OK because I can never share my arachnids with anyone at home, I'm sharing a little story here.
So, thought I'd share the joys of a pms adult porteri gal. Received her as a surprise gift in a tank with bark chip substrate, screen top a super shallow water dish with a half round wooden hide. About an inch of sub maybe. She looked heavy premolt so I filled her tank half way up with sub but waited to move her.
She at this point is sweet calm and relatively passive.
OK so, molt happens successfully, I leave her to rest, calm and quiet, keep her crappie water dish full and generally allow her to harden up. Shoot ahead A couple weeks... I go to fill her water dish and she charges from on top of her hide and attacks the water., I see shiny black fangs so I feed her, she eats her fill (3 large crickets /she had been fed exclusively mealworms before I got her)
Next day I open her tank for water & bolus clean up, she greets me with a full blown threat pose dripping venom, being me, I laugh. Ask her what she thinks she's going to do. She declines to answer so I use the long tongs and attempt to clean her enclosure. She immediately attacks the tongs. Herding her back gently with the brush had her climbing it slapping at me. Naturally I block her with the tongs and let her have the brush. My daughter at this point is screaming drop it drop it! (I didn't, I laid it down carefully I'll take the bite before I hurt her) anyway....She has been that way every day since. OBT has nothing on Karma other then venom potency.
Today, I get things ready, take a deep breath cup and brush in hand, open her enclosure to see her doing spider yoga and grooming herself. I lightly touch her leg, (with brush) she stretches it out and ever so slowly, turns. Explores it and goes back to grooming. I touch her abdomen and she obliges me by taking a step. Well not wanting to stress her cupping her. I lay my palm down, she immediately steps up. I move her to her new enclosure, she enters and explores. Eats the offered cricket. Calm and happily stuffing her face. Went to peek at her just a moment ago and she again is pissy as hell. Maybe I'm a little psycho too but I absolutely adore this damn spider!
She's big and pretty and not a pet rock for sure lol
In her new digs-
Yeti got moved as well.
So, thought I'd share the joys of a pms adult porteri gal. Received her as a surprise gift in a tank with bark chip substrate, screen top a super shallow water dish with a half round wooden hide. About an inch of sub maybe. She looked heavy premolt so I filled her tank half way up with sub but waited to move her.
She at this point is sweet calm and relatively passive.
OK so, molt happens successfully, I leave her to rest, calm and quiet, keep her crappie water dish full and generally allow her to harden up. Shoot ahead A couple weeks... I go to fill her water dish and she charges from on top of her hide and attacks the water., I see shiny black fangs so I feed her, she eats her fill (3 large crickets /she had been fed exclusively mealworms before I got her)
Next day I open her tank for water & bolus clean up, she greets me with a full blown threat pose dripping venom, being me, I laugh. Ask her what she thinks she's going to do. She declines to answer so I use the long tongs and attempt to clean her enclosure. She immediately attacks the tongs. Herding her back gently with the brush had her climbing it slapping at me. Naturally I block her with the tongs and let her have the brush. My daughter at this point is screaming drop it drop it! (I didn't, I laid it down carefully I'll take the bite before I hurt her) anyway....She has been that way every day since. OBT has nothing on Karma other then venom potency.
Today, I get things ready, take a deep breath cup and brush in hand, open her enclosure to see her doing spider yoga and grooming herself. I lightly touch her leg, (with brush) she stretches it out and ever so slowly, turns. Explores it and goes back to grooming. I touch her abdomen and she obliges me by taking a step. Well not wanting to stress her cupping her. I lay my palm down, she immediately steps up. I move her to her new enclosure, she enters and explores. Eats the offered cricket. Calm and happily stuffing her face. Went to peek at her just a moment ago and she again is pissy as hell. Maybe I'm a little psycho too but I absolutely adore this damn spider!
She's big and pretty and not a pet rock for sure lol
In her new digs-
Yeti got moved as well.
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