A Baby Boy!

I have a new baby boy! I got a baby male carpet python.  His name is Helmuth and he was hatched in October. He may look red and pink in the photo below but he is black and beige right now. As he gets older the beige will become yellow. His father is electric yellow, so he should be too.

He is angry as hell right now but that is due to his young age. Small young snakes are vulnerable so they are naturally a little more nervous. He will calm down with handling and age.

Helmuth in striking position after being put in his new tank for the first time.

Helmuth when he first arrived, show his color a bit better.

Passed But Always Here

This morning, one of my Tarantulas sadly passed away. Uthr (Old Norse for Past) was my Mexican Red Knee or Brachypelma smithi. I took care of her for a friend, as she went on vacation and needed someone to look after her tarantulas. I fell in love with the Red Knee during that time. About a week after I gave her back, my friend came back to me and said "I promised myself I would only have two tarantulas, and I bought another, and I know how much you loved taking care of my smithi, so I would like you to have her". I was caught off guard and honored. I took Uthr in and cared and loved for her.

Uthr crica about 2011

 She will be missed but never forgotten.Most people see you as a scary spider, but I loved you, and always will.

A New Stunning Spider

Another belated birthday present! I am super excited with the fact that a dear friend gave me a new tarantula. I am now the proud owner of a Cyriopagopus schioedtei, known by its common name "Malaysian Earth Tiger". I do not know if it is male of female, but I am assuming male. It is an old world species, and thus a very nervous and aggressive one. Found in the peninsular area of Malaysia, this tropical spider is arboreal but does have some burrowing habit in captivity.

I love the coloration and markings on this species.

I was talking with a friend over lunch and he got me on the topic of tarantulas. I don't remember how, but if you know me, once I get on the topic, I don't fucking stop. It came up that there was a species I was looking for at Pisces Pet Emporium. He offered to buy it as a belated birthday gift.  After eating our food, we set out on our way.

We get to Pisces and I head right toward the tarantula cabinet. A call for an employee to help me and get the paper work and what not. I am asked a few questions; have ever taken care of a tarantula before, "oh yes, definitely". Do I know the care of this species, " of course". You know that it needs a high humidity, "Yes, and you may want to put the lid securely back on that take there". I let him take note that the lid of one of the tarantula cages isn't fully on. I sign the papers and we are on our way.

Back when I worked at Petland, This spider was on the list of animals I could order in. I tried ordering it and received a Chilobrachys guanxinensis, Chinese Fawn Tarantula. At first I thought this was a mix up so next time I try again. I am again sent a Chinese Fawn. I attempt this four times and each time I receive a Chinese Fawn! This is a completely different species! I call the supplier and told them that they really need to learn their species.

This is a Chinese Fawn. As you can see, it is nothing like an Malaysian Earth Tiger. Wrong color and doesn't have the stripes! That is why the spider is called a tiger; stripes! The picture is not mine, rights go to who ever it is.

The name on the label that was on the tank says "Earth Tiger Tarantula", but I would like to point out that there are several species of earth tigers. A enthusiast like me I am pretty sure would like to see the full name of the species I am buying. At first I thought it was the wrong species but it is not. The pet store had the right scientific name of "Cyriopagapus Schiodtei. I would like to see the full common name (Malaysian Earth Tiger) posted though.

You can see the little crevice the arachnid was hiding in the background

When I got back to Roscoe's house I wanted to do a quick check. The pet store guarantees good health, but you can never be too careful with arachnids. I open the top of the tank and take a chop stick and ease it it in to coerce it from its little hole. I barely even get the stick near the spider and in a split second it flips around and out of the hole and grabs the stick and attacks it. I draw the stick out and close the lid simultaneously. It sit there, just like the picture above and doesn't move. It was amazing and perfect. I can clearly see all the the tarantula in this position and take the opportunity to check for mites, and such. They were right, from what I can see (tarantulas are very hard to see problem as they don't usually show signs) it is in great health. After this a look up some names and determined that Uggr is the perfect name. It is old Norse for "fear, apprehension". I thought it fits well because it is a fairly aggressive species, even more so than my Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens.

All in all as you can probably tell, I am very excited and happy to finally have a Cyriopagopus schioedte.