Kathy LaFollett

When your Stirmi attacks the water thinking it's food and realizes it's not food and it's bright out and GAH! If she can't see me, obviously I can't see her.

A small tarantula, seen through the clear walls of its enclosure, standing near a tiny white water dish on dark soil. Soft reflections dot the surface, showing the spider’s raised front legs and fuzzy body in motion within its habitat.

Every enclosure tells a story.

A Pamphobeteus mascara, now named MiniMe, claimed her new space within hours. Webbed, hunted, drank, and settled. There’s something deeply grounding in watching a creature so certain of its nature.

#TarantulaTalk #PamphobeteusMascara #ArachnidObservation

Pterinochilus murinus, or the orange baboon tarantula. They are nocturnal spiders preferring to stay hidden away in the webbing of leaf shrapnel and sphagnum mosses during the day. First thing early in the dark morning I can find her stationed on a bit of bark, enjoying her world and waiting for a meal to show up. Here, Tulia is spread out across her web carpet on bark. She's three and half inches in length and in excellent health just having molted and eaten her crickets. OBTs have a reputation of being aggressive. They are no more aggressive than any other tarantula. In fact, compared to any pokey, they are calm, slow, and patient.

Pterinochilus murinus, or the orange baboon tarantula. They are nocturnal spiders preferring to stay hidden away in the webbing of leaf shrapnel and sphagnum mosses during the day. First thing early in the dark morning I can find her stationed on a bit of bark, enjoying her world and waiting for a meal to show up. Here, CheChe is spread out across his web carpet on bark. He's four inches in length and in excellent health just having molted and eaten his crickets. OBTs have a reputation of being aggressive. They are no more aggressive than any other tarantula. In fact, compared to any pokey, they are calm, slow, and patient.

Pterinochilus murinus, or the orange baboon tarantula. Tulia is our dark factor OBT, while CheChe is our Orange. In either case they are both stay hidden away in the webbing of leaf shrapnel and sphagnum mosses during the day.

OBTs have a reputation of being aggressive. They are not.

Lara, Pamphobeteus sp. Mascara. Feeding tarantulas that are over 5-inches is enlightening, as far as behaviors. Easier to see intentions and movements that are hidden in the slings. If a tarantula feels their meal is putting up a fuss, they will raise themselves above the ground so their meal can't get a foothold to escape. (In this case, try to escape.). Tarantulas sometimes perform the 'happy meal dance'. Methodically turning in a circle while laying down a perimeter webbing, round and round. This too, is to keep said meal from running too far if said meal gets a chance to run. (Fat chance. But a spider needs a Plan B)

Lara, Pamphobeteus sp. Mascara. Feeding tarantulas that are over 5-inches is enlightening, as far as behaviors. Tarantulas sometimes perform a 'happy meal dance'. Methodically turning in a circle laying down perimeter webbing. In case the meal gets a chance to run.

Yvy, Grammostola pulchripes, Chaco Golden Knee Tarantula. She just molted out of her not quite tarantula look into her fluffy baby tarantula look. You can already see that golden knees color popping. She's about 3/4 inch at this point. Sassy. Picky. Excavating little thing.

Yvy, Grammostola pulchripes, Chaco Golden Knee Tarantula. She just molted out of her not quite tarantula look into her fluffy baby tarantula look. You can already see that golden knees color popping. She's about 3/4 inch at this point. Sassy. Picky. Excavating little thing.

Phoenix, Chilobrachys fimbriatus, Indian violet earth tiger. She's completely webbed her tarantula crib cube. We'll be moving her into a Exon Nano. Right after she eats her latest good meal. Always feed your spider the day before. So they have a full stomach to redecorate and get comfortable.

Morty, big boy A. Anax. Texas tan tarantula. Boy tarantulas are a massive difference to the females. They can be poor eaters, mindless wanderers, distracted. The make sperm webs, fill up their pedipalps, then wander looking for a date. And that's about it. Relaxing is hard for them.

Morty, big boy A. Anax. Texas tan tarantula. Boy tarantulas are a massive difference to the females. They can be poor eaters, mindless wanderers, distracted. The make sperm webs, fill up their pedipalps, then wander looking for a date. And that's about it. Relaxing is hard for them.

Morticia, Stirmi birdeater, first thing in the morning. I turn on her enclosure light and find her settled in at the front of her burrow on her growing web carpet. She's a patient girl for a T. stirmi. And has little concern about me one way or the other. She just eats like a horse, and naps like a Diva.

