Highlight-Lasidora parahybana

Meet Mitzy, the 1″ Lasidora parahybana that I acquired in February while getting another tarantula sexed.

Mitzy’s species is the 3rd largest in the world, giving her the reputation of being a “dinner plate” tarantula. In an ironic twist, some  species are used for food. (Although I have been told that the taste is comparable to that of a soft shelled crab.  I think I’ll pass on both, thank you!)

The L. parahybana is an aggressive eater, eating pretty much anything you can throw at it.  Mice and lizards are a wild staple, although my preference is to only feed insects- mostly crickets and roaches.  (For tiny spiderlings of other species, I do occasionally buy flightless fruit flies.)  Which ever becomes your preference is fine, but remember that the LP is a new world species, so  if they feel threatened they will not hesitate to flick hairs.  Take caution to keep these hairs from entering your airways and eyes.  If you do wind up with one of the urticating hairs in your skin, be prepared for an itchy rash.  And yes, I do mean ITCHY.  Also, as if I have to tell you, BE VERY CAREFUL of the fangs of this species!  They can be up to 1″ long, and inflict an extremely painful bite. ALWAYS USE CAUTION WHEN FEEDING!!!

Mitzy may look harmless now, but someday she (I hope for a she, at least) will be extremely large and bulky, and will grow quickly into a nice roomie 20 gallon tank.  If  you acquire one as an adult, be sure to have an appropriate house.  This means no large sided tanks because if your critter falls, it can be fatal.  Also, a shallow water dish, and moderate humidity should be provided.  Keep a spray bottle on hand to fill the dish from above your tank lid (if the LP’s size is too intimidating for you to put your hands in the tank) and to keep the humidity up.  As your LP molts, (flips over and plays dead while shedding it’s exoskeleton) it will need extra humidity and a quiet dark environment. Cover the tank, and do not handle your LP for at least a week to be safe.  This goes for all T’s, and although some people say to only wait 3 days, I prefer safe than sorry methods.  Do not feed your critter at all during this period as crickets like to feed on, and possibly kill, molting tarantulas.  (Even after they molt, tarantulas are very soft  and easily killed by an aggressive keeper or hungry food source.)

Provide a hiding spot (hollow logs for BIG LP’s and film containers, or halved flower pots for smaller ones.)

Mitzy is now a 1″ spiderling, but was only 1/8″ when acquired.  These suckers grow FAST so be prepared by reading a lot of books, blogs, and articles.  Also, never be afraid to ask questions to other hobbyists.  I do and always will, as there is so much to learn.  Facebook, arachnoboards and the American Tarantula Society are great places to start.  Many keepers also recommend a book called The Tarantula Keeper’s Guide as THE BEST BOOK on tarantula keeping.

I hope to have shared some information that may help you in your own endeavors as a tarantula keeper.  The Lasidora parahybana is an excellent addition to any household as it is low maintenance, displays well, and makes for great learning for older children and adults alike.  No walking, peeing on the carpet, or tearing up of your furniture.

Find me on Facebook. and use my resources to jump start your hobby today 🙂 OR, just search for your own.  They are out there, and in the hundreds of  thousands across the world.

I have been keeping T’s for 4 years, and probably will for many to come.  I love the hobby, the tarantulas, and seeing children and adults take one home for the first time.

Good luck, and thanks for reading!

Related articles

• The creepy-crawly farm that grows 5,000 giant SPIDERS as big as a man’s hand (at least they don’t bite) (thisismoney.co.uk)
• Advice about getting a Tarantula as a pet? (petsandcares.com)
• What are the safest and most docile tarantulas you can keep as pets? (petsandcares.com)
• Shopper shocked after finding tarantula on bunch of bananas (telegraph.co.uk)
• To My Fellow Keepers (UPDATE) (sidnata.wordpress.com)
• Isn’t it Cute? Chilean Farm Exports Tarantula Pets (thejakartaglobe.com)

Questions Answered

I had a few more hits on my blog today than expected.  Being a blog about tarantulas, you can probably imagine that the stats are not stunning.  However, the same questions and searches seem to keep coming up.  Today, I will use the search terms from this blog today, along with some recurring questions/searches to get you to the right info.

