User Storm76's picture thread

[papilio]

So, Fukushima making progress with the reclassification of the Avicularia genus I take it?

I guess ... but Chad said it was supposed to have happened in July sometime! Will be interesting to find out what the new names will be.

Really beautiful shots these last few sets, Jan! :biggrin: And I agree, I've never seen webbing like that!!



Hang in there Jan, I know you'll make it through even though it's all been a huge pain in the backside.

 

[Storm76]

The webbing in the C. fimbriatus enclosure is crazy! I love it.

Yeah, they web the heck out of the enclosures! In regards to webbing, I'd suggest these over GBBs anytime - to people having experience already that is. While I like my GBBs, these fimbriatus have some advantages: More webbing, quicker growers and although burrowers they're out every single night unless in premolt - they really grew on me the last months! Disadvantages include a bad attitude 100% of the time, extreme speed and their venom potency if you get tagged.

I guess ... but Chad said it was supposed to have happened in July sometime! Will be interesting to find out what the new names will be.
Really beautiful shots these last few sets, Jan! :biggrin: And I agree, I've never seen webbing like that!!

I'm pretty sure you have seen them web like that, but thanks!

Hang in there Jan, I know you'll make it through even though it's all been a huge pain in the backside.

Can only get worse actually. The last days I didn't have power, nor phone or internet because of this BS going on. For now, it's on again, but for how long...no idea. So I better post some more stuff before I fall off the face of the earth again...FML.


Here we go...

"Nyx", Grammostola pulchripes, 6" female - she's in premolt, hides a lot lately and is only seldomly out. On the other hand: She did the same during last winter...

Noname, Hapalopus sp. "Colombia large", ~1" sling - he/she is really a pig in regards to eating, hasn't turned down a single meal so far and although it is powerfeeding, this is the only T I do this with...

Noname, Hapalopus sp. "Colombia large", ~1" sling - he/she is really a pig in regards to eating, hasn't turned down a single meal so far and although it is powerfeeding, this is the only T I do this with...

Noname, Euathlus pulcherimaklaasi (sp. "blue") sling, 1.25" - one of the bigger ones of the triplets I have, slow growers, not the best eaters, but very skittish at this stage and unatractively brownish

"Aurora", Avicularia minatrix, ~3" female - guess who molted? That's right: This girl did! I was wondering why she was not out for nearly 2 months...very great looking and currently (!) friendly T

"Aurora", Avicularia minatrix, ~3" female - She had enough of me disturbing her...

"Aurora", Avicularia minatrix, ~3" female - close-up view

"Aurora", Avicularia minatrix, ~3" female - "Alright! Enough of this flashlight - I'm tired of it. Leave me be..."

"Nila", Avicularia azuraklaasi, 6" female - That worm is MINE! *jumps*

"Nila", Avicularia azuraklaasi, 6" female - proudly presenting her catch of the day

"Moriko", Psalmopoeus cambridgei, ~7"+ female - Did I mention this girl hates me? She freaking jumped (!) at the glass when I was walking past her enclosure. U mad?

"Jewel", Homoeomma sp. "blue", 5" female - although her spermathecae is scletorized, she didn't seem interested the first time I tried to pair her up to my MM...simply chased him away instead

"Neelam", Homoeomma sp. "blue", 6.5" mature male - he dwarfs her, admittedly, but he's also very calm lately, though still somewhat skittish. He's handsome, isn't he?

"Kenno", Brachypelma boehmei, ~3" juvie male - he molted again about a week ago and looks gorgeous. Still somewhat defensive, but he seems to calm down some..

"Kenno", Brachypelma boehmei, ~3" juvie male - "Get loft! I'm eating!" *nomnomnom*

Noname, Avicularia geroldi, ~2" sling - their blueish coloration starts to shine through on the carapace already - awesome! This is one of my triplets

Hope you enjoy this new series of pictures. A couple were taken through the glass, apologies for that. Didn't feel to hold my finger in the enclosure of my cambridgei for her to nom on it - which she would gladly do I suspect

 

[papilio]

I'm pretty sure you have seen them web like that, but thanks!

