So in the last few days I’ve had a death in the family. One of my Avicularia tarantulas succumbed. The first one of these I had also died from the same issue. (What that issue is…I don’t really know.) The local reptile shop replaced the failed T with this one, and it lasted longer, but eventually expired the same way. Best guess is that both were infested with some sort of parasite or infection as they were from the same source, and were probably wild caught. It is sad, but when dealing with exotic animals such as these the Keeper needs to understand going in that there will be failures. Sometimes for no apparent reason.
In happier news, my Nhandu chromatus has fully regained a leg. The prior molt it lost one (still scratching my head over how and why there). This shows just how durable and tough most of these T’s are most of the time.
In other T-news, I’ve added a demon spawn from hell tarantula to the gang, a Cyriopagopus vonwirthi. The common name is the Vietnamese Tiger, and it pretty much lives up to that. This particular genus are known as “fossorial” meaning they are burrowers. They are also mean tempered vicious critters. When I got the T home and set up to house it, it reminded me why you never take a wild animal for granted. Heh.
I’ve also filled out the Poecilotheria collection a bit. In addition to the P. miranda, P. regalis and the P. tigrinawesseli, there is now a P. striata and a P. ornata.
These are beautiful animals, and unlike the demon child, they generally would rather seek shelter from the “human”, but LIKE the devil-T, they are fast as hell, and can inflict a nasty bite. (Not yet of course, they are still relatively small, but once they grow up, they are not to be trifled with.) I adore this genus for their beauty, and for doing my bit for conservation as they are losing their habitat in the wild, and a few of them are becoming very endangered. By keeping these, and hopefully at some point breeding them, I’m keeping one of nature’s masterworks around. I like that.
The Psalmopoeus cambridgei has gone from tiny little sling to grown up female in under a year. She might gain a bit more size, but right now, she’s fully mature. Very fond of this one. At a rough guess this is now a 6″ tarantula. She might get to 7″.
I’ll leave this post with a couple of my other Avicularia T’s being derps. The one on the left is an Avicularia avicularia (original classification there, huh? heh heh.) The one on the right is an Avicularia versicolor daring to be different.
