Both Eating

It's been a while since I have posted. Not only am I seriously busy these days but you know, tarantulas are boring! Smithy is still bald. Mustapha is still shy and won't come out.

However, they both ate a cricket the other day, at exactly the same time. That was the last two. I had to go to the pet store today. I picked them up a butter worm each. I don't think that Smithy has enjoyed hers yet.

I know Mustapha has molted and I want to see him (really, I'm pretty sure I should be saying "her") but he won't come out!

Well I guess that's it for now! Hopefully something exciting will happen soon. Haha

Hungry Tarantulas

Smithy is finished with her post-molt fast and now bother her and Mustapha are back to being eating machines!

Right before New Years Eve I went into the pet store to stock up on crickets for the long weekend. They were all out. *Enter panic mode* Mustapha hadn't eaten since Christmas day. I know they can live for a year without food but I do like to feed them as often a they like. I mean, what else do tarantulas do for fun if not hunt and feed?

Chris went down to the pet store in the beaches. They are way more expensive (old in a container) and small but this time they were a good size. I figure I can save the container in case on the Tarantulas ever needs a temp home for relocation or travel.

I really need to get on some pics. I know I keep saying that but I truly mean it this time!

Role Reversal

Now Mustapha is back to being hyper and hungry and (I think) Smithy has begun her fast. I put a bug in there with her over a week ago and it ended up dying. So I haven't put anymore in. Due to her being such a slow grower I really start to worry that she's starving after a couple or few weeks of not feeding her. It's happened a few times now where I finally think maybe she does want to eat. Then I have a molting tarantula with a loose cricket in there with her. I mean, she's a lot darker. I hope she'll just molt soon! lol.

I picked up new crickets tonight and I'm guessing that Mustapha will probably have them all to himself. He's been out of his cave much, much more and less skittish. He's FINALLY adjusted to his big-T terrarium.

I really need to get some pics!

Little Update

I've been seeing a little more of Mustapha but he's so shy. I'll notice half his body out of the hide but then he sees me and runs. I hope everything is cool with him because he's not eating like he used to. We're considering covering his tank (he's under a light!) and maybe even moving him over so he's not in such a bright and busy location.

I think the tarantulas have reversed roles because all Smithy has been doing is eating! I keep thinking that she MUST be due for a molt but so far, she not fasting, so I'll keep on feeding her.

I'm considering breeding crickets. I just worry that it will be way too noisy and smelly. It can be so inconvenient having to get them though! One store hates to do it. They sell only supplies. None of their other locations sell live food. I'm not sure why they do but the employees literally groan and make a huge fuss when I go in for them. Actually, I like getting from them better. It's because they hate it so much that they just throw about 30 into a bag (when I ask for a dozen) to avoid having to pick through and count them. Unlike the other pet store that's really out of my way. Last time I went in and asked for a dozen they gave me 11 + one on its way to death. :/

I'm going to take Smithy out again soon for some pictures It has been far too long!

Smithy's New Suit + Mustapha Scares Us!

Smithy's molt went very well...Apparently. That's after I thought her molt was her corpse..lol. She's bigger and her colours look incredible. I can't wait until her first feed in a couple of days!

Mustapha =OMFG. I went in to get his water dish yesterday and he lunged at me. That's nothing new, I'm used to it. I have a pair of chopsticks handy. I tried to grab the dish with them but he stood over the dish. I tried to nudge him off by lightly brushing his back leg with the stick.

Do you know what he did? He not only attacked the stick but he held on to it TIGHT, like he was swinging off a freakin' vine. Holy crapola! I can't put the dish full of water in with the sticks so I had to go in by hand. Fortunately he didn't get me! I gave him a bug for bothering him, a day after eating a huge one. He doesn't waste any time. I don't think he's ever turned down food. Even a day before a molt. Is that normal??

Chris found a terrarium at Value Village for $10 with a screen and everything! The screen itself would cost 30 new. We already have 2 tanks but this one is better suited for a tarantula. It's a little wider and shorter. I'm going to give it a good scrubbing and re-home Mustapha next week! We may even make a video because we're still receiving amused comments from viewers of our original You Tube video when we "opened" our new T's over a year ago.

