OFF-TOPIC THREAD 10

[Hijinks]

There is a traveling exhibit called "Lizards and Snakes: Alive" that is coming to the Houston Museum of Natural Science. Has anyone seen it? I'm wondering if it is worth seeing.

I wonder if it's the same exhibit I saw at the American Museum of Natural History. http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/lizards/
There was a cute BTS! I think it's worth it. You'd get to see this guy:

[KyleWeiss]

Love the "Pearl of Wisdom," additions, by the way, Zach.

KW

[Lucifer_Spades]

Ok, Shooting stuff is really boring. At least go hand to hand and see how you fare, that way at least the pumpkins have a chance! I'd personally rather see more pics of cute fuzzy tarantulas or Black Blueys! or even weirder things like this!

Isn't it purdy?????It's got a pink butt!

I think this guy and all the recent spider pics were the fodder for a dream I had last night.

I spent the entire time trying to find my pet tarantula, who had a hot pink abdomen a cream colored body and pure black legs. I found one who had matalic blue skin and black hair but I never did find the pink and black one, there was also some people in there who were trying to convert me to their particular christian communal living sect. I had lost the spider in their commune.

It was a bit odd, but at least I had something to laugh at until I found Quigs.

[aggiegirl]

Hijinks---Thanks for the link. That is definitely the exhibit. It starts mid-September in Houston. I'm sure I'll go. Who can turn down a bluey visit? What age group would enjoy it the most? My son is 9 and I plan on taking him. My daughters are 4 and 6. What do you think?
Luce---I've had insect dreams too! The Houston Museum of Natural History has many live inverts in its butterfly exibit. I am so fascinated by these guys. My kids had to drag me out of there. I'm thinking millipedes (since I could take those to school when I teach) but those spiders are actually very attractive. They actually sell versicolors at our exotic pet store. Hmmm. I could definitely hide one of those and I have to get live prey for my little cresty anyhow.... Renee, you will be the first to see the picture if I get one! I've got some googling to do.
Chuckwallas. They are a type of iguana but they are smaller and less work than green iguanas. (Some of them are the ones that squeeze between rocks and inflate!) They have been over-collected in the wild and I wouldn't want to contribute to that. They can occasionally be bought young as CBs for about the price of blueys. Like blueys, they can be quite social and even walked on a leash. I may PM skinkman/dixiediana if I get serious about this. I love my blueys so much that I will probably just stick with them. These are just another lizard that I might consider down the line---once I get empty nest!

[Hijinks]

Hijinks---Thanks for the link. That is definitely the exhibit. It starts mid-September in Houston. I'm sure I'll go. Who can turn down a bluey visit? What age group would enjoy it the most? My son is 9 and I plan on taking him. My daughters are 4 and 6. What do you think?

Oh man, I don't know anything about kids and age groups and all that. I run and hide on "take your daughter to work day". But the exhibits are big and bright, and they all have colorful informational panels with big bold lettering. I'd bet kids that can read would enjoy following along with those.

[SailleSkinklover]

Weird, there must be something in the air about insects! I dreamed that I had a 3 foot long Praying Mantis that looked like the love child of a mantis and a stick insect. It was bright green and white, and then in another part of my dream, I had two geckos, and the female was digging to lay eggs and she turned into a lavender ghost crab or something. Weird!

[Dragontears]

I think this guy and all the recent spider pics were the fodder for a dream I had last night.

I spent the entire time trying to find my pet tarantula, who had a hot pink abdomen a cream colored body and pure black legs. I found one who had matalic blue skin and black hair but I never did find the pink and black one, there was also some people in there who were trying to convert me to their particular christian communal living sect. I had lost the spider in their commune.

It was a bit odd, but at least I had something to laugh at until I found Quigs.

I had a dream once where I had a 3 foot long Brazilian Black Tarantula that came running when I called it and would jump on me and give me hugs. That was such a cool dream

[Reptscue]

DT your Versi is beautiful... My older baby is just starting to get pink on her bootie.....

