JBM's Photo Thread

[jbm150]

Well, now that my collection has jumped from 2 to 9 in a short month, I figured I can start one of these for myself. I almost feel embarrassed posting my pics, they're nothing compared to what everyone else is able to take. AND most of my Ts are just slings so at least for right now, its gonna be a bunch of small, brown spiders

Anyways, here's my growing beauty
P. regalis "Aryana"

About 5" completely outstretched

Hunting a cricket

L. parahybana "LP" (until sexed, then will come up with name)
About 2.5-3"

My camera can't really get in there to see the dewey lady bits (hope its a she)

LP's favorite pasttime

G. pulchra (have 2, basically look the same)

A. chalcodes "Cody"

A. sp. New River rust rump "River"
tiiiiiny little thing

C. cyaneopubescens "Gabby"

Cricket wrecking machine

Newest acquisitions!
P. crassipes

New home

P. sp. goliath

New home

Pseudo-threat pose, was striking paintbrush faster than I could almost even see

Hopefully, in time, my Ts will start to take on their true colors. And perhaps I'll get better at taking pics as well

 

[Teal]

Great species! Love their little enclosures

I'd guess female on the LP, but don't hold me to it!

 

[Abby]

Beautiful babies

 

[Mattyb]

Nice pics!

 

[jbm150]

Thank you all

I can't wait til they're bigger so that I can make proper, display worthy enclosures. Although, I think i'm gonna run into some trouble, most of my spids will turn into monsters. Maybe by then, I'll have bought a house and can have lots of big tanks.

I created a pretty nice one (10 gal) for my H. mac but she died just as it was time to move her. Then, I was gonna use it for Aryana (regalis) but I think I'll hold onto it until Gabby (GBB) is big enough for it (hope it doesn't mind an upright, arboreal setup) and make a different one for Aryana with a nice hollowed out log or cork bark.

As for LP, I think its going to turn out male. Looking at its furrow, I can almost see the faint outlines of a dark spot. Maybe after its next molt, I'll be able to see it better.

 

[Kamikaze]

Aryana looks really beautiful! Congratulations!
Nice enclosure too.

 

[jbm150]

Well, I just couldn't help myself, I had to get more Ts. I ordered a 3+ inch female P. cambridgei from Patrick86 (awesome transaction!), something that I've wanted for some time now. Yeah yeah, irminia this and irminia that, I think cambridgei are so gorgeous. Here's my new little lady:

Keeping her in a similar setup to a pokie

She's so FUZZY!

Feet!

Along came a freebie, an OBT, a T I've also really wanted
Its home

Such a little cutie (I might have been a little "generous" with the size of the airholes :wall

And as a bonus, a pic of my P. sp. aussie goliath in its lair. This thing is a freakin' nightmare for crickets

One day, in a few years, my collection is gonna be full of some badass spiders

 

[Anastasia]

Aryana is beautiful
and getting so big!

 

[jbm150]

Yep, you did me good with her Anastasia! She's a trip and never passes up a meal. She should molt again in a month or so and whoo, she's gonna be a stunna

 

[ZergFront]

That is a great collection! The regalis and GBB are beautiful!

 

[jbm150]

Had a bunch of molts so I'll put some bad, out of focus pics up. You have to use your imagination with my pics

River (A. new river rust rump) was the first, here stretching pokie-style

Cody (A. chalcodes) molted next but no pics. Here's a completely unrelated pic of how LP (Lp) has redecorated. Such an industrious critter

Gabby (GBB) molted next and is now back to her usual self, annihilating crickets and starting to web things up

And the biggest surprise, my P. crassipes molted. Never knew it was even in premolt. Here out for a stroll

I checked out Gabby and P. crassipes' exuviums under a microscope (thanks TalonAWD for the tutorial video) and came to the conclusion that they're still unsexed. I'll have to wait and check again next time. The two Aphonos I can't get to. All of the molted spiders have since eaten so they seem to be healthy

 

[crawltech]

Nice collection mang!...keep em comin!

