Growing and Pairing

I have been able to determine gender on a few of the spiderlings, and will continue as each one molts. Most are 5th instar now with a few going into 6th instar; they are about 2" leg span now. As I get more gender I.D.s and the temps cool for safer shipping, I will offer some of the spiderlings for sale, soon. Keep watch on my blog.

Minx, peeking out after her recent molt.

Sable and Minx are now becoming more active, after their recent molt. I will be looking to pair them both again, in the hope that they will produce sacs.

Sable's canyon fortress.

Ebony has been actively modifying her trench fortress, I am hoping this activity is a sign she is preparing for a sac.

Molting and Burrowing

007 molted sometime over the weekend; I believe on Sunday based on its coloration, and dryness of the exuvium. It is healthy and intact. 005, 006, and 007 are at about 1" now.
The Fab Four (Eclipse 001, Phantom 002, Shadow 003, Midnight 004) have begun to burrow again. Shadow (003) dug a very large burrow, a 5" inch tunnel with a 5" x 3" chamber at the base, and sealed the entrance. The others have begun digging as well, but have created anything beyond a short tunnel at this point. I believe they may be nearing a molt. This molt will put them at abut 3" each.

Update

Here are some recent shots of the first group, Fab Four. They are all about 2.5" leg span now; they were about 1.5" when they arrived on 15Dec2009. It has been about two months since their last molt, and they are showing no signs of preparing to molt again any time soon. I will post pictures of the Three Musketeers (the three that arrived in March) when I get some better shots. They have molted twice since March. I think the two groups are far enough apart in age that the females Eclipse and Shadow will mature before the males (if there are any) of the Three Musketeers.
On another note, I have switched to feeding them Gromphadorhina portensa (Madagascar Hissing Cockroach). I was using crickets until my roach colony was strong enough to handle regular feeding. I recently bumped my colony with 5 males, 15 females, and about 60-70 nymphs of various sizes. I already had 4 males, 7 females, and i don't know how many nymphs. The colony can now support predation without adverse effects on the population. Hissers take six months to reach maturity, gestation is about two months, they birth 20-60 nymphs at a time, and they live up to five years maximum (three years average). If you do the math, 20 gravid females can produce 400-1200 nymphs every two months. In six months those females will have produced 1200-3600 nymphs, and the first batch of nymphs (400-1200) will be mature and breeding; each producing 20-60 nymphs. They are easy to keep and breed. The one bonus I like best, the roaches do not smell bad; crickets are just down right stinky.
But I digress, here are the photos of the Fab Four

Eclipse(001) 3May2010

Phantom(002) 3May2010

 
Shadow(003) 3May2010

Midnight(004) 3May2010

The Silent Lull

Not a lot has been happening lately. 2 of the new 3 (The Three Musketeers) have been sealed in for about two weeks now. Number6 opened its burrow last Thursday, and today I saw it sitting out on the substrate a few times basking in the light from the small lamp. I did lift the water cap hide in Number5's enclosure and peek in on it. It was just sitting there, looked a little plump but the opisthosoma has not darkened yet.
Midnight (001) has been sitting on the surface regularly for a couple weeks now. The other three members of the Fab Four have opened their burrows but have been tucked away, and Shadow still has her burrow sealed.
I also added some artificial plant material to Fab Four enclosures for more natural look. Some of them have come out and webbed the silk leaves.

Sealed in Burrows

All four ( 001, 002, 003, 004) have been sealed in their burrows since 7Feb10. Occasionally they alter their burrows allowing me to see in from the side. Water is maintained daily. Food will be offered when they surface. I am wondering if another molt is immanent. I was able to view Shadow (Number3) today and she looked rather large and plump, but is not showing the darkened "rump".
On a side note, names were selected for the first batch. Number1 is Eclipse, Number2 is Phantom, Number3 is Shadow, and Number4 is Midnight.

Woah! You can't go there!

While feeding and maintaining the bunch today Number3 decided she was going to go for a stroll. Right up the side of her deli cup. Usually they stop at the lip and turn back, or I can use a soft bristle paintbrush to herd them back, she did not stop. Fearing a fall I quickly put my hand in front of her, hoping she would turn back; she did not. She chose, instead, to continue right into my hand. Needless to say, I was quite nervous and unprepared for this encounter. Once in my hand she proceeded to walk about and explore this new surface, until she finally came to rest in my palm; I used my thumb as a road block to help slow her progress. (please read the warning about handling at the top of the page)

 The beautiful black coat emerged about 4 days after 21Jan10 molt.

Number3

They have also gained quite a bit in size after 21Jan10 molt.

Number3