I'm excited about the new set-up! I can't wait to take pics too.

My, What a BIG Mouth you have!

I fed Mustapha a cricket the other day and Chris pointed out that he did not spin it. No, he just stuffed it in his mouth and ate it whole. All that could be seen was a head sticking out. Damn, what a scary spider.

I went on my bi-monthly bike ride trip to the pet store and picked up more crickets (a little bigger this time) and 2 butterworms as a nommy treat. Mustapha was on his right away but Smithy wouldn't touch hers. For over 24 hours it was crawling around and under her. Hey Smithy, that's an expensive bug you're not eating! (American Psycho reference, just fyi:P) so I picked it out of her terrarium and gave it to Mustapha, who has now eaten 3 times in 24 hours. That should hold him...Who am I kidding? He's probably hungry again already. Poor Smithy though. You snooze, you lose. I don't know why she wouldn't want to eat. I'll try a cricket again in a couple of days.

I just have to mention for the billionth time that I really love my spiders! It's been over a year and I still watch them everyday and am still awestruck over their developing growth and colouration.

I love Smithy because she's pretty, lazy, and just chill. She lets us play with her and that's exactly what I wanted in a tarantula. I love Mustapha because he's huge, also pretty and really active. He's so interesting to watch. He's not one to allow a handling but that's fine by me. Having one playing spider, and one to watch is not bad...Not bad at all!

I have to water them today but other than that I think that's all for now!

It's Official, We've had the Spides for a Whole Year!

Both tarantulas are in between molt cycles, active, healthy and eating rather well. It seems that I go through crickets rather quickly these days. I suppose when Mustapha gets his newer, bigger home, the crickets will inherit his Kritter Keeper. That way I can accommodate the housing of larger bugs.

I had to chase one this afternoon. There's something extremely funny to me about about hopping around the floor on my knees. Other than the odd escapee, I'm becoming rather good at handling them I remember a year ago I sucked!

I need to get new pictures soon, especially of Mustapha. I mean, Smithy has some fine colouration but Mustpha....He's a real prize. His size, colour, even his way of moving is spectacular. At this point I'll make it known that I totally forgive Tarantula Canada for giving him to me for free:P I'll tell you, this time last year I was a little reluctant to be grateful. I'm a first time T keeper here! What am I going to do with a 8-9 inch (when full grown) beast? Obviously, be awed and dazzled, that's what! They made the right choice!

In other news my hand has swelled up over night to about twice its usual size. I'm thinking bug bite. Spider maybe? Yeesh, I do hope it goes down soon. Its been nearly 12 hours!

Another Molt!

What am I going to do with this guy? Mustapha molts like crazy and each time he like, doubles in size! I think his home is a little small for him now so in the next few weeks I'm going to start organizing his move into a real 10 gallon tank! Wowie, to think that a year ago he was only a little speck.

The molt happened about a week ago and I'm a little worried, as per the usual first time tarantula keeping newbie. He's been scrunched up in the back corner of his hide ever since. He's eating at least but then again when is he not? Ugh I hope he's OK! I didn't even know he was going to molt. He ate 2 days before! What a beast..

Smithy is doing well. I made her hide bigger a while back and for the first week I didn't see her at all. I figured that's just the way it would be but alas, she resurfaced and once again, prefers to sit on top of the thing, rather than tucked away inside.

I'm going through crickets like they're going out of style. I used to be able to make a dozen last well over a month but it seems every couple of weeks I'm taking my bike over to the pet shop. Ah well, more exercise for me. I can't really complain, it costs $2 a month to feed them both!

I have a bit of maintenance ahead of me today: Feed Smithy, pick out "debris," water, spray, check in on Mustapha. It's a lot of fun! It's good to have something to do for them. They're definitely the most low maintenance pet I've ever had!

Despite being so boring (jokes, of course!) I still check in on them everyday!

