Alynn's Little Monster(s)

[AlynnBity]

I finally moved last monday (at least the first time) and yesterday I was able to move into my temporary room until I find an apartment.
My T's survived the trip well and returned directly to their terrariums, which I have not changed.

But now there is a big problem: this week it should be up to 40 degrees (10 degrees warmer than last week) and in the rooms there will be very similar temperatures during the day due to the construction of the house. Unfortunately, there is no way to put my spiders somewhere else. I'm glad that the owner allows me the tarantulas here (I live temporarily in the bedroom of my friend's mother).
Fortunately, at night, I manage to cool the temperature down to 24 degrees, but I don't want to expose my two monsters to more than 28 degrees during the day.
The water evaporates so fast that I have to refill it every 2 days.

Anyone have ideas how I can cool down the terrariums?
I've read about frozen towels or frozen bottles that have been put on the glass and constructions for a cool pack. What's the best way without shock-freeze the T's?

Jiji and Emmi are doing well so far, I pay close attention to them and their health.
Emmi got her first meal from me yesterday and pleased me with a beautiful happy dance (my first ever).
Jiji got one of the little ones. It doesn't move again. But so far he has noticed everyone anyway.

Here are some recent photos:

The circle of life Emmi got a small Dubia as a snack

Chillin' on her favorite stone

Munch time!

(Jiji hides a lot, so unfortunately no photos.)

Warm greetings!

 

[Paul1126]

The emilia is stunning, really want a female but will only raise them from slings so could be waiting 5 years for a female of that size.

Emilia

• Paul1126
• Nov 17, 2017

B. emilia

• Paul1126
• Nov 15, 2017

 

[AlynnBity]

@Paul1126
Thank you very much
May I ask why you only want to raise her out of slings?
Your emilia, despite being darker, is also a beauty!

 

[Tim Benzedrine]

You are obviously doing proper research and are eager to learn. And pratfalls can happen to anybody, so don't get discouraged if you make a couple mistakes during the learning process. Ask questions when in doubt as you have been, and you can avoid mistakes, minor and major. Great looking spiders.

 

[Olan]

40 degrees Celsius is fine for most tarantulas. My apartment gets to that temperature during the day at times, and my tarantulas have been fine. Just check the water dish every day.

 

[AlynnBity]

I just have to announce this news to you!
I just looked at Jiji how he is doing. For the first moment, I noticed nothing. Then I thought "there is a lot of spider in the cave for his size". Only the third time I realized: he has molted! After 2 months again! I'm so surprised that I can't put that into words! I'm so happy and I'm curious how tall he is now!

Next news: I commissioned Emmi's final terrarium on Saturday. She will get her own big space in a few weeks

 

[AlynnBity]

Jiji showed up yesterday. He has made a big jump in size. The cave is clearly too small now. When I pick up the terrarium for Emmi, I'll buy him a bigger cave.
Of course I'm worried now because the Abdomen is extremely small compared to the Carapax. Only half of it. Jiji should now have about 4,5 - 5cm. He was well nourished before the molt, but he has really made a jump now. When I think about how small he was barely a year ago.

I have planned to feed him next Thursday or Friday. That's 10/11 days. Could he still starve until then?
I know, I'm extremely worried. But nature prevents that he may eat something directly. He is so extremely thin. And what long legs he got...

Edit: He is currently sitting outside again. So you can see the size ratio better.

 

[Greasylake]

That's 10/11 days. Could he still starve until then?

Your spider can go a lot more than 10 days without food before starving, even after a molt.

 

[AlynnBity]

Your spider can go a lot more than 10 days without food before starving, even after a molt.

I'm aware of that. I just wanted to know if that is true even if they are terribly thin.

 

[AlynnBity]

I'm panicking again. Jiji has pulled a few legs under him and twitches.
I couldn't handle it if he dies!

 

[sdsnybny]

He is probably just grooming himself, tarantulas are very fastidious.

 

[AlynnBity]

Hello everyone!

Yes, after a long time... I am back. At least I finally found the time to let something be heard from me.
After finally finding an apartment in November 2018, a lot has happened in my life. So excuse the long break. ^^''
Emmi and Jiji survived everything very good. Even the more frequent change of the terrariums location when I was forced to renovate while I already lived in the apartment.
I broke up with my boyfriend before moving and therefore had no way to organize everything beforehand.
With all my things I moved out of his house and in my arpartement the same day.
At least he offered to drive me with my two spiders after moving all the other things, so they arrive safely.

