I'm a tarantula AMA (selfie included)

[charabanctrip]

My name is Albie, feel free to ask me any questions

I've got my face on this morning so have a new selfie. My burrow hasn't dried out yet so I've spend the night outside.

A very nice picture - I confess I follow #spiders on Instagram.
Every day I get lovely stories of wonderful spiders

Hi Albie

This is Betts
Betts is just dropping by to say Hi 👋

Hi Betts 😘

Nice to meet you, Albie. Smiffy sounds an interesting neighbour. Do you get on or never visit each other’s burrows?

Definitely not. We can't be near any other spiders.

(plus she's too annoying)

1. You mentioned your hairs vibrating ~ does that happen when you're excited?

2. What do you actually think of your human? Are you fond of her? (In a non-edible way)

My hairs can pick up vibrations in the atmosphere so I can detect what's going on around me.

I'm very fond of my mum because she keeps me safe from the cats and pays my phone bills.

I'd like to tell you that I love your house spider cousins as they make great low maintenance pets, they sort themselves out and don't mind if I chat to them. There's one cheeky one that abseils down from the ceiling when I'm on the loo!

Sounds like a cheeky one! 😄

Ive also started following #spiders on instagram because of this thread.

Thanks for opening my world to spiders, Albie and friends!

Ive also started following #spiders on instagram because of this thread.

Thanks for opening my world to spiders, Albie and friends!

Awesome 😃😃😃

Albie I showed my 8 yo DD this thread this morning and I have to admit at first she said eurgh and I'm sorry for that. But I showed her some other pics of you and the stuff you've said and she thinks you're pretty cool and cute now I'm going to try my best to remind her and me of you next time one of your creepy cousins invades my house

Albie I showed my 8 yo DD this thread this morning and I have to admit at first she said eurgh and I'm sorry for that. But I showed her some other pics of you and the stuff you've said and she thinks you're pretty cool and cute now smileI'm going to try my best to remind her and me of you next time one of your creepy cousins invades my house

I'm glad that there's another spider fan in the world now 😃💚🕷

Hello Albie, I have suffered from arachnophobia all my life and one day in my mid forties I suddenly decided to hold a tarantula at a village fair. It was life-changing. I am still not keen on spiders (sorry!) but I can now get your smaller cousins in a tumbler and take them outside, and I am no longer hysterical at the sight of them. You are very pretty and thank you for the best AMA ever.

How does it feel to be female and yet be under zero societal pressure to shave your legs?

It;s been nice getting to know you Albie.

I used to be terrified of spiders. (Sorry). But we have some cutie house spiders and some lovely little nests in our kitchen. I love how the mummy spiders just sit near them all the time. Looking forward to hundreds of baby spiders in the fullness of time.

Hello Albie, I have suffered from arachnophobia all my life and one day in my mid forties I suddenly decided to hold a tarantula at a village fair. It was life-changing. I am still not keen on spiders (sorry!) but I can now get your smaller cousins in a tumbler and take them outside, and I am no longer hysterical at the sight of them. You are very pretty and thank you for the best AMA ever.

Well done for facing your fears 😃 I'm glad it helped.

How does it feel to be female and yet be under zero societal pressure to shave your legs?

It's so liberating and I save a fortune on not having to buy razors 😄 but then of course I have to buy four pairs of socks each time 😖

Hello Albie. I love this thread, it's given me the warm fuzzies 🥰 and it's been fascinating hearing all about you. I have a couple of questions...

Can you climb vertical surfaces?
How do you keep yourself clean? Do you groom yourself?

Albie I've always said if spiders could talk I wouldn't be so terrified! My husbands got so much better dealing with your friends, I've gone in reverse and totally freaked out ! Albie I'm scared to look at your pictures when I scroll down I'm pathetic I know! What do your neighbours think of you albie I'm scared but fascinated all at once

Can you climb vertical surfaces?
How do you keep yourself clean? Do you groom yourself?

I can climb up anything, including vertical glass. My feet are covered in microscopic hairs which help me cling on. I also have little claws on the ends of my feet. I generally feel safer on the floor of my tank though and could hurt myself if I climb too high then fall.

I keep myself clean by grooming my legs by running them through my fangs.

What do your neighbours think of you albie I'm scared but fascinated all at once

My neighbours are a bit shocked when they hear about me, but they know I can't escape and make my way into their houses.

Honestly, don't be scared of us, we're quiet, gentle and clean.

Here's a video of one of my cousins grooming herself 🙂

There is a house spider living in DD's room started out the size of a 50 cent coin and is now about the size of her palm and lives near her house plants.
She is a messy eater.

She is a messy eater.

Your dd or the spider?

The spider, drops her fly-shells (?) everywhere!

@charabanctrip

I have a neighbour who is a Mexican Red Knee Tarantula. We don't hang out together because we argue and would fight.

I'm only allowed out during cleaning out as I'm quite fragile and might get injured. I have been in the garden during the summer.

Were you not tempted to escape whilst you were in the garden?

I bet that was a sight to behold - tarantula stretching her legs in the garden

We like you Albie. My kids are much better at spiders than I am but I find you very friendly.

This is one of the best threads I've ever read in Mumsnet. Thanks Albie.