Ebony and Dionysus Paired Up Today

I introduced Dionysus and Ebony(008) today. The pairing went very well, and Ebony made no attempt to chase Dionysus when he disengaged.
Dionysus was placed in the far corner of the enclosure away from Ebony; she was down in her dugout. After a few minutes he got his bearing and slowly made his way around the enclosure to the opposite end of her dugout. He entered the dugout, she approached him, and he ran out as fast as he could. Dionysus stopped at the top of the dugout. Ebony, after a couple minutes, followed him. When she reached him he spun around and it was a flurry of legs until he was able to hook her fangs. He spent five minutes depositing his sperm, then cautiously began to move back. When he felt it was safe to move he ran to the other end of the enclosure and proceeded to try and climb out. Ebony did not chase after him, and just stood motionless for about five minutes. I gathered him up and put him back into his enclosure, where he spent a few minutes at his water dish drinking.Next week Dionysus will pair with Sable(010).

Dionysus arrived, MM G pulchra

I received a mature male G. pulchra today; thank you Jenn. He was sent to me for the breeding project. He is planned to be paired with Ebony(008). If all goes well, and Ebony is a good mommy, I should have spiderlings by around June of next year.
He is set up in a similar enclosure to Ebony(008), Onyx(009), and Sable(010). A 10 gallon glass tank with about 6" of coconut fiber/pete humus, a water dish in the corner, some silk plants, and a plastic disposable drinking cup with the bottom cut away and a 2" strip cut from the side buried in the corner opposite the water dish.
He has not produced any sperm webs yet, but he has become more active and wanders frequently. Jenn, his previous owner, said he spent much of his time in his hide. So, this is a good sign. As soon as I get confirmation from him that he ready to pair he will be introduced to Ebony(008)

Dionysus' new home, you can see the hide on the left

Top view, the hide is under the silk leaves

Ebony is on the left and Dionysus is on the right

You can see a piece of silk from Ebony(008) I placed in the corner.

Roaming the new home range.

He's a big boy, easily 5.5" (not an easy pose to get)

He's a handsome one

The Fab Four Molted (well three of them)

On September 22 both Shadow(003) and Eclipse(001) molted. On September 28 Phantom(002) molted. Shadow and Eclipse were confirmed female, and Phantom confirmed through examination of the exuviums. Now if Midnight would quit being a stage monger, perhaps he will molt soon.
The back story:
When I entered the classroom on  Wednesday, September 22, I went to check on the tarantulas, as I always do, and noticed something very disturbing. I grabbed my stool and stepped up to get a closer look. Eclipse was in the far rear corner of her enclosure in what looked to be a tangled mess. My immediate thought was "Oh no!, She is in a death curl! What happened!" I peered in for a closer look and noticed a few extra legs. *deep sigh* "She is molting." I carefully opened her enclosure, and sure enough she had just completed her molt and was still lying in her back. She had spun a silk hammock over the entrance to her burrow and used it as her molt mat. Thinking she was clear of her exuvium I grabbed my forceps and carefully grasped the exuvium and began to pull it out. Unknown to me, she was still lying on it; as I tugged she flipped over. Fortunately she was not harmed, and I got a perfect exuvium specimen. The exuvium had no tears in at all, and upon closer examination under the microscope I could could see distinct spermathecae. I have prepared her exuvium to be mounted for display.
I went back to the shelf and checked on the other three and found that Shadow has also completed a molt inside her burrow. She looked to have finished her molt a few hours before Eclipse did. Six days later, Phantom joined the group. Eclipse and Phantom have not yet exited their burrows, so I have not been able to get their exuviums out for examination.
They should all be well over 4" after this molt. This should put the myth about G. pulchra being a slooow grower to rest. I received these four back in December 2009 at just over 1" (they were alittle larger than the diameter as a quarter. Now, nine months later they are over 4". Their molt progression has slowed over the nine months time. In the beginning they were molting about once a month, and now they are molting about every two months. It will be intersting to see how long it will be to the next molt.

