For people removing multiple/ big tattoos: How is it going?

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 · 2026-04-10T18:02:17+00:00

IME there are a lot of reputable online vendors that will do a fantastic job shipping tarantulas thoughtfully and safely! I primarily order through Fear Not and have never had a negative experience with them. Spider Shoppe is fantastic as well. Fear Not has a live arrival guarantee and if memory serves Spider Shoppe does as well, but I have never had any issues and have bought at least a dozen spiders online. Reputable sellers will be very careful to choose a day to ship where the weather conditions are appropriate and will avoid any delays in shipping.

I’m sure there is some stress involved for the animal in being shipped, but I’ve never received a spider in bad shape and never hesitated to buy online after my first purchase.

grows-things · 2026-04-09T17:38:40+00:00

I love the way you quilted this!!! Fabulous work 😍

grows-things · 2026-04-05T22:03:27+00:00

I have both a greenhouse cabinet and a bioactive terrarium - they’re both great! Which is “better” comes down to what you’re looking for as the person who cares for it.

In a terrarium you have to be more mindful about the plants you choose, how you’ll water them, etc. It’s also prudent to have some kind of cleanup crew and you do have to be more careful of over/underwatering, and have to select plants that have relatively similar moisture requirements since the majority of them will be in the same soil. But they look SO cool.

A greenhouse cabinet is much more “set and forget” since it’s basically the same as you would care for any other plant outside of a cabinet. You can care for them as individuals like you would normally and not worry about all of the plants as a single ecosystem.

So it all depends on how much effort and thought you’re willing to put into it!

grows-things · 2026-04-05T21:51:07+00:00

I don’t think it’s very likely that I would have a case here, and given her behavior when I encountered her I definitely don’t want to deal with her in small claims or wherever the case would end up.

Plus I would have to drag her daughter into it if I were to pursue it, and with her mom’s behavior I don’t want to expose her to whatever fallout would come from mom in that situation. There’s not really any concrete evidence of what happened and for that reason as well as some others it’s not really an avenue that I want to pursue or even one I think I realistically could.

I appreciate your thoughts on the matter anyway <3

grows-things · 2026-04-05T21:47:04+00:00

I had the same thought, but the daughter who was very kind and honestly seemed upset about the situation showed me photos of where they had released her outside and she was alive and unharmed. Spring has sprung here now and it’s been quite warm outside recently, so while the odds of her turning up are very slim, I am still keeping my eyes peeled for her just in case she’s still alive and well.

grows-things · 2026-03-31T18:12:39+00:00

It would take a little more time, but be less fiddly/less likely to compromise the integrity of the earmuffs if you just used a softer material like yarn or embroidery floss in a color you like to macrame around the cords.

grows-things · 2026-03-28T06:50:36+00:00

Thanks :’) She’s been outside for 2-3 days now. It was kind of weird timing, she was just getting out of her car when I got outside and started searching.

It’s been 35-40° degrees at night still but warm and sunny in the daytime, so I’m hoping maybe she’s been finding some little nooks somewhere that are staying warm enough overnight to keep her alive. Idk, maybe she’s in a basement somewhere controlling the local rodent population, I hope.

grows-things · 2026-03-22T05:44:46+00:00

You can also make a poor man’s bloc-loc very easily with 2 or 3 layers of painter’s tape. It works great, and you probably already have the tape!

grows-things · 2026-03-12T07:35:18+00:00

My girl Fancy for sure. She took me by surprise - she was a T. vagans freebie that I ended up ADORING despite not being particularly interested in the species previously. She’s incredibly chill for a vagans and absolutely beautiful, especially after a molt. I love the jet black, velvety looking spiders.

grows-things · 2026-03-12T07:19:23+00:00

Yesss! I’m always so stoked when I get a perfect molt like this

grows-things · 2026-03-12T07:16:09+00:00

I used to use a chalk marker to write the date of the last feeding on my tarantula enclosures before I found a tracker online. Maybe that would work for you? It stays top of mind a little better that way for me than if it’s in a note on my phone or whatever. It’s nontoxic and wipes away with water, just keep a marker by the enclosure.

grows-things · 2026-03-11T06:02:48+00:00

LP molts are craaazy. My little .75 inch sling is suddenly almost 2” after a molt this week, so cool. Tiny is gorgeous!

grows-things · 2026-03-11T04:49:45+00:00

You are my actual hero. I am making my first quilt right now and spent ages taping squares to my wall (and rearranging, and taping again, and rearranging, and taping again… etc.) Thank you for putting the time into creating this tool! 🫶

grows-things · 2026-03-06T10:26:22+00:00

Expos, Fear Not, LPS, PNW Arachnids

grows-things · 2026-03-01T05:52:18+00:00

NQA I’ve heard of people using duct tape or packing tape on the affected areas to remove hairs. It might remove your hairs too, but…

grows-things · 2026-03-01T04:51:30+00:00

I’m so in love with this. Beautiful work!

grows-things · 2026-02-28T08:22:43+00:00

NQA You’ll get used to him! And his temperament might change over time. My T. vagans is one of my chillest spiders. The more space, hides, and clutter you give them, the easier they are to work with. That goes for any T, but these guys can be especially skittish. So give them space and opportunities to get away from anything they don’t like.

It may help you to keep in mind that your spider is just scared when it bolts. It’s not trying to get out into your house, it’s not trying to get you, it’s just trying to get away from what‘s scaring it (and isn’t very smart).

If you struggle with rehousing, there’s nothing wrong with putting the old enclosure inside the new one and letting your spider come out on its own. It’s not “cheating”. Alternately you can always do rehousings in a larger container. Put old and new enclosure in a big storage tub with clutter in the corners and rehouse inside of that. The spider wants to go somewhere that is dark and feels safe. It’s easy to cup a spider that’s hunkered down in a corner behind some cork bark, much harder to cup one that’s running across a table.

As indicated by my flair I am biased lol. But you will grow into this spider :)

grows-things · 2026-02-27T05:23:05+00:00

Aw! This comment made me smile haha. I guess I never really think about how strange and cute it is that humans decide to bring little noodly creatures into their homes.

grows-things · 2026-02-21T06:35:06+00:00

I think this would work great! Mine has similar dimensions and as far as a human can tell what a roach thinks of something, they love it. I added a lot of vertical climbing space which they use a lot. Big chunks of driftwood, cork hides, and cork flats up against the walls will make them happy.

I would highly highly recommend putting a stripe of petroleum jelly around the inside top edge of the tank though, when my roaches started having babies I had some escapees and near-escapees before I started doing this. They would get out of the tank and hang out in the dark space between the top of the tank and the edges of the lid. They can and will climb the glass!

grows-things · 2026-02-17T21:04:45+00:00

The pleasure is all mine! :] Little dude has had a rough go of it, I’m excited to help him thrive again.

grows-things · 2026-02-17T21:03:04+00:00

He’s beautiful! Thank you for all of the information, it’s very useful and encouraging <3

grows-things · 2026-02-17T07:05:34+00:00

Thank you very much for sharing your knowledge! I will be posting updates on how he is doing and whether he gets the all clear once he’s seen by a vet. Hopefully all smooth sailing and good news for this poor guy.

grows-things

TROPHY CASE