# Eight Legged Catpaws



## owlbear (Jul 30, 2015)

At least, that's what tarantulas look like to me. Especially if you view them from below.

And here are some of mine. I have a hard time remembering to snap pictures of them. But now that most of them are a decent size, I'm getting better about it. I need a better camera. Most sexes are assumed, since mine like to mangle their molts.

"Orange Julius", grammostola sp. Maule, munching on a nice superworm the day he came home



"Oolong", paraphysa scrofa. My second most feisty spider after my hapalopus sp. Columbia 'large'. She has grown very slowly



Some spiderling houses I made for my little ones. I was quite proud of them. The spiders seem to enjoy them too, they have all adapted them to their needs



"Gelato", acanthoscurria geniculata, taking a look around her new home



"Rooibos", psalmopoeus irminia. Probably my favorite species. Getting to see her is always a treat, especially now that she has her stripes

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## owlbear (Jul 30, 2015)

"Cupcake", avicularia versicolor. The first tarantula I ever got. I've already ordered a bigger enclosure now that she's hardened up from her last molt. I can't get over how she's grown... compare to the day she came home below







"Punkin' Pie", hapalopus sp. Columbia 'large', doing some webbing of her new home after being rehoused. She's completely webbed it up now and I only ever see her feet. Very fast and aggressive spider, much to my surprise



"Red Velvet", brachypelma emilia, freshly molted and looking great

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## owlbear (Jul 30, 2015)

Those are the most recent pics I have for now. Stay tuned for a baby g. rosea, and hopefully a few cool things from NARBC next month


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## fuzzyavics72 (Jul 30, 2015)

Great pictures and nice specimens you have there!

Your Avicularia versicolor really needs some ventilation in his/her enclosure. If she doesn't get sufficient air flow she will die from stagnant air. I would also put air holes on the top and sides.

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## owlbear (Jul 30, 2015)

fuzzyavics72 said:


> Great pictures and nice specimens you have there!
> 
> Your Avicularia versicolor really needs some ventilation in his/her enclosure. If she doesn't get sufficient air flow she will die from stagnant air. I would also put air holes on the top and sides.


There's a mesh vent on the front actually! It's not visible here, but it keeps it very well ventilated. I mist half her web once a week and it's usually dried out by that evening - she has a water dish too that I refill every other day. I can try to snap a better pic of it tomorrow when it's light out, but it's one of Jamie's tarantula enclosures. The mesh does make me nervous though, I'd like to find good arboreal enclosures that I can drill or dremel through and make my own so she never has a chance to chew through the mesh.

Thank you though, I am very open to any and all concerns people may have. I want the best for my ts.


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## owlbear (Jul 30, 2015)

Actually here, scratch that. I turned the lights on just long enough to get a picture of the vent for you.




Ideally, I'd have nice cross ventilation, but the one open vent on the front seems to do the job well for now. 

EDIT: This sounds really aggressive, I promise I don't mean it that way. I just figured it might ease everyone's minds to see what sort of ventilation Cupcake has

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## owlbear (Aug 5, 2015)

Cupcake (a. versicolor) got rehoused today. She was not happy about this, even if it was necessary. I think she will come to like the new space though.










I also have a new arrival! Tiny tiny "Treacle", a grammostola rosea. My roommate has a mature female that convinced me I needed one to enjoy as well.

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## Chris LXXIX (Aug 7, 2015)

Gelato, ah ah


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## owlbear (Aug 26, 2015)

Yes, my little sweet treat 

I should have some nice new pics soon. My c cyaneopubescens, a genic, p scrofa and p irminia have all molted since I last postd. It's almost like they planned it that way. Also I am hoping for a couple new arrivals as of NARBC. In the meantime here are a few pictures from last weeks feeding day.




"Punkin' Pie", hapalopus sp. Columbia "large" having dinner. Easily my fastest the feistiest tarantula, which surprised me greatly. Loves to race around her enclosure and teleport on top of prey.