Nope I haven't, honest!

 

[Storm76]

Nope I haven't, honest!

I don't believe you


Small update since I haven't had the time lately. Basically my life went down the drain this year...and the new year will start as bad. Either way, let's get back to the T's. I had a very sad loss a few weeks ago, which was "Takhisis", my adult female H. villosella. She had a bad molt the last time and basically starved herself to death. She didn't take pre-killed or live prey. Force-feeding her didn't work since after all she was still a tiny dwarf T of 2.25" that was insanely fast, not to mention OW. She'll be missed. So easy to keep that species and awesome webbers.

Then I had my couple P. miranda molt twice in the meantime, they're now ~1.25" approximately. The P. fasciata molted just a couple days ago and is a good 1" now, too. They're doing well, are insanely skittish however and I have to be really carefull when opening their enclosures for feeding and stuff. So far though - no problems.

Talking about tiny T's - all slings are doing well and grow fine. No losses either in the Avicularia spp. sector. The A. purpurea slings are around ~2" currently, the couple new A. versis at 1" at the most currently. The E. sp. "red" haven't molted yet, neither did the E. pulcherrimaklaasi slings again. Both are just extremely slow growing species that require lots of patience from you as a keeper. Not a bad thing, however.


Unnamed, Avicularia diversipes (suspect male) ~3.5" - as usual quite defensive and skittish, this T looks simply stunning (cam didn't really capture it there)

Unnamed, Avicularia diversipes (suspect male) ~3.5" - here's another shot of him, I swear I'm totally confused about this one and can't wait if he turns out MM, or leaves me a molt to sex finally!

"Moriko", Psalmopoeus cambridgei, ~7" adult female - I don't know what she is doing, but she has started to web right in the open next to the waterdish like crazy...

"Moriko", Psalmopoeus cambridgei, ~7" adult female - her hidebout is usually on the right corner in the back behind the corkbark...she might be going to molt again, though she doesn't look like it

"Phaedra", Psalmopoeus irminia, ~5.25" adult female - she's quite reclusive as usual during the wintermonths, but was out a week ago and took this pic, love this girl

Unnamed, Avicularia geroldi sling, ~1.5", unsexed - these guys or girls are getting more blue by the month

Unnamed, Avicularia geroldi sling, ~1.5", unsexed - another one of the triplets I have

Unnamed, Avicularia geroldi sling, ~1.5", unsexed - different angle

"Kamala", Brachypelma auratum, 5.25" adult female - I tend to refill the waterdish and spray down that side of the enclosure a little every couple months, she seems to like it as when I'm done she usually comes out of hiding and sits right on that wet spot - weird? Brachy+moist substrate= NO...except this one...

"Kyla", Avicularia amazonica, ~4" female - red butt anyone? "Keeva" the male, is currently in heavy premolt so I didn't disturb him.

"Kyla", Avicularia amazonica, ~4" female - she finally let me take this pic in which you can see her fully - that's the tiny sling I got over a year ago, Michael!

"4 of 4" Euathlus sp. "red" - still 1.25" only

"Takhisis", Heterothele villosella, ~2.25" adult female - she died last month and I took this pic...very sad about it

As for pairing up my Homoeomma sp. "blue" couple - that didn't work. The male was tapping the first time rather lots but she simply chased him away. The second try a week later both ignored each other completely and the third try went as the second. I'm guessing, she's simply not yet fully mature (considering the size difference of her 5" to him nearly 7", I'm not suprised) but I was hoping it would work nevertheless. It was certainly fun chasing down the male after the first try as he basically ran straight over my bed and up the wall trying to hide behind the sideboard with the other T's. Funnily enough, there are a couple T's that often tap when I check on them during nighttime and I have no idea which ones...grmbl.

 

[papilio]

Hey Jan, hadn't seen you for a while ... glad you're still with us!

 

[Storm76]

Hey Jan, hadn't seen you for a while ... glad you're still with us!

