# smof's shots



## smof (Feb 13, 2006)

Hey all. Thought I'd start one of these, so I can keep track of my pics better 

Some recent shots of my _G. aureostriata_:
























And munching down:


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## smof (Feb 13, 2006)

And my others,

_B. emilia_:






_P. murinus_:






These 2 I've posted ages ago but I cleared them a bit better

_C. cyaneopubescens_:






_B. smithi_







That's all for now. I will try and get some new pics of my GBB, emilia and smithi soon.


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## MRL (Feb 13, 2006)

Smof those are some pretty good shots, what do ya need a new cam for!!


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## smof (Feb 13, 2006)

BETTER shots


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## xgrafcorex (Feb 13, 2006)

haha yea they look pretty good from here.  you're lucky to get such a good shot of your gbb.  after mine found the burrow i made for it, i have only been able to see its little orange legs and black feet stick out.  and if i open the lid to get a decent shot, it hides.


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## Ewok (Feb 13, 2006)

Those are nice pics, how big is your GBB? Oh  I was wondering too, why do you use insulating styrofoam in your chaco's cage ?


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## xgrafcorex (Feb 14, 2006)

thats the backing that comes with exo terras.  i think its removable (velcro?) but i've never tried taking it out.


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## smof (Feb 14, 2006)

-palau- said:
			
		

> Those are nice pics, how big is your GBB? Oh  I was wondering too, why do you use insulating styrofoam in your chaco's cage ?


Thanks. My GBB is about 0.75" from tip of leg 1 to leg 4.

The styrofoam is a backing made to look like rock, it comes with the tank. I think it's so you can put heat mats behind it and conceal them. You can take it out, it just slots in, but my Chaco likes to climb and has trouble sticking to glass so I'm gonna leave it in for him 

xgrafcorex, my GBB doesn't have a burrow. He's kind of built the substrate in his vial up on one side. Not sure why, but he likes to sit on it. I can always see him ;P


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## smof (Feb 14, 2006)

Two more of Hubert. I've heard emilias are generally shy/skittish, but this little guy seems pretty chilled, especially recently. It's nearly always out of its hide and very calm about me moving the deli cup around and taking the lid off. Makes for easy photos. It's super dark and not eating at the moment, so hopefully it'll moult soon. Fingers crossed it's a girl cos so far my only 2 confirmed sex Ts are boys.


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## smof (Feb 14, 2006)

My GBB, Super Hans, with a meal  This guy LOVES food. The speed it jumps on crickets when I drop them in its vial is amazing.

In most of these pics you can see it has mites. They irritate me but I don't think they're harming the T. I tried changing the substrate and not feeding him for ages to see if they would go, but it didn't work. My aureostriata also had mites and only got rid of them by moulting. So now I've changed tactic and am going to power feed the GBB, just until he moults and gets rid of the mites. He seems very happy with this plan!


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## xgrafcorex (Feb 14, 2006)

looks nice.  can see a little greenish on the legs there.  i guess they get that once a tad larger...mine still looks pretty black there.  at first i was having trouble seeing those mites..are they between the chelicerae close to the eyes??


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## smof (Feb 14, 2006)

xgrafcorex said:
			
		

> looks nice.  can see a little greenish on the legs there.  i guess they get that once a tad larger...mine still looks pretty black there.  at first i was having trouble seeing those mites..are they between the chelicerae close to the eyes??


Yep. Little bastards :evil:


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## dzony (Feb 15, 2006)

That G. aureostriata is just too much :drool:
I have to say thats the best looking individual G.A. I've ever seen. Definately on my wish list.


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## smof (Feb 15, 2006)

dzony said:
			
		

> That G. aureostriata is just too much :drool:
> I have to say thats the best looking individual G.A. I've ever seen. Definately on my wish list.


Thankyou! He looked nice when I got him, but since he moulted he's developed a gold shine to his carapce and a pinkish tinge overall and he looks really beautiful now. Hopefully another moult and he will get some really rich colour in his stripes.

He's an adorable guy, very calm, brilliant eater and quite active compared to my others. I definitely endorse a Chaco on your wish list


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## smof (Feb 15, 2006)

Smithers my B. smithi. I woke up today and checked on him like I always do. Found him eating, which is the first time I've seen him do _anything_ since about Christmas  So of course I grabbed the camera


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## smof (Feb 21, 2006)

More exciting progress. Today is the first day for about 7 weeks that my smithi was out his hide. And not only that but he didn't bolt back in the second I came close to the tank. In fact he sat there totally calm while I took the lid off and got a couple of photos. And now he's munching on a cricket, my way of saying thanks  He must be feeling good in his new suit.

