Smithy Molted.

Omg it's been ages since I have posted in this blog and this one will be short too.

I checked in on Smithy this morning and found her molting! She has since gone to hide so I haven't actually seen the result. I also want to check back in this blog to see how long it has been. Probably a pretty long time! now that she has molted again I really do need to set her up with her substrate and a better hide.

Mustapha. *Sigh* He's a very unhappy spider. Ever since we changed his home months ago he has hardly ate anything...If at all. He climbs the tank everyday and has lost all of his abdomen hairs. I keep thinking he is going to molt but it has happened yet. He used to be so content. I swear tarantulas are the most counter-intuitive animal in the world. I thought since he's growing, and is going to be so big, that he's need a bigger hide. Well apparently that has caused him terrible grief.

Well, I guess that's all for now.

Not the Greatest Shot but it's Something!

Smithy recovered quite nicely from her last molt and she's eating like a PIG! We haven't played with her in a while but I hope to very soon.

Mustapha on the other hand is the happiest tarantula in the world. Why? Well because we haven't seen him in months. I see him moving around in his cave but he's quite content to web himself inside and chill out at home. Actually, I think he's probably due for a terrarium cleaning. Oh, God the idea scares me. We've never had to do that before. I don't even want to know how big he is now.

Smithy worries me sometimes because she's so active. Apparently this means that she isn't thrilled with her environment. I'm going to add more substrate at some point but that always makes it worse before it gets better. She'll probably spend a week hanging off the top of her tank.

I acquired two bettas. I'm finding more and more that I think I actually prefer these types of pets over cats, birds, dogs and other traditionally interactive animals. I have to say, I like my fish so much that I already want another one!

Anyway, writing this post reminds me that I need to feed the Ts!

Little Update

Smithy's molt went without incident and she's already eating. Her legs have grown! I don't know what's going on with Mustapha. He's been webbed away in his cave for what seems like ages. I thought he was eating until I noticed a couple of crickets jumping around in his terrarium. Oops, I hope they haven't been sucking his eyeball juices or doing anything like some of the horror stories I've heard about leaving crickets in with vulnerable, molting tarantulas.

It's so strange how tarantulas are both hardy and delicate. They can live for a year without food, and survive all types of shoddy conditions but at the same time they can bust if they fall.

I've almost had the Ts for 2 years now! I kind of can't believe that it's been so long already! I think I'm doing a good job so far at being a spider Mom.

Now that Smithy is molted, fed and finally has her abdomen hairs back, I want to take her out to play and take pictures. I haven't freaked out my friends and family on Facebook in quite some time!

Smithy Is Going to Molt!

Well her nasty bad patch has turned black and she's been denying food for over a week. Yay, molt time!

Mustapha is still eating well and oh so big. He's taken to webbing like, everything in the terrarium. He just wants to make himself an even scarier and creepier spider.

Not sure if I mentioned but I picked up some fake plants for their terrariums. I know that quite frankly, tarantulas don't give a rat's ass about decoration but I think it looks nice. Hey, I have two big tanks in my living room. They're gonna look nice!

I think I need to buy new crickets tomorrow. The chirping has stopped.

That's it for now.

Be Careful What You Wish For

I haven't had time to update but I had a case of the, "be careful what you wish for's." RIGHT after my last post about tarantulas being boring I thought that Smithy had escaped! Ack!

I fed her the butter worm, and went to check in on her later that evening, only to realize she was nowhere to be found!

The way her terrarium is set up, I can see into her hide, the substrate is pretty shallow at the moment, and she has a half coconut that used to be her hide. This coconut shell has the *tiniest* hole, and it faces the glass.

Sure enough, I discovered her in there the next afternoon. This was after going to bed thinking she had escaped and having to work the next day from 6am-12pm. ALL of that time, I figured I'd have to pull apart the bookshelf she lives on, and looks for a runaway.

*phew*

Tarantula keepers will swear that T's are Houdini's who can escape through the tiniest crack, and her screen covering is not that secure! She has now proven that she can manage getting through small spaces with the coconut shell. Time to re-think that screen cover, me thinks!

In other news, Mustapha has been out and about a lot lately. S/he's HUGE, and still really shy.

I need to get a picture of this beast but s/he runs away whenever I come close, and when I do get a shot, it never turns out well. Dang unphotogenic giant spider!

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

WTF Smithy?

