This would be because I have been tied up doing other (work-type) things, but this weekend I took the time out to update you properly, and here I am with a veritably leviathanesque installment of the diary...

 

And it's certainly all been going on, whether I was looking at the time, or not ! Wherever shall I start ? 

 

Let's head straight into 'arboreal news' with some pics of the tank transfer I did with Legz, my ever growing poecilotheria...

 

(apologies for the rubbish quality photos - I was very tired)

 

 

Remembering that poecilotheria are highly jumpy, ridiculously fast, and unpleasantly venomous, I was aiming to go for the tank-in-tank approach to minimize contact between me and young Legz, who might not appreciate that I am trying to do her a favour...

 

 

 

 

 Note the bamboo tubes I hoped Legz would utilize in her new burrow, and the big area of cork bark on which to bask...

 

After that, it was no problem to gently remove the lid and retreat, allowing her to come out and realise she was free...

 

So I  watched & waited....
 ...and waited....
 ...and waited...

 

and 3 days later out she came, ran round once, found the bamboo tubes, and disappeared straight inside one. I was then able very easily to go in and retrieve her former tank, and indeed her former self (previously inaccessible exuvium) from inside that !

 

 

 

So, that's her happy in the home where she will spend potentially the rest of her life. It is technically too big for her at the moment, but at the rate she grows, I really don't see this as a problem...

 

Next up in the Diaries must be my other arboreals, Flash, and Tenebrus...

 

Tenebrus is one elusive little girl. I have seen her exactly twice in the last month, and for around 3 seconds only both times, before she detected my vibrations and bolted back underground for another week. Trying to get photos of her is like trying to push water uphill. Hopefully she'll get more confident as she gets bigger.

 

Flash, on the other hand, my wonderful but slow growing, and chilled out avicularia sling, hasn't felt the need to leave her web for over 2 weeks now. I have fed her once this week, and her lacklustre response to my crickety offerings suggest she might already be in premoult again.  Here's a photo of her taken today, in her newly thickened and now highly elaborately augmented tube web...

 

 

 

Next up is Binky, who, whilst normally impeccably behaved, this month has felt the need to go exploring, and has on more than one occasion made a feeble effort to escape. Are you hungry, I thought ? But no, and even a baby cockroach was ignored, indicating that Binksters is definitely in premoult again. That might also explain her wierd climbing and webbing behaviour. I am in the process of building his adult tank, which he will be transferred into pretty much as soon as he next moults.

 

 

 

Meanwhile, over in ZBD land, that tank is holding a very crosspatch spider recently. I was refilling her water bowl the other day, and very gently and slowly I might add, but she took exception to it, and went straight for a full-on front facing threat posture. I paused, then carried on even more slowly, which I was surprised to note then prompted a full strike on the feeder tube !

 

I have no idea why she was in such a bad mood, but she held her threat posture for about 20 minutes after the strike, and then eventually went back to sitting around, not being stressy. Still - this is why she has a feeder tube - geniculata are famously crotchety spiders when they get large, as Zebs most definitely is now...

 

Here's a photo of her webbing, shining in the Sunday morning sun. Note, the sun is not allowed to ever shine directly into any of my T tanks, except when I can see they are safely in their burrow, and I need the light to take a few quick photos. 

 

 

 

Little Ginny, on the other hand, who, you might remember has just finished her yearly moult,  has herself remembered that she has new feet, and puts a lot of effort recently into testing them out climbing everywhere she can, and seeming keen to leave.

 

Unlike with Binky, however, distraction tactics work a dream with her, and the addition of 2 medium field crickets made her abandon all climbing, and instead go in pursuit of breakfast. I say 'go in pursuit of' - what I actually mean is 'sit still and wait for it to walk right past'... but anyway - I am pleased she is eating again, as prior to this, she hadn't taken anything for over 10 weeks.

 

 

Last on the update list is little Fluffy, who is still playing the same game as she has been ever since I've had her. This is another spider that basks out in the open for all of 3 days between post moult and pre-moult, and remains hidden the entire remainder of the time. I had to dig her out after not seeing her at all for 5 weeks, and once again, my timing was good, she had moulted into a beautiful 4 cm spider (3rd or 4th instar - I lose track) and didn't seem at all stressed that I had to uncover her to check she was OK.

 

She basked out in the open a bit tonight, but the light in her corner wouldn't let me get any in-focus photos, so we shall have to hope for some next time round. She made it through the moult absolutely fine, though, and I imagine will be ready to eat something again soon...

 

Update: Good news - managed to pop off a couple of quick photos tonight without disturbing her, and a rare deployment of flash phtography reveals that at 5th instar we can see the start of her adult colouring, specifically the orangey stripes on the legs, and the bright orange prosoma. Good opisthosomal orange hairs too.

 

 

Lastly, following the sad news of Steve Irwin's untimely death this month, there is a small tribute to him here  

 

 And that's it from me and the girls for another month, or until something unusual or exciting happens....

 

Take it easy...

 

B, F, F, G, L, Z, T & me