Morticia, first thing in the morning. I turn on her enclosure light and find her settled in at the front of her burrow on her growing web carpet. She's a patient girl for a T. stirmi. And has little concern about me one way or the other.

She just eats like a horse, and naps like a Diva.

CheChe, Pterinochilus murinus, orange baboon tarantula. (AKA Orange Bitey Thing) Which isn't true. We have two, P murinus, bright orange and dark factor. Neither are hostile, aggressive, or bitey. They are a highly tuned tarantula. As all tarantulas are, if they are successful hunters.

Spaz, Dolichothele diamantinensis, Brazilian blue dwarf beauty tarantula. He and I go round and round about photography. He's all out and proud in the light until I show up with my phone and then it's all "Oh no! Not the paparazzi. Get away. Stop! I'll sue!"

Stewart, Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens, green bottle blue. It can be jarring to find your spider upside down dead still. This, is a tarantula about to molt. Stiff straight legs are a live tarantula. Here Stewart is upside down in a web molting hammock he built. His stiff legs and positioning tells you he felt safe to do this, and he is exactly where he wanted to be.

Stewart, Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens, green bottle blue. It can be jarring to find your spider upside down dead still. This, is a tarantula about to molt. Stiff straight legs are a live tarantula. Here Steward has just finished releasing from his molt. It's a great molt and you can see his fresh soft fangs and new colors. At this point a tarantula will spend some time wiggling and moving fluids throughout their body. Tarantulas operate on hydraulics, not muscle and tendon. Their fangs will harden to a dark color and their size will grow at this time of fluid expansion. An amazing process that can take hours to days, to a week or better for large adult spiders.

Stewart, Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens, green bottle blue. It can be jarring to find your spider upside down dead still. This, is a tarantula about to molt. Stiff straight legs are a live tarantula. Here Steward has just finished stretching and started the hydraulics movements by flippiing over and extending legs. He'll take a few days just moving, stretching, and positioning himself as his exoskeleton hardens. At this point a tarantula will spend some time wiggling and moving fluids throughout their body. Tarantulas operate on hydraulics, not muscle and tendon. Their fangs will harden to a dark color and their size will grow at this time of fluid expansion. An amazing process that can take hours to days, to a week or better for large adult spiders.

Stewart, Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens, green bottle blue. It can be jarring to find your spider upside down dead still. This, is a tarantula about to molt. Stiff straight legs are a live tarantula.

Siete, Caribena versicolor, Antilles pinktoe tarantula. We have six Versi slings from the same egg sac. Siete is the largest. She's also the most confident. She's made her molt and nap hammock front and center in her enclosure. She's a Christmas blue with those hyper light blue tiger stripes. Light doesn't make it's way through all her webbing though. We see just the hint of magic.

Siete, Caribena versicolor, Antilles pinktoe tarantula. We have six Versi slings from the same egg sac. Siete is the largest. She's also the most confident. She's made her molt and nap hammock front and center in her enclosure. I can't get over their hyper light blue tiger stripes.

Pebbles, Brachypelma albiceps, golden rump tarantula. She's such a confident spider after her last molt.

Pebbles, Brachypelma albiceps, golden rump tarantula. She's such a confident spider after her last molt. Which is a thing to remember. Your spider's attitude may change after a molt. And then change back after the next. Not too different from us. Our opinions change as we age.

Number 4, Acanthoscurria geniculata, Brazilian white knee. We received 5 bonus white knee spiderlings with a past tarantula order. On their first day they were barely over a quarter inch. Now they're just under an inch. We'll name the five as soon as they are big enough to consider names.

Stewart, Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens, green bottle blue tarantula. Eating a small cricket meal in the heaviest webbed corner of his enclosure.

Stewart, Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens, green bottle blue tarantula. He prefers following his meals around the enclosure insulting their intelligence and lineage before eating them.

Charlotte. Monocentropus balfouri, Socotra Island blue baboon. We see here once every two months. If lucky. She was out and about at this point because the two crickets we put in her enclosure were insulting, annoying, and had the audacity to enter her burrowing tunnels. She was forced to eat them.

Charlotte. Monocentropus balfouri, Socotra Island blue baboon. We see here once every two months. If lucky. She was out and about at this point because the two crickets we put in her enclosure were insulting, annoying, and had the audacity to enter her burrowing tunnels. She was forced to eat them.

aphira, Euathlus sp. green femur tarantula. Chilean Green Femur. Zaphira is the size of a US nickel coin, and a bit smaller than a UK £1 Coin. And she is our most sassy tarantula

Zaphira, Euathlus sp. green femur tarantula. Chilean Green Femur.