Eclipse(001) exuvium is clearly 3.5"+

Eclipse right after the flip

Eclipse, wishing the paparazzi would go away

Phantom's exuvium, nearly 4", if the front leg were extended

Long Overdue Update

I have reduced my G pulchra numbers from 12 to 9. I sold 012, 007, and 006. I decided since I got the three adults I no longer needed as many spiderlings.  I still have the Fab Four 001, 002, 003, 004 who are all over 3" now after recent molts, 005 who is now 1.25", and 011 who about .5" and preparing to molt again. These young ones will help keep genetic diversity within my breeding group when they mature.
My male, 009 molted recently, but is not yet mature. This turned out to be for the best. My female 008, also recently molted, and my female 010 is badly in need of a molt, so she cannot be paired until she molts. I am apprehensive of her impending molt. Since her age is unknown, she is quite large,and her body is quite worn there is the possibility she is very old.
010  is doing well, and has adjusted to her new habitat. She cast off the broken tibia about a week after arriving. I do not get to see her take prey, but the roaches disappear and her abdomen is plump, so she must eat during the night. She drinks from her water dish frequently, I have caught her in the act a few times now. I do not ever see her outside of her hide, whereas the other two adults are frequently out of their hides.
As a matter of fact, 008 almost never goes into her hide. She sits out on the thick silk mat, in the middle of the enclosure, she spun back in July. 009, the male, will venture out when all is quiet, but bolts for his hide at the slightest disturbance.

The substrate in 008, 009, 010's enclosure had become dry near the bottom (sub is 5" deep) and humidity was about 34%. I added about 1.5L of distilled water to each enclosure over a period of two hours to moisten the lower layers and raise humidity slightly. I use a long funnel pushed into the substrate to direct water to the bottom, keeping the surface dry. None of them has shown any interest or attempts to burrow. They have modified their hides and moved substrate around them, but they do not try to burrow. I am curious to see if they would make a burrow if they had no hide available.

008 9Aug10 solid 6" now

008 9Aug10

009 13Aug10 He is much more stunning than the camera shows. He also covered the glass with silk.

Final Adult Arrived

I received the final of the three adults I purchased this summer, a large female, 010. She is from a shipment the seller got from Germany. She is over 6", very brown (due for a molt soon), and suffers from a few breaks to her legs. Two of the breaks look to be older, one looks fresh (probably from shipping). Her abdomen is very plump, and she was quite lethargic unpackaged. I worry she may be a very old female; perhaps too old to breed for the German stock, so she was sold off.
She has a breaks between the tibia and patella on the right pedipalp; between the patella and femur on right leg 2, which appears to have been mended with cornstarch and super glue, this joint is immobile; between the tarsus and metatarsus on right leg 3, the tarsus hangs limp and is not functional, I suspect she will remove it soon; She also has extensive wear of the bristles on the right chelicera, there is a bald patch on the top. If there is enough time before she molts again the damage to her lags might be repaired with the next molt.
After a few hours to settle in she became more active, and responded to external stimulation. She is housed in a set-up similar to 008 and 009.

004Midnight Molted!!!

It has been over three months since his last molt on March 01. I will be examining his exuvium to confirm my earlier examination of male. He is still relaxing from the molt so, I have not been able to measure yet. I am sure he is over 3" now. He never dug a full burrow, he simply dug a pit about 8cm in depth in the corner of his enclosure. When he was ready to molt he spun a hammock over the pit and sat in it to molt. Due to his position he appeared to be sitting upright. he molted without difficulty in this position.

Midnight Sitting in His Hammock Pre-molt

Midnight post-molt

Another New Arrival

Today my ~5" male (009) arrived. He was very well packed, and healthy upon arrival. When unpacked he nearly sprang out of his wrappings and ran across the plastic tub used for unpacking and transfers. He developed a small bald spot on his abdomen during transit, but this is nothing to cause concern. He calmed quickly, and was very inquisitive about the new environment. He actively wandered and investigated. He was housed in a similar set-up as the female (008) that arrived yesterday. He is more aprehensive than the 008.
June 11, 2010 update: he has not taken the hide provided. he sits in the far left rear corner just behind the provided hide.

