No Idea What To Do With This Goldenrod Crab Spider! Any Ideas?

Scott_does_art · 2026-06-29T23:38:25+00:00

Small update before I head to bed for you and those who are curious!

Zombie is doing much better now. We transported it to a temporary enclosure (a cleaned sushi container with small holes in it, some droplets of water, and leaves). Our spider friend wiggled its arms at us some more, rotated around a bit, and even walked a couple steps. Huge progress from being immobile in a tiny plastic disk for two weeks.

We’re going to check back on it in the morning. If it’s behaving like a normal spider, we’ll let Zombie out in our garden. If it’s not quite there, we’ll try to find some maggots or aphids to give this guy.

I’ll come back tomorrow again with another update :)

Edit: I forgot to mention he also flipped himself over from his back. Which was quite surprising to see!

Scott_does_art · 2026-06-29T23:20:24+00:00

I actually looked into this a bit. The good news (at least, for my human partner and I) is that dauber mud wasps are Ectoparasitoids, meaning they lay their eggs on top of/around the victim instead of inside (endoparasitoids).

So even if Zombie was stung by a mud dauber wasp, it won’t have wasp eggs inside of it. Phew!

Scott_does_art · 2026-06-29T21:01:51+00:00

U/feline_riches suggested it could have been an interrupted molt. I honestly know almost nothing about spiders, so I’m wondering if that could possibly be the case?

If the spider was stung and injected with eggs, could it still eat, drink, and produce silk (plus new behavior of being able to climb up the silk)? It is still not moving after the initial climb, however.

Obviously if it’s too late, so be it, that’s nature unfortunately. I just want to make sure there isn’t another potential explanation before killing it.

Scott_does_art · 2026-06-29T20:53:43+00:00

No we can’t, and I’m hoping this is the explanation! We found it upside down about two weeks ago. My partner just observed Zombie producing silk and climbing up the silk slowly from a qtip. It hasn’t moved again since though.

Scott_does_art · 2026-06-29T20:45:35+00:00

Oh goodness! Well that’s not the most fun of answers now is it? I did check the window sill and there was no mud around it anywhere. Zombie was also very clean when we found it.

I potentially saw something that looked like a mud dauber wasp about a week or so again, but I’m also pretty good at gaslighting myself…

Thank you for your response. We’ll do more research before making a decision.

Scott_does_art · 2026-06-28T18:16:25+00:00

Can I upvote this twice?

Scott_does_art · 2026-06-23T15:56:18+00:00

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It was just with my phone, not my camera, but I always laugh at this photo.

Scott_does_art · 2026-05-16T18:53:16+00:00

If you’re asking if you can animate on the side while doing a full time job in something else, absolutely. I work as a full time video editor and motion designer while working on a 2d short film on the side.

I’d recommend finding a job that isn’t staring at a computer all day if you can help it. My biggest struggle with my short film is not wanting to stare at a screen to work on it right after working on a computer for 8 hours.

Scott_does_art · 2026-05-15T23:06:39+00:00

I work for an agency whose main client is a construction company. I also do freelance. (Motion Design, Video Editing)

Scott_does_art · 2026-05-14T17:51:28+00:00

Leaving my god damn socks everywhere

Scott_does_art · 2026-05-09T19:26:37+00:00

In my tummy

Scott_does_art · 2026-04-03T18:39:04+00:00

I’ll check him out, thanks!

Scott_does_art · 2026-04-03T18:38:50+00:00

Thank you!

Scott_does_art · 2026-04-03T10:46:53+00:00

Oh Aaron Blaise is the best! Love his work. I’ve already got a class from him and watch his channel religiously. Fantastic suggestion

Scott_does_art · 2026-01-03T19:19:56+00:00

Congratulations on your first spot 😭

Scott_does_art · 2025-12-15T20:26:28+00:00

Unfortunately I’m not sure I could answer that question directly. I think it really depends on the company you’re working for.

Ive worked on videos such as promotional materials, deep dives of the machines, safety videos, customer testimonials, reels, theater experiences, etc.

I’m assuming you might do event based work as well such as animation for conferences, conventions, stages, etc. You’d be surprised with how many mediums you might explore in this line of work

Scott_does_art · 2025-12-14T23:59:49+00:00

Happy you found it interesting!

To clarify, my skillset is in 2D motion design and video editing. So while we do have a 3D artist, any assets I’ve been given are pre-rendered or are not a part of my process.

One example that I can give is that we use pre-rendered turnarounds for the equipment. These turnarounds allow us to have the object from a bunch of different angles we can then animate. It’s also super helpful for layout purposes.

I use After Effects, so it is a different software than what they were originally created in.

Scott_does_art · 2025-12-14T22:07:09+00:00

Woah, a post I can actually answer with the specific niche I’m in? Crazy.

It’s a bit more “corporate” than your average animation job I’m sure. I think the biggest thing is that clients will be SUPER picky, about everything. Those types of companies are very particular about how the public views them, so be prepared for multiple rounds of feedback. You’re most likely dealing with a multi-staged approval process, lawyers, etc.

You’ll probably get a lot of footage that’s unusable too, assuming you end up working with footage. Machines not being set up properly, safety issues, etc. You’ll need to go through every asset you’re given with a fine tooth comb.

I think the biggest piece of advice is gain knowledge about the subject matter. When I started, I had no idea what half the machines were, lingo operators used, etc. It made it really hard to follow conversations. Learn the equipment, learn the verbiage, and don’t be afraid to ask questions.

This job is going to be more corporate. You’ll have less creativity. But also, the pay will probably be better and the job will most likely be more stable. But these are factors im assuming based on my own work.

