My friends are on vacation so I’ve accepted babysitting duties for their baby. Nelly’s first time drinking sugar-milk (she refused to let go of the qtip for a very long time), perfect opportunity for a clear still shot.
Last night I lost my little Haruno (I found her on a the top of my outdoor trashbin in October 2024). She must have been i2 or i3, and she didn’t hesitate to jump onto my hand and even though I was grieving the loss of my other jumper (who lived a full 2.5 years) and didn’t want to take on another spood, I didn’t want to leave her out to starve in the cold as a late hatchling. It was dipping down to -10celsius at the time too.
Fast forward, she was such a robust and brave spider. Very interactive. Much more friendly compared to the many others I’ve reared and not shy at all. She was with me for the duration of my PhD burnout and watched me finish the entirety of my thesis and the culmination of my defense last month. Throughout this most depressing time of my life she was this tiny constant source of joy.
Last month she really slowed down, right at the time I defended. I figured she might be just fasting a little and maybe even preparing for an egg sac (infertile, never mated). I left her alone and gave her water occasionally as a spritz on her hammock, and she even came out last week for a sip of sugar water. Up until yesterday morning she was even super active, but I noticed her abdomen looked loose and… floppy? It was very concerning. I positioned the box so she wouldn’t have her abdomen straining, but she very quickly lost motor control and twitched to her end. It was actually really traumatic to watch. I don’t see any mold, bacteria, bad ventilation, and I didn’t have any sprays or potential poison near her. Googled that it could be DKS….
Really devastated, I thought I’d have more time with her. Will bury her under the flowers tmr. Took some goodbye pictures of her on a satin pouch.
May all your spiders pass peacefully and that you don’t experience this sort of devastation.