Today in the Spider Room?

Ungoliant

Malleus Aranearum
Staff member
Joined
Mar 7, 2012
Messages
4,096
Today in the spider room ... there was a house fire!

Fortunately, we are safe, and the tarantulas are fine.


Some time after 2 a.m. on Friday night, we heard a loud pop/thud, and our lights briefly dimmed. We didn't hear or smell anything else. Then at 2:35, the neighbor called, because she saw smoke. We told her to call 911. (I don't know why her first instinct was to call us instead of 911.)

I quickly got dressed, and by the time I was outside, there was black smoke billowing out of all attic vents (but no smoke in our unit). I grabbed a handful of important things and threw them in the car, and that's all I had time to do before firefighters arrived (four engines and two ladders).

We live in a duplex with a common attic, and the fire started in the neighbors' side of the attic, probably the result of a short circuit. We're extremely fortunate that the neighbors were awake when it started, because had the firefighters shown up much later, this whole place would have burned. (Attic fires spread quickly with nothing to check them, especially in old wooden buildings like this.)

The firefighters had extinguished the fire by about 3:30, and most of the fire crews were gone by about an hour later, except the marshal who remained on scene for several hours to conduct the investigation.

Both electric meters were pulled. We were at first concerned that we wouldn't be able to get our power turned back on until a building inspector could come out, which wasn't going to happen during a weekend. However, we eventually got approval to turn on our unit's power, since our side did not have any water damage (unlike the neighbors' side), and we're on a separate meter.

It could have been a lot worse! I am glad that we did not have any damage in our unit and did not have to relocate 32 tarantulas to a heated building. (It was 40 degrees outside.)
 

The Spider House

Arachnobaron
Active Member
Joined
Aug 12, 2020
Messages
534
Today in the spider room ... there was a house fire!

Fortunately, we are safe, and the tarantulas are fine.


Some time after 2 a.m. on Friday night, we heard a loud pop/thud, and our lights briefly dimmed. We didn't hear or smell anything else. Then at 2:35, the neighbor called, because she saw smoke. We told her to call 911. (I don't know why her first instinct was to call us instead of 911.)

I quickly got dressed, and by the time I was outside, there was black smoke billowing out of all attic vents (but no smoke in our unit). I grabbed a handful of important things and threw them in the car, and that's all I had time to do before firefighters arrived (four engines and two ladders).

We live in a duplex with a common attic, and the fire started in the neighbors' side of the attic, probably the result of a short circuit. We're extremely fortunate that the neighbors were awake when it started, because had the firefighters shown up much later, this whole place would have burned. (Attic fires spread quickly with nothing to check them, especially in old wooden buildings like this.)

The firefighters had extinguished the fire by about 3:30, and most of the fire crews were gone by about an hour later, except the marshal who remained on scene for several hours to conduct the investigation.

Both electric meters were pulled. We were at first concerned that we wouldn't be able to get our power turned back on until a building inspector could come out, which wasn't going to happen during a weekend. However, we eventually got approval to turn on our unit's power, since our side did not have any water damage (unlike the neighbors' side), and we're on a separate meter.

It could have been a lot worse! I am glad that we did not have any damage in our unit and did not have to relocate 32 tarantulas to a heated building. (It was 40 degrees outside.)
Glad everyone is safe and that your furry friends are still nice and warm.
Nowhere near as bad but a faulty kettle tripped out my electrics and also took out the spur that supports my spider house. Didnt realise until the morning after so they had a cold(ish) night. Thankully the walls are all double insulated and so they manged to retain a lot of warmth as well as repel the cold.
 

Tarantuland

Arachnoprince
Joined
Mar 19, 2020
Messages
1,354
Today in the spider room ... there was a house fire!

Fortunately, we are safe, and the tarantulas are fine.


Some time after 2 a.m. on Friday night, we heard a loud pop/thud, and our lights briefly dimmed. We didn't hear or smell anything else. Then at 2:35, the neighbor called, because she saw smoke. We told her to call 911. (I don't know why her first instinct was to call us instead of 911.)

I quickly got dressed, and by the time I was outside, there was black smoke billowing out of all attic vents (but no smoke in our unit). I grabbed a handful of important things and threw them in the car, and that's all I had time to do before firefighters arrived (four engines and two ladders).

