Tarantulas Tarantulas

I had lots of new tarantulas come in yesterday afternoon, there are several species and some nice specimens. I think they are all from Chile but I haven't had a close look yet, I will be sorting them out later today and then once they are housed and fed, I will be adding them onto my website. I'm pleased to say that my Indonesian Chocolate tarantula has finally let go of her egg sac and out popped loads of babies! They are still in the nymph stage (eggs with legs as I call it) but they will moult into proper little spiderlings soon. The egg sac was laid on 29 th July, which seems ages ago. I am trying to keep better notes these days, it's difficult because it takes a lot of time. I am keeping better records of when and where my spiders come from. It makes interesting reading but it can be quite disheartening to discover that some spiders just don't sell very well, I have had some specimens for over a year and a couple for almost two years but at least they are growing into nice healthy adults! I am certainly realising that there are popular and unpopular species but I do like to try and keep a good range. I think choosing a pet tarantula is a bit like choosing a type of dog. Some people like to get something different but the majority of people stick with the common breeds. The Mexican Red Knee has always been my top selling spider, followed by other Brachypelma species and then the Grammostola species. Brightly coloured spiders tend to sell well (Giant White Knee, Green Bottle Blue, Cobalt Blue) and the larger species also sell well (Pink Footed Goliath, Salmon Pink). Don't mention the Goliath Birdeating spider (Theraphosa blondi)! Where have they all gone this year? I'm assuming that nobody has bred any, everyone (slight exaggeration) is asking for them. I have had several larger specimens throughout the year and each time they have sold immediately.

The saga of my office goes on. Monday was set aside to finish the roof but it poured the entire day. My brother in-law is off on holiday today and will be gone for two weeks, his skill is needed to finish the work. The felt needs to be burnt on evidently and my nephew was telling me tales of people being set alight so I think we need to wait, it's not that urgent. I am reliably told that it won't leak and with that in mind my husband is going to start decorating the inside this weekend. I can't wait to get back into my office, it's a nightmare working in the front room and not being able to find anything. I have had another one of my brainstorms, behind the office is my husband's work shop (motorbike bits, woodworking stuff, paint, tools and other rubbish), I am seriously thinking about the feasibility of swapping my bug house for his workshop. It would be so much easier to have the bugs and office in one place. It wouldn't be a simple task but it just might be possible. The workshop is smaller but I could put any necessary equipment in the office side. At the moment the workshop is off of the kitchen but we have plans to brick up the door and window, when we put in a new kitchen (some time in the distant future). The floor would need to be sealed, it's just an idea at the moment but it's growing on me. I spend goodness knows how long walking up and down the garden in a day, from bug house to office and I write loads of notes as I have no computer in the bug house. It would save loads of time and be much easier when people call here. We have a middle door that leads into the workshop which means that I wouldn't need to unlock the side gate and shut the dog away. I would also be able to hear the doorbell. It works when it feels like it in the bug house, people end up ringing my mobile to let them in.

That's it I've run out of time, my rat bag daughter has conned me into dropping her at college this morning, as if I have nothing better to do!