Regina’s Thread

[gabrieldezzi]

Hi everyone! I’ve been thinking on it for a while and I wanted to make a thread for my first ever tarantula, Regina. Regina is a 3.5” (DLS) Avicularia who’s been the prize of my collection ever since and got me into tarantula keeping. I got her the day before New Years in 2022. This is her story and I will update this thread periodically.

12.30.22


The first time I ever saw her in person. I bought her from a PetSmart and as I learned she was clearly not in the most optimal enclosure for her little body. I never got an official measurement on her at this time but she was considerably smaller than she is now.

12.30.22
Her first enclosure set up, clearly not the best for her but then again this was my ABYSMAL 2022 Avic husbandry. It gets better, I promise, just work with me.

1.1.23

First meal in captivity. I decided to name her Reginald (unaware of her sex), and was just in wonderment of typical Tarantula behavior.

1.12.23

Discovery of her reclusive nature. She hid here for multiple days, and I didn’t see her for a while. Sometimes at night, she’d wander the sides of the tree or even the top leaves.

3.20.23

A few months passed and she was healthy, but I had noticed she may have become dehydrated due to obvious shrivels on her abdomen. I noticed that in her old enclosure, her water dish may have been too hard to reach, so I decided to redo her enclosure to the one above. Also not the greatest, but she at least had easy access to water. The only reason my Avic survived this weird water dish period was because I misted (I know )

4.9.23

Regina sitting on her big leaf, not a dare in the world. Also to note she began webbing in this time.

6.5.23

Regina eventually got very dark and fat. She would always be in her web tunnel, and from this point until her molt she was my pet rock. Emphasis on SHE.

6.15.23

Huzzah! Her first molt in my care! She grew considerably from the last molt, and had very shiny colors. I had a friend sex her exuvia, and she was female! She had to be renamed to Regina.

8.7.23

Summer was quiet for Regina, although she had another enclosure redo after I went on a research spree and realized how bad my original enclosure was. I also stopped misting at this time, and I noticed a much happier T. Climbing very often, webbing everything, better food responses, but there was still more to go.

10.12.23

I thought a molt was imminent, judging by the fact she had set up a dirt curtain at every entrance, and was extremely reclusive for a few days. Eventually I did see her again, and although all of this shy behavior and several webbed up tunnels instead the wood, she did not molt.

 

[gabrieldezzi]

10.26.23
She continued to eat, but fewer and far between. I made sure not to overfeed her to prevent a deadly fall.

10.29.23

Upgraded Avic enclosure

• gabrieldezzi
• Nov 12, 2023
• 3

She needed an enclosure redo, and with the help of a few Arachnoboards members, I was able to make the perfect home for my perfect little T.

11.20.23

My 3.5" female Avic, Regina

• gabrieldezzi
• Nov 20, 2023

She had just eaten her first super-worm that took almost an entire 24 hours to digest. And as a result has earned herself a quite plump behind. She’s already been very dark and reclusive, so perhaps another molt is in the works. For now, enjoy Regina’s constantly derps and lovely moments.

11.21.23
She feels like she’s on top of the world.

 

[Woody72]

She's very cute .

 

[Tentacle Toast]

She's a real beauty, friend... great thread, thanks for sharing!

 

[viper69]

Keep it up

 

[gabrieldezzi]

11.22.23

After the super-worm fiasco, which was where two super worms that were refused got away and into the substrate. I had to fish them out because I was worried thst they could harass or even eat Regina if she got too vulnerable. The substrate was disgustingly drenched and some parts in the back of the enclosure even had fuzzy mold. (I know it’s harmless but I’m changing the substrate anyway I might as well get rid of it).Gave her a spiffy deep clean and now she’s back derping as always.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

Very nice , look like great enclosures. Pesky super worms.

 

[gabrieldezzi]

Very nice , look like great enclosures. Pesky super worms.

Someone told me the other day to start crushing the heads of them so they move around less. Gonna try that instead next time!

 

[gabrieldezzi]

Update!

11.30.23

A few days after my last update, Regina made a vertical web tunnel, which was a little strange. She sits in there all day now, and occasionally comes out to web up above. She’s gotten slightly moodier, where there was some sort of half-threat pose after I opened the lid to water?? the web tunnel is really cool though.

12.4.23

Regina ate again, a juicy cricket that wandered into her web tunnel. She’s looking quite chunky, so perhaps she’ll finally molt. However, she’s always been known for molting unexpectedly, can never be too sure with her lol

 

[gabrieldezzi]

1.20.24
IT FINALLY HAPPENED!! It took her over a month of not eating to molt, and since the last time she ate (the last post), she was more defensive than normal, to the point ever feeding attempt resulted in a threat posture. Currently waiting for her fangs to harden but she definitely pushed 4 inches now! . I should note, just as I’ve expected, she just randomly molted one morning

Bonus picture of my Psalmopoeus being a little baby

 

[gabrieldezzi]

Regina updates!

2/20/23

Finally found Regina outside her web tunnel, definitely over 4 inches DLS now. She was politely sitting on the surface waiting for food. Surprisingly she did not take a superworm or cricket when offered. I noticed her water dish was empty and upon filling it, I watched her motion her way to the water dish and take a huge drink before shuffling back into her tunnel.

