Hello there. It has been a couple of days since my last post. My dog had an allergic reaction to something. I think it was a vaccination he got Friday.. So, I spent all weekend keeping a close eye on him. I did keep up on feeding the babies. The only change in stats occurred Saturday. One of the little guys died. It was one of the smaller ones, and it had been acting odd the day before - walking all disjointedly - so I wasn't too surprised to find it dead. I went through them today, and there are no more changes  Hopefully they will begin to molt soon and this monotony will be broken. Ciao for now.

Well, it has been a couple of days. I didn't post anything yesterday, because there were no changes and, therefore, nothing really to tell. Today there still are no changes...no new molts and no deaths  -absolutely nothing of interest to report. I still have to kill everything before they will eat. Well, I guess that's all for today. Hopefully tomorrow will be different. Ciao.

Hey there! How's it going? Another day another cricket, huh? Well, today I had a little surprise. As of yesterday, there were 2 that still hadn't grown enough to molt. Today, they still haven't molted. That's not the surprise though. Today, there should have been 55 that had already molted again. However, there were only 54. One of them has already molted again! During the last round of molts, I had thought that a couple of them had molted again before this molt. Now, I am sure of it. I am keeping all the the containers in a 10 gallon aquarium. As they began to molt, I separated the new molts from the others by placing them in the aquarium at opposite ends. The one I found today was in the middle of the ones that had already molted, and, as we all know, there are only 2 left that haven't molted. The same ones that were there yesterday! Any way, I do have a couple of photos to share. One is of one of the guys molting. It always fascinates me to see this. Gigi, my Brachpelma albiceps, molted Saturday and I was able to see almost the whole thing(even though it took about 4 hours). The other photo is of
(I think) my fattest baby who was still feeding on the cricket I gave it yesterday. So here they are.

This above, is the baby molting - just like something out of an alien or horror movie.

Here is the greedy little glutton. It amazes me how much their abdomens can swell and stretch. From what I have noticed, after they molt, they really don't eat too much. Don't get me wrong! They eat, and they eat regularly, but it seems they eat in moderation until their abdomens have filled out somewhat nicely. Then, they really seem to start gorging themselves. Their abdomens are noticeably larger every time I open their containers when the begin this gorging cycle. Well, that is all I have tonight. Hasta mañana y vaya con Dios.

Well, here we are again!. Unfortunately, I did not get to post anything last night due to an unpleasant food poisoning incident that had me up and in the bathroom until 2:00 A.M. I did though, before it set in, get to check on all the little guys. So, the numbers for yesterday are as follows. There were 2 new molts, which left 3 stragglers still trying to get there. There were 51 that had already molted.
  For tonight, there was 1 new molt, and 2 stragglers. There are 54 that have already molted, and some of these are already looking huge and ready to burst.
  Well, those are my findings for tonight, but before I post this and sign off, I would like to pay tribute to Marguerite Jane Schultz co-author of The Tarantula Keepers Guide. She has passed away recently, and will be greatly missed by all who enjoy these creatures. At least she, together with her husband, have graced us with their wealth of knowledge. God Bless.

Tonight, we have some changes. Yesterday, there were 2 new molts, 9 that hadn't molted, and 41 that had already molted. Tonight, there wee 4 new molts, 5 that hadn't molted, and 49 that had already molted. Colby, the guy I work with says his baby took a live but very very small cricket. This astounded me, because no one has said that their babies will take live food or even food that is moving even a little. I wonder if he hasn't been feeding it as well as I do mine. This also makes me wonder if I don't feed mine for several days i f they will be more inclined to attack... I shall have to set a couple aside for this experiment. Ciao.

Good day everyone. I am back. This has been a busy week here with the baby tarantulas...so many molts and hungry bellies to fill. Tonight there were 8 babies that molted since yesterday. This, of course means that the number of babies that have not molted is dwindling rather quickly. There are 19 of those left, and that leaves an even 30 that had already molted. I really am anxious for them to get to the size where they can catch their own prey. I'm tiring of having cricket guts on my fingers. Well, that is all for tonight. Bye bye.

