Smithy is Molting...Right Now!

Woke up a little while ago to Smithy on her back. I don't see any skin peeling away yet and she's fully on her back this time, oppose to her side.

I meant to mist her container last night because I'm convinced that it's not humid enough in there. D'oh. So I did that as soon as I saw what's going on.

Oh this is always so scary! I hope she pulls through alright! If I didn't know better I'd think she's dead. I hate the way they look when they molt!

This T is like clockwork! Every 2 months almost on the dot since August.

PIX and Updates

We handled Smithy again and took a great picture! I love it! I wish Mustapha could he held but he runs away over the slightest vibration. :( Booo. I'm hoping he'll be less timid as he grows. I'd be scared too if I were so little! It's just that if he doesn't shake the fear soon I'm going to lose my nerve. I can't exactly start handling him when he reaches an 8 inch leg span!

Mustapha is an amazing spider. He's so active and interesting. When I rehoused him I simply put his baby vile into the new terrarium, hoping he would burrow in the new substrate but alas, he made the vile his hide. I should have known. The other day he was making it bigger for his ever growing body and dug and dragged the dirt out. It was really cool to watch. Now if you look behind the vile you can always see him camped out back there.

Smithy started refusing food on Monday. Over the weekend we picked up a new bookshelf and put them on it, complete with some Mexican art I brought back from vacation last year for Chris as their background, plus a houseplant. Yup, they get a whole shelf to themselves. We were even thinking that eventually, that shelf could be the right spot for one of their permanent homes.

Anyway, I don't know if she's not eating because the move scared her, or if she's going to molt again. On the 27th of December it will be 2 months since her last suit change. She's been molting pretty steady every two months since July but I know at some point, that's going to change and the gap will widen. She also seems to fast for about 2 weeks before the molt so I have to wonder if it's almost time? Lol, in this picture you can see Mustapha. He's on the right.

I gave Smithy's rejected cricket to Mustapha and I'm sure he was glad for it because it sure didn't last long in there!

I have to buy bugs tomorrow or Friday. They ran out again. Hungry little monsters they are!

New Smithy Picture

The spiders have been eating regularly, are more active than usual.

Not much more to report other than that. So I'll leave you with a recent picture of Smithy. It's too bad these little guys are so unphotogenic...Well at least to my abilities.

It's been nearly 5 months of being a spider Mom. I'm still fascinated. Will the novelty ever wear off? I hope not!