Remember that if you do not find an answer here, you can always join InsectGeeks, visit forums, or ask around your social networks to see what their experience is.  Although most information is useful, you will find outdated or unusable info around the web, so SEARCH WISELY!

The FIRST THING I would recommend is to get a copy of the TARANTULA KEEPERS GUIDE by Stanley A. and Marguerite Schultz.  This is considered the “bible” of the keeping hobby, and is recommended by most top breeders/dealers and hobbyists.  GET THIS BEFORE YOU GET YOUR FIRST TARANTULA.

If you already have a T, and still have questions (and you should) GET THE BOOK.

Then, NETWORK NETWORK NETWORK.

I have many friends across insect geeks, facebook, on forums, and elsewhere.  When I see a blog or site that shares information in a readable non-ad flashy way, I contact the webmaster and compliment them.  This opens up a dialogue for future questions, and lets them know that their hard work is helping someone.  (Like ME!)

Now, on to today’s searches:

brachypelma boehmei when will she get the colors: My boehmei has colors, and she is only a half inch.  Look closely, and if you notice yours getting dark and ugly, then it is probably time for a molt.
why is my b. smithi is pacing? Could be a hunger thing, could be that her soil is too moist, could be that she is looking for a retreat.  Try to fix each of these and see if it helps.  Usually, the pacing stops shortly after the problem is addressed.  My A. avic was doing this, and I realized that I had forgotten to put a climbing branch in after  a cleaning.  When I put the branch back in, Sid climbed up and made a nice new web.  The pacing ceased.
parahybana on girls hand My parabyana is too small to be handled (1″) and I have seen her flick hairs…so I cannot help you there.  Try Google Pictures.
aphonopelma sp care sheet Try THIS
n. chromatus care sheet Try THIS and add enough soil to allow for burrowing!!
brachypelma smithi spiderling care YER KILLIN ME SMALLS!!!!!  Try THIS and if yours is as small as mine (1 1/2″ls approx) use a film canister as a hide.  These are GREAT for any terrestrial spiderling!
how fast do rose hair slings molt I am not too familiar with a rosie as a sling, but I do know that as adults, there is NO TELLING.  Rosies do their own thing at their own pace.  If your sling gets sluggish, gets ugly and darker in color, and refuses food, you are probably headed for a molt.  Hit up some forums for more info.
spiderling care sheet SEE ABOVE ANSWERS!  Please be more specific.  Certain spiderlings (like my E. cyanognathus and P. subfusca require more humidity, and different set ups than other spiderlings.) When you hit the forums, have a species in mind so the community can better assist you.   If you have any specific questions for me, please use the form on the right to ask it.  I won’t bite!  If I can’t answer a question. I will be more than happy to find the answer for you because it will probably benefit me and my growing tarantula zoo as well!! You can always email me directly at 8pinktoes@gmail.com too…. Thanks for looking! ~Tia Marie

Loss and a Molting Rose Hair

Well, the zoo is still on the floor of the new apartment, but I have been pricing some shelving units that will look fantastic in my living room.  Hopefully sometime in the next few weeks I will be scheduling zoo visits with some local children, allowing them to explore the fascinating world of invertebrate keeping.

Molts:

Tonight, I had one molt that was VERY unexpected.  Sarva, my smaller Rose Hair, did the deed after 4 months of barely eating.  She looks beautiful, and the best part is that I am almost certain that she is a GIRL!  YAY!!  I measured her through the enclosure, and I am putting her at around 3 1/2″.  She gained an entire inch!!

Sad news 😦

Raven, my moody Lasidora parahybana sling died yesterday.  I noticed it in the death curl, and moved it into a film container with no lid just to be sure.  I am certain that she has passed, and sadly, I don’t know why.  Once again I believe that the recent molt might have been at fault, but because it was less than an inch, I am unable to give a definite reason.  If you have been following this blog, you will recall that the zoo just lost an Aphonopelma sp- Davis Mountain Rusty under the same circumstances.  Humidity levels have been closely monitored, as have feeding practices.  I am still looking into ways to prevent future losses.

