Lori's Babies

[funnylori]

My parents don't appreciate my unhealthy obsession with these beauties. This is a glimpse of my babies, past and present. Starting with my Avic. purpurea formally known as 'Baby' simply because she(?) is my first sling. The first three pics were taken in February/March 2006 right after I purchased the Baby. The fourth picture was taken last week after her November molt, notice she is finally showing some purple!

 

[funnylori]

These are of the same Avic. purpurea, except these are of the recently molted exuvia under a microscope. There is the outside and inside of the eyefield. Notice that the eyes actually have a 'bubble' on the inside. There is the fangs of the molt, with a great view of the venom pore. And some feet.

 

[funnylori]

More feet

Here are some more pics of the feet under the scope. The iridecence looks awesome. A view of a tibial hook is included. There is also a shot of the inside of the foot, and a side view of the molted muscle.

 

[funnylori]

Hair folical

I had to add one more of the purple. This is a close up of the sensory hair folicals.

 

[funnylori]

B. smithi

This is my B. smithi. It is only one molt past emergence from the egg sack.

 

[Cmendel]

Awesome pictures, the purpurea is beautiful.

 

[Alice]

great pics! how big is that purpurea now?

 

[funnylori]

Thanks!

Thanks for the great comments!

I haven't officially measured the purple since her last molt, I was too excited disecting her exuvia under the scope and by the arrival of the purple color. However, the white pieces of paper covering the stray adhesive in the picture are about 1.25 inches appart, and the papers are about 1 inch square... If that gives a decent approximation, I'd say about 1.25 inches conservatively.

 

[funnylori]

Avic. Avicularia

Never buy tarantulas from petco. Because you fall in love with them and you buy them despite their obvious deformities hoping they will molt out. Then your roommate gets mad at you because she thinks it will lay eggs in her brain. And then 3-6 months later the poor T finaly tries to molt and doesnt make it out okay... Sad. This is Beauty. She was my last Avicularia purchased from petco, and my second T ever. First a dramatic shot of her gorgeous pedicure, then one of her whole being.

 

[funnylori]

My first T ever.

This is some bad photography of Barak, my first T ever. I will share some of the better pics of her once I find them and scan them... An Avicularia avicularia purchased from petco mad: too bad) I did not keep her in this enclosure, she was going on a field trip to my friend's office to meet other people who appreciate tarantulas. Barak means lightning in hebrew, she deserved that name after I took her out to show off to my friends. I sat on my bed as she sauntered up to my shoulder, I blinked and suddenly she was on my pillow... Silly girl.

 

[funnylori]

P. irminia

And finally, a few pictures of my P. irmina. I may have to call this bugger Kracken because of the way it feeds. You barely see the tips of her feet sticking out from her nest. A roach walks by and an explosion of legs emerges, grabs the roach, and withdraws back into her hole. Much like the sea beast swallowing a ship seen in an old movie... This has happened on numerous occasions much to the amazement of myself and my fiance. First, as she looked when I purchased her from Northwest Zoological Supply at the Unique animal expo in Hillsboro OR. She was about 2ish inches.

(This is the same people I purchased my Avic. pupurea from in February 2006, and my B. smithi, Avic. versicolor, and the P. irminia from in August 2006)

And the second is of Kracken after she molted a few weeks ago. I was so excieted to see her orange segments change to the black with orange 'nike' swooshes of the adult coloring! Now she is 2.75-3 inches...

 

[funnylori]

Rosie

This is Rosaline, my G. rosea. I know, I know, I shouldn't have purchased her from petco... But she looked healthy and she was very friendly to handle, third time is the carm right?

She was originally intended to go to a friend who wanted a good sturdy T. But this friend has a tendancy to neglect animals, so when she became indecisive about paying me for Rosie and only would take the T if I gave her the enclosure and heat source without payment, I refused. I could not see giving a tarantula to someone who would not take the time to purchase the proper habitat and would eventually neglect the poor creature. Plus, I am broke cus I spent all my money giving my T's the best I can .

 

[demicheru]

Those were some really nice high resolution close ups. Were you using a personal microscope of one from school/work? You've inspired me to try to get some good pictures on my work microscope. I think I'll have to only get shots of exuvia and/or dead t's though, since I don't think anyone will appreciate my bringing in live t's.

 

[funnylori]

How I did it.

Thanks! I took the pictures of the exuvia under a brand new 8x disecting scope at Oregon State University. It helps that I was using the lab's awesome camera to zoom in through the lens aswell. It is really hard to get live tarantulas to hold still long enough for a standard picture let alone long enough for you to focus the zoom on them.

 

[RottweilExpress]

Amazing pic, good posts and beautiful little beasts.

 

[Mr. Mordax]

BEAUTIFUL pictures, FunnyLori! :clap: I hope you can get some good pictures of Indigo soon without silk in the way.

And don't forget, the scope is 80x when you include the eyepieces.

 

[funnylori]

Oh thats right, I fogot about the eyepieces. :wall: But the zoom on the camera messes up any known zoom values anyway... And yes, I would like to get some great pictures of Indigo the Avic. versicolor before she molts again. I cant believe that I dont have a pre-molt homecoming picture of her. I must be getting lazy...

 

[funnylori]

Avicularia versicolor

This is my Avic. versicolor. I call her Indigo because she molted into this beautiful indigo color. I know that she will change ... But I am not sure I will change her name with her evolving color. I didn't take these pics, more will come as soon as I get the little ones back from the sitter...

Thanks for the comments!

 

[funnylori]

Indigo and Kracken

I took some new pictures of Indigo my Avic. versicolor and Kracken my P. irminia. Unfortunately these are the only good shots I got before my battery died.

First Indigo:

And then Kracken:

 

[funnylori]

And, that is not just a weird trick of the camera... Indigo's rump is that fat! My baby sitter (IHeartMantids) fed Indigo quite vigorously. If she accepted the food, he gave her more. Which after the week or two that he had her caused her to become quite robust and grossly obese