New Arrival

I received the first of two sub-adult females today; 5" Grammostola pulchra (008). She is a stunning specimen, and looks to be very healthy. She was housed in a 10 gallon aquarium with about 17cm of coco fiber substrate (15cm moist & packed, with 2cm dry loose on the surface). There are three synthetic plants, cast resin water dish, and a synthetic hide. The plants are for eye appeal, the tarantula probably does not care if they are present or not. The hide provides a place for her to find shelter and security. I chose a synthetic material for the hides to facilitate in keeping the enclosure free of parasites and pests. The resin cast dish, as opposed to a natural stone, was chosen for the same reason.

Update: Help keep Tarantulas Legal in NM

The issue has made the local media. Click the link below to read the article. Be sure to contact the NMDGF and let them know what you think about this issue.

ABQJOURNAL NEWS/STATE: State's proposed rules will require permits for certain imported animals and ban others

Here is the full article:
 Tuesday, June 01, 2010

State's proposed rules will require permits for certain imported animals and ban others

By Deborah Baker
Copyright © 2010 Albuquerque Journal
Journal Staff Writer
          SANTA FE — The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish's new proposed regulations for bringing exotic pets into the state have some hobbyists and store owners squawking.
        The rules, which are still being refined, would require individuals and businesses to get permits from the department when they import certain non-native animals, birds and fish from other states. Parakeets, finches, frogs and most turtles are on the list.
        That's not much different from current state law, according to the agency.
        The problem is, the permit regulations in place now are widely ignored — many pet owners may not know they exist — and rarely enforced.
        So the proposed rules have come as a shock to pet lovers who could now have to pay a $25 fee and submit paperwork in order to add another critter to the aquarium.
        "There hasn't been permits and all this sort of stuff up until now, and that's why people are upset about it," said Garth Tietjen, a gecko breeder in Los Alamos. "There's a lot of fear here, that Fish and Game are going to take over their animals."
        Among other species for which permits will be required: some nonvenomous snakes, saltwater fish, corals, tropical fish, frogs, geckos and most alligators.
        The Washington, D.C.-based Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council says New Mexico's importation process — both current and proposed — is "overly restrictive, cumbersome and costly" and may be the most "pet unfriendly" regulation in the United States.
        Particularly troubling to critics has been the new, 61-page species importation list developed by the department.
        It divides species into those that don't require permits, those that do, and those that can't be imported by the general public.
        In the prohibited category, for example, are venomous snakes such as cobras and timber rattlers, poison dart frogs, Komodo dragons, some alligators, crocodiles and invasive carp.
        But also in the banned category on the agency's list were some exotic birds that pet store owners say don't pose any threat and should continue to be able to be imported.
        The department has been consulting with critics who say the list is incomplete and subjective. Chris Chadwick, who oversees permits for the agency, says there will be changes to the list.
        "What we don't want to do is get in the way of people's activities and businesses. That's not the intent here," Chadwick said.
        But the current rule basically isn't working for anybody, he also said.
        "What we're trying to do is develop something that will actually work."
        A draft of the proposed rules will be presented to the state Game Commission for discussion Thursday at its meeting in Gallup. The draft is expected to be updated, and the commission could make the new rules final in July.
        The law, which dates at least to the 1960s, and the regulations that implement it are intended to protect people from dangerous animals and protect game animals, birds and fish from invasive species and infectious diseases.
        Under the proposed regulations, livestock and domesticated animals — dogs, cats, hamsters, gerbils and many tropical freshwater fish, for example — won't need permits when they're imported.
        And animals already in the state won't be required to have permits, according to the agency.
        "I have not been compliant with the importation laws because they're unreasonably expensive," said Heather Angevine, owner of Subterranean Jungle in Albuquerque, which she describes as a "one-stop reptile shop."
        "I can't afford them and make a profit at my business," she said.
        Under current law, for example, Angevine should be paying a $300 fee for each shipment she gets. The proposed rules would allow her to buy a $300 annual permit to import an unlimited number of reptiles.
        While that's more than she's paying now, it's manageable, she said.
        Hobbyists and breeders who buy animals in small quantities — and who also haven't been following the current law — could feel the changes even more.
        Someone who wants to buy a gecko over the Internet, for example, would be charged $25 for the required permit, under the proposed rule.
        The permit application would have to include a "confinement and containment plan" — which Chadwick says could be as simple as reporting that you have an aquarium — and a veterinarian's certificate from the supplier, saying the animal is healthy or the place that supplied it is disease-free.
        That could mean an additional fee for the buyer, although Chadwick said the department may keep a list of approved suppliers, eliminating the need for the certificates.
        The department is proposing permit fees of $25 for up to five animals, $75 for six to 99, and $300 for more than 100. Fish would require an annual fee of $25.
        Angevine and others are working on a proposal to add more reptiles to the state's list of species that can be imported, so pet-store owners aren't caught short when customers request something specific.
        "It's painfully obvious that the state is going to do something, and I would much rather be on the side that helps decide what we're allowed to have," she said.
        But some critics worry that the new regulations will put the state on a path to even greater restrictions.
        "The future of pets is the real concern here," said Tietjen, the Los Alamos breeder.
        "Are they going to curb some species? Are they not going to allow some species? It seems like sort of a moving target," he said.
        The commission is taking public comment on the proposed rules through its July 8 meeting.
        "I anticipate pretty significant changes as we move forward. ... People have expressed concerns, and there's room to make it better," Chadwick said.

