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The Lava Life -- a G. pulchra diary
- Thread starter ladyratri
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I was also surprised, actually. And I think the 3" is probably overly generous -- 2.5" is probably a better estimate, but I haven't held up a ruler to her burrow lately to get a better reference. I was definitely expecting her carapace to be darker this molt though.
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Finally spotted her sitting out before I startled her back into the burrow by stomping into the spider corner too loudly! Huzzah.
Couldn't really get a photo from the top, but her abdomen is actually smaller than her carapace -- definitely she's moving into the growth phase of putting on some heft rather than just being all leg all the time. I'm trying to feed at a good cadence to avoid another full year underground without actually non-sarcastically starving the poor girl.
Everyone's probably going to get second cricket tonight, before the feeder bin starts having the good old "big box pet store cricket die-off"
If I hadn't seen her looking so svelte, I might've skipped her for seconds.
Couldn't really get a photo from the top, but her abdomen is actually smaller than her carapace -- definitely she's moving into the growth phase of putting on some heft rather than just being all leg all the time. I'm trying to feed at a good cadence to avoid another full year underground without actually non-sarcastically starving the poor girl.
Everyone's probably going to get second cricket tonight, before the feeder bin starts having the good old "big box pet store cricket die-off"
If I hadn't seen her looking so svelte, I might've skipped her for seconds.
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Offering accepted.
Good to see that Lava is back into feeding mode, guess she prefers the privacy of her burrow currently 
Surely, she'll become more bold and spend more time on the surface as she gets larger. Hopefully, she'll also gain that "blackness" pulchras are known for next molt
Surely, she'll become more bold and spend more time on the surface as she gets larger. Hopefully, she'll also gain that "blackness" pulchras are known for next molt
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Aaaaand she delivers.Finally spotted her sitting out before I startled her back into the burrow by stomping into the spider corner too loudly! Huzzah.
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@IntermittentSygnal the heart butt endures!
Also, she has definitely upgraded from "sling" proportions to "juvi" proportions. Growing up into a pretty lady. Bit by bit....
Also, she has definitely upgraded from "sling" proportions to "juvi" proportions. Growing up into a pretty lady. Bit by bit....
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Glad to see her cute butt out! Need frame of reference though as she still looks wee to me.
Sauga Bound
Arachnopeon
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I love your diary and wish I had found it sooner. She looks to be about the same size and age as mine. Mine might be one molt ahead and slightly bigger, but the main difference is their shade. The grayish black of your is kind of neat and something I haven't seen. The shade is similar to mine when she was in heavy pre-molt. I think it's cool.
Maybe yours won't develop the blue-black coat most Pulchras sport. Maybe it's a mutation, a one-off, or something else, but it's certainly unique. The most important thing is that you enjoy keeping the spider and that she has a sweet temperament and gentle demeanor. All four of my spiders are docile and gentle, but my Pulchra is the one I would handle without hesitation if I had to pick one. She's very patient and seems to like it when I talk to her and tell her how pretty she is. She'll climb up on her cork and sit there looking pretty while I whisper sweet nothings to her.
Maybe yours won't develop the blue-black coat most Pulchras sport. Maybe it's a mutation, a one-off, or something else, but it's certainly unique. The most important thing is that you enjoy keeping the spider and that she has a sweet temperament and gentle demeanor. All four of my spiders are docile and gentle, but my Pulchra is the one I would handle without hesitation if I had to pick one. She's very patient and seems to like it when I talk to her and tell her how pretty she is. She'll climb up on her cork and sit there looking pretty while I whisper sweet nothings to her
.
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I'll see if I can get a better size reference eventually. I'm just looking at her shape and proportions though, and even her stance.
Top two from November 2022. Bottom left, November 2023.
It's like seeing baby pictures, toddler pictures, and grade school photos of the same kid. Thicker legs, more of the classic Grammostola face. Maybe next year, I'll get a high school yearbook photo
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I have watched her develop, but am wondering how big she is now? She still looks about 1.5” in the pics, lol, maybe 1.75”I'll see if I can get a better size reference eventually. I'm just looking at her shape and proportions though, and even her stance.
Top two from November 2022. Bottom left, November 2023.
View attachment 495910
It's like seeing baby pictures, toddler pictures, and grade school photos of the same kid. Thicker legs, more of the classic Grammostola face. Maybe next year, I'll get a high school yearbook photo
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I suspect at least 2" but not much more.
Hmm, by point, wouldn't she already gained her full adult colors ? IME, all the Ts I've had at 1.5+" had their colors... Maybe Brachypelma gain their colors faster than Grammostola, who knows ?
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Honestly, I don't know. I expected the all-black by now too. I guess we'll see next molt if it changes. Eventually
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Luca was about 2 inches when I got him, and he’d molted the week before and had just gotten his black coloration on that molt. That was September 2023, and he just hit 3 inches with his molt last Friday.
Pic 1: Luca, about 2 inches, barely rockin’ the black
Pic 2: Luca, a distinguished young gentleman, full black suit at 3 inches
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So, this is her old 2"x3"x4" enclosure in February of 2024:
Two weeks later in the new bin, for comparison to the new hide:
Current size:
She has definitely put on some size with the two molts since I rehoused her into the bigger enclosure, and she looked close to 2" before that.
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Came over to check what was up when I touched the bin gently enough.
Tried to sneak the lid open, but she wasn't going to stick around for that. Alas.
Still, best guess here, she is actually getting closer to 3".
Bonus butt-in-the-air photo:
Tried to sneak the lid open, but she wasn't going to stick around for that. Alas.
Still, best guess here, she is actually getting closer to 3".
Bonus butt-in-the-air photo: