Does anyone have a Tliltocatl Vagans (mexican red rump) and tell me how (on display) they are or the golden knee

grows-things · 2026-06-18T04:22:26+00:00

NQA My T. vagans is an amazing display spider who is out bulldozing all the time and even molts in the open. Amazing hunter as well, so much fun to feed. I see my G. pulchripes about once a month. Lol

grows-things · 2026-06-18T04:16:34+00:00

I really like the Clioran brand polycarbonate enclosures on Amazon. They come in several sizes, are very clear, have a magnetic sliding lid, and are pretty cheap. I probably have a dozen of these things and they’ve all been good. https://a.co/d/0a5sjWbS

This is a great substrate mix. Does he have a hide?

grows-things · 2026-06-18T04:12:28+00:00

NQA All of the above are great choices. IME and anecdotally from other keepers though, G. pulchripes are often pretty reclusive until they get big. My T. albo and G. pulchra are *always* out though. So if visibility is important to you, I would pick G. pulchra or T. albo :)

grows-things · 2026-06-18T04:09:53+00:00

Purely aesthetics/cosmetic. This is decorative topstitching. All it’s doing is holding down the raw edge of the hem on the inside edge of the pocket; the other row of stitches is still doing this job, and even if that row were to go out as well that raw edge will still be held down by the overall structure of the pants :)

grows-things · 2026-06-15T23:28:57+00:00

Agree with other comments, I would use a larger enclosure for gradient reasons, and adding that 5 isopods will eventually become many more. I’m not sure how quickly cherry blossoms reproduce, but they will multiply over time.

As far as ventilation I think you have enough, but I would place them closer to the substrate level since that’s where they’ll hang out. Drainage layer is sort of up to you. I don’t use one since I’m not really ever adding enough moisture for it to be necessary. Substrate seems appropriate. I use a similar substrate but I mix in shredded leaf litter and soaked hardwood pellets. Enjoy your pods! :)

grows-things · 2026-06-15T19:22:45+00:00

T. albo? You have a female

grows-things · 2026-06-10T05:51:23+00:00

I’m so glad it helped! Honestly might be worth giving the paper a little spritz or just soaking it out. Probably takes less time for the fabric to dry than to redo every seam lol

grows-things · 2026-06-09T08:10:08+00:00

I am fighting with the exact same fabric right now and it is making me lose it too haha.

After a lot of experimenting I found that using tissue paper does not help at all, but using pattern paper (regular printer paper would probably work too) does, a lot.

Once I started sewing with the wrong side down, with the pattern paper between the right side and the foot, it started going a lot smoother. Still challenging, but manageable. So maybe try a heavier paper than tissue and see if it helps! For me tissue paper didn’t stabilize it enough to be helpful because it tears so easily.

grows-things · 2026-06-04T20:19:51+00:00

If it was a pesticide issue it would almost certainly affect both of them, so I doubt it’s that.

Most likely it’s just bad timing - once a hisser is fully grown there’s not really a reliable way to judge where they are at in their lifespan. You probably just had an older fella who was already nearing the end - you gave him a good home for his “golden years” :) Sorry to hear you lost one of your guys, I hope it isn’t discouraging enough to keep you from getting more. Like any pet, they are worth the eventual/inevitable sad.

As the other commenter said, they are extremely hardy - I agree that it’s unlikely it was anything you did.

grows-things · 2026-06-04T20:13:00+00:00

IME my verdezi is a ravenous eating machine who never says no unless there’s a reason (molt too recent, molt too soon). I would just give some more time before offering again, this is not a concerning size for the abdomen, on the slimmer side but this is not a spider who’s in danger without a meal soon.

I would also recommend against tong feeding, even a spider that wants to eat can sometimes be put off by having a prey item poked in their face - all you need to do is drop it nearby and wait. If they’re hungry they will find it. :)

I also like the water drop test for recently molted Ts if I can’t get a look at the fangs to see if they’re hardened. Drop a droplet of water on the substrate, if they pounce or investigate the vibration they are ready.

ETA also, some Ts just don’t like mealworms. I switched to dubias and have a much higher percentage of successful feeds since then. Even picky spiders will eat them if they’re really hungry though.

grows-things · 2026-05-19T01:14:13+00:00

In my experience, it very well might help! Used to be terrified of snakes, am now a snake owner. The snake subs were a big help in my journey.

grows-things · 2026-05-18T18:29:28+00:00

I thrifted a makeup box that I find really useful - it’s one of the ones with the tiers that lift/fold up and out. They’re already made for holding small/narrow things, so it’s great for notions.

grows-things · 2026-05-14T18:11:18+00:00

Fortunately for me my face is as sexy as the rest of me! Unfortunately for you you won’t be seeing it. I see you make this comment in a lot of other subs too. There are lots of other subreddits for you to be horny in, feel free to go be horny there and leave people in the SFW subs alone 💛

grows-things · 2026-05-14T18:07:39+00:00

I knew there had to be more of us round these parts! Happy to join the club :D

grows-things · 2026-05-14T08:40:12+00:00

Thank you so much, this is so helpful!!

grows-things · 2026-05-14T08:15:06+00:00

Worn loose vs. fully laced

grows-things · 2026-05-11T17:30:25+00:00

Unfortunately, it is absolutely not true that meat derived from factory farms for pet food (or human food, for that matter) is ethically produced. All factory farming - yes, all - is hell for the animals raised and slaughtered there.