We live in a duplex with a common attic, and the fire started in the neighbors' side of the attic, probably the result of a short circuit. We're extremely fortunate that the neighbors were awake when it started, because had the firefighters shown up much later, this whole place would have burned. (Attic fires spread quickly with nothing to check them, especially in old wooden buildings like this.)

The firefighters had extinguished the fire by about 3:30, and most of the fire crews were gone by about an hour later, except the marshal who remained on scene for several hours to conduct the investigation.

Both electric meters were pulled. We were at first concerned that we wouldn't be able to get our power turned back on until a building inspector could come out, which wasn't going to happen during a weekend. However, we eventually got approval to turn on our unit's power, since our side did not have any water damage (unlike the neighbors' side), and we're on a separate meter.

It could have been a lot worse! I am glad that we did not have any damage in our unit and did not have to relocate 32 tarantulas to a heated building. (It was 40 degrees outside.)
Wow glad everyone including spiders are ok
 

The Spider House

Arachnobaron
Active Member
Joined
Aug 12, 2020
Messages
534
Today in the spider house.....general tidying and repositioning of shelves and enclosures to simulate some temperature fluctuations (slightly cooler on bottom shelves, warmer up top)
20210316_162534.jpg 20210316_162547.jpg 20210316_162604.jpg
 

sk063

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jan 26, 2021
Messages
42
Today in the spider room ... there was a house fire!

Fortunately, we are safe, and the tarantulas are fine.


Some time after 2 a.m. on Friday night, we heard a loud pop/thud, and our lights briefly dimmed. We didn't hear or smell anything else. Then at 2:35, the neighbor called, because she saw smoke. We told her to call 911. (I don't know why her first instinct was to call us instead of 911.)

I quickly got dressed, and by the time I was outside, there was black smoke billowing out of all attic vents (but no smoke in our unit). I grabbed a handful of important things and threw them in the car, and that's all I had time to do before firefighters arrived (four engines and two ladders).

We live in a duplex with a common attic, and the fire started in the neighbors' side of the attic, probably the result of a short circuit. We're extremely fortunate that the neighbors were awake when it started, because had the firefighters shown up much later, this whole place would have burned. (Attic fires spread quickly with nothing to check them, especially in old wooden buildings like this.)

The firefighters had extinguished the fire by about 3:30, and most of the fire crews were gone by about an hour later, except the marshal who remained on scene for several hours to conduct the investigation.

Both electric meters were pulled. We were at first concerned that we wouldn't be able to get our power turned back on until a building inspector could come out, which wasn't going to happen during a weekend. However, we eventually got approval to turn on our unit's power, since our side did not have any water damage (unlike the neighbors' side), and we're on a separate meter.

It could have been a lot worse! I am glad that we did not have any damage in our unit and did not have to relocate 32 tarantulas to a heated building. (It was 40 degrees outside.)
Very Glad to hear you all made it out safely
 

ConstantSorrow

Arachnosquire
Joined
Feb 21, 2020
Messages
129
Saw actual webbing in my sad little avic's enclosure.....bought a night vision camera so now I can figure out what she's getting up to when I'm not around/awake!
(I'd like to thank @Andrea82 for the idea, mentioned in a different thread)
 

Andrea82

Arachnoemperor
Joined
Jan 12, 2016
Messages
3,686
Saw actual webbing in my sad little avic's enclosure.....bought a night vision camera so now I can figure out what she's getting up to when I'm not around/awake!
(I'd like to thank @Andrea82 for the idea, mentioned in a different thread)
I did? :rofl:
Glad it worked out though! You're welcome ;)
 

emartinm28

Arachnoknight
Joined
Mar 29, 2020
Messages
271
Rehoused this beautiful young lady into her adult enclosure today. I know that this species is common but her colors still blow me away
Avicularia avicularia Linnaeus, 1758
M1
70D63BE9-F22C-45C1-A026-9409796CB287.jpeg
 

Blonc

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 6, 2005
Messages
173
My D.pentaloris has now reached his Final Form! I'm a bit conflicted about it since he's easily one of the prettiest Ts I have even if I don't really like the species now that I've had the opportunity to keep him. Can't quite explain that.
 

