So some spiders……

Quite a few of my spiders moult this time a year so I thought I would show a couple of photos. This is a P.parvula. She is getting on now but is fairly well natured.
Most spiders will lay a light web on the ground to use as a sort of blanket. They will then lay upside down.

If you ever find a spider in this position then it must be left alone. As a spider moults it breaks out of its old exoskeleton. The new exoskeleton is soft and hardens in the air. If the spider is disturbed it may stop moving. This can lead to it becoming stuck in the old skin.

You can see from this photo the fangs are pale. They are soft. If the spider did try to bite at this stage if could damage its fangs which would mean it could not eat.

Another thing I’m doing at the moment is re-homing some P.regalis.
I have a commune which are becoming too big. They are a little skittish but can run or jump.
The problem is I have to get them out of here,

They are quite beautiful though

I have a few more spiders one of which is a baby C.salei also know as a tree or frog spider. Mine is only a ling and very fast so I haven’t taken my own photo, though it will grow to be one of these,
not my photo

I also a ling I.mira. One of my favorite tarantulas this one builds a lid over its burrow, very similar to a trapdoor spider.


This is an adult I.mira but not my photo

Lastly I will end with a juvenile T.apophysis

She is getting bit big now, about 16cm leg span.

If you ever find a spider in this position then it must be left alone.

Statement of the bleeding obvious there roper! 😉

great pics and info as ever. Thanks

a little skittish but can run or jump

does a bit of involuntary arm rubbing just to make sure none made it onto me. *shudders*

I don;t normally mind pictures of spiders but I’ve never seen a gang of them.

I can’t work out if you have the best job in the world or if you are a rapid spider fetishist.

Everyday is a school day 😀 had no idea that spiders prepared for their moult. Amazing photos thanks Roper.

Is there any way of measuring how many people saw this thread and knew not to click on it? 🙂

I have no problem admiring them from afar; might not get too close to the crowded ‘commune’ though, at the very least I’d check for holes 😉

jumping and tarantula are two words I never want to see together

Running spiders are bad, fast running spiders are very bad, fast running bitey spiders are unthinkable, but fast, running, bitey spiders that can jump! 😯

And you have a bloody commune of them? They are planning your downfall, you do know that?

does a bit of involuntary arm rubbing just to make sure none made it onto me.

Genuine laugh out loud.

So, Mr Roper, if I come across a great big hairy spider monster with pale coloured fangs, laid on its back, it can’t kick up too much of a fuss if I stand on it?
Good. I’ll remember that. 😉

Seriously though, I’m impressed.
Thanks for sharing.

I have a commune which are becoming too big

Just to clarify, do you live in Wales? Or even the South East of the County actually. Wondering whether I need to move or not.

*runs away and stands on a chair screaming like a girl*

Most spiders don’t like other spiders, even their siblings, so eat each other or move on. P.regalis and a few others are quite happy to stay together, depending on the space and food they have.
One of the hardest things about moving the young is they are very well camouflaged, even if you are a few CMs away. Just to add to the weirdness, I use a vulture feather to give them a gentle nudge as its big enough to drop if any run up it. I do also make sure the spider room door is securely sealed and shut, just in case.
brokensoul, if you kill it just make sure you are not in a commune, these grow to 20/22cm big. 😀

We need a school forum here. Good stuff, thanks

I use a vulture feather to give them a gentle nudge.

Go on then, how do you catch a vulture and then get hold of one it’s feathers?

Or are vultures afraid of spiders and shed feathers when they’re scared?

No, just found one. 🙂

brokensoul, if you kill it just make sure you are not in a commune

😯
I think/hope I can safely say that I will never be in a commune. Ever.
Not even close. Thanks for the advice, though. 😆

Great stuff. Always look forward to these threads.

In the autumn we have webs all over the garden and Christ knows how many I walk through on my way to the shed.
Why do they do this ? Surely their webs would be put to better use when there’s loads of flies around.

No, just found one. 

As you do sometimes. 😕

No, just found one.

“As you do sometimes.”

To be fair all you have to do is lie down and not move, and one/several will come to you.

My favourite spider. I have no idea why. It just is.

Cheers, Roper.

Edit:

Sorry, I thought it was a young one of these:

^^That is my fav.

…although this guy seems to like them more:

I live in an area where we have vultures so we do find their feathers sometimes.

zippykona, It would depend on the type of spiders, and your local weather. A guess would be either to try and get food while they can, or the web is used to attract a mate. Spiders can detect hormones and some use a scented web to announce their intentions.

Jamie, one of my favorites too. It looks like it has run through blue/black ink. Under torch light its feet reflect bright blue. Though to be honest, I don’t see my spider-ling much, maybe 2 times a week.

Ah,That is a Haplopelma lividum. They are nice spiders, I have a small one, though they also spend most of the time in their burrow.

I do like threads like this. Nicely written too; ta very much 😀

Spider porn…

The guy has quite an interesting

You should do something like that, Roper.

ENTERTAIN US!!!

😉

whats that on your back Chip 😯

As ever Roper, brilliant, love these threads. I’d never own one, but they are fascinating. Thank you

Spider and crab moults blow my mind. Skin shedding I can understand but moulting an entire exoskeleton! Think of the energy use involved, the genetic code programming. How any organism can do that and survive is beyond me.

whats that on your back Chip

A scary-spider proof Icebreaker.

I was sat on my bed the other night, reading for a bit, and I thought I saw something flicker on my shirt sleeve from the corner of my eye, but couldn’t actually see anything.
Then I felt something tickling the back of my neck… 😯
I didn’t actually scream like a girl, but my heart-rate rocketed!
And that was just a house spider, I’d want a sheet of armoured glass between me and roper’s little menagerie!
I mean, I can appreciate their inherent beauty as a creature, and how spectacularly well designed they are for their ecological niche; I’m just happier not actually sharing it, if it’s all the same.

I got my first spider last week a Chilean Flame, just a little baby one, I think “she” is really cool, she has dug a little burrow and seems to hide for a couple of days after a feed, only about 1 to 1.5cm, was a bit of a struggle to get the rest of the house to agree to having one but they are ok with it now 🙂

Have you got one of these?

Fantastic, another spider thread from Roper!

These are genuinely fascinating, thank you!

dandax1990 this is from the family

It is a Theraphosa apophosis the one in the video is a Theraphosa blondi. They grow to a similar size, though the one in the video is quite a large example. They are the worlds largest and heaviest spider.

Peajay as your rosea gets bigger you will see it more. They are a great little spider and you should enjoy watching it grow and develop, it will become less shy. As it is a ling it may moult every week to 2 weeks so watch out if you see it on its back. Some people think they are ill but it will just be moulting. Poorly spider always tend to stay upright. Maybe you can post a photo sometime 🙂

Spider and crab moults blow my mind. Skin shedding I can understand but moulting an entire exoskeleton! Think of the energy use involved, the genetic code programming. How any organism can do that and survive is beyond me.

Its great to watch too. They even moult their eyes and sex organs too. Strange to us but there are far more creatures with an exoskeleton than vertebrate. If a spider has lots a leg it can regenerate one during the moulting process too.

How well understood is the biological process behind moulting an exoskeleton?

Great thread again Roper, thanks for sharing photos.

If I ever get my head round the over complicated way of posting pics on here I will post a pic of Tara!

Sorry might have used the wrong name for mine, it’s proper name is a Euathlus Sp Fire,