P.S the psalmopoeus in the previous post, my beloved Evelyn has unfortunately passed away
Completely unsure as to the cause, because she was eating fine, had access to water and showed no signs of DKS or anything, but it’s a shame

 

[gabrieldezzi]

2.23.24

Too good of a picture of her not to share. She rarely comes out of her web tunnel anymore so I was stoked to see her on her web. She took her worm and stayed juuustt long enough for me to snag a few pictures, then turned around and marched back in.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

2.23.24
View attachment 467466
Too good of a picture of her not to share. She rarely comes out of her web tunnel anymore so I was stoked to see her on her web. She took her worm and stayed juuustt long enough for me to snag a few pictures, then turned around and marched back in.

enjoy
Took me multiple just to get one female and she was probably older didn’t live to long. It seems all my trees spider containers were thrown out ..🫠

 

[gabrieldezzi]

enjoy
Took me multiple just to get one female and she was probably older didn’t live to long. It seems all my trees spider containers were thrown out ..🫠

Im so sorry to hear that!! I thought Regina was male for a whole too, all my T-keeping friends always tell me how lucky I was for my first spider to be female lol

 

[gabrieldezzi]

3.18.24

Regina (A. avic) playing hide and seek

• gabrieldezzi
• Mar 18, 2024

The strangest stretch I’ve ever seen from an Avic

• gabrieldezzi
• Mar 18, 2024
• 6

Luckily nothing was wrong it was just a derp.

Regina derps from the past few days.

 

[gabrieldezzi]

3/22/24

Regina felt cute and was sitting on her log after I came home from work late at night. Immediately after presenting food she jumped at it like she hasn’t eaten in years!!

 

[gabrieldezzi]

Huge updates in Regina's world I really forgot to talk about on here, sorry!!

6/17/24

An opportunity presented itself. A friend of mine who works at a PetSmart about a 10-minute drive from me informed me that there was a mature male Avicularia that had been in the store for months, with no intention of being bought. I wasn't planning on pairing Regina originally, but I took a gamble and eventually after a few days of deciding and preparing, I purchased the male, naming him Egbert. At the time of typing this, (August 31st, 2024) Egbert is still alive and eating, despite maturing out as long ago as December the previous year.

6/18/24

Although I wasn't planning on pairing them right away, I started by feeding Regina more often than usual, to ensure she wouldn't eat her boyfriend. His first night in his enclosure he was restless, and I caught him drumming on several occasions.I didn't pair them immediately, because I was apprehensive (this was my first pairing!), as well as unsure if he had made a sperm web prior. I decided to test this by making a small enclosure and "shark-tanking" him in Regina's enclosure, complete with cross ventilation and a little piece of Regina's webbing to hopefully entice him to make a sperm web. Out of curiosity I opened the lid the next night and Egbert came crawling out, and Regina was tapping up a storm. Egbert reciprocated and it was honestly very cool to see the female initiate the mating, as she eventually came to him. There was a visible insertion I saw before Egbert dashed away, and Regina had a gaped epigastric furrow for a bit. I placed Egbert back in his enclosure and hoped for the best.

7/5/24

By early July I started to see some intense webbing and nesting behavior from Regina. Again, being inexperienced I was unsure if the pairing was a success, so I paired the two again a week later where there was another supposed insertion. As time went on however, Regina's nesting behavior and sharp increase in appetite confirmed she was gravid.

7/9/24

I woke up July 9th and was greeted with a heavily webbed side of the enclosure, even more so than usual. However, I could definitely make out a circular silhouette of webbing whiter than the rest; and surely enough was an egg sac. I was ecstatic and impatiently waited, making sure she was healthy, and I ultimately pulled the egg sac at 40 days in. I offered her a small cricket twice during this period via tong-feeding, once on day 20 and again on day 30, to which both times she declined and preferred to threat pose/slap at my tongs instead.

8/18/24

As aforementioned, I pulled the egg sac from Regina 40 days later, on August 18th to reveal dozens, if not hundreds of Eggs with Legs!! There were very few egg scraps and whatnot, and it looked like a majority of the EWLs developed to this stage fine. I placed them in a small deli cup with some substrate and ventilation, which I've been lightly misting a corner of it each day to keep up moisture.

8/27/24


A little over a week since the egg sac was pulled and the EWLs have progressed to beautiful, little first instar gummy spiders! I'm seeing some real dark abdomens and a lot of wiggles as these babies figure out how to move all of their little legs. I'm still keeping up with the moisture, and I'm hoping to see some second instar spiderlings soon! After they all molt to second instar I will separate them to their own enclosure, and I have a friend who was willing to buy a lot of the slings as a bulk sale, and I will sell a few independently as well as keep a few of them. This experience as of now has been wonderful and I'm forever grateful to see the life cycle come full circle! Excited for what's to come!!

 

[TheraMygale]

Sounds like you and Regina might be having a thing.

I hope it works out.

That male really got a “good luck” pass”.

Make sure that golden ticket does not go to waste and that all those slings get a home.

 

[gabrieldezzi]

Sounds like you and Regina might be having a thing.

I hope it works out.

That male really got a “good luck” pass”.

Make sure that golden ticket does not go to waste and that all those slings get a home.

Well Regina was my first tarantula. I still have Egbert and he's still eating surprisingly, so I'm just glad he didn't rot in a pet store and I allowed him to fill his purpose.

The slings however, I can't wait to see how they all grow over time!