5/24/13 molt
she’s definitely come a long way
i’m so proud of her (◡‿◡✿)
raising tarantulas takes a lot of patience but it is soooo well worth it (⊙△⊙)
the little speck in the right top corner was her first molt
shes getting so big considering how slow this species grows
i’m dead
i don’t think i’ve ever seen anything so cute
here’s my b. smithi after she molted
look how bright her red knees are now wow wow wow
my CUTIEPELMA SMITHI juvie she is getting so big and she’s in premolt which is awesome!! i cant wait to see how big she gets after this next molt because look how fat that butt is!!! i remember when she was half the size of my fingernail. i love rearing baby tarantulas everyone should do it
A demonstration of a Mexican Red-kneed Tarantula (Brachypelma smithi) flicking its urticating hairs. (AKA butt fuzzies.)
Urticating hairs are one of a New World tarantulas main defense mechanisms.
When a tarantula feels threatened it will kick urticating hairs off of its abdomen, aiming them at potential predators. The hairs can cause temporary irritation of the skin. It’s itchy as heck.
Because this is their first defense reaction, they aren’t likely to bite!
A lot of New World tarantulas are very calm and not inclined to shoot their urticating hairs or bite, and this is why they make great pets. They also have very weak venom. There has never been a single death from a tarantula bite, but that doesn’t stop people from making up stories.
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