The Adventures of Aspen and Machiko!

[Malum]

This is a full-grown Costa Rican Zebra, what my tarantula's should look like in 3-4 years.



Three days ago a pair of Costa Rican Zebra tarantula spiderlings (Aphonopelma seemani) arrived at my house.



Machiko has a 1" legspan and Aspen has a 1.5" legspan. They arrived in these little containers from scottstarantulas.com. I'd suggest this site to anyone who wants to buy a tarantula. They were cheap, and quickly delievered.

Anywho, Scott suggested that I not remove them until they are 1.5". So, I took Aspen out today and put her in the cage. I believe she's going to molt soon (tarantulas do this to grow). When they molt they won't eat for a week before or afterwards. You need to make sure to remove all crickets or other creatures from the cage when they begin their 3 hour molting period, and don't try to feed or hold them a week after they molt. Spiderlings may molt as many as five times a year.



The cage is ten gallons. I bought a 75 wat infared bulb (they can't see infared) and a heat lamp, which I attached to the home-made, wire-meshed lid.
I also got a stick-on thermometer, in case it gets too hot. They don't like it above 80 degrees or below 60.
The dirt is peat moss, which is suggested for them. There's about four inches of dirt, because Costa Rican Zebras are burrowers, and like deep dirt.



I got the log and sticks from my back yard. But ceder is bad for them! don't use ceder!
I bought a three dollar water dish and put a wet sponge in there for her to drink from until she's big enough that she won't drown in it if she falls in.



I also bought a cricket keeper for them. They can also eat mealworms, but make sure their food is small when you get it. They should be feed once or twice every three days.



So, I was worried about putting Aspen and Machiko together when Machiko gets bigger, so I put them together on a plate to see how they do. Note they are both females.



They didn't seem to mind one another... You can't really see Machiko right now, she's kinda burried. They got face to face at one point, but nothing happened.

Anyway, I've barely held either of them yet, in fear that I might hurt one, or break off a leg. I'm going to wait until they get a little bigger...



Hehe, Nicky wants that sponge.

[That which dwells in shadows]

I have a sudden urge to buy a tarantula. Are tarantulas legal in Australia?

[diamondtiger]

...yeah, I'm pretty sure, why would they not be?? I see some "Australia Tarantula Care Sheets" online, but I don't really know...you could probably look it up...

[diamondtiger]

for one...I don't like your dog......and two...you should have taken better pictures of them TOGETHER on the plate. retard

[That which dwells in shadows]

I have a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel called Danny and he rocks.

[Malum]

How very . . . prestigious sounding.

[That which dwells in shadows]

Yeah, the breed is popular with the royals.

[Malum]

Aspen is very happy in the cage. She likes to prowl around it at about midnight. It's very interesting to watch her walk a few steps, then stop for a second, then walk a few steps, and stop, etc.



She continues to live under the water dish, where I dug a small hole from so I could see into her lair. But, she covered it up that night.

I took the sponge out of the water dish, she didn't seem to like it very much and it was getting a little modly.

Speaking of mold, the strawberry in the cricket cage is getting really nasty, I'm going to replace it later today... before I take a shower.

Well, I decided that I would put Machiko in the cage with Aspen. They're doing well together. Aspen doesn't seem to mind if Machiko drinks from the dish or hangs out by the entrance to her lair.



Aspen has eaten 4 crickets since I got her a week ago (which disproves my theory that she is going to molt soon) one which was intended for Machiko, who hasn't eaten since I put her in the cage 3-4 days ago. I left a cricket in there in case she decided to eat, but if she continues to refuse it I'll take it out, assuming she's ready to molt.



I plan on buying some mealworms soon. A little variety in a tarantula's diet never hurt it. And plus, mealworms won't attack Machiko while she's molting.

Machiko is so much smaller than Aspen, I'm sure they are from different hatches.

[That which dwells in shadows]

I like the spiders...

[♥Lar Rackell♥]

Never thought I'd say this about spiders, but they look kinda cute!

[Malum]

I hate house spiders . . . but I <3 my tarantulas.

[Malum]

Well, since the last time I posted not much has happened. Machiko stole Aspen's spot under the water dish. Then Aspen stole it back . . . and then she dug a tunnel down to the bottom and put webs around it.

Also, Machiko molted, now she's got lots of fur, it's really cute.

Plus there was this nasty cannibal cricket in there the other day . . . it was kinda sad because his food was still alive.

Anyway, I took a whole bunch of good pictures but they got deleted. I'll post again when I get more, if they ever come out of their burrows.

[Malum]

Machiko, hiding after I took away her log.



Here's Aspen's burrow. She and Machiko have been trading living spaces since I put Machiko into the cage, almost two months ago. Eventually, Machiko dug a tunnel under the waterdish (the contested living area) but Aspen characteristically burried Machiko's hole, kicked her out from under the waterdish, and dug her own hole, putting webs around it to mark her territory.



Well, the day before yesterday her burrow collapsed. I looked under the tank and found that she actually had tunnelled quite far around the bottom of the tank, so I knew she was okay.

But still, I wanted them to have more dirt to dig in, so I dug her up so I could put more peat moss in the tank. I was happy to find that she was much bigger than last time I saw her (almost a week ago) and that she, like Machiko had done only a week earlier) had molted!

Machiko and her molt.



Here's their new cage, complete without the dying plant and new, fresh, moist soil.



Aspen was pretty scared after I dug her up, took her from her cage and put her in a plastic cup. This is her, with an usightly clump of dirt stuck on her leg, I'll have to get that off once she's calmed down a little.



Machiko seems confused that she's in a cage after I let her crawl around on my carpet for so long.

[That which dwells in shadows]

Poor Machiko, you have trapped her in a glassy prison.

[Malum]

Don't worry, as soon as she's big enough I'll set her free . . . in my sister's bed.