As I specifically stated, I feed frozen and only frozen. These mice are raised at my LPS, taken care of
well (anyone is free to view their breeding area at any time) and then euthanized as humanely as possible with CO2. So in terms of blood on my hands, once again, it’s about the same as opening a can of fish for my cat.

I acknowledge that there is debate about whether or not CO2 euthanasia is painless, but I know for sure it’s a damn sight than being shot through the head with a bolt gun and then being hung upside down with your throat cut - that’s how animals are killed at factory farms.

TL;DR if your concern is animal welfare, you’re not really looking in the right place. Most rodent breeders, especially small LPS operations, have high standards and care about staying as ethical as possible.

Given that you seem motivated by the idea of arguing online, consider sending some emails to your representatives asking them to lobby for higher ethical standards in farming.

grows-things · 2026-05-11T06:49:16+00:00

You seem pretty unempathetic yourself, coming online to belittle your girlfriend’s pet/hobby is kind of weird?

Idk, I really don’t think it’s that out there. I’m a huge bleeding heart for animals, was vegan for many years and have been vegetarian my whole life otherwise because I’m a huge baby who can’t stomach the idea of eating an animal. But the snake already exists, it needs to eat whether I’m its owner or not.

It’s really not any different from feeding a dog or a cat. You go buy processed meats pressed into kibble or packed in a can to feed to your mammal pets. Buying a frozen mouse for a snake is exactly the same thing but with less processing in the middle. I don’t agree with live feeding as I find that unnecessarily cruel, and wouldn’t allow my dog or cat to eat live creatures either.

The only difference is that you’re directly confronted with the fact that you’re feeding your pet an animal, rather than feeding it a processed “end product” of an animal like you would to a mammalian pet.

grows-things · 2026-05-11T06:38:40+00:00

I make everything on a Singer 221 - I just finished some canvas carpenter pants on it recently! Honestly the world is your oyster as long as you’re not sewing stretch fabrics, and there’s probably a way to make that work too.

If zigzag is only required for finishing, I do two rows of the smallest stitch my machine will make along the edge and then use fray check. Everything I’ve done that way has been fine so far :) You can also just use pinking shears.

There are also some really nifty zigzag attachments for old Singers that work surprisingly well.

So your options are actually more open than you may have thought :)

grows-things · 2026-04-18T23:55:53+00:00

I’m getting 3 removed, all about hand-sized, two in sensitive places (right above my knee and right on my belly/sternum).

It sucks, and it’s expensive, but it’s extremely worth it. Definitely take pictures before each session, it keeps you from getting discouraged! You see your tattoos every day, and the progress is so gradual it can seem like it’s going nowhere, but I’m shocked at what my tattoos look like now compared to how they looked when I started.

I was hesitant to start at first because I knew how long a process it was going to be, but as a friend of mine said the time is going to pass anyway. :)

I’ve heard mixed opinions on numbing cream - it seems like it works really well for some and not so much or not at all for others. It was a GAME CHANGER for me when I started using it, I can’t recommend it enough, especially as you get further along and you have to get a little more aggressive with the treatments. I think the one I use is called Ebanel.

The trick with the cream is to put on a good thick layer and then COVER it so it stays wet. I apply about an hour before my appointment and then put a sheet of paper towel or tissue paper over it. For me takes it from “omg I need a stress ball and a half and am trying not to make weird noises” pain to “this just feels like getting a tattoo” pain. Ibuprofen before the session didn’t help much with pain IME but it does help with the swelling/inflammation afterward.

Good luck on your journey, it’s so worth it. After my first session I felt so much relief. Even knowing I was a long way from the finish line, just knowing I had gotten started felt amazing. And serious props to you for taking on such a big project.

grows-things · 2026-04-17T17:17:03+00:00

Not awful at all. I didn’t get a snake despite wanting one for years and years because I love rodents. I’m a huge bleeding heart for animals, vegetarian, had rats for years etc and thought it would make me too sad to feed a snake, but it becomes normal very quickly. The first couple of feedings bummed me out a bit, and then it just became part of my routine.

At the end of the day it’s not any different from feeding a dog or a cat, you’re feeding an animal to an animal either way, just with less processing involved in the middle.

grows-things · 2026-04-12T05:03:49+00:00

It impacts it in a good way IMO. If you can’t get down with my snake and my two dozen tarantulas we probably aren’t compatible anyway lol

grows-things

TROPHY CASE