The Beasts Have a Feast

Smithy started eating again the day before yesterday. She was probably ready to eat days before, but I made the mistake of giving her two super worms on separate occasions. Both times they burrowed before she could catch them. I swear, she's the Homer Simpson of tarantulas. Sooo lazy! Yup, she's a slow moving one. Her style is more or less to stay in one spot and wait for the prey to come her way.

Mustapha on the other hand is the exact opposite. As soon as I put a meal worm in he pounces. I think he rather enjoys hunting. He slowly stalks his way around the terrarium and then tackles. I gave him a cricket today and he gobbled it right up.

It's about time I make a little more room for them in their terrariums. Pretty soon they are going to have the final move, into the 10 gallons.

That will be exciting!

Molt!

Jeez, almost another month again.

Unfortunately I'm having somewhat of a bad, cranky week. Since my spiders love me and wanted to cheer me up, Smithy surprised me this morning with a molt! Ever since she arrived last July I have witnessed every molt, except one, which was a bad one. She didn't fully escape her exoskeleton and then hid for about a month.

I woke up this morning and checked on them, as per our usual routine. To my utter delight she was writhing in the substrate on her back, fresh out of her skin! Ahhh the new suit is fabulous and oh my, has she grown up! I don't think she has changed suits since January! This one is definitely noticeable. I'm very excited to see how much bigger she'll become after she hardens.

Mustapha is magnificent as usual. I can't believe when he arrived as a freebie I considered giving him away. I picked up some superworms last weekend for a change of pace. He likey! I'll put one in, turn my back and hear a thud against the side of his terrarium. That would be him going in for the kill. He's an extremely enthusiastic eater! He's also incredibly big, hyper and gorgeous. For a spider he has a lot of personality.

One more thing I wanted to mention: A couple of weeks ago Smithy went into fast and I hadn't realized this, so I kept putting crickets in with her that hid, and were not eaten. Eventually she had about three in with her and so I had to take her terrarium off the bookshelf, to fish them out. She didn't like that one bit. She flicked hairs at me. Luckily I didn't get hit but it made me really nervous. I mean, we have birds in the same room and cats that wander everywhere in the house. I knew that was a risk when I decided to keep tarantulas but now it's real, and I'm nervous.

I'll have to do some research on this matter. It's too bad there is not a whole lot of tarantula keeping information out there, aside from the basics.

Anyway, hopefully I'll write again soon with updates!

Has it really been a month?

I guess my work stuff has become busy. That's spring/summer for a fitness trainer for ya!

Anyway, much has happened:

Mustapha molted! Yup, last Wednesday and oh boy, he sure has grown again. I fed him the biggest cricket that I have yesterday and he wasted no time at all! I also had to reorganize his terrarium to make a little more room.

I found a terrarium down the street from me and carried it home one morning. It's in good condition. Of course, first thing I did with it was throw it in the tub and bleach the hell out of it. Then I rinsed and rinsed and rinsed again. A few weeks later someone was selling a used 5.5 gallon for $10 so I had friends pick it up for me. Sooo I have 2 terrariums now ready to go for permanent homes, that is, if Mustapha doesn't grow any bigger. I'm not sure what size the one I found is but I hear Brazilian Black and Whites need a 10 or 15! Smithy will be okay with at least one of those but I guess we'll see about the big guy.

Smithy is doing very well! They aren't kidding about Redknees being slow growers. She hasn't molted in a long time now and is still happily feasting her round little butt off. I wait patiently!

Well that's pretty much the update for this past month. One molt, two homes and a bunch of crickets I always feel bad for.

Ciao for now!

Butterworms!

I just arrived home from the pet shop with some juicy butterworms for the Ts. I fed Mustapha the last cricket last night but it was just a small one. I figured I'd feed them both butterworms right away. They have never had before and I was giddy with excitement to see if they would enjoy them.

I fed Smithy the biggest one since she did not eat last night and it was so cute. The worms are these yellow and orange fat things and they just kind of wiggle around. Being the lazy spider that she is, she most likely appreciated not having to chase the thing around the terrarium. She simply walked up, tapped it, and sunk her fangs in. I was surprised that the worm gave quite the struggle. There was venom dripping all over it by the end and it's thrashing caused a hole in the substrate.

