- Joined
- Jun 18, 2003
- Messages
- 489
Hiya,
I know what you're thinking. You're thinking by the title this probably belongs in the "Not So Spineless" forum, but let me finish.
I was just thinking about how frustrating this little chore of mine is and how much it would help if I could shrink my dog down to maybe 3/4 of an inch and teach him to herd these little baby tarantulas into their individual containers. He's a herding breed, so he could actually make himself useful since it's the only "herd" I have in the house!
That would sure save the back-breaking efforts of having to do it myself. I've been working on it off and on for the last 3 days and have already started day #4. I got caught offguard when the day before my critters arrived, I realized they were coming all together in one container and that I needed to separate them myself. I just wasn't prepared because I thought 50/50s were only done one way, but I thought wrong. :}
It just would have been nice to know in advance that they can be done this way. It's only the first time I've had a male actually reproduce, so it's just a new experience for me. Always something new to learn.
Had I known, I would have gotten the containers I need to minimize cannibalizing. Fortunately, I had about 100 or so leftover from last year, when I had baby P. cancerides, which I individually cupped before sending off to Crash769. Mind you, there weren't nearly as many of those as there are of these, but it just would have been nice to know. I guess I should have asked, but as I said, I was under the impression that 50/50s were only done one way, and that is with the owner of the female cupping the babies before shipping them.
Am I upset? Not at all. I'm very happy to have living babies out of a spider that was very dear to me. Besides, I know how busy the other person is so I understand why cupping them for me couldn't be done. I also think I got more than my 50% to make up for it, which is cool.
Live and learn.
If there's any lesson to be learned here: Find out what the owner of the female plans to do before having them shipped to you. That way, you can be prepared when the new babies arrive. Like I said, at least I had some containers around the house that I could use. And considering how many of these guys I have, I couldn't have finished individually cupping them the first day anyway. Like I said, I've been at it for 3 days and have already cupped about 40 of them this morning. (I'm taking a break between rounds).
I'd say I cupped about 300 - 400 of them, though most are in group containers. It just seemed easier to split them up into groups in large containers. Then, I can break the groups up as I go. It seemed the best way to minimize the cannibalizing as each container represents a minimum of 1 survivor.
I think I'm finally getting the hang of it. This morning, I lined up the deli cups, spritzed them, then starting unpacking one of the containers that had about 20 slings in it and putting them into the moistened containers. Later on, I will need to add some substrate to them. I figured it's better not to use any because then you can't turn the container upside-down when necessary.
I'm wondering if anyone has any suggestions on how to make this quicker and easier? Seems like I'm looking at a few more days' work and the longer it takes me, the more of them are going to be cannibalized. I've already seen some signs of it. I even saw 2 fighting it out. (And I'd always thought cannibalizing was done when molting)! I was in the process of pulling some out, so I may have broken up the fight, but I'm not sure. I suspect someone probably ended up being lunch.
I did find one extra fat one. I named him "Terminator" because I figured he had probably terminated one or more of his siblings.
Well, I guess it's time to get back to work. If anyone has any tips to make this easier, please let me know. The faster I can get them all separated, the more I can save from each other. It's just too bad they don't realize that and they want to run every which way but loose!
Wysi
I know what you're thinking. You're thinking by the title this probably belongs in the "Not So Spineless" forum, but let me finish.
I was just thinking about how frustrating this little chore of mine is and how much it would help if I could shrink my dog down to maybe 3/4 of an inch and teach him to herd these little baby tarantulas into their individual containers. He's a herding breed, so he could actually make himself useful since it's the only "herd" I have in the house!
That would sure save the back-breaking efforts of having to do it myself. I've been working on it off and on for the last 3 days and have already started day #4. I got caught offguard when the day before my critters arrived, I realized they were coming all together in one container and that I needed to separate them myself. I just wasn't prepared because I thought 50/50s were only done one way, but I thought wrong. :}
It just would have been nice to know in advance that they can be done this way. It's only the first time I've had a male actually reproduce, so it's just a new experience for me. Always something new to learn.
Had I known, I would have gotten the containers I need to minimize cannibalizing. Fortunately, I had about 100 or so leftover from last year, when I had baby P. cancerides, which I individually cupped before sending off to Crash769. Mind you, there weren't nearly as many of those as there are of these, but it just would have been nice to know. I guess I should have asked, but as I said, I was under the impression that 50/50s were only done one way, and that is with the owner of the female cupping the babies before shipping them.
Am I upset? Not at all. I'm very happy to have living babies out of a spider that was very dear to me. Besides, I know how busy the other person is so I understand why cupping them for me couldn't be done. I also think I got more than my 50% to make up for it, which is cool.
Live and learn.
If there's any lesson to be learned here: Find out what the owner of the female plans to do before having them shipped to you. That way, you can be prepared when the new babies arrive. Like I said, at least I had some containers around the house that I could use. And considering how many of these guys I have, I couldn't have finished individually cupping them the first day anyway. Like I said, I've been at it for 3 days and have already cupped about 40 of them this morning. (I'm taking a break between rounds).
I'd say I cupped about 300 - 400 of them, though most are in group containers. It just seemed easier to split them up into groups in large containers. Then, I can break the groups up as I go. It seemed the best way to minimize the cannibalizing as each container represents a minimum of 1 survivor.
I think I'm finally getting the hang of it. This morning, I lined up the deli cups, spritzed them, then starting unpacking one of the containers that had about 20 slings in it and putting them into the moistened containers. Later on, I will need to add some substrate to them. I figured it's better not to use any because then you can't turn the container upside-down when necessary.
I'm wondering if anyone has any suggestions on how to make this quicker and easier? Seems like I'm looking at a few more days' work and the longer it takes me, the more of them are going to be cannibalized. I've already seen some signs of it. I even saw 2 fighting it out. (And I'd always thought cannibalizing was done when molting)! I was in the process of pulling some out, so I may have broken up the fight, but I'm not sure. I suspect someone probably ended up being lunch.
I did find one extra fat one. I named him "Terminator" because I figured he had probably terminated one or more of his siblings.
Well, I guess it's time to get back to work. If anyone has any tips to make this easier, please let me know. The faster I can get them all separated, the more I can save from each other. It's just too bad they don't realize that and they want to run every which way but loose!
Wysi
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