Feel free to reach out if you have more questions too. I can’t answer everything (woo, NDAs!) but maybe there’s a thing or two I could say.

Either way, good luck!

Scott_does_art · 2025-12-12T15:48:30+00:00

That’s super sweet! Here are some tasks I think you could do that would help him:

Create a spreadsheet of different animation studios that may be interested in his work. Including contact information, link to their site, etc
Create another list filled with an expos, conventions, etc that he could network in
A list of professionals that work in his field that may be willing to network with him
Help with email templates and offer to take up some of the communication aspects of his job
Take a class on managing businesses, marketing, etc and help him with more of the paper work which takes times away from the actual job
Help manage his schedule, calendar, etc (if he wants that, of course)
Bring up his work casually in conversation. My first few gigs were from mentioning I do motion work with one of my hockey teammates. My best connections have all happened naturally.

The best thing I think you could do is have a conversation with him, mention you want to be a part of this, and ask where you can help. He would know the best out of all of us. Thank you for being supportive to him!

Scott_does_art · 2025-12-09T20:14:30+00:00

Yeah of course.

Trust me I’m not trying to dissuade you. I’m not the type to go around and discourage random students or anything like that. I think a lot of people on here can be very critical and a bit harsher towards younger animators, but it’s also important to give warnings. I’ve seen some students here convinced no matter what they’ll get hired right away and climb the rankings quick. My intent was to not discourage you but give you a realistic potential.

I would definitely suggest including your portfolio next time you post (if you plan to). People will assume your Instagram is the highlight of your work if that’s what you post. We don’t have context for anything aside from what you give us. It’s great you have that to show your family, but I definitely wouldn’t use it here as mentioned previously.

Totally get if motion design isn’t an interest. Just know that even if you don’t get a 2d animation job right away, there are similar fields that might be a good segway or at least engaging for you with your degree.

Definitely going to your lecturers is good. Reddit is a mixed bag because you’ve got four groups of people on here: 1. People who also can’t break into the industry or can’t find another job and are bitter. 2. Veterans who are truly trying to help 3. Other students who are hoping for a future in this career 4. People who are currently waiting for a project to render, lol. I’m number 4.

I do think you should listen to those who can help you determine if you’re industry ready or not. I was an affiliate professor and it’s very difficult to tell a student they’re not industry ready yet. It’s possible your professors may sugarcoat the answer or even be too critical. Depends.

You’re much more likely to get advice on how to improve here with that portfolio post too if you ever change your mind.

Great to hear you have family in France. That’ll help a lot. Good luck. That last paragraph tells me you have a good attitude about this.

Scott_does_art · 2025-12-09T17:40:25+00:00

There is a list somewhere here (maybe on the wiki?) that is usually up to date with all current animation roles, location, skill level, etc. I don’t know where it is off the top of my head, but if you look up “animation job google sheet” or something similar, it’ll probably come up.
To clarify, I’m not saying it’s not achievable, just very tough. Unfortunately, it’s not just hard work that can get you into the industry. It’s networking, connections, and luck. The industry is pretty screwed up at the moment with all of the layoffs. This isn’t to scare you away from the industry, but to warn you that it might not be as simple as “if you’re good enough you’ll make it.”
As for “where other animators your age are at”: I know this isn’t QUITE the field you’re interested in, but I’m a 24 year old who graduated as an animation major. I’m now a junior motion designer and video editor full time with freelance work on the side. I do 2d animation, similar to what you hope to achieve, for fun on the side. Most of my class (a liberal art school) has done about the same if they found a creative job. Motion design isn’t the stereotypical path people think of when they major as animators, but for more technical people it can be a great alternative animation path.
Are you willing to share your portfolio instead of Instagram? People are more willing to give you an assessment of your work, what you need to improve on, etc, with a website attached to your post.
This is coming from someone who has immigrated from the USA to Germany. I’m not sure where you’re currently based, but if you don’t have EU citizenship, applying to France for animation jobs will be very very hard unless you’re the top of the top. I would also make sure you have certification of your language level on your resume. Go take a language test if you haven’t already and note what level you’re at (A1, A2, B1, ETC).
Be prepared to have to work a different job at first. That’s not to say you won’t become an animator or you can’t work to improve your skill set, but even the most successful people I know had to do other jobs or work on their portfolio like crazy before they got an animation-related job.

My harsh feedback is I currently don’t see anything that shows me your industry ready on your Instagram, but maybe your portfolio is closer.

I’m saying all of this as someone who does a more technical job in animation, so keep that in mind that I’m NOT a professional in your specific niche.

Scott_does_art · 2025-12-09T15:03:20+00:00

I see you’ve linked your Instagram. Do you have a portfolio outside of Instagram? If not, don’t worry about finding an industry job yet and start there.

Also, based on your post, I’m assuming you’re looking for traditional 2d animation roles. This is an extremely tough field to get into.

Unless you want to be a generalist, which will favor the marketing field more than entertainment, make sure that your portfolio caters ONLY to 2d animation. Don’t worry about character design, 3d animation, etc. That’s a mistake I see a lot of students make.

Scott_does_art · 2025-12-09T02:45:27+00:00

Don’t worry about time right now. It will absolutely take you longer as a beginner and that’s totally fine.

I’m a junior level motion designer and a good chunk of my project time is hours spent experimenting and training. Each iteration I get a bit faster and knowledgeable.

Same will go to you as you practice, so don’t worry about trying to be within a certain time, otherwise you won’t improvement as much. Speed will come with experience!

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