# My pet P. audax after molting - big surprise!



## Drainpipe (Dec 7, 2017)

So today has been a rollercoaster of a day for me as an arachno-parent. I'll start by saying that I found a P. audax not too long ago hanging out on my mailbox, while it was nearing freezing temps. Feeling bad for the spider, I figured I could give her a warm home through the winter and then release her in the spring. She had all the hallmarks of a female- large abdomen, small palps, correct color pattern, etc. She basically exemplified the female gestalt for P. audax. 

Fast forward to a week ago, she had started to make a large web hammock and was spending a LOT of time in it. Not coming out for water or food, and it seemed like a bad sign to me. I read that females would do similar behavior when they were preparing an egg sac, but shining a light into the hammock only outlined her- no other objects in there. 

Being frustrated, and scared as to why she wasn't eating, I coaxed her out this afternoon for a photoshoot. She was very keen to play on an aloe plant in the house, so I let her have her fun. She seemed to be in good spirits and lively, so I figured that everything must be alright.

















After having her out and playing with her, I figured that I was in the clear to name her (I didn't want to get too attached and then she just die). I'm a big mythology fan, so I searched around for a good name for her. The deity Anansi stood out to me because he was a "trickster". I thought this was fitting of my spider, so I feminized the name to "Nancy". So now my beautiful spider had a name... great! Again, as soon as I returned her to her enclosure Nancy went straight to her hammock.

When I came home from dinner something strange was laying on the bottom of the enclosure...






It was a cap, and it was Nancy's! She had molted while I was at dinner! I hurriedly got a pair of tweezers and retrieved the molt debris, and soon located Nancy in the upper corner of her enclosure. 






Nancy looked... buff... though. Her front legs were much longer, her abdomen had become much more svelte, and she had quite the pair of palps on her. The coloration on her was all wrong. Instead of coming out more vibrant she was pretty much all black and white save for a few patches of color on her chelicerae and abdomen. There was white on her palps... and that was not right.











(Crop of the head, still has liquid from the molt on its eyes)





Then it hit me - Nancy is a male P. audax. All this time when I thought she was making an egg sac, HE was just trying to molt. 

Ah well, HE is pretty badass. I'm calling him Mr. Nancy :lol: This has also taught me that sexing spiderlings and juveniles isn't as cut and dry as I thought. Learning something new every day!


----------



## scottkinfw (Dec 7, 2017)

Drainpipe said:


> So today has been a rollercoaster of a day for me as an arachno-parent. I'll start by saying that I found a P. audax not too long ago hanging out on my mailbox, while it was nearing freezing temps. Feeling bad for the spider, I figured I could give her a warm home through the winter and then release her in the spring. She had all the hallmarks of a female- large abdomen, small palps, correct color pattern, etc. She basically exemplified the female gestalt for P. audax.
> 
> Fast forward to a week ago, she had started to make a large web hammock and was spending a LOT of time in it. Not coming out for water or food, and it seemed like a bad sign to me. I read that females would do similar behavior when they were preparing an egg sac, but shining a light into the hammock only outlined her- no other objects in there.
> 
> ...



great pics, nice story.
I'm interested to hear about your arachnolove. What about this spider? Poisonous to people? How big is it? What do you do to interact with it? Do you snuggle with this badass?

Scott


----------



## Ryananthony (Dec 7, 2017)

Amazing work! And, thanks for the story. You have a love for spiders that I do not share, but i really appreciated the post. Thank you.


----------



## tarntyke (Dec 7, 2017)

Why not revert to your original choice of name? After all Anansi was a trickster! He fooled you and would have fooled many more. Excellent photos and story. A friend of mine had a Chilean Rose which he called Tyson as he thought he was vicious. He gave it to me - turned out to be a female to go with my Rosie. Was hand-tame not vicious at all. Attached is rubbish photo from 2004 of Rosie, my female Chilean Rose tarantula. She lived almost 25 years.


----------



## AcutancePhotography (Dec 7, 2017)

nice story and good photographs. Those are some wicked looking fangs (if that is the proper terminology).


----------



## GammyKnee (Dec 7, 2017)

Given a choice I'd always go for dogs over spiders, but I enjoyed your insights and the shots are absolutely superb.


----------



## chrysoberyl (Dec 7, 2017)

Great post! I like to have a couple spiders around the house to consume the rare fly or mosquito that gets in, but none are as interesting as your P. audax.


