Mustapha Is Done Fasting!

In the nine days since I have had him, Mustapha has not eaten a thing! First, I think it was nerves from the travel, then a molt. These past two days he's been sitting outside of his burrow. I wondered if he was getting hungry, but he molted on Tuesday, and I didn't want him to break a fang, or anything.

I just offered him a cricket, and he gobbled it right up.

Yay!

Daydreaming- Handling

Many moons ago, I worked in a pet store, and I handled a Chilean Rose. Looking back I didn't even consider not holding the T, because I was told it was "friendly," and it really seemed to be. These days, I have more respect for their fragility, and solitary nature. I'm more worried about hurting them, or pissing them off than I used to be. I really want to try though. I'm already so tempted to see if Smithy will go on to my hand. I know she's too small though.

Tarantula keeping is a hobby of patience, and I need to wait.

Birthdays and Antics

I wrote the breeders today for the first time since the Tarantulas' arrival exactly a week ago. I had a few questions I needed to ask, and I wasn't getting straight answers from books, or forums. The most important for me was, can you overfeed a spiderling? I asked, because Smithy is the Homer Simpson of spiders. I swear, she fell asleep last night holding a (sucked almost dry) larva in her arms.

Amanda, from Tarantula Canada, told me that although a spiderling can't be overfed, their abdomens can become very swollen, leaving them more vulnerable to ruptures, if they fall. That makes sense to me, so I'm not feeding Smithy for a couple of days. She definitely looks full!

I also asked about their hatch date. I want to be able to celebrate their birth...err hatchdates. Mustapha was born in their care, and his hatchdate is May 20 2009. Even though from my understanding, he was in an eggsac since January...Bizarre!

Smithy, is from another breeder. She estimates she was hatched in June 2008! Holy crap! Smithy is over a year old? I had NO idea! I'm actually excited because that means she'll be full grown in two years from now, rather than three like I thought. Awesome!

Other Observations:

-After Mustapha's molt yesterday, he spread out and dried(?..lol) for a few hours.

-Smithy is a stop motion pet. I'll go look at her one minute and she's in a slightly different spot/position from the last time I looked. Sometimes she waves at me.

-All I did this morning was look at Mustapha, and he jumped back in to his burrow again. Who knows how long he'll be there? He's very shy.

-I went in to Smithy's container this morning to pull out the bug. She was pretty close to my finger and didn't seem to care. This is good!

I know I want to handle Smithy. Even when I do, it will be with the utmost care and caution. Mustapha, I'm not too sure about. When he's full grown he'll have an 8-9 inch legspan, and a bite that can cause significant physical harm. It all depends on his temperament.

Houston, We Have a Molt!

FINALLY last night Mustapha came out of his burrow! I thought he might be hungry, but he didn't seem to want the juicy larva I put in for him.

This morning I woke up to "two" spiders in the container. I saw the molt first, all shriveled up, and my heart kind of sunk. Then I noticed the much paler, fleshier spider beside it! The new Mustapha!

I did have to go in, to fish out the larva, and I wanted to grab the husk. I hope I wasn't too disruptive.
WOW YAY!

Smithy is finally starting to turn down food. Maybe she'll molt soon too! A lot of people on the forums are telling me it's very normal for a smithi to cling to the class. I guess she's all good.

They both are.

Day 5- Mustapha = M.I.A

I haven't seen Mustapha since Thursday afternoon. I'm concerned. I skipped a couple of feedings, to let him get settled in. I tossed a little cricket in today, and hours later, it's still there. I *think* I see some burrow entrances, and the main one I started (and he apparently worked with) has changed. It's covered up. I definitely see some spider poop. I'm pretty sure he's still alive. I hope so:/

Maybe he's molting?

Smithy on the other hand, is looking much more comfortable today. She's been chillin' on the substrate. I think she would like a little home. We're thinking half a walnut shell. I'm going to pick one up tomorrow.

She ate THREE crickets today. She most definitely needs bigger prey because she has taken food (sometimes twice) four days in a row! She is probably just over 1/2 inch and the cricks are barely a centimetre. I hope Mustapha grows soon, or else my kitchen will be filled with bugs in all sizes.

Speaking of the bugs, I had a hard time figuring out how to get such small crickets from the container. One time, I spent 15 minutes fishing one out! I was sitting on my feet, and by the time I stood up, they were asleep and very tingly!

I finally realized I could shake a couple out in to a smaller container. Yay! Feedings are much easier now.

A Worrying Day- PM

Smithy has been moving around, but remains on the side of the container. After calming myself down, and reading enough to be convinced it's nothing to panic over, I noticed clear droplets around her "feelers," the pedipalps. Tarantula blood is clear, and I was really worried that she fell off the container and hurt herself. Again, I looked in to it, and I've convinced myself for the time being, that it's just condensation, or even venom.