Mustapha's smaller worm gave him no trouble and he is happily feasting right now too! Yay, feeding success.

I feel good about offering them variety. They are too big now for the moth larvae I was feeding them last summer and unfortunately their diet over the course of the past six months has been strictly crickets.

Now I have to figure out how to keep the third, smallest butterworm alive for a few days until they are hungry again. I also have a brand new tub of crickets but I suspect many of them will be freed. The tarantulas should be almost ready for another fast and molt.

The pet store today was busy but I always get the same guy to get me bugs. He has tarantulas too and has helped me in the past to pick out cork bark and way long ago, pinhead crickets. I actually look forward to my visits now to discuss our Ts and to get recommendations on bugs and accessories.

There was a girl picking up some fish with her Dad and she was fascinated by the butterworms and wanted to check them out. When I told her they were for tarantulas she covered her mouth and gasped. Then she had a bunch of questions for me. She asked me if I'd eat a butterworm for $1000 and I said no, I'm a vegetarian. She said she would and she's vegan, slapped me on the shoulder and left the store..Lol.

Live with tarantulas is grand : )

Spiders are FUN! + FAQs

Both have been out of their hides, active and VISIBLE for the past couple of weeks. They're making tarantula keeping a lot of fun.

I never know if I should pick up more bugs when they're almost out. I don't want crickets stinking up my kitchen while they fast, molt and recover for a month. I mean, sure I can free them outside but even going to the pet store for them is a hassle. I guess I'll have to see how it goes!

Having my ts for 8 months now has prompted a lot of questions. Granted, friends and family are curious so even though the questions seem kind of silly to a tarantula enthusiast,
they're common amongst the majority of the population, who are usually just a little weirded out!

Tarantula FAQs

Q. When do tarantulas get their venom?
F. They always have it.

Q. Can't you get them devemonized?

F. No, and we wouldn't want to! Don't want a pet with claws, don't get a cat. Don't want a smelly pet, don't get a dog or ferret. don't want a venomous bug, don't get a tarantula!

Q. When do you put them together?
F. Never. I have two different species.

Q. Don't they get lonely?
F. Lol, no. They live like that in the wild.

Q. Aren't you afraid they will escape?
F. Yes. More afraid for their safety and the other pets rather than my own though.

I hope that clears things up!

They're Settled In!

Since my last post I have seen plenty of tarantula sightings. The two little darlings have been out and about. Smithy has been back to her usual self, clinging onto the side of the terrarium and Mustapha likes to sit outside his hide and then scurry back in as soon as he sees me come near:P

This evening after work it will be spider feeding and maintenance day. I have to pick through their leftovers, fill the water dishes and offer some bugs.

Chris and I are hoping that Smithy will be out, and that we'll be able to handle her. I'm not one for picking their hide up to get to them. If they don't feel safe in their homes, where will they?

My brother gave me a coffee grinder. I don't grind coffee so I'm using it to grind up cat food for the crickets. This will be the spider's first feed with the healthier crickets.

On Sunday we fed the Ts and Mustapha, who never wastes any time, tackled a rather large bug and they wrestled around the terrarium. Unfortunately, I missed that one but Chris said that their brawl actually made noise as they tumbled into the sides of the container.

Bottom line of this post, tarantulas are awesome. I'm still in love!

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!

Spectacular Takedown

I fed the spideys yesterday. I shake them out of the container and size is random. Mustapha's bug was HUGE for him. I decided to sit with him for a few minutes to make sure he wasn't scared of it to the point of me having to fish it out. Ha! He attacked right away. The cricket had some serious fight in it and they wrestled for a good ten minutes with Mustapha, always having the upper hand. He's very bloated atm.

I also noticed that he's grown in to his new suit and is officially BIGGER THAN SMITHY. He's just gorgeous too. He has his black and white stripes and fuzz. I can't believe four months ago he was just this little speck. I'm actually starting to get the feeling that Mustapha is a she. If that's the case I may change her name to Fatima or something similar to keep my middle eastern theme. Don't ask why, he's a Brazilian species.