Okay! here we are again. I skipped last night, so I would have a little more to say tonight. Sorry if you missed me. So this is what I have. Yesterday, there were 7 new molts. 23 that had already molted for the second time, and 27 that had not molted.
  Tonight, I have  - again - 7 new molts. 30 that have molted for the 2nd time, 19 that are closing in on their 2nd molt. One thing I like about these Lasiodora parahybanas is that they are not wanderers. I can open their containers, and they have really no desire to leave it to explore. I got a couple of

Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens (Green Bottle Blue) today, and they just want to go go go. As I said, with the L. parahybanas, I can go check on something or chase down a cricket, and at least so far, they just hang out and are content to stay in their containers. I did, however, today see something interesting. I had placed half of a small cricket (which was real more like a medium cricket) in one of the containers, and within a couple of seconds, the baby had lashed out at it - or at least in that direction. It was like when my older tarantulas aren't interested in feeding and are trying to just slap it away to scare it off.  This was the first time I have seen any of these guys do this. Perhaps they might finally start acting like predators instead of scavengers soon.  I have a couple of photos I wanted to share. One is of one of the little guys that had just finished molting today. It is so pale and fresh. The other photo is of one of the ones that molted a few days ago.. Well, that is all for tonight. Ciao ciao.

All right, How is everyone tonight? We are doing well and making progress...slowly but surely, but we are making progress. Tonight I found 7 little guys that had molted since yesterday. There are 17 that have already molted, and there are 33 that I am waiting on to molt. Interestingly enough, the two timid ones that are left both molted since yesterday. That surprises me because they were not hearty eaters and did not seem to be growing fast. There certainly are others that appear more than ready to molt...it's just another surprise when they molt sooner than others that are larger and seem more prepared. Well, that is all I have tonight. Tomorrow is feeding day again. Good night.

OK. How is everyone tonight? We are doing well. I didn't post last night. I went to the local pet shop to get crickets and got there at 7:06pm, and they were closed even thought the sign says they are open until 8:00pm, so being a little miffed, I came home and went through the babies and removed any leftovers and recorded any changes, but did not post anything. so, here are the findings from yesterday: 8 new molts, 9 that have molted already and 40 that have not molted a second time.
  Today, I went to the pet store and got some crickets. I did not see the owner, so I didn't ask about their hours of operation. Today, there was 1 new molt. 19 that have molted a second time and 38 that have only molted once. The babies still are terrified of live food. They will only feed if it's not moving at all. Dylan, the guy in Kalamazoo who bought one told me after I emailed him to see if his has molted that his won't eat live foo. I guess he's been trying live crickets, and it won't eat, therefore it hasn't molted yet. But I still have a lot that haven't molted either, but his was one of the larger ones. I find it interesting that a tarantulas that becomes one of the largest in the world is so timid as a baby and only scavenges for food. It will be interesting to see at what size they actually become active predators. The local pet store has one tarantula. It's labeled a Brazilian Salmon Pink. It's about 2 inches(diagonal leg span), and I saw it catch something in its cage, but mine are far from that size. Well, that's all I have tonight. Ciao ciao.

  I missed yesterday thanks to the sales reps. that took all of us out to happy hour. It was great fun. Thank you. Well, yesterday, There were 5 new molts, 3 that had already molted, and the rest were just feeding and trying to get ready to molt.
  Tonight, there were 50 that are trying to get to the next molt. There was 1 new molt, and 7 that have already molted  -  the leaders of the pack. I did find out that the 2 I sent to Texas have molted as well. Aragog, the one I sold to Katie and Paul is still not eating. I'm sure he is in pre molt. I will be surprised if he hasn't molted by Monday.
  I must add that MOST tarantulas - the Brazilian Salmon Pinks included  -  do very well at average room temperature  -  say 70 degrees. If you want them to grow faster, you need to raise the temperature a few degrees, but probably not much over 80 -80 degrees.