As mentioned earlier, I am looking at shelving units to nicely display the tanks and jars, as well as provide functionality for lighting and heating (we have a gecko here too.)  A camera is in the works so as soon as we are fully settled into the new apartment, I will be posting pictures.

I am looking for photos and set up ideas, so if you have any tips or photos of your own “zoo” displays, send them to me at 8 pink toes at g mail dot com, and I will post them here!

(BTW- If you read the last blog, Aphrodite is doing well, and is her same old self. 🙂

Molts, NaNo, and a stray Roach.

Quick Update for you guys:

-Siddhartha, the Godfather of the Desktop (or floor of the new apartment) has molted!

I am guessing that (s)he is 4″ now!  This is the 3rd molt this year.  One every 5 months is the trend.

-Osiris Molted!  The Ephebopus cyanognathus from the kind stranger looks like it might be about 3/4″ now, up from 1/2″ ! It still has the pink legs, and hopefully will keep baby colors for a while.

Stray Roach-

One of the Gromphadorhina portentosa babies escaped, and was found basking in the light on top of Lizzy the Leopard Gecko‘s tank.  I think a few more are missing, and some have been found living amongst the crickets.  I just pick them up and place them back in the roach tank- I can’t figure out how they are escaping!

Aphrodite (Brachypelma boehmei) has not moved in a few days.  I am keeping a close watch, in hopes that there might be a molt coming up.  She hasn’t eaten in some time, so we shall see…  I hope that she turns out okay, but I refuse to move her or do anything until I know for sure.  Every forum I have read says not to move a tarantula that might be dead until it is in the death curl,and/or stinking.

NaNoWriMo–

12,774 words as of this posting.  I took Saturday off to spend time with my husband whom I had not seen in a week due to the move, and his new Graveyard schedule.

I have been making coffee by hand (since our old maker had to be thrown out) and my guy was awesome enough to bring us home a new one this morning!! (After I had just spent a half hour hand making a pot…sheesh!)

It gets tough to write without thoughts of editing and restarting every five minutes.  However, knowing that I have committed to doing this has really allowed me to stick to it without feeling like I can just walk away.  I have developed “writing buddies” on all of my social networks, along with interacting with local Wrimos -although I have yet to be able to make it to a write-in.  I hope to, someday!

Well, it is back to the ol’ word processor, and hopefully a few more words so that i can at least make my daily goal of 1700 words for the day.

Wish me luck, and if you are writing as well, good luck to you!

You can always look me up on the NaNo website under the user name SidNata!

 

 

PICTURE TIME! and NEW ADDITIONS! and MOLTING!!

First of all, here is something you might like, a lot:

and maybe even this:

and for good measure, how ’bout one more:

 

 

The first picture is of one of the two new additions to the desktop.  It came in the mail yesterday.  I would have blogged about this then, but Ms. Blue Fang was a bit bigger than expected, and was also able to run fast and jump.  Thank God I was not recording the unpacking of this spider. 😐

The 2nd picture is of Isis, after her molt this morning.  After losing Tank this week, I thought for sure that the lack of motion for hours was a sign that Isis wasn’t making it.  All the arachnid forums said to leave her alone (well… based on q and a’s from other users..) so I did as advised and she came out okay.  I am guessing she is between 1 1/2″ -2″ LS now.  Cool huh?

The third photo is of Athene, my beautiful Nhandu chromatus. She molted yesterday afternoon, so this is also a post molt pic!  WHOO!!

Now, I did mention that Blue Fang spiderling was one of two additions….  unfortunately the P. subfusca was hiding during picture time…and well….has been hiding since I got it in the new jar.  As soon as I find it (gulp!) I will be posting pictures.  I am guessing that it is about 1/2″ and it really has beautiful markings.  This is my first Pokie, and my first old world species, so prepare for my newbieness in these areas…..

Names? Hmmmm…

Poecilotheria subfusca (Ivory Ornamental) Poe, Edgar Allan. (Poe)

Ephebopus cyanognathus (Skeleton Blue Fang) Osiris or Iris.