"Gelato" the acanthoscurria geniculata, freshly molted. Only opened her home up long enough to snap a few pics. She is looking very beautiful.




A bonus silly pictures of my super dwarf anery retic "Blue" who thinks she's part giraffe...

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## PMMEYOURTs (Aug 26, 2015)

Tiny suntigers are the cutest!!!!


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## owlbear (Sep 18, 2015)

PMMEYOURTs said:


> Tiny suntigers are the cutest!!!!


Agreed, she is completely adorable. Though she has grown since these pictures. Unfortunately, being a typical tarantula, she spends most of her time hiding and I have no good pictures of her since. Maybe soon.

My little g. rosea sling just molted, as did a few others. I did end up picking up several new spiders between NARBC and my bonus paycheck - expect an update soon, I've been too busy unfortunately.


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## Chris LXXIX (Sep 18, 2015)

I particularly love "Ice cream"  _Acanthoscurria geniculata_ and "Genics" in general are one of my fav T's.


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## leaveittoweaver (Sep 18, 2015)

Awesome tarantulas! Love the pic of the retic too!


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## owlbear (Sep 23, 2015)

Chris LXXIX said:


> I particularly love "Ice cream"  _Acanthoscurria geniculata_ and "Genics" in general are one of my fav T's.


Hehe, thank you! She is definitely one of my favorites. Always out and visible, so much personality!



leaveittoweaver said:


> Awesome tarantulas! Love the pic of the retic too!


Thank you. I am very sad to say that the retics have had to find new homes. It's a long and upsetting story. However, they went to the best possible home and may be used for educational outreach in the future. I love them both and I'm still torn up over seeing them go, but... it's done now. I will never forget them.

Thankfully my spiders, boa, corn snake and geckos remain.

Having said that. Happier subjects, new babies! Between some extra cash and NARBC I've introduced several new members to my spider family. Please welcome -

"Blue Raspberry", ischnocolinae sp. Dominican


"Chocolate Strawberry", euathlus sp. red


"Pixie Stick", avicularia metallica


"Blackberry", grammostola pulchra


"Licorice Twist", linothele megatheloides (not actually a tarantula technically... but still wonderful)



Not pictured is Cherry Pie, my brachypelma vagans, because the little one never comes out of his burrows! These were acquired over the past month and so far they are all doing very well. My tarantula shelf is wonderful to watch at night now, I could spend hours doing so. I'll try to get pictures of everyone else soon.

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## pyro fiend (Sep 26, 2015)

man some of these names crack me up.. "chocolate strawberry" well i guess the "sexy like a chocolate strawberry" line wont work out well for those who know your pets huh? ;]

pretty decent pics too btw ;P

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## owlbear (Sep 27, 2015)

pyro fiend said:


> man some of these names crack me up.. "chocolate strawberry" well i guess the "sexy like a chocolate strawberry" line wont work out well for those who know your pets huh? ;]
> 
> pretty decent pics too btw ;P


Hehe! Thank you. I like to name them after sweet treats, because they are my sweet treats.

Speaking of which, "Sourpatch" the chromatopelma cyaneopubescens molted today and is looking beautiful. I looked the molt over and believe he is a male. A bit sad, but that's okay. If he hooks out I will try to find someone who is in need of a mature male.



On the plus side, last night my grammostola sp. maule "Orange Julius" was up against the side of her container and I saw what I am 99% sure was her epigastric furrow!


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## owlbear (Oct 5, 2015)

Today I had a lot of time to do my weekly feeding/maintenance, so I got some pretty nice pictures.

First of all, acanthoscurria geniculata "Gelato"s big pre-molt butt. I think she's sad she can't fit through that hole at the bottom of the flower pot anymore.



Grammostola pulchripes "Honeybush" looking beautiful, and also deep premolt. 



Linothele megatheloides "Licorice Twist" after pouncing a lat pinhead. Already this species has made beautiful webs in the enclosure, which also keep that little water bowl in place. For once a spider that works with me to keep itself watered...



Slightly off focus shot of my grammostola pulchra "Blackberry" with dinner.