Contact information for NM Dept of Game and Fish:
The DIRECTOR’S SPECIES IMPORTATION LIST
NEW MEXICO DEPARTMENT OF GAME and FISH
LAW ENFORCEMENT DIVISION
SPECIAL USE PERMITS PROGRAM
P.O. BOX 25112
SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO 87504
505-476-8064 Fax 505-476-8133
Letitia.Mee@state.nm.us

Update: Breeding Pair is now Trio

Well, I have closed deals on three large specimen now so, I will have a breeding trio. I have recently, May 27, closed the deal on a second 5" female G pulchra from a third source. the deal on the first female was set on May 18; the male was shortly before that. I worked with three different sources,  and managed to get all three G pulchra for less than the cost of two.  I should be getting all three at the end of the first week of June. Now I just have to wait for the male to mature and my breeding program will be off and running. Based on what I have learned so far, the male could take up to three years to mature; much faster then the 6 years I will have to wait for my young G pulchra to grow and mature.
I will attempt an unpacking video when they arrive, and post it; as well as a photo of the first female when she arrives.

Here is a shot of one of the females. She(008) arrived 8June2010

This species is enchanting.

Update: Help Keep Tarantulas Legal in New Mexico

We have been Heard!
I spoke with Letitia today and got wonderful news. She informed me that tarantulas were not meant to be on the list; and that she did not believe the NMDGF had jurisdiction over "insects". Letitia said she was 99% sure they were going to remove tarantulas from the Species Importation List; should they decide to keep them on the list she said they would list them under Family, Theraphosidae, instead of under Genus or Species.

Letitia is going to keep me informed of the process and the changes made. I will keep all of you informed, as I get new information. At this point in time we are told we do not need to worry.

Please do not send any more copies of the Species List, Genus List, or copies of my Letter of Request. If you have personal comments you would like to have heard, I encourage you to contact her. She would like to hear some individual voices on the matter.

Thank you to everyone who helped put this together, and to everyone who responded. The hobby in New Mexico owes a great debt of gratitude to all of you.

Help Keep Tarantulas Legal in New Mexico

Deadline to send comments to NMDGF is June 4, 2010


We have been working to compile a list of Theraphosidae organized by Genus, and one organized by Species, to be submitted to the Dept of Game and Fish along with a request to add them to the current importation list, which only has 14 species; there are 928 species currently recognized world wide. We currently have 116 Genera, and over 200 Species listed.


You can go the New Mexico Species Importation Rule page to get full details. You can download the DIRECTOR’S SPECIES IMPORTATION LIST, the compiled lists of Theraphosidae categorized by Genus and by Species, and a letter of request addressed to the NM Dept of Game and Fish Director Letitia Mee. After reviewing the information, and downloading the lists and letter we ask that you mail them in and get this matter resolved. For those of you not in NM, your state or locality may try to impose a similar measure of control; you will be able to use these lists to keep theraphosidae legal in your area.
Please go to the New Mexico Species Importation Rule page and help us keep the hobby accessible and legal.