Yeah...we'll see for how long. There's probably a huge break gonna happen for me regarding posting. I don't intend getting out of this beautiful hobby, though!

 

[Shrike]

Nice pictures Jan. Love the A. amazonica!

 

[Storm76]

Nice pictures Jan. Love the A. amazonica!

Here's hope that the female molts soon, the male is now a MM

 

[papilio]

Thanks Jan! Hope you had a great Christmas too!

 

[Storm76]

Thanks Jan! Hope you had a great Christmas too!

Not at all.

Either way, short update...suspect this to be a female:

Peocilotheria miranda, ~2", freshly molted

Peocilotheria miranda, ~2", freshly molted

 

[Storm76]

I haven't been around for awhile and I'm not entirely sure how often I can post currently, but my personal situation is less than sufficient so I'll make this a large picture update (40+ images !!!) all of which have been taken between my last post and today. There's some really nice stuff (in my opinion the A. amazonica MM pics turned out amazing!) in there, but also some rather mediocre. Sorry about that.

Either way:
As an update, my A. purpurea MM "Azure" died yesterday of old age. Rest in peace! He was a really docile specimen actually that wouldn't even get off you if he decided to walk onto you. It happened sometimes that he got spooked and the best memory of that was one time where he jetted out of his enclosure, over my arm, ontop of my head. Now, getting a T off your head is usually not that hard, but considering it's an Avic and that one liked to jump was a bit tricky. In the end I decided to walk in front of the big mirror and carefully try to guide him back onto my hand. Instead, I got slapped, then he jumped onto the mirror and tried to run behind the damn thing. I got lucky that I had a catchcup ready in my other hand so I got him before he could vanish! Fun memory of the little guy. At other times he completely refused to move one bit from wherever he sat on me. Arms, hands - didn't matter! He wanted to stay right there. So while time passed I usually read a book until he saw fit to moving again and then holding my hand to his enclosure and he walked back in. Funny little guy, for sure. I miss him.

Aside that - my Homoeomma sp. "blue" refuse to breed and I'm sure it's because my female isn't yet fully adult. She usually acts completely uninterested towards the MM. One time she chased him off, but that was the only reaction I got from her - although he is tapping she never answeres. Hence - bad luck! Since she's in premolt I'm kinda hoping she molts before he isn't anymore up to the task. Same goes with my A. amazonica - the MM is ready, but she is in premolt soooo...hopefully it turns out well. I'd love to get some offspring of that female - she has spunk!

The rest of them do well, especially the P. cambridgei seems to be out to getting me. She left her hideout in the back right corner and usually sits right on the front window now - which isn't exactly easy to do maintenance with her trying to jet out the moment I try to open the cage. So, lately I've chosen to use a measuring tape gently sliding it in there and chasing her off the front so I can water her and remove bolusses. Not exactly fun, but interesting to say the least

The triplets of A. geroldis should molt soon again and will probably all need a rehouse afterwards. My couple C. fimbriatus is reclusive as of late. The most I've seen from them was today when trying to lure either of them out to take a pictures - they didn't want any part of it! Slapping the hell out of the straw convinced me quickly to just leave them be. They're probably in premolt anyways as I haven't seen them out even during night. Oh well. My belove "Phaedra" (P. irminia) hasn't been out for a month ongoing, but food vanishes, so I'm sure she's just doing her thing as usual. The only T that kinda worries me slightly is my big G. pulchripes girl: I suspect her being in early premolt, but she hasn't eaten for over 6 months and just goes into hiding whenever I disturb her to refill the waterdish. She's well-fed, but I guess she's simply wanting to be left alone. Not defensive either, just quick to vanish from sight.

Anyways, so here go the pictures:

Avicularia versicolor, 1" sling - too big of a roach? Not for this one! So cute to see!

Poecilotheria miranda, ~2" sling - looking good after the last molt and one meal! Hopefully this one turns out female! Fingers crossed

Avicularia versicolor, ~1" sling - before and after molting - electric blue! 'nuff said!