While Jiji had a phase in which he was barely visible, Emmi showed up much.
Until in the new year she suddenly started to stay in her cave and closed the entrance with her webbing.
By a lot of reading I knew that it is a common sign of an early molting.
So I figured that she would be ready in a few weeks or months. I was looking forward to it.

It actually took a few months, destroying her webbing to show herself off and on, only to fix it afterwards. It was a divine sight.

But Jiji was faster ...
As I waited for Emmi, I was worried if the cave for Jiji was too small for molting.
Curtly I rebuild everything and gave him a larger cork bark.
Shortly thereafter, he molted on April 18. Following the motto: "Well, I've been waiting!"
(Or he wanted to dress up for the lady before she is ready. )
I looked into his cave and there he lay ...

After two hours:

It was nice to experience it live for the first time.

I wondered if he matures with this molting. But it wasn't so. Luckily, because I have planned to give him to a breeder and then get a few of his children on successful mating.

Emmi molted a month later. Also completely surprising. Her first molt in my care <3
I will soon put her exuvia in a frame when I have more time.
I don't really need to feed her. She is still fat enough. Like before
She has been very active since then and responds to everything. She also wants to catch my spray bottle.
I'm so happy! <3

And now: latest pictures for you!
(I also recently got the Galaxy S9. Finally I can take good pictures again. I hope you see the difference to the HTC.)

Days after molting:

Beautiful Emmi:

Greetings from Germany

 

[AlynnBity]

Emmis final home

Before moving in my apartment, I built Emmi's final home.
I ordered Emmi an 40x30x30 cm terrarium, that was build over couple of weeks.
I got everything I needed and started.

The earth is my own mixture: coco fiber, excavator clay and potting soil (sold as terrarioum earth) to qual parts.
It holds very well and there were no problems with mold so far.
I let it dry outside over the day for 2 months.

I think I did that very well for the first time.
Emmi seems satisfied. She accepted the cave immediately.

Of course, she also got her favorite stone, on which she lies so much.

 

[AlynnBity]

I have a very important question about the high temperatures that will come next week:

I plan to leave on Monday until Friday. But the weather report worries me... The whole week it should be temperatures of 33 - 40 °C (91,4 - 104 °F).
Because I'm not here then, I can't ventilate overnight to cause a drop in temperature.
Currently, I ventilate overnight, then close the window during the day and close the curtains. (These are opaque and prevent the heat from entering the apartment).
Everytime they've a filled bowl of fresh, cool water.
My friend will daily look if the T's are fine and if necessary fill up the water bowls.
I also told him that from 28 degrees he should put a cold pack wrapped in a cloth on the terrariums for 1 or 2 hours.

Will they survive the long heat and stifling air even without night ventilation for 5 days, or should I rather stay home?

 

[Olan]

They should be fine. I lived in LA without air conditioning for a while. Would get up to 105 or even 110 during heat waves, and everyone was fine. Just give them deep water dishes and reduce ventilation so they won’t be without water.

 

[Vanessa]

You can place their enclosures on the floor too. You would be surprised how much cooler it can be.

 

[AlynnBity]

I came home Friday night, Emmi and Jiji were doing very well after my vacation.
Before leaving I put them on the kitchen table. It's noticeably cooler there and turned away from the sun.
My friend gave me a daily report of their condition and took great care of them.

During the day it also reached 35 degrees at the weekend. Unbearable!
Even the lawn behind the house is completely burned away.
Luckily, it gets really cold overnight.

Thank you!
I hope you all are fine.

 

[AlynnBity]

Hello folks!
You haven't heard from me in a long time. Time to change that! A lot has happened in the meantime. With my T's, as well as in my life. So let's start. I have nice pictures for you again.

Jiji has molted in May after covering the front doors with his hairs. I was very surprised by his behavior. Now he's taller than Emmi.
I'm overwhelmed by his beauty every day. <3
I finally got Jiji's terrarium ready! With a second exit, because the Lord wants it that way. And before he digs a hole somewhere, I built another one as 'emergency exit'.
While the terrarium had to dry, Jiji sat in the box in which Emmi was initially.
I'm very proud of my work and he seems to accept it.
What do you think?

(There was no water in there yet.)

I love it when they lurk at the entrance!

My beautiful big boy

As you can see, I bought backgrounds that I attached to the outside of the terrariums. Unfortunately they are quite expensive, so there is still some background missing.
I've also bought newer, nicer water bowls. It looks a lot better and more natural now.

Emmi is currently sitting outside more often but hasn't molted again. I don't see her as often as in the years before. It's okay for me, she'll have her reasons. So I'm just happy when I see that she's fine.

