.com)
• I remember him well (terriblywrite.wordpress.com)
• RC Tarantula (neatorama.com)
• Tarantula Versus Scorpion. Bets On Who Wins? (kotaku.com)

Central Valley Herpetological Society

I have recently done an interview with the founder and president of the CVHS here in California.  Although the group does not necessarily pertain to tarantulas, I thought it would be neat to showcase the hobby that goes hand in hand with tarantula keeping- reptiles.  Even better is that this guy not only founded the CVHS, but also has started a BUG CLUB here in California!!!  I think I am in love (with critters!)

 

The article on CVHS can be viewed HERE

My lovely little Sarva on a book about spiders.

 

Related articles

• Herpetological Publications (anoleannals.org)
• The Most Low-maintenance Small Exotic Pets (pets.answers.com)
• Theodora the Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula (creaturekeen.wordpress.com)
• Goal #1 – Hold a tarantula – Completed July 31, 2013 (martuo2013.wordpress.com)
• SC teenager educating children about snakes (miamiherald.com)
• Jack Loves Herpetology Camp (jackblog.typepad.com)
• Images of Long-tailed Brush Lizards (pets.answers.com)

A butterfly doing ungodly things on a car tire

When I look at butterflies, I am taken away by their endless beauty and graceful form.  However, when I saw this beauty, I got more than I bargained for as I witnessed what looks like this beautiful creature taking its morning evacuation.

Here is is, pretty and looking harmless.

 

And here it is, evacuating as if no one is watching. Although it is a wee bit blurry, you can plainly see that the first shot shows it’s back-end dry as a bone. In this photo, nature is calling all over my mother’s car tire.

 

Oh nature.  Modesty is only a human dilemma.

To my followers

Dear fine people of WordPress and beyond,

Thank you for the time you have taken to stop by, like, and comment on my blog.  I appreciate it very much.  If you are new, please bare with the shameless promotion of my Examiner articles, as I am a new contributor to the site, and have not yet gotten my legs.

Also, in case you have noticed, a lot of my older posts here are missing their photos and have expired links.  This is due to the hosting website, which is no longer available.  I apologize for this, and have been working (slowly) to get the photos back up.  The computer that had the originals is also down, so I have to comb through my multiple social media sites to see if back-ups were saved. Please bare with me during this painstaking process, and thank you, in advance, for your patience.  If you are looking for something in particular, or have any questions, please feel free to contact me using the form in the sidebar.

To piggyback on the photos issue, I also must warn that I have incredibly bad luck with cameras.  If I have not posted in a while, it is probably to do a broken piece of equipment.

I am happy to have you aboard, and would love to hear from you!

Thanks again, and I look forward to helping you along your journey into the world of invertebrate hunting and keeping.  See you around!

Sidnata

Updated with slideshow!

http://www.examiner.com/article/invertebrates-as-temporary-pets-offer-companionship-and-more-for-your-child

 

See the full article here

 

(Photos!!) My little slug hunt

Temporary pets: Slugs

Yeah, I had a little too much fun with this!

See the article at http://www.examiner.com/list/temporary-pets-slugs?cid=db_articles

Related articles

• Customer discovers slug inside Burger King chicken burger (metro.co.uk)
• Giant hot pink slug in Australia becomes conservation symbol photo (seculardiscourse.wordpress.com)

Cool Spider and A Moth from my porch

Pics from around my house

A few old and new pics

Me and some of my past and present critters 🙂

Osiris (E, cyanognathos)

Nata (G. Rosea)  RIP

Nata

Mitzy (L.P.)

Zero (C. fasciatum)

Serj (A. chalcodes)

To My Fellow Keepers (UPDATE)

Hello again!  It’s been a long time, and if you are browsing my site for photos of beautiful tarantulas and hissing roaches, I am sad to say, you will be disappointed,  Everything I had was linked to a website that I have since let lapse.

Since relocating the zoo to California, my priorities have shifted and unfortunately, my luck with electronics extended to my laptop. The Toshiba  is now sitting idly by, awaiting the day it will come alive again.  I have since sold most of the critters except for Serj, my beautiful 3 1/2″ A. Chalcodes.  I had her sexed in February, and received the happiest news!  It’s all skirts and barbies for her! 🙂

Then, I decided that while getting her sexed, I would try my luck with an LP (Salmon Pink Birdeater) sling.  I bought Mitzy right then, and am awaiting the day  when I will discover whether it’s bloomers or boxers for the little 3/4″ beauty.  Both she and Serj were a 1/8″ handful in the beginning, but now they are both getting huge! I never thought that my little desert freebie would turn out to be a critter that will probably go to college with my son.  Mitzy is designated to be for sale, but not until another molt or 6….

What’s that?  You didn’t know I had a baby?  Well….yes, and he is a beautiful, bouncing boy, born July 22nd, 2012.

Serj came before he did, and in between, I was devastated by the loss of both Sid and Nata within a few weeks of each other.   They  now reside in my freezer and are awaiting preservation.  (Yes, I know, I know….a year and a half is a long time to live in a freezer…but please bare with me! I’ve been busy!)  My baby is now learning about T’s through Serj and Mitzy, and will one day understand the beginnings of Buggy Zoo. He will also learn the story of  how Sid and Nata started it all.  They are definitely missed.

So, here’s to a new chapter of “The Zoo” with Mitzy, and a very pretty Serj leading the way.  Perhaps the name of the blog will change to From the Desktop of Serj and Mitzy….Naaahhhh

I look forward to bringing you new photos, on a new laptop (thanks to my Oregon friend who understood my predicament).  Until my old one is up, you can still view many photos on my facebook pages, since sadly, the Toshiba holds all of the originals. (A great lesson in BACKING UP FILES.)

Also, I look forward to sharing my son’s journey around the zoo with all of you.  If I ever refer to “Moo”, you will know I am talking about him.

Thank you for reading 😀

Have a great day, week, month, and year.