Latest happenings

Hello all!

I'm finally back after my internet being down since before Christmas (hope everyone had a good one). I got a new macro lens for Christmas which I'm still getting to grips with but it's left me with a bit of a back log of pics to post so thought I'd make a start.

Firstly is my freshly moulted flat rock (H. paucidens) before and after (before and after macro lens too) and the molt, 3i-4i maybe?







This is my relatively new Smeringus mesaensis about ready to pop.





Scorpio maurus



Now with this next one I have a question of morals. Am I bad for buying this? It was the first part in a bug collection magazine and for a pound I couldn't resist but after reading that they're farmed for this reason I feel bad so I don't intend on getting the rest. It's apparently Mesobuthus martensii so I suppose I have my first buthid haha.



This is a quick sketch I done (hint hint I can do more Manser )



This is what my rooms looking like atm full of tanks haha note my new computer linked to my tv.



I know this is in the scorpion section but here's my Grammostola pulchripes having last meal before shed and the molt.





Well thanks for looking and I'll add more as I sort through them.

Oh wow... May i know your camera set-up?

First thing came to my mind when i saw the 2nd picture was "Man! i gotta get a macro!!"

Btw.. you got a neat and clean room with all the nice enclosures.. am definitely envious! ha ha

Last but not least.. your Grammostola pulchripes is Gorgeous!

A little off topic.. I'm falling more in love with Ts!! just gotten some GBBs myself

Thanks for posting these up Jamie

Thank you GS! Of course, however I'm still new to the whole dslr thing.

I'v got a Cannon 500d and Canon EF-S 60mm f2.8 macro lens. For the macro shots I'v been using a tripod and a wireless remote control shutter release to minimise camera shake when pressing the shutter button. Next I plan on getting either a macro ring flash or flash guns off the camera like Hauser uses, at the min i'v only got the flash built into the camera. Also some magnification filters to get even closer.

I wouldn't worry too much mate what you're doing with that iphone is very impressive, specially all the molting pics and videos!

Thats my one and only T but just like the scorps I want more! Bet those Green Bottle Blues are beautiful, mad colours.

Just a quick one, are these pics too big to see all at once?

Thanks bro!

Btw, if your are talking about downloading speed to view your pictures, i find them fairly fast to download bro. Not to worry

In fact, your file sizes are like mine, at about 300-400kb when the reso is about 1024 by 768.

(You might already know this) Just to share, in order to reduce file size, i save mine at 800 by 600 at compression 8-10, which cause the output to be around 220kb. Alternatively, Fireworks is another ideal software to reduce the size further without compromising too much details.

& yeah.. I love the GBBs' colors! Now that i see your Grammostola pulchripes.. i know what i should be including in my next order.. heehee

Keep up the good work bro. Would love to see more of your macro works on your animals

That's good to know, I wasn't aware of that. I'm guessing photoshop can perform this task, I got elements9 recently but yet to learn my way around it though just the odd crop and things. Still trying to get my head around file sizes and resolution.

However I did mean whether you could see the whole photo at once without having to scroll about because the right hand edge is slightly cut off on mine but may be cause I'm using my tv as a monitor.

I got recommended the G. pulchripes because I wanted one with abit of colour but good for beginners. What's the Brachypelma's like? I love red-knees, I'v got my eye on one as a next T or maybe Aphonopelma bicoloratum.

I'll keep 'em coming as I hope you and everyone else does.

Wow great pics!!!

And we got a few copies if the bug mag for the girls my two yr old doesn't go anywhere without her scorpion in her pocket now lolz

JamieLawrence wrote:

That's good to know, I wasn't aware of that. I'm guessing photoshop can perform this task, I got elements9 recently but yet to learn my way around it though just the odd crop and things. Still trying to get my head around file sizes and resolution.

However I did mean whether you could see the whole photo at once without having to scroll about because the right hand edge is slightly cut off on mine but may be cause I'm using my tv as a monitor.

I got recommended the G. pulchripes because I wanted one with abit of colour but good for beginners. What's the Brachypelma's like? I love red-knees, I'v got my eye on one as a next T or maybe Aphonopelma bicoloratum.

I'll keep 'em coming as I hope you and everyone else does.

Ic.. my mistake In that context, no issue too.. no effort required to scorll left/right to view the whole picture.
I'm using 18Inch LCD Tv monitor.

I only had a few Brachypelmas'.. So for Emilia/Smithi has demonstrated great pouncing skills and enormous appetite.
Does not burrow and has been 90% visble in the open for me to admire them
But my emilia does flick hairs if she feel overly threatened.. ha

As for my new GBBs.. they are really cute! Has been webbing non-stop since i housed them to their new enclosure. They don't seem interested in the hide i provided but i left it with them anyway. I'll capture some pic/vids to share once they have settled in and ready to pounce!

Very nice pictures Congrats on your new lens!

Regarding the M. martensii paper weight thing, I wouldn't feel too terrible bad. They are raised very similarly to crickets and produced in mass quantities. The term is "farmed" and while it isn't ideal to keep them this way, none were really taken from the wild to produce your item.

Cheers Bex, I did wonder whether you would have got it for them.

Thanks Canth. I didn't think of it like that, you've put my mind at ease

And cheers GS, that's good I'll leave them be then. Sweet my next T is definitely going to be something along those lines and it will hopefully be next Sunday My Chaco loves burrowing, I took this a few days before it moulted.



Anyone know how hard it is to sex a T from there molt?

It's very easy when you take a picture of the right spot I personally don't have any pictures of the spermathecae (the organ you look for to determine if it's male or female) but a quick google search using "sexing tarantula molts" should help you quite a bit. It helps to moisten the molt using a plastic baggy and a paper towel dampened with warm water, that way the molt absorbs the water and is much easier to maneuver to search for that organ.

Went to the Arachnoboards gallery and found a picture of a molt from the same species as yours, showing female

http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/gallery/showimage.php?i=15574&catid=searchresults&searchid=149165

Thank you mate, very helpful stuff. I reckon I can get a good enough macro shot of that part of the molt. I think it's looking male to my untrained eye's though.