----------



## Drainpipe (Dec 7, 2017)

scottkinfw said:


> great pics, nice story.
> I'm interested to hear about your arachnolove. What about this spider? Poisonous to people? How big is it? What do you do to interact with it? Do you snuggle with this badass?
> 
> Scott



Thank you! This spider is a P. audax, or a 'bold jumping spider'. He is venomous, not sure on whether he would be poisonous, but the venom from what I understand is pretty mild to humans. Their fangs aren't as strong or sharp as you'd think, and even if he tried to bite me I doubt that they would pierce. I have been hand-holding basically any spider I can get my hands on since I was little. Typically just letting them run around on you hand is fun, but some try to jet pretty quick and get away. I can't recall ever being bit, but I was picking and choosing which ones to handle. No recluse or widows for me! Interaction is just me offering food to them, and they seem to appreciate that :lol:



Ryananthony said:


> Amazing work! And, thanks for the story. You have a love for spiders that I do not share, but i really appreciated the post. Thank you.



Thank you, and of course. I love photography and letting others get a new perspective on arachnids.



tarntyke said:


> Why not revert to your original choice of name? After all Anansi was a trickster! He fooled you and would have fooled many more. Excellent photos and story. A friend of mine had a Chilean Rose which he called Tyson as he thought he was vicious. He gave it to me - turned out to be a female to go with my Rosie. Was hand-tame not vicious at all. Attached is rubbish photo from 2004 of Rosie, my female Chilean Rose tarantula. She lived almost 25 years.



There's a film or book in which Anansi is portrayed as a man, and his name was Mr. Nancy. Plus I just like the ring to it. I guess I could call him Anansi and Mr. Nancy for his nickname ;D I'm actually looking to get a tarantula here soon. I was also contemplating a whip scorpion... can't decide. 



AcutancePhotography said:


> nice story and good photographs. Those are some wicked looking fangs (if that is the proper terminology).



Thank you, and perfect terminology - I knew what you were talking about!



GammyKnee said:


> Given a choice I'd always go for dogs over spiders, but I enjoyed your insights and the shots are absolutely superb.



Thank you! If I need a good hug at the end of the day I'm for sure going for a cat, but that's just me 



chrysoberyl said:


> Great post! I like to have a couple spiders around the house to consume the rare fly or mosquito that gets in, but none are as interesting as your P. audax.



Thanks! This is about the only way I got to keep Mr. Nancy. I convinced my wife that he will take care of any flies or otherwise that get into the house.


----------



## Click (Dec 7, 2017)

Nice shot, tarntyke. Not my kind of pet, but I like your picture.


----------



## FramerMCB (Dec 7, 2017)

You could have the name... Mr. A. Nancy! 8)


----------



## rpt (Dec 8, 2017)

Lovely pics and lovely story! Thanks for sharing.

Don’t feel bad about getting the gender wrong. Been there, done that - and that too with pups and kittens. 

What did you shoot with? Camera, lens etc...


----------



## scottkinfw (Dec 8, 2017)

Drainpipe said:


> scottkinfw said:
> 
> 
> > great pics, nice story.
> ...



Thank you for the epilogue. A most unique thread.

Scott


----------



## tarntyke (Dec 8, 2017)

Phiddippus audax - average size of adults ranges from roughly 13–20 millimetres (0.51–0.79 in) in length. 
Chilean Rose tarantula - medium sized tarantula. Mature females will have a body length of up to about 7.5 centimeters (three inches) and a leg span of about fifteen centimeters (six inches). While the male's body is smaller, the leg span remains the same. Huge difference in size does not show in photographs without reference scale. Go out early in Spring or Summer and try to capture macros of spiders. You will then appreciate how stunning an achievement drainpipe managed.


----------



## Drainpipe (Dec 8, 2017)

rpt said:


> Lovely pics and lovely story! Thanks for sharing.
> 
> Don’t feel bad about getting the gender wrong. Been there, done that - and that too with pups and kittens.
> 
> What did you shoot with? Camera, lens etc...



Thank you!

Pretty much all of my macros are now shot with the 5D IV and the MP-E 65mm. For light I use the MY-24EX with a custom concave diffuser. The diffuser is made from a stack of Lee gels. 



tarntyke said:


> Phiddippus audax - average size of adults ranges from roughly 13–20 millimetres (0.51–0.79 in) in length.
> Chilean Rose tarantula - medium sized tarantula. Mature females will have a body length of up to about 7.5 centimeters (three inches) and a leg span of about fifteen centimeters (six inches). While the male's body is smaller, the leg span remains the same. Huge difference in size does not show in photographs without reference scale. Go out early in Spring or Summer and try to capture macros of spiders. You will then appreciate how stunning an achievement drainpipe managed.



Ha, don’t make me blush ;D I think the hardest part that I had when I first started out was accepting that on each outing I probably wouldn’t get very many usable shots. I’m very picky about focus, especially with spiders, and want the focus to be tack sharp on the eyes. If it’s not, there has to be something in the frame worthwhile or I’ll just delete it in the field. Mr. Nancy is probably closer to .5” since he just became an adult. I can’t wait to see if he’ll get to the larger end of the scale!


----------



## razashaikh (Jan 8, 2018)

Great set of pictures.


----------



## Ozarker (May 25, 2018)

Beautiful photos and fantastic story!


----------