Zaphira is the size of a US nickel coin, and a bit smaller than a UK £1 Coin. And she is our most sassy tarantula.

Confident, curious, fearless, and her black thigh high nylons. Just one more thing to love.

Siete, C. versicolor, Antilles Pinktoe tarantula. She's a 1-inch juvenile. These little spiderlings are a Christmas cobalt blue with white striping on the abdomen. They are also prolific webbers. And an great arboreal tarantula to keep. I adore their go-go boots and little toes.

Siete, C. versicolor, Antilles Pinktoe tarantula. She's a 1-inch juvenile. These little spiderlings are a Christmas cobalt blue with white striping on the abdomen. They are also prolific webbers. An aboreal tarantula that changes colors as it gets older. Each molt will reveal a new stage of blues, purples, reds, and pink.

Siete, C. versicolor, Antilles Pinktoe tarantula. She's a 1-inch juvenile. These little spiderlings are a Christmas cobalt blue with white striping on the abdomen. They are also prolific webbers. And an great arboreal tarantula to keep. I adore their go-go boots and little toes.

Thelma, Grammastola rosea, or Chilean rose hair. We brought her home the size of a dime. Now she's the size of a quarter. And her attitude is the size of a silver dollar. She fears nothing. And finds her water bowl lacking. Filling it with excavated dirt every day. A girl needs goals.

Thelma, Grammastola rosea, or Chilean rose hair. We brought her home the size of a dime. Now she's the size of a quarter. And her attitude is the size of a silver dollar. She fears nothing. And finds her water bowl lacking. Filling it with excavated dirt every day.

A girl needs goals.

Esmerelda, Phormictopus sp. Green Gold Carapace. She's not one to help me get a good photo. Obviously. But she is a confident mostly out tarantula.

Esmerelda, Phormictopus sp. Green Gold Carapace. She's not one to help me get a good photo. Obviously. But she is a confident mostly out tarantula.

Marilyn, A. Chalcodes tarantula. She wonders, then poses. Then wonders, then poses. Then burrows, then carries dirt then piles it up then poses. Very busy girl.

Marilyn, A. Chalcodes. She wonders, then poses. Then wonders, then poses. Then burrows, then carries dirt then piles it up then poses. Very busy girl.

Male Aphonopelma Anax tarantula. Fresh from a molt into his boy bits. Femural hooks are easy to see in this photo.

Morty, A. Anax. This dude was a lesson. A big wakeup call. We were told he was a she. Then she disappeared in her burrow for a molt. Last I saw her she was light browns, hints of red, and a dusting of golds. Round, soft, short legs. The next, THIS.

But DANG, he's all halloween n dark legs, right?

Jack White, V. chromatus, exiting his burrow after a molt. He's always skittish after a molt. Making blurry shots for me. Additionally, Jack could be a Meg.... so there's that.

Link, Tliltocatl verdezi, a nano-second before he disappeared down his burrow, to close if off and start the molt process. One and half inches of mack daddy attitude. I love this tarantula for the fearlessness. His assumption is I'm here to make sure he doesn't have to work for food.

Morticia. T Stirmi. Immediately after flipping over after her molt. I have 14 minutes of Time Lapse of her complete 3 .5 hour molt. Amazing footage, she was gracious enough to be out and proud. I was able to vid from the top view.

The amount of hydraulics, magic, and wildlife secrets I witnessed!

Lara, P. mascara, in that tarantula happy dance stance during dinner. I've never seen an unhappy T at dinner time.

Theraphosa stirmi tarantula in her environment webbing her substrate next to here water dish preparing for a molt.

Morticia, Theraphosa stirmi. Premolting for weeks. She's chosen this spot to web a mat and it looks like I'll be in the front row to watch. Her enclosure is on my writing desk.

I see magic when I write.

#tarantulas #theraphosastirmi

Our GBB tarantula sling, Stuart molted. Tarantulas operate on hydraulics. They have no bones, or muscles. They have fluids in an exoskeleton. To grow larger, they molt up. To expand they yoga their way through a day of movements to 'set' their body hydraulics. Changing color, size, and dimensions.

Neoholothele incei (Trinidad Olive Tarantula) Olive Oyl, fresh from a molt.

Neoholothele incei (Trinidad Olive Tarantula). Her name is Olive Oyl.

#RewildYourself #TinyHabitatBigHeart #MeadowMedicine

Even a cracked pot with clover is a sanctuary.
You don’t need land to make wildness.
You just need an invitation.
Consider this your invitation.
And bring your +1