Wilhelmina

[BirdManDan]

I had no idea that it took so long for tarantulas to get to full size. I would have thought 2 years of age they would be full size!

 

[faislaq]

I had no idea that it took so long for tarantulas to get to full size. I would have thought 2 years of age they would be full size!

Me, too. I am fascinated by little things that look like their full-sized counterparts; miniatures, certain plants and animals and even children with grown up mannerisms.

Do you happen to have any pictures of your dear Wilhelmina, @hrafn? And I am very curious about her pill bottle, too. She sounds like your own Thumbelina.

 

[camelotshadow]

Really sad. I do respect spiders & there purpose. I never knew they took more than 2 years to mature.

She sounded like a dear itsy bitsy spider & I am really sorry she did not make it to adulthood.

 

[BirdManDan]

How did you come by the name Wilhelmina? Years ago I worked with a woman named Kim because when she started dating a colleg boy, he said to her the very first time they were introduced the following. After she said my name is Wilhelmina he replied to her no your name is Kim, I'm not going to date a Wilhelminaso you will be called Kim and that's exactly what he called her from that point on! Believe it or not they got married and have been so for 40+ years. To this day she goes by Kim.

 

[hrafn]

 

[Mizzely]

oh my gosh, so cute and tiny!!!

 

[BirdManDan]

How long does it take to get to full size?

 

[faislaq]

How did you come by the name Wilhelmina? Years ago I worked with a woman named Kim because when she started dating a colleg boy, he said to her the very first time they were introduced the following. After she said my name is Wilhelmina he replied to her no your name is Kim, I'm not going to date a Wilhelminaso you will be called Kim and that's exactly what he called her from that point on! Believe it or not they got married and have been so for 40+ years. To this day she goes by Kim.

I'm glad it worked out well for her, but that story makes me sad. That was so mean of him. I don't think my name is particularly awesome, but to have it discounted out of hand like that would hurt my feelings. Would he not have grown to love her name as we've all grown to love the"warts" of our other halves?

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She was so tiny and perfect. And to think it took two years is astounding. You must have had to take care tending to such a fragile being! And is that fluffy white bit her web? What on earth could something so delicate have caught in the wild?

Her home was only the size of a quarter but she could have turned cartwheels in it! Thank you for sharing her with us.

 

[hrafn]

@BirdManDan, I've always just loved the name. Ive always wanted tarantulas named Wynifred, Wilhelmina, Martha, Wendy, Dorothy and Betty. I think they're cute.
Your friend's hubby sounds like a dillhole though, that was so rude.

@faislaq, at her littlest she was eating wingless fruit flies, and they were still bigger than her.
She was just on her way to being big enough to kill her own teensy weensy crickets. She was very determined, she was spinning webs like nobody's business.

I think it was the heatwave that got her. I was working hard to keep her humidity up, but everyone's water has been evaporating insanely fast. Slings can't handle dryness, and dessicate. I'm so heartbroken. I worked so hard and loved her so much.
I don't know if I'll be brave enough to try raising tarantulas from anything smaller than 1/2 inch after losing Mina. She was so so delicate.

 

[camelotshadow]

Try a bigger baby or a home where you can control the atmosphere better. Maybe the pill jar was just too small???

Cool...Don't give up though as you gave her your best. Not all of them grow to adulthood in the wild either so she had more than many...

 

[ode.to.parrots]

I am so sorry for your loss.

 

[Nikomania]

So sorry to hear of Wilhelmina's passing.
My son has a very large tarantula, and now I'm beginning to wonder just how old he is based upon how tiny your little one was at the age of 2. Had no idea that they could live such a long time.

 

[Cynthia & Percy]

I am so sorry for your loss

 

[hrafn]

So sorry to hear of Wilhelmina's passing.
My son has a very large tarantula, and now I'm beginning to wonder just how old he is based upon how tiny your little one was at the age of 2. Had no idea that they could live such a long time.

Often the larger the tarantula, the slower they grow. Mina probably would have reached full size around 10 years old, then lived another 20+ years as a female. Males of her species only live to around 10, as male tarantulas die shortly after reaching maturity. Poor boys!

 

[camelotshadow]

Wow!!!! Amazing...
Almost would like one for my plumeria patio as there are crickets but the small lizards have taken care of that..

 

[Love My Zons]

I am so sorry for your loss. I had no idea it took that long for them to grow. I hope you find peace with her passing.

 

[BirdManDan]

@BirdManDan, I've always just loved the name. Ive always wanted tarantulas named Wynifred, Wilhelmina, Martha, Wendy, Dorothy and Betty. I think they're cute.
Your friend's hubby sounds like a dillhole though, that was so rude.

@faislaq, at her littlest she was eating wingless fruit flies, and they were still bigger than her.
She was just on her way to being big enough to kill her own teensy weensy crickets. She was very determined, she was spinning webs like nobody's business.

I think it was the heatwave that got her. I was working hard to keep her humidity up, but everyone's water has been evaporating insanely fast. Slings can't handle dryness, and dessicate. I'm so heartbroken. I worked so hard and loved her so much.
I don't know if I'll be brave enough to try raising tarantulas from anything smaller than 1/2 inch after losing Mina. She was so so delicate.

I can't believe she went along with it!

 

[sunnysmom]

I'm very sorry for your loss.