The addiction continues...I'm now up to five tarantulas, with four more on the way. It's not a problem though, I swear. This is a long update not for the faint of heart, so I'll break it down by species to make it easier. I'm not that funny but I hope it gets at least a smirk out of someone.
(Deceased) Neoholothele incei "Gold" - First as an update, Goldfinger sadly pass away within a month of getting it. Little guy just didn't make it one day, was in a death curl and everything. I asked several people and showed pictures, and they said it wasn't anything I did wrong. I'm still doubtful, but I guess it happens.
Cyriocosmus elegans, Hapalopus sp. "Colombia large" - The other two are really going strong though. Heart Ass (now given a slightly nicer name of Conté*, like the crayons) is rarely out, and has been in deep premolt for almost a month now, but when it is out it's awesome. Such a pretty spider but it's a real savage at feeding time. Those poor little kenyan roaches, my goodness. Pumpkin Butt (also named Turnip*) has finally molted after over a month of premolt. It made a snazzy new burrow overnight, and I found it the next morning waiting for food like the ungrateful asshole that it always was. You disappear for weeks and come back immediately demanding food. Thanks, I missed you too, buddy.
Neoholothele incei "Gold" - I also got two more Ts (N. incei and GBB) in early December, and for a steal too. $45.00 for them both, and both were great sizes. 2" and 3/4" or so, respectively. I let my partner chose the N. incei, and of course he picks up the one that was bolting around the enclosure like mad. Thanks, honey, I really appreciate that. It's named Lucifer, or Lucy, and was a real skittish thing at first, it certainly gave me a run for my money during rehousing. But has since then, chilled out into one of my easiest to work with tarantulas. It's the farthest thing from nervous, it's always out and about, webbing, calmly poking around, and it usually hides for a second if you pick up the enclosure, but is right back out within a few seconds. It's so relaxed and bold. Honestly, why do I get the calmest Ts? I feel like this is setting me up for a jinx. I bet I'll get a curly hair or something and it'll be the actual incarnation of Satan himself, while my "skittish" lads are the chillest mothertruckers on the block.
Chromotapelma cyanepubescens -The GBB is named Kitty, because it was so bold and cute. It acted like a cute cat, grooming itself and drinking water in plain sight within a couple hours of purchasing, even after a lot of jostling from the car ride back. It's still very calm, and has never given me any problems. It just molted last week, and is now 1.25" of handsome. I'm not sure when it will happen, but I'm well aware it'll likely turn into quite the little spitfire as it grows...but if it continues to be this pretty, it's worth it. (And honestly, I'm looking forward to a little change of pace, I really hope it happens. Is that a weird thing to be excited about?)
Brachypelma vagans - Earlier this month I picked up a 2" Brachypelma vagans from the same vendor I got the last two from. I named it Kessler, like David Kessler from "American Werewolf in London." It looks like a weird werewolf-colored thing, but it's been a real dear. So curious and calm, I don't handle my spiders but I wish I could handle this one, it's so sweet. And so considerate to boot, it so graciously gifted me with a mountain of substrate deposited on top of its decor within a day of rehousing. I appreciate that so much, thank you for burying your plants, Kessler, that's so helpful! It was my fault for ever daring to make your enclosure look nice, you clearly know much more about interior decorating than I do.
First Fear Not Tarantulas order - The new Ts coming in are pretty cool! Lots of handsome lads. Grammostola pulchra, Homoeomma sp. "Blue peru 2", Pseudhapalopus sp. "Blue", and a freebie Brachypelma albopilosum. If you don't know what the middle two species are, check them out, they're gorgeous!! These are all some of my favorite tarantulas ever and I'm so lucky to have gotten them all at once. Their names will be Winnipeg, Hollis, Hale-Bopp, and Flaveri. Winnipeg like the famous black bear that inspired winnie-the-pooh. There's something so endearing about that name. I mean think about it. Imagine being shown someone's small tarantula collection. Mostly dwarves and cool-looking Ts under 5" or so. And then they pull out this big enclosure, and sitting there is the most handsome G. pulchra you've ever seen. "And this, this is the crown jewel of my collection, my biggest lad, my 7" beast of a tarantula...Pooh-Bear." It'll be a long five plus years, but God, it'll be so worth it just so I can do that. On a more serious note, Hollis is a reference to one of my favorite Ray Bradbury stories, "The Kaleidoscope." He's my favorite author, and that was one of my first short stories by him. I highly recommend anything by him if you want an easy to comprehend but interesting writing style, and more "relaxed" science fiction. Less scientific jargon and more of morals and human nature. He can also be downright hilarious. I highly recommend "The Cat's Pajamas," the collection, I mean. The story about the U.S. senators gambling away the united states is just amazing. Back to "Kaleidoscope," that story specifically really stuck with me. Captain Hollis. Sometimes a name just clicks, and this one is perfect. I like silly names but that one is important, somehow it's meant to be. Moving along to other equally as important names, Hale-Bopp is the most amazing name for the famous comet from the 90's. It's beautiful, I wish I had been around to see it! I was really struggling with a name for this species, but I liked the space-theme of "The Kaleidoscope," and ran with that. Pseudhapalopus sp. "Blue" have a very unique color scheme, and the Hale-Bopp comet captures it perfectly. It's an incredible coincidence, and the name is too cute to pass up. Ah, and "Flaveri" of course. If you can't tell what it is, I'm not ashamed to admit this is actually a mash-up of "Flavor (Town)" and "Fieri." I'm not sorry, it has to be done. I don't make the rules, it's the only acceptable name for this species, and I refuse to call it anything else. The only other acceptable alternatives are "Flavori" and "Triple T" (Terrible Tarantula Title) there are no other proper names for curly hair tarantulas.
So come April, I'll have...Kitty, Conté, Kessler, Lucifer, Hollis, Hale-Bopp, Turnip, Flaveri, and Winnipeg. So many amazing names, with even better origins and nicknames. And for anyone who actually read all of this, a gold start for you!! Achievement get! Again, I'm not very funny and I ramble like a grandma, but this was fun to write, at the very least. I love thinking of ironic and clever names, and it's fun to share them. Of course sometimes a name has to be serious, but there's nothing wrong with being meaningful and having fun. Goodness help us if I actually have to be in charge of naming a human child though. Considering these names I don't know if I should be aloud to.
*And as for the C. elegans and H. sp. "Colombia large"...I'm not a fan of renaming, but it was a disservice to not give them appropriate names. The nicknames stay, of course, but the official names, Conté and Turnip, are fitting for the species. I'm an art student, and I learned how to use conté in my first year. It's one of my favorite media to work in, and the classic colors are exactly the same as a C. elegans. It's a nifty coincidence, but I shouldn't have to repeat that I Am an Art Student, I've seen a lot of shit, and lemme be the first to say that C. elegans looks like something right out of a teenager's DeviantArt. The entire genus is like someone's magical girl OC. Unassuming C. bertae schoolgirl during the day, C. elegans heart-themed magical girl superhero by night, with a C. leetzi alter-ego during the mandatory "edgy" phase. Come on, for anyone who knows what I mean, you know I'm not wrong in saying that. You'll never look at them the same way ever again. Moving along...I like irony, and Turnip is a cute name for a feisty little bastard. Plus, turnips were the original jack-o-lanterns. Hapalopus sp. "Colombia large" are also called "pumpkin patch." Get it? "Pumpkin patch," "jack-o-lantern," "turnip"? It was meant to be...and my partner said their abdomen pattern looks like a turnip from Animal Crossing, for some reason? I kinda see it, but it's a stretch.
]