I know that tarantulas have a difficult time adjusting to new homes but I'm very concerned about Smithy. Since the pictures in the last post (note her beautiful big bottom) she has kicked off like, almost all of the hairs on her abdomen. She looks gross! She keeps climbing up the side of the terrarium and falling. Mustapha also has a tall tank (I know, they should be shorter) and he has never climbed at all!

When I had her in the old home she climbed for a bit at first and then became bored, and grew content with just sticking low to the side. She reminds me of one of those Garfield car window decals, with the suction cups on the hands and feet. Anyway, every time she goes tank climbing I really stress. I'm not sure if this is the cause of her naked backside, or what?

I think Mustapha molted. He's been refusing food and I haven't seen him out of the hide in a few weeks. I peeked in yesterday during my food and drink delivery rounds and saw a very bulbous rump. More so than usual.

Sometimes I think the crickets require more upkeep then the Ts. They have to be fed and watered more often, cleaned up etc. Plus they're loud and smelly. Funny how that works out.

Well I'm outta here to get my workday over with and then YAY Friday night.

Peace out T fans.

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!

Mustapha, Where Art Thou?

Still hiding:(

I'm a very concerned tarantula Mommy.

Molt?

I haven't seen Mustapha out of his hide in eons. I think that I saw a glimpse of molt skin in there with him, and I found a dead cricket in the tank. If he did molt, I have no idea when that would have been, and I like to know these things. Vexing.

I hope he makes an appearance soon. He hasn't gone on a little hiatus like this since we first received him in the mail, and put him in the vile. Oh my goodness, the days of Mustapha being in a pill vile are so long passed.

I remember when he disappeared for a few weeks back then I was worried sick that he was either dead, buried alive, or lost in one of the tunnels he had made. Right before he surfaced I was just about ready to dig him out. Man, he wouldn't have liked that. It's a good thing he came out on his own!

We haven't had the chance to take Smithy out since her last molt but I so badly want to. She's been eating well and her colouring in really turning out to be quite stunning!

I love my Ts! <3

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.

I'm an Idiot! Smithy Molted!

Yesterday afternoon I checked in on the Tarantulas after getting in. I panicked at first (I'm always worried) when first noticing a crumpled spider. I know, I know, a year later and you WOULD THINK I'd know what a molting tarantula looks like! Well I noticed the double leg look (at one point in a molt, it can look like a tarantula has 16 legs!) before having an emotional breakdown, and then I was happy. Yay, Smithy is molting.

Cue hours later...

OH.MY.GOD. She's still in the same position, I think she's stuck in her molt....*goes online to research* If she's like that in the morning, I'm going to cut in and help her out of the old skin.

*goes to bed, wakes up, and runs down to the terrariums*

OHFUCKOHFUCK. *Grabs tank off bookshelf, tears off lid, and is ready to play Dr. Tarantula*

....Then I realized I had been looking at a molt folded IN HALF the whole time. She was probably already out even before the very first time I noticed her "molting." The skin, being in the back end of the tank and folded slightly over gave the appearance of a molt in progress, but she was already safe and drying in her hide! D'oh. I'm so relieved though! I can't wait to see the new suit!

At least I would have went in to help her out with tweezers and all that jazz. :P

So while I was in there, I cleaned up her tank a bit. It's starting to smell funky:/ I gave her and Mustapha water, fished a cricket out of her tank (she won't be needing it after a molt!) and fed it to Mustapha.

Oh and the whole time I was checking in on Smithy yesterday, Mustapha was half on his glass looking quite spectacular. What a show! I love that guy!

I'm going to pics of them both soon!

It's been a while since the last post...

WELL that's because TARANTULAS ARE BORING! Lol, no they're not but out of two of them I haven't seen much except a leg sticking out of their hides here and there for the past few weeks.

This evening we finally spotted a fully out and about Mustapha. He molted recently and man is he getting big! Especially considering that in July he was only a little speck. They grow up so quickly *sniffles* it's precious, really.

I'm getting very tempted to lift Smithy's coconut shell to see if she's okay because I haven't seen so much as a stitch of leg lately and I'm getting worried.

The Ts stress me out still. Not nearly as much as they used to when they first arrived but enough to make me realize that they are very different than anything I'm used to!

Death Dance!!

I saw Smithy's "death dance" for the first time on Tuesday. Well that's what I like to call it anyway:P She looked sooo cool spinning up her food. Check out This YouTube video I was watching. It's of a Black Horn Baboon T dancing.

