u/Only_Lawyer8133

Cafuné (Lasiodora parahybana sling) has been sitting with its legs peeking out of its burrow the past couple days. At first I thought it was because the water dish was a mess from remodeling, but this morning Funé was sitting like that again with its legs peeping out. Looked up this could be a hunting behavior, so I gave it a mealworm (head crushed well, and I also crushed other parts open).

This sassy lass (I have to call it some gender instead of it, and wishful thinking!!) stared me down until I closed the lid again. While the lid was open I was able to see all the remodeling it had done making its burrow. And I feel like the dirt on the sides is on purpose so I can't spy 🙄

(today is my birthday, shadowed by the country I'm in)

I haven't even seen a single adult monarch!

My Lp sling seems to be getting more comfortable, I find it's soil disheveled and water knocked about often. Lookit those tiny legs in this awful video quality! I was far away so I wouldn't scare it into hiding.

Bed is from Aldi!

I put together a 10gallon terrarium, and have been doing research on what I could put in it. It is horizontal, springtails are just now getting adjusted in there along with asparagus fern, jewel orchid, and fittonia.

I've been leaning towards tarantulas, but have to add Coco coir to the substrate, change the lid and drainage layer. So I was going to wait awhile to get anything to make sure I could make those changes.

Then I saw this little sling. I had already talked to one tarantula keeper who recommended bird eaters, and stopped at this one because they had a mantis out that was so pretty. This sling was the only one venturing around on top of its Coco bark, and I love it so. They also reassured me I have plenty of time to adjust my enclosure.

So after a couple of questions and a purchase of fruit flies, here is my new addition! Please give me any tips and advice you are willing to share!

First pic is my first sighting, second is me glad they survived the 30 minute drive, third is of its current cup--should I add more ventilation holes? I also put some moistened sphagnum moss from my terrarium inside.

TIA!! So excited and nervous for this journey.

Tried to get him to enjoy the new tent bed, but he likes camping under chairs more. As I wrote this post, he did willingly go in on his own (and probably peed all over...) Kevin is also king of the blank stares.

*He does have a large mass, it is benign but we are worried about anesthesia due to his age and chronic respiratory problems. He's on daily pain meds and seems unbothered!

Hi all,

I am very new to the game-i recently started a bioactive terrarium. I didn't think too much at the time of adding live critters beyond a clean up crew, but now I'm researching either vampire crabs or a tropical, terrestrial tarantula.

My issue: I used some cactus as my first set up and it has some perlite. It isn't much, but it's there.

The majority of the soil is some orchid bark, sphagnum moss, and black bear potting soil.

My question is, how would I go about making this mixture safe for burrowing critters? I currently have only springtails in it I'm leaning more towards a tarantula. I did purchase a brick of Coco fiber (?) so I could mix that in gradually. I will need to add ventilation and change up the drainage layer, and this is not an urgent matter so I have time. And hard rocks will be removed for the tarantula.

TIA!

These Florida orange springtails were added to my terrarium last week. After a change in the habitat I was nervous, but they are popping up more and more again! Loving watching these little guys, they are a great introduction to this hobby!

*Grow light part of a day/night cycle for the plants.

*ETA I did not know globs was a term for a specific type! I just like watching for the orange specks and some of them are thicc.

What is this around the spines on my snowball cactus?

She is so pretty as she sits staring at something I can't see. 🫣

My friend's kid 3d printed this for me for $5! Finally found a jar that will work for it.

I'm leaning over the back of my chair looking at something. She decides that since my lap isn't available my back is just fine!

When I first put the terrarium together, I used mesh screen tape figuring it was the same as screen material right? Only to read so much about the adhesives leaching and being toxic. I had built it Thursday? And added springtails already.

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Today, after a big pep talk, I gently scooped where the springtails were most concentrated, then scooped as much of my old soil. I replaced the layer, and also added more soil since it was pretty shallow, and I had made the mistake of using cactus soil.

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I found this Black Bear soil mix, put the new stuff towards the bottom and had gently mixed some with my old mix. Everything got put back, along with the container where most of the springtails were.

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Now it almost seems too full, but as it gets established I hope to add more invertebrates. This is a 10 gallon aquarium, and I wrapped the lid with cling wrap to help with humidity!

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What a learning experience, and I am eager to learn more! Any tips are welcome.

Joined a celebration of midsummer this morning, and of course there was a cat!

This wouldn't leave my hand as soon as I saw it. It looks so plush!!

Kevin is very upset his food dish is empty. Or that he can't run around because there is a lab visiting....

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(Or because I need to fluff up his cage and am late doing so because of said lab).

This all started because I had to put my fittonia in a jar to protect it from my cat. Then I got a jewel orchid, but the jewel orchid started outgrowing my plan. Then I found this 10 gallon tank for $10 on marketplace!

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Today I purchased some ferns, moss and orange Florida springtails! I had built it last night, but it needed more greens.

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Layers:

Lava rock

Mesh screen repair tape (what I had easily available)

Charcoal

Soil mixture- sphagnum moss, orchid bark, cactus soil, perlite

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Landscaping:

driftwood I collected yearsss ago, baked and cleaned. It had been used in a fire pit, so it also has some natural carbon!

Numerous rocks I've collected

Little trail of pebbles

Jewel orchid

Sad fittonia

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Here's to the start of a fun new hobby! Any tips or advice are welcome!

I try to start every morning with meditation, journaling, and some pulls-tarot and runes.

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Yesterday I hurt my foot in a 3 stooges incident.

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But the sun also fell out so that'll soften the blow!

***The book is Your guide to the tarot by Janet Berries. I've had it for probably 20+ years, was my first one when I was a kid! It came with the deck I'm using.

Was knitting outside when this downy feather landed right next to me, and had to stop for awhile watching this moth visit all my flowers (luckily I don't grow much produce besides herbs!) One of the first days in awhile where I felt the magic in these little moments and connected to nature!

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Other pictures are from my first tea leaf reading. I asked if a certain action I had already done was the correct path to take, started with the handle at the top and just started writing the first things I saw. I'm trying to not pressure myself in learning and interpreting every single thing, but just accepting what comes to me first!

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