Mustapha is STILL hiding in his burrow. I learned that Ts sometimes go in to hiding to molt. He HAS been refusing food, so I'm going to lay off offering his dinner tonight. If he is molting, he wouldn't want it for a while anyway, and those little crickets are very hard to get back out!

I just fed Smithy her dinner, and I think it's already gone. Well, that convinced her to get off the side of the container. MAN, I LOVE THIS SPIDER! I'm losing track of how many crickets she's had. 3-4, plus that larva. Wow!

That's it for tonight. I'm going to upload some new pics soon. It's hard to take pics of them (especially without a flash!) but I do have a few of Smithy that came out nice. Mustapha on the other hand is still too small!

Day 4 - AM Observations

My first thought this morning was of the spiders, Smithy in particular. She ate two little crickets last night. She's the ideal spider, so far. However, I'm a little concerned. She is clinging to the side of her container. I'm reading online that this either means she is unhappy with her surroundings, or hungry. HUNGRY? I wouldn't be surprised. I hope its not the substrate. I'm using what basically amounts to "Eco-Earth." It's not wet, or dry. I figured it was just about right.

I'm probably just being paranoid. Within the the first year of acquiring my tiel "Baby," she visited the vet about three times. Only once, for a good reason. She's turning 9 at the end of the summer. Even though I made my share of newb mistakes, she turned out healthy and happy. Both birds are sitting on me now, demanding head scratches!

Speaking of novice mistakes, I was trying to feed Smithy her crickets last night, and I accidentally knocked her container. Oops! She ran and dove in to her burrow! I felt so bad but it was kind of cool to see her run. As soon as dinner was served she was back out again, gobbling up her third and fourth meal.

GOOD NEWS! I have decided to name the Brazilian Black and White "Mustapha." For some reason, it suits him. That, and my boyfriend Chris, and I have an inside joke concerning the name. It was mentioned last night, and there you have it.

Mustapha has burrowed. I haven't seen him for about 12 hours. It's a little concerning! He still hasn't eaten anything. We were reading that the Nhandu coloratovillosus is a shy, reclusive species. This is turning out to be very true, even for a wee spiderling. They are also suppose to be very hungry. I know they can live weeks without food but I'd feel a lot better if he'd eat!

For the record, I'm going to assume Smithy is a girl and Mustapha is a boy, until proven otherwise.

Day 3 - Housing

On Wednesday when they arrived, I placed them in to their temp homes, filled with substrate and wrapped in the gauze they were shipped in. I left it in there until today (Friday) because they were using it as shelter. I know I shouldn't have done that. They're too moist and probably, a wicked bacteria trap. They looked like they were using the gauze as a "security blanket." I felt bad taking it out.

As mentioned, I removed the gauze. I also put more substrate in there with them, and poked some holes with the end of a pen, around the side of the viles, as a starter burrow.

Smithy seemed a little freaked out at first. I suspect she quite enjoyed her gauze home. She's a pretty chill little spider though. I was patting down substrate near her, and she seemed to be okay with my presence. I seriously love her. *squeee*

I can't find any of her insect debris. I'm suppose to be cleaning out the leftovers but I can't find any! Either she's eating the whole thing, or burying the remains.

The Black and white hasn't eaten anything yet. I killed the live cricket that was in there. I'll see if it will eat it dead by tonight, if not, I'll pull it out and try again in a couple of days.

I took some pictures today. I'll post them soon!

Day 2- First Feed

I let the Ts (plural now!) settle in over night. This afternoon I fed "Smithy" the B.Smithi a moth larva. Within literally, ten seconds, she attacked and devoured the wiggly! I witnessed her first feed. *does happy dance*

Later in the evening, I offered a pinhead cricket. I didn't see it, but it's definitely gone now. What a little beast! I love it!

Okay, the Brazilian Black and White is only 1/4 inch. I think it's stressed at the moment. Won't eat, doesn't move much. I thought it was dead earlier, but in retrospect, it was looking for a burrow, and so it pressed its body on to the side of the vile. As soon as I poked a pen in to the substrate, it ran in. Problem solved, hopefully.

I actually picked up half a dozen crickets last night, but they were way too big. It was suggested to me, that I rip off their legs and feed the babies "drumsticks." I couldn't imagine doing that! So Chris released them all in to the front garden. Lucky bugs!

Day 1- Arrival

After being surprised over dinner that I was ordered a Brachypelma Smithi (Mexican Redknee) spiderling, as an early birthday present, I have been eagerly awaiting her (wishful thinking!) arrival. You know, most girlfriends want a ring, or flowers over dinner. Not me. I'm as happy as a spoiled little girl getting a pony...lol!

The spiderling was ordered from Tarantula Canada and I (in addition to like, everybody, recommend them whole heartily)

Instead of boring you guys with the deets, I made a video of opening the package. Oh boy, were we in for a treat. Check out our "bonus."