R.I.P. Toad <3
Dec 20, 2021 | Daytona Beach, FL
Well, this day was an inevitable day. We noticed that Toad, our pet spider, hadn't been doing too well for a few days, maybe a week. She was getting really slow and having a really hard time finding and catching her food (crickets). We worried something was up with her since she was very old for a grass spider, but what were we to do? It's not like we can just waltz into the veterinarian's office and ask them to put her on a microscopic I.V. drip or something.
We started finding her in weird places within her enclosure. Places she would never really go before. We knew she was probably confused and we didn't know how to help. Erika gave her a bit of water since she she usually gets it from her food, but like I mentioned, hadn't been eating. She drank a bit of water but didn't improve.
This morning, the morning of the 20th, we woke up and found that she was died over night. Erika cleaned out her enclosure and discovered all of the egg sacs she had been laying since we had her. They weren't ever going to hatch of course, since they weren't fertile. But Erika took pictures of them to maybe teach others about how cool and interesting spiders can be. Erika also went to the store to purchase some isopropyl alcohol to preserve Toad's body in.
In honor of Toad, Erika picked up some spider-themes items that were on sale from Halloween. First were some spider candles. Then she got some spiderweb cupcake liners and made blueberry muffins. Lastly was a spider shaped imprint that she used for making her classic, orange flavored sugar cookies.
We were sad, but tried to look on the bright side. We realized that traveling will be a bit easier for us know since we don't have a sensitive little spider to worry about. R.I.P. Toad <3
The tide, all the way up to our fence
The tide, all the way up to our fence
Stage 1: This is what a spider egg sac look like at first. The spider mom covers it in dirt, dead bugs, and debris to hide it from any predators. We watched her do this one time and she just stuffed a bunch of dirt in her mouth with her arms and carried it into her nest. It was pretty weird but funny to watch.
Stage 1: This is what a spider egg sac look like at first. The spider mom covers it in dirt, dead bugs, and debris to hide it from any predators. We watched her do this one time and she just stuffed a bunch of dirt in her mouth with her arms and carried it into her nest. It was pretty weird but funny to watch.
Stage 2: Once you clear the egg sac of all the debris, this is what it looks like. Pure white, soft silk. And oftentimes perfectly round. Some breeds of spider lay egg sacs that look spikey.
Stage 2: Once you clear the egg sac of all the debris, this is what it looks like. Pure white, soft silk. And oftentimes perfectly round. Some breeds of spider lay egg sacs that look spikey.
Stage 3: If you open the egg sac, this is what you'd see. Small, circular eggs. Toad's eggs were orange. I don't know if other spider lay different colors. These ones were kind of older and so they were a little dry.
Stage 3: If you open the egg sac, this is what you'd see. Small, circular eggs. Toad's eggs were orange. I don't know if other spider lay different colors. These ones were kind of older and so they were a little dry.
A throwback picture to when she was younger and healthy. Eating a cricket.
A throwback picture to when she was younger and healthy. Eating a cricket.
A photo of her when we still lived in California and she didn't live in an enclosure.
A photo of her when we still lived in California and she didn't live in an enclosure.
Preserved for now until we set her up in a permanent specimen display.
Preserved for now until we set her up in a permanent specimen display.
A picture of an egg sac we took out of her enclosure long ago, when she was younger. These ones aren't all dry like the ones in the other photo.
A picture of an egg sac we took out of her enclosure long ago, when she was younger. These ones aren't all dry like the ones in the other photo.