These 2 were freebies from the facebook stranger.  I guess it does pay to network, and if you are new to keeping, I would highly recommend using as many forums, social nets and blogs as possible to meet other experienced keepers (and newbies.)  It will save you and your collection massive heartache in the future!  THANK YOU SO MUCH TO JOE FOR THE SPIDERLINGS!!! AND THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR BLOGS, ARTICLES, BOOKS, SOCIAL NETWORKING PROFILES, YOU TUBE VIDEOS, PHOTOS, CARE SHEETS, and EXPERIENCE! Over the past year I have gone from newbie to almost somewhat experienced keeper because of you, and plan to continue my journey as an invert keeper.

Someday, I will meet a newbie, and give them something the size of a quarter, hairy, fast, and terrifying (while it is running away from the box it was shipped in) so it too can make someone’s desktop a little bit happier.

 

Update and 16 Legs, perhaps……

Well folks, I have been a very bad blogger.  So far, no pictures, and no LS report for the newly molted.  Things have been pretty crazy around the desktop, but rest assured, the goodies are coming.

MOLT UPDATE:

Annabel Lee Molted last Sunday, and is getting bigger by the minute!  According to my note card records, she was a stunning 1/2″ after her last molt, which leads me to believe that she is around 3/4″ now!

Raven, Alee’s litter mate, should also be molting soon.  According to the same records, she molted 6 days after Alee last time.  I am curious to see if they will remain on schedule.

Additions Update:

Through the magick of Facebook, I have had the opportunity to meet and greet some of you, and many other enthusiasts from around the globe.  One of whom has just successfully bred a Poecilotheria Subfuscia!!  (Well…more like bred, egg sat, hatched, egged with legged, and over-saw molts into 2nd instar…) He has offered to send me one of these adorable little critters, and even managed to wrangle me an Ephebopus cyanathogos! (Blue Fang!!!!!!!) I am flattered by the gesture, and thank *you* for the idea!!

I hope to one day be in a position that allows me to also send out 8-legged packages to random people across the US.

Speaking of positions, an opportunity to move locations has come our way, and I must say that I am excited to jump on it!  Currently, the desktop and I reside (with my husband) in a small apartment in Grants Pass, Oregon that is no longer meeting our needs.

Within the next month or 2 I expect us all to be starting fresh with a new apartment, and new jobs in our closest big city.  This will not only grant me the opportunity to possibly meet other hobbyists, but it will also allow me more freedom to begin breeding projects as room and time expand!

One of the many perks of moving will also place me by SOU, where I hope to study biology, and pass (knowledge) along to 5th and 6th graders as a teacher.  It took a high school teacher to inspire my love of reptiles and crawley things, and I want to bring the same joys to a kid like me…

(Thank you Ms. Bodily, you are one of my select heros.)

In addition to this, I am getting out of the retail game while I prepare to go back to school, so hours will once again change, but opportunities will grow for all of us on and around the desktop of Sid and Nata.

Let’s all not forget the upcoming NaNoWriMo event that starts in exactly 32 days!  I will be taking on the task of 50,000 words by the end of November that may actually look loosely like a story that some may call a novel…..  I am in research mode for this, and have a few ideas that may prove fruitful with a bit of TLC and lots of coffee!  If you are in the mood to race with thousands of people from around the world,come join in at NaNoWriMo.org!!  Look for me under the user name “Sidnata” and we can be writing buddies 🙂

Keep baring with me, and as soon as I get it together, the website and FB pages will be published for the world to see!  Wish us luck!!

Food/Molt Update

Today, once again I write to you as a lazy blogger.  While feeding the zoo, I noticed that Aphrodite (B. boehmei) finally molted!  Took her long enough…

My N. Chromatus (Athene) took on 2 crickets, and is walking around with both of them in her pedipalps (and fangs…)

Zero is being a booger and is still guarding the molt, AND has yet to completely push it out, or emerge from the hide himself.  Perhaps the crickets I dropped in today will entice him to emerge.

Other than that, I am still adjusting to the longer shifts at work (yesterday was 10 1/2 hours of customer service goodness and freight processing…yay 😐 )

Someday I will be able to do more than type….

Blah,

Tia Marie

Scratching my head….