 

[Roski]

You have to use your imagination with my pics

LOL! For some reason I actually laughed out loud. Mainly because I think everyone here has been acquainted with the many frustrations of tarantula photography at one point or another. Pictures rarely do justice to these creatures that fill ourselves with pride and fascination. As mentioned above- beautiful collection .

I can "imagine" your GBB quite well, as my sling is about the same size. Some of your GBB feeding pics look identical to mine as well- viewed through cloudy plastic!

 

[jbm150]

Thanks Crawl and Roski. You're right, its tough to truly capture the beauty of a tarantula, especially with a camera not designed for macros. My biggest problem is not having enough light. I don't really have a great place to keep my spiders where I can sufficiently light them. And to try to move them or open their container scares them, most of whom run to a burrow.

 

[jbm150]

I was so excited, I haven't seen this in a long time!

I almost never see my Ts drink. I caught Aryana once. This P. cambridgei has been so reclusive, I was shocked to see it out of her lair. I tried feeding her twice and she has shown almost no interest in food. I figured she was in premolt but today she emerged to drink. After a few minutes, she retired back to her burrow. If anyone can chime in, will Ts sometimes grab a quick drink to hydrate before molting? Check out her butt, its not dark at all. Well, the bottom of it is if you can see that. Dunno, very cool though :}:}:}

Fed Gabby as well, this kid is quick! Little bit sharper of an image

Frustrated P. crassipes. The cricket got under a leaf it had webbed up and it couldn't figure out how to get at it. It was not to be denied and eventually figured it out


Aryana, my P. regalis, never comes out anymore. I can't tell if she's in premolt because she's never, ever turned down a meal, even before she molts

I'd like to get some more pics of my Aussie goliath but its home is almost impenetrable. I see it all the time, sometimes all the way on the other side from its burrow. If if anything moves, like I take off the lid, its gone. Creepy looking spider!

And in a months time, I'll have more spiders coming

 

[jbm150]

More molts!

LP popped first, here flipped

Stretchin a few days post molt

Awesome news, you were right Teal. LP is indeed female! Checked exuvium under scope


Sho nuff, my P. cambridgei molted too

Here she is in her molt hammock

She's completed the molt safely, will wait a bit more before I pull the molt and try to get a pic of her


Early one morning, I caught Aryana in the act

I think she's really due for a molt. Later this day, she webbed her burrow up even more and I can't see into it. No bueno but what ya gonna do


Cricket is in a world of trouble, here being drug down into P. crassipes' burrow

Problem though, if anyone sees this, can anyone tell me what that orange is on the cricket? I didn't notice it until I took the pic. It looks like its inside the abdomen, kinda splitting it without actually splitting it. Please please please tell me its not some sort of parasite load

 

[GK.]

To me it looks like its just part of the exo?

 

[jbm150]

I guess thats all it is GK, it seems no worse the wear for eating it. In fact, its eating another cricket right now

Lykos, my P. sp. aussie goliath, molted yesterday. I sexed the exuvium today and sadly, I think its a male. Oh well, still a cool spider (no pics yet)

Nacho, my obt, also molted earlier this week. Here's a pic of him (I think) stretched out. Much more orange-y than before


LP looking beautiful in her new suit and munching happily



Aryana still hasn't molted and now is very active. Its warmed up and she's always out running the streets. She's looking a little dingy but still has a big appetite



Lastly, Denali, my P. cambridgei lady, has hardened up and opened up her lair.


Here's a little video of her in action (warning: I completely dork out here, my Ts do that to me )

Compared to her, my reflexes suck :razz:

 

[GK.]

You got some beautiful T's. I can't wait for my OBTs to start getting bigger.

 

[jbm150]

Thank you sir, they really are some cool little Ts. My obt is very active and almost always out of its burrow. I wonder what kind of attitude it'll have as it gets bigger, now it's a little pussy cat