+++ BUT the biggest news is +++
Two weeks ago I ordered two new tarantulas. I actually wanted to tell you the same day, but I'm so busy with my retraining that I didn't had the time.
May I introduce:

Beautiful B. albiceps male (2.5cm) named "Taru". Already prepearing for molting.

Tiny B. auratum female (1cm). Name is in progress.

To get them was relatively spontaneous. I wanted more spiders anyway, but had no serious plans to get some. I looked around, posted an ad and one person contacted me about the two species I was looking for next. The seller was very nice, answered all of my questions before buying, sent me photos, and often asked about their condition after their arrival.
At first I only wanted one or maybe two B. auratum, but couldn't resist when he told me about the bigger B. albiceps male. I actually wanted a female of this species too, but whatever. The men need to be strengthened. They are valuable too!

I have absolutely no experience with slings as small as the B. auratum. I'm so scared of doing something wrong, but I would like to give it a try.
I ordered a breeding batch of lateralis cockroaches too, so that I can feed the little one with the baby roaches. The dubias I have are too big.
I also bought a pipette so that I can put water in the enclosure of the tiny one.
But I haven't fed them yet because the abdomen is still very large. I want to wait for their next molts. Btw... the B. auratum moulted a few hours ago.

At first I was very worried because in this morning she has been lying on her side and showed no reaction. I decided to leave her alone and an hour later I saw her on her back and her molt next to her. Phew! Now all I have to do is figure out when to feed her.


A few pictures at the end:

That hangs over the terrariums. First molts in my care.

above: Emmi's first molt
below: Jiji's first and second molt

Size comparison with 3 years diffrence.

Greetings from Germany, that is currently much too warm!

 

[Ic4ru577]

Yeah. You are an addict allright. You should join arachnid anonymous.

 

[Smotzer]

Hello folks!
You haven't heard from me in a long time. Time to change that! A lot has happened in the meantime. With my T's, as well as in my life. So let's start. I have nice pictures for you again.

Jiji has molted in May after covering the front doors with his hairs. I was very surprised by his behavior. Now he's taller than Emmi.
I'm overwhelmed by his beauty every day. <3
I finally got Jiji's terrarium ready! With a second exit, because the Lord wants it that way. And before he digs a hole somewhere, I built another one as 'emergency exit'.
While the terrarium had to dry, Jiji sat in the box in which Emmi was initially.
I'm very proud of my work and he seems to accept it.
What do you think?

(There was no water in there yet.)

I love it when they lurk at the entrance!

My beautiful big boy

As you can see, I bought backgrounds that I attached to the outside of the terrariums. Unfortunately they are quite expensive, so there is still some background missing.
I've also bought newer, nicer water bowls. It looks a lot better and more natural now.

Emmi is currently sitting outside more often but hasn't molted again. I don't see her as often as in the years before. It's okay for me, she'll have her reasons. So I'm just happy when I see that she's fine.

+++ BUT the biggest news is +++
Two weeks ago I ordered two new tarantulas. I actually wanted to tell you the same day, but I'm so busy with my retraining that I didn't had the time.
May I introduce:

Beautiful B. albiceps male (2.5cm) named "Taru". Already prepearing for molting.

Tiny B. auratum female (1cm). Name is in progress.

To get them was relatively spontaneous. I wanted more spiders anyway, but had no serious plans to get some. I looked around, posted an ad and one person contacted me about the two species I was looking for next. The seller was very nice, answered all of my questions before buying, sent me photos, and often asked about their condition after their arrival.
At first I only wanted one or maybe two B. auratum, but couldn't resist when he told me about the bigger B. albiceps male. I actually wanted a female of this species too, but whatever. The men need to be strengthened. They are valuable too!

I have absolutely no experience with slings as small as the B. auratum. I'm so scared of doing something wrong, but I would like to give it a try.
I ordered a breeding batch of lateralis cockroaches too, so that I can feed the little one with the baby roaches. The dubias I have are too big.
I also bought a pipette so that I can put water in the enclosure of the tiny one.
But I haven't fed them yet because the abdomen is still very large. I want to wait for their next molts. Btw... the B. auratum moulted a few hours ago.

At first I was very worried because in this morning she has been lying on her side and showed no reaction. I decided to leave her alone and an hour later I saw her on her back and her molt next to her. Phew! Now all I have to do is figure out when to feed her.


A few pictures at the end:

That hangs over the terrariums. First molts in my care.

above: Emmi's first molt
below: Jiji's first and second molt

Size comparison with 3 years diffrence.

Greetings from Germany, that is currently much too warm!

Awesome job on those enclosures!!