My Tartar (B. smithi) 's Journal

[RedCapTrio]

I got this T just last Sept. 5th and it has been in the hide since last week. I got home tonight and checked on it for the hundredth time.

And lo! and behold, an exoskeleton and a fresh T behind it. I could not take decent photos since the cam will focus on the webbing on the cave entrance. I will have to leave it alone for a week now and see if it will feed next I check.

Just sharing my good news.

 

[Enn49]

Congratulations on a successful moult

 

[RedCapTrio]

Thanks @Enn49, was getting anxious even though I've been reading around. Can you give me what comes next? The cave entrance is still covered in webbing and I hope that it will just come out after it is all hard and ready to take its meal.

 

[Enn49]

@RedCapTrio They all vary. She may come out sooner and have a stretch before she's fully hardened or she may stay in for a few days. I'd leave her for 5 days or so and then feed her, if she's not out by then food will probably lure her out.

 

[RedCapTrio]

I will try that. Thanks Enn49

 

[Chubbs]

How do we know it's a female?

 

[Enn49]

@Chubbs Sorry my mistake I should have said it, not that it makes much difference in this case .

 

[Chubbs]

You're right. I have a male smithi and he's very beautiful still.

 

[Therasoid]

Thanks @Enn49, was getting anxious even though I've been reading around. Can you give me what comes next? The cave entrance is still covered in webbing and I hope that it will just come out after it is all hard and ready to take its meal.

If the entrance is webbed shut just leave it alone. Once it opens its "door" indicates needing to stretch or hunger. Patience is part of the keeping process. Most wait 5-7 days after a molt before resuming to feed. The fangs are the last to completely harden after a molt. Just food for thought. [emoji6]

 

[Entity]

@Chubbs and @Enn49 i dont know about u guys but i always call my spiderlings "she" wishful thinking on my part, not that i have anything against getting a male i just get attached and it sucks when they go rest in that huge web in the sky. lol

 

[Enn49]

@Entity Oddly, I think of some of mine as "she" but others as "he" but I hate it when one turns out male and I know it's not going to live as long.

 

[Ratmosphere]

Congratulations!

 

[Chubbs]

@Entity Oddly, I think of some of mine as "she" but others as "he" but I hate it when one turns out male and I know it's not going to live as long.

I've learned to appreciate males as well. They do play a very vital role in our hobby. It helps knowing that your male will help contribute to the hobby.

 

[Enn49]

I've learned to appreciate males as well. They do play a very vital role in our hobby. It helps knowing that your male will help contribute to the hobby.

Maybe I'll have to buy them a female to breed with as I couldn't bear to ship them off to someone else especially those I've raised from slings.

 

[Chubbs]

Maybe I'll have to buy them a female to breed with as I couldn't bear to ship them off to someone else especially those I've raised from slings.

To me that's just part of keeping tarantulas.

 

[Enn49]

To me that's just part of keeping tarantulas.

The trouble is that I get too attached and I always said they were pets and I'd never breed (I had enough of that breeding snakes)

 

[Chubbs]

The trouble is that I get too attached and I always said they were pets and I'd never breed (I had enough of that breeding snakes)

Well that's what a male spider's purpose is in life. Not allowing him to mate isn't cool

 

[Enn49]

Well that's what a male spider's purpose is in life. Not allowing him to mate isn't cool

I know. Hopefully I won't have too many males but if I do I'll think about getting a female.

 

[RedCapTrio]

If the entrance is webbed shut just leave it alone. Once it opens its "door" indicates needing to stretch or hunger. Patience is part of the keeping process. Most wait 5-7 days after a molt before resuming to feed. The fangs are the last to completely harden after a molt. Just food for thought. [emoji6]

I was itching to get my hands on the exoskeleton but I guess I have to wait for it to molt in the open. Yes indeed, patience is really needed in this hobby. I thought I had patience for I kept planted aquascapes a couple of years back but it is nothing compared to this! ^_^

 

[RedCapTrio]

@Chubbs and @Enn49 i dont know about u guys but i always call my spiderlings "she" wishful thinking on my part, not that i have anything against getting a male i just get attached and it sucks when they go rest in that huge web in the sky. lol

@Entity Oddly, I think of some of mine as "she" but others as "he" but I hate it when one turns out male and I know it's not going to live as long.

I've learned to appreciate males as well. They do play a very vital role in our hobby. It helps knowing that your male will help contribute to the hobby.

I'm wishing for a female as well, it will be so cool to have a T that is as old as my youngest kid. However, a male will just as well be appreciated.