All right. Tonight there are some changes. Of course, the largest one went to its new owner today. Colby was so happy and had it out walking around on his hand  -  which is probably really good. If its used to handling as a baby, then maybe it won't be as stressful when it's larger - say 6 inches or even 3 inches and trying to accustom it to handling. They say  -  even those who do not handle their tarantulas -  that sooner or later there will come a time when you MUST handle it  -  even if it's just to move it to a larger house. Ok, enough of that. He's happy, and I'm happy for him. Paul and Katie say that Aragog hasn't really been eating for a few days. He was being a real pig though, and I am sure he is just getting ready to molt. It's interesting that they took his/her condiment container and placed it in a larger krater keeper. They say he comes out of his container and explores the kritter keeper but then returns to his container  -  familiarity? It's as if his old home is his den that he returns to for safety. I will bet that's where he will molt. Ok, so for tonight's stats, There are 55 that are getting ready to molt again. By this, I mean that they have molted and are feeding to gain sustenance and size so they can molt again. Older tarantulas  -  like my other 3, all Brachypelmas, when they are preparing to molt - called pre molt  -  actually stop feeding and become reclusive until they molt which the whole period may take a month.
 There is 1 that has already molted, and there are 2 mew molts since yesterday. I am kind of excited about this as one of the ones that molted is one of the ones I have set aside for myself. As I mentioned before, The ones I chose for myself was based solely on their feeding response( they feed eagerly when they first arrived). Then, they kind of fell behind in feeding and growth and were bringing up the rear after they molted. Now, one of them has molted and has now, once again, become a forerunner.

Here I am going to include a curious baby.  Many of the babies' black spots seem to have changed over time. Most become rectangular or triangular in shape...not this one. Well, that's all I have for tonight. Ciao.

Well, I don't have much to tell tonight. There were no deaths, which is good. I was so sure the one I dropped would die, but it seems to be doing well and is active. There are no more new molts. 2 that have already molted again and 57 that are waiting and preparing to molt. I am excited about 1 thing though. One will be going to a new home tomorrow. My co-worker got the ok to get the one I had set aside and was holding for him. Therefore, the largest of my brood will be leaving us. My co-worker is so excited. He has been waiting for this anxiously and is looking forward to watching his little tyke grow up. That is one of the most rewarding things for me  -  watching things grow and change as they develop. Partly why I started this exercise was because I wanted to see them grow and develop first hand , and because I wanted one - just one, and when I bought them, while i knew there would be 40, I wasn't thinking there would be 106. Anyway, I've always liked caring for things and watching them grow. Until tomorrow... keep your fingers crossed that more molt!  Ciao ciao.

Well, folks, tonight there is a little bit more exciting news. One more has molted. That makes 2 that have molted for this go around. One died, but it wasn't the one I dropped yesterday. It was one of the ones in the "Timid" stack. That leaves only two of the more severely timid ones left. The one I dropped yesterday seems to be doing great  - as if nothing happened. That leaves  all the rest that are fattening themselves up in preparation to molt. Here are a couple photos of the 2 that have molted.

This is the most recent baby to molt. It's darker that the one that molted yesterday, which is a nice change. They are darkening in appearance. Older ones are black with salmon pink setae or bristles Hence the name Brazilian Salmon Pink.

This is the first one to molt. It's not as dark as the one above, and it still has a piece of exuvium stuck to its abdomen. I tried to remove it, but it's being pretty skittish, so I thought maybe it'd be better to just leave it as is. Well, that is all for now. Good night.

Well, I was seriously thinking about not posting anything tonight...until I went throughout the babies and found one that was just finishing up molting. It was still trying to get its abdomen free of the exoskeleton. I'm not surprised, but I am pleased, that this one molted.  It's one of the largest  -  and now THE largest. One I had set aside for a co-worker(who may not be getting it after all because his girlfriend has a phobia of "bugs"). Anyway, There was the one molt. Then, there was the one timid one from yesterday that I thought was going to die  -  it did. Which now leaves 58that have not molted but should be preparing to molt. Well, It will be a while before the last to molt will be ready, but I can only hope that they will eat well in preparation. Tomorrow I may be one less as when I was getting the last two to molt out to feed check on/feed them, one container slipped out of my grasp and fell to the floor. It seemed ok. The poor thing, but I will be surprised if it's alive tomorrow. Surely it must have suffered some kind of injury in the fall.  Well, we shall see.