Smithy had a much smaller cricket and also pounced right away. She carried it around under her arm for a little while, like a toy or blankie and then did her death dance. She can really shake her booty!

Spiders are cool.

Just a T Update

Mustapha has stopped eating. That can only mean one thing, MOLT TIME! It's pretty cool have two spiders because they're molt cycles have been about a month apart and at around one molt every couple of months, I get to see one approximately every thirty days!

Smithy has eaten about 3 times since her molt at the end of October. She's so fast and skittish now! I really hope she chills out. I actually saw her JUMP! Ummm, I didn't think redknees could jump. Then again, she moves so fast that it could have just looked that way. If you blink, you will miss her moving and now she's in this habit of running up the container. I *really* hope she never runs out when I have to go in there.

With her first meal she lunged at it, and like threw the cricket across the container upside down in to her water dish. I had to rescue it from drowning so she could try again.

I did some maintenance last night. Just refilling water dishes and spraying. I think I sprayed Mustapha's home too much because there is still condensation this morning. Actually it's more like droplets. I hope he's not too warm in there!

I also had to take a cricket out of his place because it's been in there a few days. It's being saved for Smithy tomorrow.

I know I keep saying this, but I'll take pics very soon!

Settling In

Smithy ate her first meal since molting. It's actually time to feed her again.

I have noticed that since the molt, she is moving more quickly, and seems kind of skittish. I hope she settles down. We want to play with her again!

Mustapha has also eaten at least once since his big move. I thought it was twice but a cricket got lost in his burrows and died in there. I noticed the dead bug pressed up against the container deep down in his burrow, at the bottom of the container. Now it's going moldy and there's no way to get it out! D'oh!

I still have his little container in there with him, and he seems to prefer it. I was hoping to have taken it out by now but as long as he's happy, I guess!

The last batch of crickets I bought are crap. Most are already dead. Grrr! It's a pain to get those things.

That's all for now!

SMITHY MOLTED + Mustapha has a new home!

YAY! I was getting worried there, as usual. Last night against my instinct, I started to panic and gave Smithy a cricket because it has been nearly 3 weeks since she has had a bite to eat. She wasn't impressed and ran to the top of her container and clung there, right above her water dish. I was so scared for her, but by this morning she was on the substrate again, so I got that bug outta there in a hurry.

Around 1pm I went to check in on her and she was half on the side of her hide molting! I saw it happen throughout the next hour or so. I can't believe I finally witnessed a molt! I wonder if she always molts on her side?! Even right now she is not completely finished. She still has to stretch her legs but she's already looking bigger and better than ever. I LOVE her colours. She's a real jewel :D

Now Mustapha had himself transferred in to a new home yesterday. He LOVES to burrow and he outgrew his original vial so I bought him a bigger Tupperware that has the same floor space as Smithy's house, but much deeper. Fortunately his original vial fits in the new home so it was a very stress free move. I placed the vial on its side, in the new house and within an hour he was poking his head out of the old burrow. I started a new burrow for him outside of the old container, and by this morning he was poking his head out from it! Lol. The new burrow looks more developed then what I started him out with so I guess he was very busy throughout the night digging. In a couple of days I'm going to take away the old home. I want to give him a chance to adjust to his new place, and be able to escape back to the old home, if something scares him.

My crickets have grown too quickly again. I'm picking up little ones tomorrow.

Little Update. Worried as Usual.

I have gathered the courage. I'm going to buy a container for Mustapha today and give him a new home.

He's been on the surface a lot. I think he outgrew his burrow. He's a little monster. My crickets are getting big again (a few lucky ones will get released soon) and he can really take them down. He destroyed one at least his size. I know they would prefer to eat smaller prey but once in a while I think they could use the exercise and excitement. Maybe I'll buy smaller ones tomorrow though!

I'm getting worried about Smithy, She hasn't eaten in over 2 weeks. She really looks like she's going to molt so I hope it happens soon. She's all dark and crusty looking. I'm also worried about her new home. It's not nearly as humid as the glass one was. This container was a former cricket keeper with little screen holes on the lid. I have it half covered with saran wrap to reduce the air flow. I just hope it's going to be okay for the molt.