"Medeia", Acanthoscurria geniculata, ~6" female - she's a pig and obviously dug out the couple roaches that were hiding in her enclosure for over 2 months! She's still a beast and quite defensive

"Moriko", Psalmopoeus cambridgei, ~7" female - annoyingly hanging out on the front window mostly, sorry for taking the pics through the glass - she tries to escape every time I open the cage with her sittting there!

"Neelam", Homoeomma sp. "blue", ~6.5" MM - he's quite the gentle giant with his size but he's also one of those T's that's often really thirsty for whatever reason. When I see him sit at the waterdish, I refill it and he immediately takes a drink usually...odd.

"Gemma", Euathlus pulcherimaklaasi, 4,5" female - still skittish, still a bad eater, but still so beautiful and one of my most loved T's for shooting pictures. I can basically touch her without having to be scared of her biting - she's never hungry really either hehe

"Jewel", Homoeomma sp. "blue", ~5" female - not interested in breeding with my MM and I'm pretty sure she's not yet adult - which would be the reason why she doesn't want to breed *sigh*

Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens (GBB), ~4.5" suspect male (molt inconclusive since always being destroyed) - this one still thinks it's an OBT haha! Feisty little GBB!

"Firali", Psalmopoeus irminia, ~5" adult female - her answer to my try to getting her out for some better pics: "Bugger off! Get lost! Leave me be, or else...", she's so nasty in comparison to "Phaedra"...pity

"Kyla", Avicularia amazonica, ~4.25" female - beautiful even though being in premolt

"Kenno", Brachypelma boehmei, ~3" male - he's simply cute, if you touch him with anything, he's moving his pedipalps in quick motions and moves away, seems to rarely kick hairs anymore...oddball, but gorgeous!

"Keeva", Avicularia amazonica, ~5" MM - probably the best pictures of this whole post, he's usually quite nasty however and doesn't like to be messed with! Awesome colors however even though it's a mature male!

"Nila", Avicularia azuraklaasi, ~6" adult female - some say their Avics don't web? Guess some of mine web too much rather than not at all, lol!

"Lyssa", Psalmopoeus langenbucheri, ~3" MM - still alive and well. He's very skittish however and tends to jet out of his enclosure at times.

Hapalopus sp. "Colombia large", ~1.5" - great eater, grows rather quickly - not as skittish as I had expected and generally easy to deal with. Too cute if he/she decides to kick hairs, hehe

Avicularia purpurea, ~1.75" sling - extremely skittish this one - one breath / touch and he goes racing in the enclosure. Haven't had one of that species doing that stuff so far, interesting!

Poecilotheria fasciata, ~2" sling - hopefully female!

That's it! Thanks for checking, people. I appreciate it!

 

[Hydrazine]

So many pics! Hope your males last long enough for the females, and hope things get better for you.

 

[Storm76]

So many pics! Hope your males last long enough for the females, and hope things get better for you.

Thanks, on both accounts.

 

[papilio]

Excellent work (erm ... play) here Jan, photos are definitely turning out better and better!

While I tend not to believe in pushing the 'temperament by species' concept very far, every P. irminia I've ever had as, at least as of becoming sub-adult, been very defensive ... much more-so than the P. cams I've had. The one which I have just posted (with you in mind a always Jan ) never fails to go into a threat-pose with frequent striking at the least touch of my cattle prod as I begin to coax her out of her enclosure or nudge her around the studio set. And she's still quite small -- I indicate 5" on the title, but that's really pushing it. I read somewhere that irminias tend to be much like cobras, liking to strike repeatedly.

And my MM A. amazonica was the same as yours too ... a cuddly teddy-bear until his maturing molt, then he became a monster! So beautiful though!

 

[Storm76]

Excellent work (erm ... play) here Jan, photos are definitely turning out better and better!

