New babies!

[Fuzzball79]

I got my new Ts today. The funny thing was that just when I opened the box I finally confessed to my husband that I ordered 2, took the "second" tub out and it reads "Freebie B. Smithi". Arrgh! Luckily it's tiny enough to fit in an old wax worm tub with a flat Lego brick for water bowl.
A. Amazonica. Looks quite chubby already, I wonder whether a molt is coming soon. It's already grooming itself so I take it that's a good sign. Someone (aka my OH, lol) accidentally binned my cork bark and none of the shops around here sell it, so that's why the tubs are a bit sparse until hopefully Thursday.

G. Actaeon is already exploring its new home. Quite confident but looks like it flicked a lot inside the paper (it was actually webbing when I unpacked it). It's beautiful with blueish black legs and a dark red abdomen.

Freebie B.Smithi. As small as my LP was. It seemed quite weak when I unpacked, I actually thought it was dead at first until I nudged it and it very slowly moved into it's home. I hope it didn't get too cold on the journey.

 

[Enn49]

Lovely Ts. I just love the A. Amazonica's big feet and a freebie's always a nice surprise.

 

[Fuzzball79]

I was more shocked to get an extra spider (first time), lol. The little guy seems to have perked up and is scooting around the tub.

The Avic is a little daredevil: It jumps from leaf to leaf on its plants. I thought it was falling at first.
The GA is also out and about. It seems quite chilled out so far.

 

[Chubbs]

How in the heck do you get a B.smithi as a freebie lol

 

[Fuzzball79]

How in the heck do you get a B.smithi as a freebie lol

I don't know, never happened before, lol. It's not even a spider I was after either (I had considered Auratum or Vagans before), especially not at that size (< 0.5"), but now it's here, it's staying. At least my oldest son will be happy, he always wanted a Smithi. Just my luck though trying to sneak in a second sling and then actually receiving 3, lol.
They're from The Spidershop in the UK, maybe they had excess slings from a pairing?

 

[Chubbs]

Idk how things work in the UK, but here B.smithi go for close to $100 for a 2 inch specimen.They're not very easy to breed nor do people really breed them as often as one might think.

 

[Enn49]

@Chubbs I paid £9.30 for 2 ($14.30) . Both were just 0.5".

@Fuzzball79 I think you'll enjoy the smithi, mine are always out and about.

 

[Fuzzball79]

@Chubbs I just checked: The Spidershop (where I got mine from) sell their own bred slings for £5 (about $7.69).
Is it just the Smithi that is hard to get by or other Brachypelma, too?

 

[Chubbs]

They're not hard to get, they're just not that easy to breed or get a viable sac from I've heard. I believe it's similar with certain other Brachys as well.

 

[Fuzzball79]

@Enn49 Probably a stupid question, but my Smithi seems a little "tired". After doing a couple of rounds around its tub it's been sitting in the same spot next to its water dish since last night. Do they generally take a little longer to settle? It doesn't look to be in premolt, rather as if it molted recently (pale colour, not very plump abdomen). I'm probably worrying over nothing, but it's only about the size of an apple seed (if that), actually smaller than my LP was, lol.

 

[Enn49]

@Fuzzball79 My 2 both have always had a tendency to just sit in one spot often near or over the water bowl almost as if they are too lazy to move far. They have never dug although one has recently made a hollow under the leaves to sit in. One of the things I liked about them from the start was that they were always visible unlike the albos that dig and dig.

 

[Fuzzball79]

@Enn49 Thanks, I'll keep an eye on it. Other than the size it's probably because the other slings are a bit more "on the go" that had me worried. So it's probably just a lazy sod, lol. I'll try feed them in a day or 2 and will probably power feed the little guy to get him to a less "worrying" size, lol.

 

[Enn49]

This was my smallest, Popo, when it arrived so probably about the same size as yours


And Popo now 11 months on

 

[Fuzzball79]

Very cute! Mine is probably about the same size if not a teeny bit smaller. I wonder whether it has indeed just molted as it is quite light in colour, bar the black spot and the eyes. So maybe that would also explain it's "tiredness".

 

[Enn49]

Very cute! Mine is probably about the same size if not a teeny bit smaller. I wonder whether it has indeed just molted as it is quite light in colour, bar the black spot and the eyes. So maybe that would also explain it's "tiredness".

You could be right but as I say they do seem to be quite lazy. I'm sure it'll be fine.

 

[Fuzzball79]

You could be right but as I say they do seem to be quite lazy. I'm sure it'll be fine.

It's started moving around again, so I feel quite relieved. It's in one of those small wax worm tubs you get at the pet shop, so at its size it's still probably quite a journey to make around it, lol.

 

[Christell Erasmus]

Congrats on your new tarantulas, and well done with scoring a freebie. Life still has it little joys and surprises.

 

[Fuzzball79]

Sad news: The wee B. Smithi didn't make it. I found it dead this morning. Funny how I had a feeling right from unpacking that something wasn't quite right with it .

On the upside: The G. Actaeon was ready to take its first meal last night. It reminded me of my B. Boehmei when it was smaller: Keen, but a bit on the slow side, eventually catching the cricket when it just hopped straight into the slings corner.

 

[Enn49]

I'm sorry the little B.smithi didn't make it but it's great news that your G. actaeon has taken its first feed for you, (always a relief)

 

[Ratmosphere]

Sorry for your loss.