UPCLOSE WITH BRACHYPELMA SMITHI

Hello everyone!

Please don't panic! My friend is as gentle as a whale (when not triggered). Lol

I want to share with you photos of my tarantula - Brachypelma smithi and some interesting facts about Ts this time.

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As I visited my T-ROOM yesterday, I noticed that my male B. smithi has molted (undergone ecdysis), renewed his clothing and finally reached its mature stage. Now he is ready for breeding, until he gets his spermweb momentum.

(Well the lifespan of male tarantula is shorter than females which goes on up to 15 years, depending on its environment and diet.)

I named him "MIGHTY".

B. smithi is a spider belonging to Theraphosidae family (Tarantula), huge spiders. It is endemic in Mexico and it is termed also as Mexican Redknee tarantula. It is a terrestrial (ground-dwelling) species. And served as a common pet among tarantula keepers.

I have Mighty for almost three years. From the size of a palay seed to size of a pen when measuring its legspan stretched diagonally. (So imagine how much I took care of him just to reach his apical stage.

Look at this, which is Mighty between the two? Definitely! The two are both Mighty! (How's that?) On the right is the OLD self of Mighty ( exuvium ) and on the left is the new Mighty...fresh and ready to breed!

As a proof here are his exuviae everytime he has undergone ecdysis. (I put these sloughed coverings in a container)

Ecdysis or simply molting is a process wherein tarantula takes off its outer covering (exuvium). Why is that? Because it is growing. Just like in humans, we don't need our old clothes anymore so we buy new clothes especially as we grow.

Molting process is a very delicate process, be sure not to introduce disturbances or any vibrations...these creatures might die during the process.

Observe the color...it is very vibrant! Very flamboyant indeed! That's because Mighty just molted. It is the perfect time to capture photos.

IMPORTANT PARTS YOU MAY WANT TO KNOW

General Parts

Source: @decibel.fi.muni.cz

Spinnerets

Spinnerets are the tiny tubes behind the abdomen where silk of webs comes out.

Bristles

These are visible hairs as you can determine. These are sharp-edge hairs when left on skin produce discomfort and strong itchiness. (Use scotch tape to remove it)

Legs and hooklets

Spiders have 8 legs. That's why they are not considered insects which only have 6 legs.

Source: @pinterest.com
Hooklets are used to attach or climb easily on surfaces.

Abdomen and Carapace

The black spherical part is the abdomen and the cream with black patch is the carapace.

The abdomen harbors the gut, heart, silk organ, and female reproductive organ. For males the reproductive organ is the pedipalp.

Ocular organ is located at the top edge of the carapace

Pedipalps

Source: @gettyimages

Situated beside the fangs and look like little legs but those are not legs...those are pedipalps. Tarantula use pedipalps to hold their food and when a male tarantula matures those pedipalps turn into sex organs. (How cool is that?)

Hooks

Source: @thingsbiological.wordpress.com

Hooks are seen only in mature males. Females don't have it. Just like the photos of Mighty above, hooks are located beneath the first pair legs of tarantula. So if you see a hook in a tarantula, that is a mature male.

What is the use of hooks? Those hooks are used when mating. As usual female tarantulas have attitudes and they are feisty. Females want to eat males! (Scary! Lol) Hooks serve as self defense. Hooks hold the fangs of the female when it gets aggressive. So that, the male will be able to penetrate the female using its pedipalps.

Urticating hairs

Source: @people.ucalgary.ca

I don't have a good photo to show you what urticating hairs are, but look at the photo I downloaded. The white patch is actually where urticating hairs are attached. The lower back portion of the abdomen goes bald when a taratula gets stressed. A tarantula flicks its hairs when disturbed or everytime it feels danger...it is one of their defense mechanisms.

When a tarantula is scratching its back abdomen, you will see dust like particles in the air. Don't watch it...just veer away, don't get closer I tell you, those are urticating hairs suspended in the air.

Are those hairs harmful? Maybe. But one thing is for sure...those are itchy! Super itchy! What you gonna do? Well just take antihistamine.

PRE-MOLT Stage

Source: @flickr.com

A while a back you saw a bald abdomen now you see a shiny black bald abdomen. It means the premolt stage of tarantula. It is A clue that a tarantula will soon change its outer covering. Do not introduce stress. As I told ago, molting process is a critical stage to a tarantula.

SOME MORE FACTS
~taratulas are low maintenance pets
~they are carnivorous (crickets, superworms, roaches, mice)
~they may be fed once every week or twice depending on the size of the prey
~they can survive without food for a month to months with only water
~the more you feed them the faster they go molting, the faster they grow old, the faster they die
~tarantulas may be old world or new world; old world Ts are quick and have little or less hairs, they usually strike as their defense; new world Ts are usually hairy and flicking hairs is their defense
~you will not die when got bitten by a tarantula (we are not their usual prey), as a result of their bite are skin bulge and numbness at the bitten area, lasting up to several days
~they are not communal, only one tarantula per terrarium because they will eat one another, but there are species which can be communal like balfouri
~they may be arboreal (tree-dwelling) or terrestrial (ground-dwelling)

Sources: @aracnoboards
This is how they mate. The bigger one is a mature female while the slim is the mature male. (Looks like they are clapping)

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You may find this weird but tarantulas are lovely creatures and are very good display. They serve as one of my stress relievers, especially looking at how they build their webs around their terrariums and how they catch their preys.

On the photo is my Grammostola pulchripes climbing my shoulder.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND I HOPE YOU LEARNED AND LIKED IT.

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I am always thankful to you sir @surpassinggoogle . Godbless always.

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