While I tend not to believe in pushing the 'temperament by species' concept very far, every P. irminia I've ever had as, at least as of becoming sub-adult, been very defensive ... much more-so than the P. cams I've had. The one which I have just posted (with you in mind a always Jan ) never fails to go into a threat-pose with frequent striking at the least touch of my cattle prod as I begin to coax her out of her enclosure or nudge her around the studio set. And she's still quite small -- I indicate 5" on the title, but that's really pushing it. I read somewhere that irminias tend to be much like cobras, liking to strike repeatedly.

And my MM A. amazonica was the same as yours too ... a cuddly teddy-bear until his maturing molt, then he became a monster! So beautiful though!

That statement about your P. irminia's makes my "Phaedra" even more special to me

 

[Shrike]

Good stuff. That's a beautiful GBB!

 

[Storm76]

Good stuff. That's a beautiful GBB!

Thanks! Still not entirely sure if female or male, although I believe it's a male.

Some new pictures...

"Kenno", Brachypelma boehmei, juvenile male - in his new enclosure

"Kamala", Brachypelma auratum, 5" female - I haven't fed this one for 3 months but she still looks obese. Goes to show how easily one can overfeed them.

"Adena", Brachypelma smithi, 5" female - And the same goes for Adena - 3 months no food, still obese. Mind you: That's the result of a single superworm too much!

A couple pictures of the new home of my ~5" female Chilobrachys fimbriatus "Hera" - she has 5" inches of substrate on one side and I left the rest free because I want her to web it all over She took to the started burrow and is still digging actually, hehe.

A. geroldi sling #1 of #3, unsexed, ~1.5" - molted 3 days ago and looking awesome!

A. geroldi sling #2 of #3, unsexed, ~1.5" - this one molted a week ago and is already eating again - the third one takes its time to molt

"Firali", P. irminia female, ~5" - for once sitting still and not threatening hence had to take a couple pictures. When I tried to prod her out she teleported into hiding *sigh*

GBB, unsexed since molt always destroyed, ~4.25" - looking good in the new cage - interestingly doesn't web but digs below the corkbark like in nature..hmmm

"Kyla", A. amazonica female, ~4.5" - "Go away with that flashy thingie! It's bright!"

P. miranda sling, ~1.5" - looking female actually and very flighty and skittish so far

Euathlus pulcherrimaklaasi sling, 1 of 3, ~0.75" - this one is the smallest of the bunch

Euathlus pulcherrimaklaasi sling, 2 of 3, ~1" - found it molted just today apparently ;-)

Euathlus pulcherrimaklaasi sling, 3 of 3, ~1" - should molt soon, too

"Nyx", G. pulchripes female, size before molt ~6" - first time I saw her out, sorry for the pics but were taken through the glass and the moment I moved her enclosure she vanished back into her burrow. She does look beautiful freshly molted!

On another note, I did lose an Avic sling today: One of the couple A. versicolors. A week ago it ate, yesterday I found it stuck trying to molt. Gotta hate it...
Also, "Nila" is in premolt, obviously "Medeia" is completely redocorating once more (I found ALL the plastic plants in a huge staple up to the ceiling of the enclosure in the waterdish - she starts it again....sigh) and aside that they're all well.

Thanks for checking!

 

[PeaceBee]

Gorgeous pics as always! I'm jealous of how many colorful species you have

 

[Storm76]

Gorgeous pics as always! I'm jealous of how many colorful species you have

Thank you! No need to be jealous - just get them yourself In other words "Don't be scared of raising Avics" (I know, you aren't!)


So, I finally caught Nyx out today and did a little photosession with the very well behaved lady. She's now 6 years old (4 in the care of my breeder friend, 2 in mine) and molted after the 2 years in my care successfully. She's a true beauty, looking simply stunning, but still a bit moody it would seem. I'm simply not going to handle her, although she allows me to touch her on occasion I simply think she'll be happier if I didn't.