I have been too lazy to post anything lately, but here is a quick update:

Zero (C. fasciatum) has still not let me measure him….nor have I been able to get near the molt.  Today though, he did begin to push it out of his hide, so tomorrow I am going to try and remove it while feeding the zoo.

Tank (Aphonopelma sp.) has not eaten in a while, and looks like he may be molting.  Aphrodite (B. boehmei) has also been refusing food, and looks very boring in color.  I really REALLY REALLY can’t wait for her to molt!!

Nata (G. rosea) exhibited some odd behaviors on Sunday, and in addition to refusing food (which is not like her at all!) she attacked the water that I was pouring in her dish AND attacked the tweezers I was using to place a cricket in her tank.  This is highly unlike her.

Now, she and Sarva are both acting like normal pet rocks.  WEIRD.

Thank God Sarva is still normal, and as always was a pleasure to hold during feeding.  She’s so sweet!

Well, that was my update, and when I finally get my schedule back (as far as adjusting to new work times and new sleep times) I will post the promised pictures, Molt Update, LS roundup, and regular blogging.

BTW- For those of you who read my Frank Zappa blog, I wanted to let you know that tonight my cat tried to eat my foot…through my blanket.  He is truly a douche-bag, but yes…I love him.

Frankie *Wonder Kitty* Loving Me With His Teeth

Related Articles

• How insects and crustaceans molt (scienceblogs.com)
• My Tarantula is Molting! (therealowner.com)

Another Day, another 1/4″.

Today is Wednesday, which in my world is feeding day (As is Saturday and sometimes Sunday.) All the little spiderlings are brought down to the floor in their jars, deli cups, and now a kritter keeper.  I stack my 2 small roach keepers, and place an empty potato salad cup on top.  I bring down all my tools: Metal and plastic tweezers, empty film container, paint brush, flash light etc.

One by one, each tiny deli cup (2 L. parahybana slings and 1 B. boehmei sling) is placed in the larger potato salad cup so that when I open the lid for feeding, the spiderlings can’t escape far if they get out. I then retrieve a small cricket from the small cricket tank, and put it in the film container.   I gently crack open each lid (one at a time) and lay it on top of its container.  I then grab the isolated cricket with the tweezers, and plop it into the opened spiderling deli cup.

Tonight I found that one of my L. parahybana had molted.  It was Raven, and I have been expecting this for about 2 weeks now.  FINALLY!!

She has also grown from a tiny 1/8″ to a monstrous 1/4″!!  WHOOOO!!

As for the rest of the feeding process, the other spiderlings are in jars so I am able to keep their lids off during feeding.  Serj (A. chalcodes) looks a lot like my Nhandu sp. since yesterdays molt, but I am fairly certain that she will get her Arizona blond markings soon enough.

Tank (Aphonopelma sp.) has not been eating, so I expect his gummy physique to molt out as well in the next week or 2.

So, tonight marked the 3rd molt of September, and everyone was fed pretty well.  Sid (my A. avicularia) tried to climb out of his tank while I grabbed a cricket!  It was pretty cool watching those little pink toes come up over the edge!  I managed to toss him a cricket, which appeared to land right in his fangs. Way to fetch Sid!!  He’s a good boy 🙂

I even updated everyone’s note cards with acquisition dates, molt dates and LS”.  All 12 have cards now, and I am exhausted.  Luckily for me though, not everyone needed to be fed.  Besides the newly molted, I busted Isis with a giant B. dubia roach in her mouth last night.  It was one of the left overs that lives in her soil from my deceased colony. I have a few left in some of the jars, and even catch them from time to time eating the remains of crickets not consumed by the spiderlings.  They must be eating well because this sucker was bigger than the snacker herself!!  (Her abdomen at least) and I know it wasn’t that big when I put it in there several months ago!

Feeding day was a success, and even though I am tired from a long day at work, and then an hour of feeding/record keeping/blogging, I am happy to finally be getting the rhythm of this invertebrate keeping down.  Spider checks in the morning, and in the evening, with Giant Cockroach checks at some point after work.

I am now ready for bed.

Related Articles

• My Tarantula is Molting! (therealowner.com)