Contact information for NM Dept of Game and Fish:
The
DIRECTOR’S SPECIES IMPORTATION LIST
NEW MEXICO DEPARTMENT OF GAME and FISH
LAW ENFORCEMENT DIVISION
SPECIAL USE PERMITS PROGRAM
P.O. BOX 25112
SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO 87504
505-476-8064 Fax 505-476-8133
Letitia.Mee@state.nm.us

Breeding Pair

The deal is done. I am going to get a pair of sub-adult Grammostola pulchra. I will be getting a 5" male and a 4-6" female from from two different keepers on Arachnoboards.com. They will be shipped the week of June 7. This will put my breeding program a good 4 years ahead of schedule. I am very excited about this new acquisition, and the potential for beginning my breding program in the next couple years. I can not get a photo of the female, but will post her picture when she arrives.

Here is a photo of the new male(009), isn't he handsome? He(009) arrived 9June2010

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.

A Breeding Pair??

I have just closed an agreement for a 5" male G pulchra, and will complete the transaction in the beginning of June. I have also opened a line of dialog with another breeder whom has several 5-6" females up for sale. If I am able to come to an agreement on a female I may well begin my breeding program about 6 years ahead of schedule. This is very exciting. I should be getting some pictures if the male, and of some of the prospective females soon. I will post them as soon as I get them.

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

Molts from 005 & 006

When I arrived in the classroom today I found 006 had molted over the weekend, and 005 was sitting on top of its exuvium, which it had clearly just cat away early this morning. 005 has also regenerated the leg that was broken during shipping and later cast off with the March29 molt. You can see leg four is smaller and more pale than the others. 007 is looking quite plump and dark, so a molt should be coming soon.

005 (Leg IV, lower right, has regenerated)

 

 006, Three days after molt

New Molts

Upon arriving in the classroom today, after Spring Break, all 7 of the G pulchra were out on the surface. Number005 and Number007 have been sealed in their burrows since late February and have not been observed. When I examined the enclosures as I watered and maintained I noticed Number005 had something sticking out of its hide; a tiny molt. I  figure some time between March 23 and today the 3 Musketeers (005, 006, 007) molted. I can not confirm the molts of Number 006 and NUmber007 since they were inside deep burrows, but due to the nature of sac mates molting at about the same time for several molts after hatching I can figure that all three have molted. Each is now about 1" maybe slightly more. Since they tend to be very nervous, pictures and measurements are difficult as they dart for their burrows or shelters at the slightest vibrations.

Unplanned Arrivals

Well, I just received four new arrivals; 2 Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens about 1" each, and two Avicularia metallica about 1/4"-1/2" each.
I had  no plans to rear or breed these species, however, they were free. I took part in an event on one of the tarantula forums and the prize was these four specimen; who could possibly turn down four free tarantulas?
I plan to keep the Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens due to their fascinating body patterns and behavior. At this point in time I have no plans or desire to breed this species. Also,  I am not sure I want to keep the Avicularia metallica, as I am not all that interested in the arboreal species at this point in time and I want to focus my energy on the raising, breeding, and behavioral documentation of the Grammostola pulchra species.

GBB001

 GBB002

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.

New Molts From the Fab Four

We have new molts and more growth. On March 1 I arrived in the morning to find Shadow(003) and Midnight(004) had molted during the early hours of the morning.
Then, two days later on March 3 when I arrived in in the morning and found Eclipse(001) had just finished molting.
And then, two more days later, I arrived in the morning to find Phantom(002) had molted the night before.
What a great week. After nearly a month of not seeing any of them they molt in the same week. They have gained quite a lot more in size. I have not measured yet, but they look to be almost 3 inches now. (please read the warning about handling at the top of the page)

Shadow(003) after March 1 molt

New Arrivals

Just received 3 new G pulchra today (005, 006, 007). Each has about a 1" leg span. They were all housed in the 24oz deli cup set-up the other 4 were recently moved from. They are Number5, Number6, and Number7 (until names can be found). Number5 suffered a broken leg at about the 4th joint, just above the patella, during shipping, but is healthy otherwise. This batch came from American breeding stock (David Grimm at TheInvertShop.com is the original breeder), where as the first batch came from  German breeding stock. This will give me some genetic diversity when it comes time to breed.
(please read the warning about handling at the top of the page)

Number7 22Feb10

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