Sometimes there is too much information absorbed too quickly. For instance, in my reading of “sling care”, I interpreted my Grammostola pulchripes [the Chaco Golden Leg’s real name] behavior as “pre-molt” (what they do before shedding the old exoskeleton). Instead, it uses the bark hide and burrows below it normally. Badass hunter, probably 2nd only to the adult G. porteri. I’d take a picture, but the booger is in its sling-cave vegging. (If I ate 1/2 a cow in one sitting, hooves and all, I’d be vegging as well.)
—–update—-got a shot of the Chaco peeking out of the hide/burrow. 😀
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I’m probably going to name my G. rosea sling: “Iskierka”, after the baby dragon born on the battlefields in Naomi Novik ‘s “Temeraire” series.
That dragon was a little bloodthirsty fiend, an awesome smartass, and I cannot help but make the comparison. (Yeah, I’m a geek. …heh.)
This lil go-getter tries to take down crickets almost as big as herself. Then she realizes, “uh…nope, nope, nope” and boogies to the top of her hide until I injure the food for her. Then, of course she pounces, and drags it all over the cage before settling down to devour the entire thing like she did the deed all herself. 😀
I have four spiders, and they all have different personalities. (We won’t mention Fumblebutt and her need for bifocals for hunting.) …heh.
You have to love their individual “personalities.” I think the fact that individuals really do have their own personality quirks is very difficult for folks who don’t keep Ts to understand and … well … believe! So glad to hear that your little ones are settling in well. 🙂
I do. Part of the “interest”. If it were JUST bugs, I’d keep a bowl of crickets and watch em’ do bug things. -snicker.
No sooner than I mention the Chaco was set up, this morning she comes walking around and I see a pretty swollen abdomen and she’s mincing around very very slowly…I get up this afternoon and find she walled off the entrance. So I might have been partially right in the first place about ‘close to molt’. 😀
Ha! I hear you. I just love the crazy looks I get when someone inevitably asks why on earth I’d want to keep a bunch of giant spiders, and I try to explain that they are have different personalities. It honestly takes another keeper to appreciate this.
Hey, that’s great! You might have your first molt soon after all. Now, the waiting game begins… 🙂
I mention the personality subject, and if that doesn’t resolve the crazy looks, I then ask them why they keep furry four legged “built-in-tragedies” in their house…or why are there things in that water tank? Why do some people like ferrets? This usually steers the conversation away from “ewww-ick” and into “your cat grooms? So does my “T” “.
The waiting game is easy for me. Because after 5 years of driving a cab to allow me the time to write novels and pursue THAT hobby, patience has become second nature. (If you aren’t patient, stay the heck-blam out of the service industry. 😀 )
It also helps that I stuffed my head with information before “going for it”. Everything I’m seeing now, I’ve read about. (well except tarantulas who are clumsy when hunting…and the sheer awesomeness that is a T stretching and grooming. That has to be seen to be understood. 🙂