Here is a photo of the exoskeleton of the recently molted one.

And now, here is a photo of the recent graduate itself.

You might be able to see that some of the exoskeleton has stuck to the urticating bristles on its abdomen. This has happened to a few others previously without and obvious ill side effects, so I am not going to try to remove it for fear I may cause an injury. It is a good deal bigger than yesterday. I guess that is all I have for now. I am trying to find the last photo of this little one so I can compare them. If I find it I will definitely edit and post it.

AHA!! I found it! So here they are together for comparison,

It's hard to believe it's the same one! Good night all.

Howdy Howdy Howdy! Golly! that sounds so redneckish! I'm NOT a redneck! LOLBet they all say that.Anyway, there's not much to tell tonight. There were no deaths, no new molts. All 61have made it, except there is another of the "timid" ones that didn't seem right. I I was kinda careening around like a drunk when it walked, so I suspect it will soon have passed too. I guess we will have to see tomorrow when I check on them.

Hello, hello! I don't have much to report tonight, except that all in all I have 61 Baby Lasiodora parahybana left, and all are doing well. None have died.  Let's see if I'm still saying that tomorrow...  I have one left that has a triangular dark patch. There were only 2 that I had notice, but the other yesterday had traded the triangular shape for a circular one. Here is a photo of the one that is left with a triangular patch.

Much more triangular that the round or rectangular ones. I just think it's curious. Nice shine to it too. I just wonder if there is a correlation between the size if the opisthosoma and the shape of the spot and getting ready to molt... Probably not, but we'll see. Time will tell. Hasta mañana. Besos a todos.

Well, the times are changing. Now that there are no more waiting to achieve their first molt,  I have less to keep track of, and, therefore, less to report. There were 2 that died since yesterday. If you remember there was 1 that for the past two days I thought was going to die. Well, it did. It certainly hung on there though. The other one that died was one of the very timid ones. That leaves 4 left in that stack. It kind of doesn't surprise me that one of those would die as only one appears to be eating well, and perhaps life is just too stressful for them. Wow, it's a good thing they don't have to ward off any predators if that's the case. Anyhow, that leaves 58 if I counted right that are now waiting to molt once again.  I did have an interesting surprise though. One of the largest, which I had set as aide for my co-worker, whose dark spot had gone from round to a triangular shape, today now has a nice round spot  - again!

Here are a couple photos of it with it's newly rounded spot.

This one is a fatty. It's usually a very hearty eater. I am hoping that since its dark spot has become round again that this might indicate that it may be getting close to molting again. I hope so. I swear that after eating they look like they are about to burst, and I continually wonder how far their exoskeletons can stretch. That is another reason whyI feed them every other day...to give them time to digest their meal and get a little hungry again. Well, that's all there is for today. Keep you fingers crossed that no more die overnight. Ciao.

Well, tonight there are some new developments...some good, some bad. While the 1 that had a spot did molt, the 1 that still had not developed the spot died. While it was the slowest to develop, it was eating well, and I was hoping to see it get the spot soon. On the other hand, as I said, the last one with the spot did molt. One more step out of the way. So that leaves 60 left that have already molted at least once since I have gotten them...with a total of 61 still alive. I almost forgot to mentions. The one I thought yesterday was dying is still hanging on. I took a picture to post, but I really thing that by tomorrow it will have passed on.

Here you can see it's in a death curl. When I first opened the container I thought it was on it's back. It was so hard to tell. Only with the magnification of my camera could I tell for sure that it is right side up and in a death curl. This is the most prolonged death among these guys that I have seen so far.
  Here is another photo.