The Spider House

Arachnobaron
Active Member
Joined
Aug 12, 2020
Messages
534
My D.pentaloris has now reached his Final Form! I'm a bit conflicted about it since he's easily one of the prettiest Ts I have even if I don't really like the species now that I've had the opportunity to keep him. Can't quite explain that.
No explanation needed. Sometimes they just "get to you" don't they? Whatever decision you make will be right for you and him. Great post. Thanks for sharing.
 

Ungoliant

Malleus Aranearum
Staff member
Joined
Mar 7, 2012
Messages
4,096
Rehoused this beautiful young lady into her adult enclosure today. I know that this species is common but her colors still blow me away
Avicularia avicularia Linnaeus, 1758
M1
This species is a popular hobby staple for good reasons: the adorable twinkle toes, the charming stubbornness....
 

Tortuga

Arachnoknight
Joined
Apr 17, 2019
Messages
191
Made a rookie move. Didn’t crush the head of my meal worm. Two weeks ago my T vagans took down her first dubia, nice plump booty after that meal. Gave her a few weeks to digest and decided to test her feeding response with a smaller meal, a mealworm. Dropped right in front of her and not even a twitch as it crawled over her foot. Before I could get my tongs the feeder had buried itself and was gone.

After feeling rather stupid for a few minutes, I remembered reading a similar situation here. Within moments a fresh juicy carrot was on top of the substrate where that lil bugger escaped, at the burrow entrance.

Fast forward to the next morning, I went to check my carrot and it was gone. Poked around the sub to see if the feeder had buried it, nothing. Got out my flashlight (torch) and looked down in her burrow and see the carrot at the bottom. No? Did she? Didn’t have time to contemplate, dropped in another carrot and went to work.10 hours later the carrot is gone again and in the general proximity of the 1st. As Im looking down the burrow i see the freakin mealworm moving in the grooves of the cork bark thats makes up the burrow entrance. Got it! No loose more loose feeder...just loose carrots :/
 

spideyspinneret78

Arachnoprince
Joined
Jul 19, 2019
Messages
1,253
Glad everyone is safe and that your furry friends are still nice and warm.
Nowhere near as bad but a faulty kettle tripped out my electrics and also took out the spur that supports my spider house. Didnt realise until the morning after so they had a cold(ish) night. Thankully the walls are all double insulated and so they manged to retain a lot of warmth as well as repel the cold.
Wow. That's terrifying. I'm glad that you and your tarantulas are OK.
 

vounti

Arachnoknight
Joined
Apr 29, 2020
Messages
211
Today I saw my Ephebopus cyanognathus sling in a stress curl. I realized it filled its old burrow with dirt and was chilling stressed on top. I guess it needed a bigger enclosure. I hope it'll be a better one.

I'll let the water distribute in the substrate and might add moisture if needed. Peat moss is a bit of a pain to rehydrate :/
 

Attachments

Rigor Mortis

Arachnobaron
Joined
Nov 7, 2018
Messages
498
:( My T. albo slings died. I can't say that I'm devastated or anything, I honestly assumed this was going to happen eventually. I got them as freebies and had no experience with slings. I tried my best, but I've been really busy with work this past month and hadn't been watering them as much as I should have. So it's absolutely my fault, which I take full responsibility for. I feel awful that I let this happen to them but you live and you learn.
 

ConstantSorrow

Arachnosquire
Joined
Feb 21, 2020
Messages
129
My A. chalcodes has been dug into her burrow for two months. Last night she dug her way out. No molt, just chillin' underground for two months while getting up my hopes up.
Spiders are so weird.
 

LD50

Arachnolord
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 13, 2002
Messages
107
I've been seeing my C. lividus a lot more often, looks a lot bigger after it's molt. My T. albopilosus is now big enough to take down baby roaches 😁 it's a ferocious little eater. PXL_20210324_171421387.jpg
 

scooter1685

Arachnosquire
Old Timer
Joined
May 28, 2006
Messages
70
Today, my Linothele megatheloides surprised me. This morning there was a new molt. The last molt was only 26 days ago. :spider: :lol:
 
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