Picture Post!

The tarantulas have been active! We took them out to play the other day and finally captured some decent pics! However, we almost found out the hard way that Mustapha doesn't like to play. He nearly flicked on us!

The first two are of the notoriously unphotogenic Mustapha. The pics do him no justice. He's twice the size of Smithy, hairy and quite the spectacular specimen. The rest are of Smithy, our eight legged golden retriever:)

Playtime!

We decided that it was time to dig a little hole under each of the spider's hides because they are growing so quickly and we are trying to prolong the process of getting them a permanent terrarium by making them a bit more room. Mostly because we don't want to buy a 5 gallon, only to have to replace it in a few months with a 10 and then 15.

We wanted to see if Mustapha wanted to play first. He didn't. Actually he looked very close to flicking hairs on us! He's not very photogenic either:/ Still to this day we don't have a decent pic of him! We are thinking now that he is actually a she. The name Mustapha really suits him/her. I've been calling her Staphie. H/she's very active and looking absolutely magnificent! If he does end up being a look-no-touch spider, I can definitely live with that.

Smithy on the other hand is so adorable. We took her out, took pics and played with her for a bit. We also happened to get great pics, which I promise to post VERY soon. Not that anybody reads this except me and whoever finds the link on Facebook!

In other good news, Smithy fixed up her bad molt and is eating steadily again. Staphie has seriously outgrown her. Now I have to wonder if she's a he! At least the name will still work but I must admit I would be a little sad over the fact that he wouldn't live as long.

I guess that's it for now!

An Update...Finally!

Wow I'm making posts like once a month now. Oops! I swear, I haven't lost interest in my tarantulas:P

Some good and bad news:

I'll start with the bad. Smithy had a bad molt. It's definitely not as bad as some pictures I've seen of Ts with their legs stuck together but she does have some old exoskeleton attacked to her abdomen and back. About a week ago Chris and I decided that it had been way too long since we had seen her come out of her hide. So we lifted it. I think she's depressed. I'm not going to do anything about it because it's not effecting her movement. We saw her come out of her hide the other day for some water and I'm pretty sure she has been eating again. It should be okay. I'm going to have to spray her terrarium more often.

The Good news. Mustapha has been out a lot, eating like a madman (or woman?), and growing like crazy! He's getting so badass. It completely fascinates me that 8 mos ago he was just a little speck, not even as big as my baby fingernail! Now he must have a diameter of 2 inches! He's outgrown Smithy by far!

Maybe I'm just being paranoid but I wonder if he's out so much because his hide is getting too small for him. No doubt, he will need a 5 gallon soon at a minimum!

I definitely have to get pictures now that he's more active. He climbed up his piece of cork bark earlier and now he's chillin' out on his substrate.

It would be good to get him a new home, and then the crickets can also move into a bigger habitat. Right now they live in a plastic container and holy crap, do they ever stink. Phooey!

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!

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!

Come out and Play with Me.

Ever since the terrarium change + new hides, I haven't seen the little guys! I guess I knew this day would come. I had heard that once tarantulas were given nice hides they tend to prefer them over sitting out in the open. I miss my spiders!

Now I'll throw a bug in and they just disappear. No more seeing them hunt, eat and spin. Waaah.

I'm hopeful that they will come out and explore their homes soon and maybe even chill out on the side, or on the substrate once in a while. *crosses fingers*

Another Molt and ReHoming

Mustapha molted a few days later, on the 1st of January. So much for clockwork. I didn't think he'd be due for 2 weeks to a month later. Actually, he ate about 3 days before!

I *thought* Smithy had finally gained some growth ground on him after her last suit change but man oh man, he's huge! Considering he's nearly a year younger than her, he's definitely living up to fast growing reputation of the Brazilian Black and White.

So, I had to set them up with new houses, for the third time in six months. They're in (basically) Critter Keepers now. The next step will be a 5 gallon tank, so I hope they can at least have the new house for 4 to 6 months or so.

I'm currently using coconut husk bedding, slightly moistened. Smithy has a coconut shell hide and a pop bottle cap water dish. Mustapha has a split (half) log and a piece of cork bark on the other end of his home for decor. Also, a pop cap dish.

I want to add a piece of bark to Smithy's habitat but the coconut shell takes up a lot of room. I don't want to crowd her.

Getting Smithy into her new crib was easy and fun. We simply picked her up, played for a few minutes and stuck her in. Mustapha, being the shy guy that he is, hid in his container and I had to use a paintbrush to slowly scoop old (nasty) substrate out until he just went for it and run out.

Tarantulas are so counter intuitive. Most creatures run AWAY when they're scared. T's run toward you! So when he started running at me, needless to say, I turned into Flinchy McFlincherson.

I'll get used to their antics one day...Maybe:P

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!

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.

Mustapha Molted!

I knew it! I'm getting much better at recognizing the signs now. The fasting, the darker complexion, the lethargy...I noticed yesterday evening that he was pale, BIGGER and still a little folded up.

I have to go in there later. I want his skin! He usually molts in his burrow and I haven't been able to grab one since the very first molt.

I noticed it had happened because I went to feed Smithy. I looked over to him, looked back at her, and she had already caught the bug...D'oh! I wanted to see!

So right now, everything with the spiders is just dandy!

P.S. I think Mustapha is big enough for a water dish now!