It's feeding day again today. I picked up new crickets last week because the original bunch of them grew too big. They grew their way to freedom. Chris let them out in to the garden.

The new ones had a nice ride home on my bicycle. Then one of the cats knocked the container off the kitchen counter:/ Poor bugs.

Both of the spiders are out and about today. I wonder if that means they are hungry.

I'll find out in a few hours!

Oh, Dear!

It's been six days since Smithy molted. Chris and I tried to put a cricket in that was maybe, a little too ambitious. It scared the crap out the poor T, and the cricket chased her around her container. So, we fished that one out, and tried a smaller, more manageable bug, but she's still wiggin' out. Chris found her at the very top of her container in the middle of the night, clinging to the side of the glass. This morning she's in the same spot! I really hope she doesn't fall and hurt herself:(

She seems like a really sweet spider, that likes to eat (although she hasn't been hungry lately!) and sit still on the middle of her substrate. I feel so bad for her when she seems stressed out. I'm going to give her a few more hours to chill, and if she doesn't come down on her own, then I'm going to try coaxing her off the side, and take out the cricket.

Mustapha on the other hand, resurfaced the day before yesterday, and clung to the side of his container for a while. I took this as "Feed me, NOW!" I put the cricket in at the same time as Smithy's dinner, and by this morning he was sitting outside of his burrow, looking rather pleased with himself. He's a flighty guy, but a real character. I really dig him!

I'll keep the Smithy situation posted.

I'm making a new tag for juveniles, because at one year and two months, Smithy isn't really a sling anymore, now is she? She really grew up after that molt!

Found Mustapha

I try to not move their homes around too much, but I was really curious as to where my boy got to! I lifted up the container and found him! He's burrowed right to the bottom of the vile! What a weirdo!

He looked quite fleshy too, so I wonder if he has molted. He's only about 3 months old, so he's probably about due again. I kind of hope he didn't because I want the old skin. I'm collecting them! Lol.

I can't wait until the molts gets bigger. Prank time!

So, I'm relieved again.

Oh and btw, Smithy looks purdy in her new skin:)

Worried Spider Mom

I've noticed this blog contains many "worried" posts. This entry is no exception!

Neither of the spiderlings have eaten in about a week! I don't know if this is because I have been feeding them so much over the course of the past month, if they're going to molt, or if they're sick. I just don't know!

I keep hearing that tarantula keeping is a game of patience. Sometimes they won't eat in a while. Sometimes they don't move for a while. For the most part, they are strange and alien creatures. I can totally accept that, but at the same time, I don't want to brush everything off as them just being weird animals.

For example, I have not seen Mustapha in 2-3 days. I tried to grab a dead cricked from his container, and once again, collapsed his burrow. The first time was way worse, and he dug out through that, so I think he should be okay. I also remember that when he arrived from Montreal, he hid for nearly a week. Maybe he's going to molt again? After he hid that week, he finally surfaced and shed his skin. I hope so!

Then there is Smithy. Why hasn't she been eating? I thought maybe she would molt, but it's been a week now! The interesting thing about her, is since she has not been eating, she's much more active. No more couch potato lifestyle for her! Not only is she moving more, she is shockingly fast! I had no idea!

Well, I'll just sit on my hands, try not worrying so much, and wait for them to do something!

Brush Test

It's been exactly two weeks since I have officially been a tarantula keeper. Woohoo.

I was cleaning up the substrate today, and I thought I'd give Smithy "the brush test."

The brush test is a decent indicator of temperament and reaction to being touched. So, I put the end of a little paintbrush in, and very gently, tapped her back leg....Nothing. Not even a flinch. I tried a leg on the other side...Nadda.

I was at expecting her at the very least, take a step forward, but no go. Then I was really brave and I lightly tapped her back end. Still nothing! The hell?

Is that normal? Now I'm concerned again. Is it possible just she is just THAT lazy? Or is there something wrong with her?

I just took a look at my stop-motion pet, and she is turned in the other direction now. I guess she is just slow moving and lazy. I'll take this as a good sign for future handling!

I can guarantee that this would not be Mustapha's reaction to the brush test. All you have to do is look at him, and he's back in the burrow!

Oh btw, I was originally planning on giving him away when he is older, being an "unwanted" free bonus T and all, but now I'm thinking that I'll never be able to do it! He's just too cool, attitude and all : o )

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.

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.