Most of them have a rather round dark spot on their opisthosoma(abdomen). It seems that as they feed and their opisthosoma expands the dark spot tends to take on a rectangular shape. I was trying to document this through this photo. In some of the larger ones where the opisthosoma has expanded even more, the dark spot seems to have become a pronounced triaglular shape. At first I thought I was imagining this, but it's true. Some people think the dark spot it made up of urticating bristles, although the one time my Brachypelma boehmei kicked at me, it didn't seem like it was rubbing the dorsal part of its opisthosoma, maybe it was. It happened oh so quickly. Maybe the changing from a round patch to a triangle is purely because of these bristles being rubbed off.

  Here is yet another photo.

As I mentioned much earlier, I try to leave their food in the center of the container. Her you can see the spiderling more in the center of the photo, while the head and thorax of the baby cricket is at the bottom go the photo. The spiderling has dragged the abdomen to the edge of the container at the top of the photo. Most of them do still carry their meals to the edge of the containers. Some just eat them where they find them...lazy buggers.

Howdy Howdy. Well, There is still 1 that is hanging on to the status of having no spot. There also is 1 that has a spot but has not yet molted. There is 1 that I think is dying and will probably be dead tomorrow when I check on it. It is somewhat in a death curl although it is hobbling around somewhat, but I'm not trying to keep my hopes up. I did put some food in with it just in case though. There are 62 that have already molted. There isn't much else to say, except, it's kind of interesting that the one that I had set aside for myself at the beginning because they were eating so well, now, have fallen back to to low side  of the middle of the pack. They slowed in their eating and others have surpassed them in size. Also, the one that I had set aside for my co-worker, because it was eating so much and was, until recently, THE largest of them all, has slowed down and at least 1 other has passed it. However, I am basing this mainly on the size of their abdomens as that is what increases in size most notably when they feed, and when they molt again, my co-worker's baby may once again gain the upper hand. Ok then, until tomorrow, Adieu.

Tonight, my stats are as follows. There is 1 that still has no spot. There are 3 that have a spot but still have not molted. There was 1 new molt, and 58 that have molted already. There was 1 that had died and another I think is dying. I am waiting until tomorrow to verify for sure. The one that had died was one of the three that I had marked for myself. I believe I am sure of the reason/cause of death. Yesterday when I was putting it back with the others, I was about to set it down when it slipped out of my grasp and fell about an inch. I believe this trauma is was caused its demise. The other two that were also in this accident have not yet displayed any ill effects. I will have to keep my fingers crossed. Time will tell. Hasta mañana.

Well, today there were no new molts. One baby still does not developed the spot. 3 have the spot, and 61 have molted since I received them In addition, there are 7 very timid acting ones - 1 more than yesterday. I think I just overlooked this one yesterday. Here is a photo of one of them.

All of its legs appear to be raised off the ground and its carapace and abdomen are arced to help facilitate and/or enhance this posture. That is all I have for tonight. See you tomorrow. Ciao ciao.

All right, for todayLet's see where the statistics leave us. There was 1 that had no spot. There were 3 that had the spot. There were no new molts. One died. It appeared to be one of the ones that had recently molted, which is too bad, but that's the way the ball bounces, unfortunately. What caused it? Who knows? Too much humidity? Not enough humidity? Or perhaps something just went wrong with the molt. There were 61 that have already molted.
  I have now created a stack of the timid ones  -  the ones that hunker down and try to be invisible when I open the container. There are 6 of them. I failed to mention that the one I called Invalido - meaning cripple - because of the white discoloration of its carapace - molted successfully and now has completely normal coloration. I can only  guess that, as I and others thought, it was just some of the previous molt's exuvium that had stuck to him.
  I do have news that Aragog, Katie and Paul's baby is eating ravenously, which is good. It will grow quickly then. And the one that went to Dylan in Kalamazoo, Michigan, is doing well too, although it doesn't come out of its hide  -  at least not while its being watched. It does have a large cage though, and maybe the extra space has it a little overwhelmed. Who knows. Perhaps when the lights go out, it comes out to explore. They are rather nocturnal anyway. Ok, enough rambling. That is all I have for tonight. Hasta mañana.