As for my 3 Poecie slings, the fasciata is almost certainly a male (dang it!), extremely skittish and actually already defensive at 2" now! Just...wow. The couple miranda sling are doing well, with one being sure is a female, the other suspecting a male. The female sling seems to be quite calm actually, not really skittish at all unless spooked. At ~2" now I wanted to try tongfeeding them (yes, I'm aware of the risk of them running up the tongs) and the little lady gently grabbed the prey from the tongs and simply turned around starting to feed. I'll have to admit that was a nice experience. However, considering I'm very careful with those, I don't think I'll be doing too often at all. Here's hope the girl stays that calm really, too. Her sibling is extremely skittish and scared at the slightest movement of her cup, so question to you Poecie people out there: Any of you made the observation that males, in general, are more skittish by chance?

The P. subfusca male I raised from sling to MM was extremely calm - sidenote. I'm just asking if there's maybe some connection to the species? I've read that fasciata are among the more defensive ones, with miranda being bad eaters as slings (which I can't confirm, mine eat readily without issues) and subfusca being generally quite calm.

Anyways, I had some more molts:

* "Moriko", Psalmopoeus cambridgei adult female, ~7" still and looking gorgoeus moss-green now again! I suspected she'd be in premolt after she remodeled and moved into the corkbark tube...

* Hapalopous sp. "Colombia Large" molted a week ago, still ~1.25" only, but so cute if he/she kicks hair already. Though usually that one behaves like my geniculata - if it moves - it has to be food. BAM! *grin*

* Avicularia diversipes is now a mature male (dang, though I suspected it) - being a little calmer now, not as defensive as he was before.

* Euathlus pulcherrimaklaasi slings molted and are going on 1.5" now - after a year! Cute, skittish little buggers that kick hair readily at that size already. Too funny!

* "Ares" and "Hera" my couple Chilobrachys fimbriatus are seemingly in premolt. The Ares went stridulating the moment I opened his cage today to refill the waterdish. He's an 8-legged devil, no kidding Hera hides a lot lately, seldomly coming out after I rehoused her a couple months ago. But she apparently likes her new enclosure...

I've a good bunch in premolt currently, noteably "Firali" (the mean P. irminia lady), "Jewel" (Homoeomma sp. "blue" female), "Saranyu" (T. violaceus female), "Asteria" (the E. murinus female) - and my A. versicolor female "Lin" is still sitting on a dud-sac for weeks ongoing now, hehe


Now for some pics:

"Nyx", Grammostola pulchripes, ~6" adult female - stunning!

"Nyx", Grammostola pulchripes, ~6" adult female - stunning!

"Nyx", Grammostola pulchripes, ~6" adult female - stunning!

"Kenno", Brachypelma boehmei, ~3" juvie male - yep, still moody at times haha!

"Kenno", Brachypelma boehmei, ~3" juvie male - close-up!

"Kenno", Brachypelma boehmei, ~3" juvie male - so "firey" colored though!

Avicularia diversipes, ~4.25" mature male - not as colorful anymore, pity!

Avicularia diversipes, ~4.25" mature male - not as colorful anymore, pity!

Poecilotheria miranda sling, ~2", suspect female

Poecilotheria miranda sling, ~2", suspect female

Poecilotheria miranda sling, ~2", suspect female

Hapalopus sp. "Colombia Large", ~1.5" unsexed - freshly molted the little one

Hapalopus sp. "Colombia Large", ~1.5" unsexed - and already ready to kick hair...seriously?

"Nyx", Grammostola pulchripes, ~6" adult female - did maintenance today, so I took the opportunity for some more pics of the stunning girl...

"Nyx", Grammostola pulchripes, ~6" adult female - she decided to come out and play...

"Nyx", Grammostola pulchripes, ~6" adult female - top-view, stretched out

"Nyx", Grammostola pulchripes, ~6" adult female - "No, I refuse to move! I have a good view from up here"

"Nyx", Grammostola pulchripes, ~6" adult female - "Stop - touching - me! Not going to move no matter what you do!" *eyes keeper*

"Nyx", Grammostola pulchripes, ~6" adult female - LEGS!

"Nyx", Grammostola pulchripes, ~6" adult female - and back in her enclosure

"Nyx", Grammostola pulchripes, ~6" adult female -

 

[PhiGamTeacher]

Awesome pics! Thanks for sharing, my students sure appreciated it!