#amblypygids

Clockwise from upper left: (Parasitiformes not pictured, but I do love ticks and I think they’re awesome even though I’ve had Lyme disease twice..)

Phrynus marginemaculatus (Amblypygi)

Argiope trifasciata (Araneae)

Stenochrus portoricensis (Schizomida)

Neoscotolemon spiniferum (Opiliones)

Chernetidae sp. (Pseudoscorpiones)

Hadrurus arizonensis (Scorpiones)

Mastigoproctus floridanus (Uropygi)

Eremobates or Eremocosta sp. (Solifugae)

Erythraeus sp. (Acari)

This is Morrigan after her fresh molt! She (and I say she, but really I haven’t confirmed that lol) is a Pink toe tarantula (I suspect Avicularia metallica aka Avicularia avicularia morpho type 6, but I can’t keep up with the scientific name changes and honestly I’m just not sure lol). 

This is Marilyn, an Arizona Desert Blonde or Aphonopelma chalcodes and I was super excited to have a tarantula that originates in the states. She’s a sweetheart. 

This is Petunia, the girl responsible for my getting over a pretty severe fear of spiders and my first tarantula. I’ve had her seven years and three molts and she’s been a dream. She’s a Chilean Rose Hair (Grammostola rosea or I think more accurately these days she would be called a Grammostola porteri since she’s the gray form, not red form? Scientific names are a fluid ever-changing thing!). Side note, that brown thing under her was a hornworm she refused to eat and let it pupate in her tank for some reason. She’s been a voracious eater for 7 years, but that one hornworm got a pardon lol. 

This is Morticia, she’s still a little youngster and I’ve been raising her from a tiny little spiderling for the last few years. She’s a Brazilian Black or Grammostola pulchra and they’re known for their beautiful velvety black color and their super sweet and docile personalities (I should note that even a species known for being docile is capable of biting and I keep my tarantulas as display pets for their safety and mine and have kept spiders for seven years with no escapes or bites so I’d say the less handling you do, the better!). 

And finally, a pet I’ve desperately wanted for years and finally got last year, Nzinga my tailless whip scorpion or Damon diadema. These guys are technically not even arachnids, they’re amblypygids and are basically odd enough that they have their own little order of just tailless whip scorpions). They’re just so unique and interesting and despite being one of the creepiest looking creatures I own, she’s an total pudding pop (unless you’re a tasty little bug that gets in her way). She likes to be left alone in a dark humid place and every once in awhile graces me with an appearance lol. I’m actually in the process of upgrading her from a glorified plastic jar to a proper bio-active vivarium and I’m pretty psyched about it!