So, 2 more of Smithers:


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## Arlius (Feb 21, 2006)

Hey smof, I would seriously consider doing something more about those mites. I and many people have lost T's to mites. Best suggestion would be to get predatory mites (Hyoaspis Miles)
Also, GBBs like it bone dry, with a water dish filled occasionally. So it shouldn't have got the mites in the first place, it must have been humid...

For future reference though, mites are unlikely in a dry enclosure, as well as pinheads/mold/other nasties.


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## smof (Feb 22, 2006)

The GBB is on bone dry substrate as are all my Ts. These mites came from a batch of crickets. I now get my crix from a different shop and have had no further problems.

From what I have read and gathered from other people these patricular mites do not harm the spider like the ones you find on the carapace, they feed on dead remains. My aureostriata and emilia both had them as well. I managed to get rid of the emilia's by not feeding him for a few weeks (he was already on dry substrate). The aureo's I couldn't shift but he lost them when he moulted.

I have tried changing the substrate and I always keep it dry. I tried not feeding the GBB and the mites didn't go. As they aren't harming the spider I don't want to stress it out and risk losing/hurting it by trying to remove them myself. I figure when he moults he will lose them, same as my Chaco. If they start to look like they're affecting his health I may try more but I'd rather leave him alone as long as he is eating, healthy and active, which he is


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## bananaman (Feb 22, 2006)

:clap: beautiful T's you got there! congrats... 

ps. I need... B.smithi... now!


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## Crunchie (Feb 22, 2006)

First of all lovely photos of some fantastic looking spiders!:clap: 

Regarding the mites on your GBB, my young GBB had mites there as well when I got her. I let the substrate dry out and when she moulted I chucked it all out and put her on fresh stuff (dry of course). That worked well and now I have no more mites!


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## smof (Feb 25, 2006)




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## MRL (Feb 26, 2006)

smithi looks great smof!


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## Twysted (Feb 26, 2006)

you have a very nice collection.. and those are very nice photos.. congratulations.

keep those photos comming


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## ChrisNCT (Feb 28, 2006)

The more I see Chaco Golden Knee's the more I like them.


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## smof (Mar 1, 2006)

Bit of a random one. I took this pic of my Chaco just after he moulted, but the flash reflecting off all his webbing made it far too bright. So I played around with the contrast, and thought the result looked kind of cool. This is now my desktop


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## smof (Apr 4, 2006)

*new GBB shots*

My _C. cyaneopubescens_ moulted a week ago. Grew from ~0.75" legspan to ~1", maybe a tiny bit more but I'm just estimating. He's gotten overall a bit darker, and his legs have got their first sign of blueness. Fed him today for the first time since his moult and he's taken two crickets so far. He's been attacking the tweezers for a few days tho so I'm guessing he was ready to eat a lot earlier!

Doing the Happy Eating Dance:












I want to blow this pic up to 4' high and put it in my window to scare people walking past:


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## smof (Apr 4, 2006)

My _B. smithi_ was up against the glass when I checked on him today so I took some pics to add to the Sexing for Dummies thread. Also got this shot of his fangs:






And then decided to play around with the exuviums I have, because I figured they're a lot easier for getting close-ups of than the real spiders are 

What I call the "driver's seat" view of the exoskeleton. I love it, in my head it makes Ts look like little robots:






A much easier-to-get fang shot, using my _B. emilia_'s exuvium:


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## xgrafcorex (Apr 4, 2006)

those are some very nice shots!  congrats on the molts.  how big is your gbb now? mines still a small fry...only molted once since i got it..still under 1"


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## smof (Apr 4, 2006)

The rest of the close-ups I decided to use my Chaco's exo, just cos he's my biggest T so it's much easier to get detail, and also his is the least mangled skin 

The gold knees of my Gold Knee:






Another "driver's seat" shot:






Spinnerets:






Carapace:






Carapace inverted to show the stalactite of exoskeleten to which the muscles are anchored, which I found out today is called the 'tergal apodeme'






And another fang shot. I love the colour of Ts mouths:







Okay, I'm done for now


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## smof (Apr 4, 2006)

xgrafcorex said:
			
		

> those are some very nice shots!  congrats on the molts.  how big is your gbb now? mines still a small fry...only molted once since i got it..still under 1"


I don't know for sure. I just went to measure him cos he's stretching out after his meal, but I can't find my ruler. Judging by eye I'd say he's a fraction over 1", maybe 1.25"? Probably a moult after yours.