Also found these fantastic small containers at the container store. Perfect for very very tiny slings like my ischnocolinae sp. dominican "Blue Raspberry".


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## owlbear (Oct 5, 2015)

Grammostola rosea "Treacle" with a mealworm I vastly underestimated. It was removed and replaced with a tinier one.



Paraphysa scrofa "Oolong" in heavy premolt. She's been in premolt for nearly two months, very slow grower, very beautiful even at this size though. I love her.



I found these fantastic deep shoeboxes at the container store yesterday and knew they would be perfect for spiders. My grammostola sp. maule "Orange Julius" was trying to form a burrow in her old home but it was too shallow, so I rehoused her today.



She took to it immediately! I tossed her a cricket and she nabbed it, did a 'happy dance', and then sat and ate it. She's so beautiful.



My spider shelf, looking very nice today.

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## owlbear (Oct 5, 2015)

Just today I've been posting in another thread about the hapalopus sp. Columbia 'large' species and how fast/flighty/secretive they are, and how I had no idea when I got mine to expect this. I haven't actually seen my "Punkin' Pie" in about a month, but I checked my spiders once more before getting ready for work and saw her legs sticking out of her newly re-opened burrow. On a whim I tossed a cricket in and not only did she come out, but stayed out long enough for myself and my partner to admire her. Completely worth all the trouble she can be, look at those colors...


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## Chris LXXIX (Oct 5, 2015)

That's the same water dish i use (the one in _Grammostola_ sp. pic i mean)


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## owlbear (Oct 5, 2015)

Chris LXXIX said:


> That's the same water dish i use (the one in _Grammostola_ sp. pic i mean)


They are so handy! I bought a little plastic set of thread holders and use the holders to pupate super worms and the lids as water dishes. So many uses for a $2 item.


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## owlbear (Oct 8, 2015)

So I got a letter in the mail telling me I had unclaimed wages from a prior job. A week later after looking into it I got a check. So of course I splurged on new spiders. Petcenter had idiothele mira and moncentropous balfouri on sale - two of my dream spiders and my desired first OW species. I feel ready to care for them after reading so much and working with my other spiders, so I went for it. Added a little aphonopelma seemmanni blue and got a free psalmopoeus cambridgei too. I've been so excited for this for days, and here they all are in their new homes. 

"Sage" the p cambridgei is much larger than expected and will probably be rehoused next molt if not before. Sorry this is sideways, I don't know why that is...


"Teacake" the i mira, who has already built a trap door to her starter burrow! I am trying a different mix of substrate for my first obligate borrowers. It looks very wet but it's only damp to the touch. It holds humidity and shape very well. Her water dish was wiped clean after this picture, as was the m balfouri's.


"Shortcake" the m balfouri. She was excavating her burrow when I left for work. Hopefully that means I'll get glimpses of her since its against a wall.


	

		
			
		

		
	
[
"Muffin" the a seemanni, who was the most skittish of them all.


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## pyro fiend (Oct 8, 2015)

Nice nabs.. Id say move your camb into a 32oz mine go into them as soon as i get them till ~3" even my 1/2" are seen silking up the place like crazy

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## owlbear (Oct 8, 2015)

pyro fiend said:


> Nice nabs.. Id say move your camb into a 32oz mine go into them as soon as i get them till ~3" even my 1/2" are seen silking up the place like crazy


Thanks! I decided to go ahead and rehouse him after all. I had this sitting around ready for either the l megatheloides or the a metallica anyway but they're both a ways off from needing the space so now it's his.



The top is braced with plastic, but I'm going to watch for chewing, that's my only worry. My p. irminia never climbs very high in hers, preferring her tube web, so I don't foresee it being an issue. But I'll still be watching...


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## owlbear (Oct 10, 2015)

Two fresh sheds today! "Oolong" the p. scrofa finally put on a new coat. 


I tried to get good shots of the molt using a cup of water... did not work so well sadly. And then the molt tore. Ah well.


"Licorice Twist" the l. megatheloides also molted and is much bigger already. I'm loving having this species.



