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When I formed this interest in spiders, I thought they would all die when the weather started getting colder, so I decided to get a pet "tarantula." Tarantulas are long-lived, large hairy spiders from North and South America. On September 29, 2000, I got an excited call at work from my daughter that Terry had built a web in the corner of his cage. When I got home, he was laying on his back (image 2), moving weakly. I was immediately sure he was dying. Another thought suddenly occurred to me, and I reached for my tarantula book. Sure enough, there was a perfect description of what I was witnessing. That's right, he was shedding or molting! It took about an hour, and my wife and I watched most of it. It was really amazing. It was like watching his birth. On October 15, after he was done with what appears to be his final molt, I discovered this is a mature male--he has tibial hooks, and his palps now have a noticeable bulge--which means he won't live very long. Perhaps 12 - 18 months. It is somewhat irritating that a pet store would sell a nearly mature animal, but it is a good learning experience. Next tarantula I buy, I will look for a reputable breeder and get a spiderling. About 20 years ago, I owned a tarantula, which, at the time, was considered the standard "beginner's" tarantula. It was a Brachypelma smithi, (Mexican Red Knee). Those spiders are now protected, mostly due to the predations of the pet trade. Because of this, I had some misgivings about buying this tarantula, which is probably not captive-bred. This is now considered the standard "beginner's" tarantula. I have been assured the wild population is not threatened, but I will feel really bad if I find out in 20 years that my urge to be a part of nature contributed to the demise of this species too. |