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## Ewok (Apr 4, 2006)

You take some great pics! I especially like the 3rd pic of the greenbottle blues, it looks cool with the first gbb eating the cricket and the other gbb faded out in the background. Sorta cute,


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## smof (May 11, 2006)

Got some waxworms today for the first time, to try and fatten up my smithi a bit cos he's super skinny after moulting recently. But couldn't give some to him and not treat my emilia and aureo as well! Obviously the smithi and aureo were scared I was going to try and take them back or something, cos they immediatly hid to eat theirs, but Hubert my emila sat and munched in the open, so I got a couple of pics cos I haven't taken any for a while.













Hubert only moulted just over two months ago, but recently he's started getting duller colours and really fat for no reason, so I think another one might be coming up.

Will try and get some photos of my smithi soon when he's feeling less shy, and also my OBT who just moulted too, if he ever comes out his hide.


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## smof (May 14, 2006)

First pics of my smithi since his second moult in my care. I was away while he shedded so I don't know the exact date but it would have been between 07/04/06 and 26/04/06. His moult measures 3" and my guess is that he's now about 4". He's growing fast! I need to find a female for him, I'm planning to send him off to breed but I would also like to have a go myself first. If anyone knows of any mature or nearly mature female smithis up for grabs in the UK let me know (yeah I know, wishful thinking!  ) Anyway, pics:













Yum yum:






His two moults since I've had him. First was February, second was April. Is this normal growth for a male Brachy? I expected it to be much slower!







Smithers here was my first T. I love him to bitses


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## Vys (May 14, 2006)

You loved him to bitses? :/



Nice pictures.


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## Scolopendra55 (May 14, 2006)

Excelent photos!!


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## smof (May 14, 2006)

Thanks guys


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## smof (May 19, 2006)

*G pulchra*

Finally got a _G. pulchra_ today, been top of my wish list forever. And it's a girl    She's about a 4" legspan and I've named her Sketch (well, technically Sketch II)

Shoddy pic from my mate's phone. I held her once, as I was putting her in her tank, and she was by far the calmest and sweetest T I've held, even compared to my _G. aureostriata_.


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## smof (May 21, 2006)

Few more pics of Sketch cos I got her out for a bit today.


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## MRL (May 22, 2006)

G. pulchra looks great Kate!


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## Crunchie (May 22, 2006)

lovely pulchra, looks like my Raven.


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## smof (Jun 30, 2006)

*new pics!*

First a couple of my GBB, recently moulted to 1.5". Unfortunately as he's in a jar, not a tank, all the photos have to be taken through glass, so they aren't very clear. I tried my hardest to catch the metallic shine on the legs but I just gave up in the end. Maybe next time I rehome him I will think to take some pics while he is between containers! :wall: 














Next a few of my _G. pulchra_, Sketch. I took her tank downstairs so that I could sit it in a patch of sunlight, as I've never taken photos of my Ts in natural light before. They look a lot nicer.


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## smof (Jun 30, 2006)

My 4" male _B. smithi_. I ended up taking quite a lot of this guy. I can't help it, he just looks so nice


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## smof (Jun 30, 2006)

First pics I've gotten of my _B. emilia_ since she moulted to 3".


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## becca81 (Jun 30, 2006)

Very nice pictures, Smof.  _B. smithi_ are especially gorgeous just after a molt!


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## smof (Dec 19, 2007)

It's been a looooong time since I updated this, so here we go.

Believe it or not the best photo I ever got of my old _P. murinus_. He was shy, to say the least. He died in September, about 6 months after maturing, never got a chance to breed 








Dave, male _G. aureostriata_, just after his maturing molt. I am trying to find him a ladyfriend. He is lovely.














The new guy, who is still making me :drool: every time I look at him (or her, hopefully!)


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## smof (Dec 19, 2007)

Step-by-step of my _G. pulchra_'s last molt.


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## DMTWI (Dec 19, 2007)

Wow, neat pics of the molt! Your g. pulchra is sooooo nice, makes me :drool:


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