The i. mira also shed, but is of course hidden. I am happy to report that the m. balfouri and p. cambridgei have both taken a meal for me already. The m. balfouri has adapted the starter tunnel I made and the p. cambridgei chose to web up under the plastic leaf I added, so I get to see them both even when they are 'hidden.'


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## owlbear (Oct 16, 2015)

Today has been an excellent day. It's my roomies birthday and she's been wanting an m balfouri for a while so I picked one up for her. I added a little avicularia diversipes to the order for me. It was that or a hogna carolenensis and an acanthogonatus francki but I've wanted an a diveripes longer. Then I found what appears to be a little immature male h carolenensis in a hallway, haha. I know they spray for pests here monthly so I put him in a bottle for now (just to take home). Once he matures I'll likely release him but he can live a nice life with me until then.




Oh, and, "Cherry cordial" the B smithi finally molted, along with my p irminia "Rooibos"! I've only seen glimpses of each but Rooibos looks to be huge and she has all her gorgeous red chevrons now.


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## owlbear (Oct 17, 2015)

Went to a local expo today and found two really outstanding pickups. A gorgeous aphonopelma hentzi "female" (I don't trust expo vendors on this... haha) for $20 and an ephebopus uatuman for $15! I've wanted both species for a while but have had a surprisingly hard time finding either, so of course I took both home. "Fudge Brownie" and "Wasabi" have been rehoused and seem to be settling in well.


"Wasabi", who went for a jog up my arm before deciding he was alright with his new home. This little cup is of course just the one I took him home in, he has plenty of room to burrow now.


Also this morning I woke up and couldn't get back to sleep so I spent some time checking on all the spiders. I finally got a decent shot of "Cupcake" (a. versicolor) with her nice colors. 


"Sage" the p. cambridgei is out so much more than my p. irminia. Already love this one.


And finally, somewhat off topic, but I found a really fantastic big cork round for my boa at the expo too. He absolutely loves it, hasn't left it since I put it in for him. He's so pretty.


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## Chris LXXIX (Oct 17, 2015)

You bought two great T's at very, very good prices. Really!


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## owlbear (Oct 17, 2015)

Chris LXXIX said:


> You bought two great T's at very, very good prices. Really!


Thank you! They were both such great deals, and such beautiful species. I am very pleased.


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## owlbear (Nov 26, 2015)

Wow it has been a while. I have so many pictures but uploading them is a pain because they're all on this phone. So for now I am just posting my favorite pics. I'm hoping to get a nicer camera some time after New Years, hopefully then I can get better pictures.

First up is Gelato! The little fuzzball a geniculata that seems to be in pre molt but still wants to eat. I'm hoping for a female since all the slings I got with her have molted since she last did. She's become one of my favorites. She had a red runner in this pic, it's hard to see.
	

		
			
		

		
	



Two pictures of Res Velvet the b. Emilia. Very bery secretive little thing, I hardly ever see him out. So when I do I get lots of pictures.




The beautiful Rooibos graced us with his presence a few weeks back. I was awestruck. This was the first time I'd seen him out since he arrived here. I'm almost positive it's a he based on how fast he's grown.


And Fudge Brownie being her adorable self. She's so beautiful, I just love her.



I hope to have more pics soon! My e uatuman, c cyaneopubescens, l megatheloides and my g pulchripes all molted. Meanwhile all three avics, my b albopilosum and my I. Species Dominican seem to be in pre molt. Possibly also my hapalopus large - haven't seen her since the last picture I posted, and she's closed herself in. Fingers crossed that I see her or at least her legs again soon.

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## OliverWhatever (Nov 26, 2015)

Gorgeous spiders. Those slings are so tiny!!!

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## owlbear (Nov 26, 2015)

Hehe, thank you! Believe it or not most of the ones you see there have molted (at least) twice since I got them. I like watching them grow, it's so rewarding.


