Baby is here!

[greensleeves]

My new Avicularia Geroldi sling from Arachnomania arrived today, hand delivered by Robert himself since he was in the area. I'm very impressed.

The spiderling itself doesn't seem too stressed from the journey and is very cute.

I've already held it once, although it happened entirely by accident. You see, the sling seemed so calm and happy I decided to stop by the petstore and pick up some pinheads to see if it would like a first meal.

Well I came home with about a dozen, reached into the bag with tweezers and plucked one out and held it in front of the baby, expecting it was going to grab it. Instead it ran right out of it's container and onto the table, so of course I had to stick my hand in front of it to alter its course. Then it decided my arm would make a good tree, crawled around for awhile, and finally settled *under* my elbow where it seemed like it was going to stay.

Its little feet felt so neat walking on me! I'll take some photos in a day or two, I don't want to stress it out by handling it too much.

But back to the crickets. I guess the sling needs a little more time to settle in before I feed it - maybe I'll try again in a day or two. It's bum doesn't look black or bald so I don't think a moult is imminent. The pinhead was significantly smaller than the sling, so I know it wasn't intimidated by size. I offered it a dead one too and it wasn't interested. Must be acclimating.

I'm a little dissapointed since I was looking forward to watching it feed. But I guess it will soon enough.

Greensleeves

 

[TheDon]

Nice, I deal with Robert also. The first 2 tarantulas I bought from him I picked them up at his house. I was there for about an hour talking to him and looking at his great collection of T's. Where do you live? And how many T's do you have and which kind? I am getting an A. Aurantiaca off of him soon. I was looking at the Geroldi but chose the Aurantiaca over it.

peace

TheDon

oh and watching little slings eat is pretty cool especially since they are so tiny and fast. My little A. Versicolor is quite the cricket killer at 1" now. And I just bought a 1" Suntiger off of Robert as well and it has made quite the web and snatches crickets up like nothing else. It has even eaten a crickeet its own size, it was pretty crazy.

 

[rosehaired1979]

Congrats on your First new spider and the feeding you will be seeing that alot soon enough

 

[greensleeves]

Originally posted by TheDon
Where do you live? And how many T's do you have and which kind? I am getting an A. Aurantiaca off of him soon. I was looking at the Geroldi but chose the Aurantiaca over it.

I live in Ottawa, and this little Geroldi will be my first tarantula ever, though probably not my last. The feeling when Robert came in the door, and I saw the little pink thing crawling around in the container... it was the euphoria of falling in love. Caring for a living thing is an awesome responsibility, but very rewarding.

It's such a beautiful little spider, though I wish it was blue like a versi sling. Oh well, it will change colours soon enough.

I can hardly wait for it to get just a bit bigger - I'm going to put it in a clean one of those tall pineaple containers with a fake plastic aquarium plant for it to Web up.

So what made you choose the Aurantica over a Geroldi? I think if I get another spider, it will probably be another avic - either a versi or a metallica I think.

Greensleeves