[Dragontears]

Your spiders are gorgeous! So when you go to get them out of their enclosures, how do you do it? Do you shoo them onto your hand, or do they just recognize you and crawl onto you?
I still love your little Inigo, he looked like he was smiling for the camera on that keyboard. Lovely!

Most of my T's don't care one way or the other. Unless I'm clumsy about getting the lid off their tank, they generally don't move away or towards me. Some of them come right out while others try to hide. Some of them I refuse to try to hold...either they are agressive or they are too fast/dangerous for me to trust. Still others I only hold if I have to. I have a few really friendly, but really big spiders and I'm always afraid that I'll accidentally drop them and kill them. My versi in the pic has mellowed out quite a bit with age and is quite content to be held.

[Dragontears]

DT your Versi is beautiful... My older baby is just starting to get pink on her bootie.....

[SailleSkinklover]

Wow, that blue is stunning! How is that possible!!!???
What is it about blue creatures, or creatures with parts that are blue!
So do you guys talk on an arachnid forum about your tarantulas?

[Arkangel]

Chuckwallas are native to our deserts in the southwest. They are becoming extremely rare along with horned toads due to overcollection.

Here are two shots off my camcorder from the Sonoran desert in Arizona.
Sorry for the low quality.

[Reptscue]

Wow, that blue is stunning! How is that possible!!!???
What is it about blue creatures, or creatures with parts that are blue!
So do you guys talk on an arachnid forum about your tarantulas?

I don't know what sites DT is on. I am on a few, but don't post on them all.
DT??
Oh and I got another new one....
Thai Tiger aka H. albostriata. Cujo in disguise.

[Dragontears]

I love Haplopelma spiders, but they certainly are a handful!

I post in arachnoboards sometimes, but mostly I just lurk in the background there. There are so many people on that forum that a quick search usually gives me all the answers I need.

[Damiano]

DT your Versi is beautiful... My older baby is just starting to get pink on her bootie.....

hi! it's a. versicolor???

[Damiano]

I would want to pass the vacations in Australia… you have some idea?

[Fatal_S]

DT, that versi is exactly what I'm looking for! Wanna send it to me? *puppy eyes* I think it was a pic of that one that gave me the idea to look. Purple is my favorite color, and a purple T would be a god-send. No luck at any of the stores here yet, but I have found a bird-eating spider that looks neat. Right now I'm all lonely with only my tiny house spider for company. Do versi's make webs? How big is yours now? And most importantly, do they all turn purple, or do I need to find a purple baby? Purdy spiders. I think a blue one would be awesome too, but probably for my friend. Oh great...this sounds like another addiction coming on. I'm gonna go lie down now...

[Dragontears]

Gem is a mature female now so I'm looking for a boyfriend for her. If successful, I'll have plenty of little babies running around I dont' think I can ship to Canada, but if you want to make a road trip, I'm sure you could smuggle one over the border.

Avicularia versicolors all start out bright blue:


as they grow they lose the intense blue and turn metallic greenish with hints of burgandy:


Then they hit an insane growth spurt and it seems like they are molting into new colors each month until they get their adult colors...this was Gem after her molt prior to this last one:


They all pretty much look the same as adults.

They build insane webs. I don't have a good picture of their webs since it is hard to photograph, but here is one of Gem's more boring webs...this was shortly after re-housing her and she built this in a couple nights. It was later expanded and more fun looking.


If you want a purple spider, have you seen my little Jewel? This photo was taken a couple nights ago:


For more Jewel pictures, go to her gallery here:
http://nay.rabscuttle.com/gallery/view_ ... e=purpurea

[Funda]

*darn all these colours..
I absolutely hate spiders, but these are beautiful!

f.C

[Lucifer_Spades]

Ahh the spiders are forming communes and are going to take over the world (or at least Texas)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070831/sc_ ... 4M6mTmWMcF

and the video

http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/ ... 2&src=news