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## owlbear (Dec 10, 2015)

No pics, just yet anyway, but my i. species Dominican has molted and is still tinier than my pinky nail. And yet already so blue. My i. Mira also molted and actually sat out of its burrow for a while the other day. The little monster is already a molt away from needing a bigger home, which means it's probably a boy. Ah well. My c. cyaneopubescens, p. cambridgei and a. versicolor have also molted, along with the l. megatheloides and the h. carolenensis. If I have time I hope to snap a few pics tomorrow. Also, Gelato still hasn't molted but I believe I saw her making a mat on Monday...! Fingers crossed please.

I also wanted to say, now that I have had time to come to terms with it, that my tiny euathlus sp. red sling did not make it. I am still not entirely certain why. The little one never burrowed, ate or moved much after arriving and being rehoused. It was packed superbly and shipped overnight with the g. pulchra (which has done great), I do not blame the vendor. I was absolutely shattered when I found it in a death curl and spent all night crying. I am still not ready to try working with the species again and have not gotten any more tarantulas since. But I am finally at peace with it.


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## owlbear (Feb 14, 2016)

Gosh it's been a while. I've been super busy, but all the spiders are doing great! I snapped a few quick shots today to share.

First of all here's Fido, my hogna carolinensis that I caught at work the day before they sprayed for bugs. Little thing is so fun to watch. I gave it a nice big tupperware now that it's grown some. Beginning to wonder if this pretty thing might be a 'she'...





Punkin' Pie, my hapalopus sp. Columbia large, matured into a male about 3 weeks ago. I was both sad and happy. The good news, is that the man who bred him said he would like to have him back to pair off. So he's gone off to make baby Pies.





This one is a bit hard to see, I apologize - but I wanted to show how big my linothele megatheloides has gotten. I've renamed her to Muffet after a spider boss from a game I played recently and loved.





And my tiny new phormictopus canderides, McNasty. I've been wanting a spider with attitude, and cancerides are so pretty, I couldn't pass up the chance to nab one at the expo this weekend.





A bit blurry, which makes me sad, but Root Beer the brachypelma albopilosum has gotten so fuzzy!





Finally, I had to sneak in a shot of our new Mexican hognose snake, Frito Pie. 





That face...!

I am going to try and remember to get pics this coming feeding day. Everyone has grown so much since I last posted, many have been rehoused!


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## owlbear (Jun 22, 2016)

Long time no post. Just moved to a new place and got some lenses for my iPhone, which is still how I take my pictures. Figured I'd give some updates!








Click for bigger, I believe... new to this new forum style. Fudge Brownie is still fat and happy. As you can see my b smithi Cherry Cordial and b vagans Cherry Pie have grown a ton. The b vagans especially surprised me - haven't gotten to see him out and about in months, looks like he's past due for a new home though. Gelato the a geniculata is NOT in a death curl, she just pounced her prey is all. And little Oolong the p scrofa is still little.

If you click through you can see a few more of my spiders who've grown. Hopefully I can do a nicer update of everyone soon, I've just been so busy.

Ah, also, the lens gives great details of the spiders but as a wide angle lens it makes their housing look so tiny! They all have 4x their leg width in reality, except the b vagans who will be rehoused soon.


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## owlbear (Aug 10, 2017)

I never think to snap pics of my beauties these days but some updates:

My very first t, the c. versicolor, is sadly a male. However, he is gorgeous and healthy and has at least one more molt to go. Attached is a picture of him.

My two psalmos are both mature and confirmed female. I am utterly delighted. No pics at the moment but I'll share soon.

My a. metallica had a bad molt and passed, and my "confirmed female" aphonopelma hentzi molted male and passed about a month later after refusing food. I have also acquired a poecilotheria regalis, who I absolutely adore. I will try to get a bunch of updated pictures and post them here soon.

EDIT: ah, I nearly forgot... my l. megatheloides matured male and began refusing food. He survived a good two months before finally succumbing. I miss him.

Also I forgot I never posted my other pickups. I also have added:

pelinobius muticus "maple"
tapinauchenius violaceus "sombra"
heterothele villosella "walnut"


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