January 2011: Cyril A. Noya

My fascination for animals started when i was in my elementary years. My first pet was a dog(aspin). I can even recall its name: Baka( kay ang color mura color sa baka). As I always recall, I can always remember that there was this point in it that i got bitten by Baka. Well, as a child, of course we wouldn't stop until we get exhausted and satisfied. Then i got into rabies vaccination which was at that time, expensive and much worst, for me, painful. The irony of my world started. My parents got rid of Baka . They put him in a sack and wanted to threw him away. What i did was, I volunteered of throwing Baka but did not really throw it away instead i freed it and asked my cousin to keep it so i can still have the time to play with it. Those thoughts about it made me think that even before i already have the appreciation for animals and the heart for it.

Then as time passes, I've been more into pets. Pets like fishes( Goldfish, Carp, Swordtail, Moore, Guppy, Hammerhead sharks, and anything common in the fresh water pets)- this was around when i was in high school already, then birds like common lovebirds(a pair), a pair of African lovebirds(this only lasted for 2 years, they died), and a pair of Japanese dove like they were around in the house when i was in my early college in my first course. But unfortunately I quited on them or maybe they quited on me. Because at this point in time I considered myself as one of the irresponsible pet owners that ever existed in this world. During that time I lacked the know- how of taking care of them. This may be a lesson to anyone who have the luxury to buy anything but don't know how to value them. At this point this served as a turning point in this what I call "my life".

Lesson learned. I started from scratch again. I started with a Pitbull(Show Type) then later someone gave me a Shih Tzu. I even got pups from my Pitbulll and I am having stud service for my Shih Tzu. Since I started stating the name of my first pet, then I'd name the current. The name of my Pitbull was Cindy(She's dead already). She bore 6 healthy puppies and I only got one left and the name is Pain. Then the Shih Tzu named Prince(mom named it). Then I got another Shih Tzu(F, Abbey). Then in the house we have the ever existing Cat(don't have a name though but mostly we called it Ming-Ming). Up until now they were around in the house healthy. I got lots of plans and pets to buy like birds and fishes but i put it on hold because my family were planning to transfer. And probably I'd start having them there.

How would I maintain them? I spend half my allowance for their food. I even don't have the luxury to hang out with friends because I am keeping my money for maintenance and for new pets. My past girlfriends would even complain about me being "tihik" for them. Nah, I don't care about them though, they just can't get inside my world. This is the reason why I proceed studying Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. Then I am planning to focus more into the wildlife. This is my plan. For the love of animals. This is me. Welcome to my world.

Me into Arachnids:

It was when I was about to buy another dog, that I came to have tarantulas instead. Why? Well my mama complain about there's no more space in the house for another dog(gamay rjud amo balay). Then I researched about what pet who'd have the lesser space to occupy. I searched for lizards, snakes, birds, fishes that would satisfy me most then I stumbled into the word Tarantula in google searching for pets. Then I searched and have sites that's posting advertisement for tarantula. This really arouse my interest that there are sellers here in the Philippines( This time I don't know nga naa diay sa Cebu, palpak kaayo). Then I looked for sites that would help me guide in having this pet like " Basic Care for Tarantulas" and "Tarantulas for Beginners".

My first tarantula was C. Fasciatum. Then I bought it from Manila(nisugal ko sa ako gibuhat ani kay wala ko kaila sa nag.baligya nako ani.haha) and I actually got 2 fasciatum from it. Then I even got more T's from Manila until I found out that there are also sellers here in Cebu(palpak nasad). Then my hobby for this precious little things grew.

Like all cases, my friends told me that I got this weird hobby in the house and it's creeping them( ahahahahaha). Nah! I don't mind them as long as I am happy and they are unhappy about it, I am HAPPY!(hahaha bahala sila). I am still half a year in this hobby. So, as a newbie's job, of course, the first and the best thing to do is learn from it and have yourself a guide like books, sites and friends of course.

Now, my family( e consider nalang intawn) is growing. I got new species but last December I wasn't able to buy any. And I am saving for new ones(padako sa pamilya ba).

My arachnid set-ups:

Since I'm a newbie and most of my specimens are slings, I made them, as much as possible the best in their condition. So every single specimen must have a different care sheets like how frequent will I moist their houses and what intervals prior to feeding will I apply.

My slings were power fed like 2 times a day and for sub-adults i fed them 3 times a week. and for specimens that needed moisture, I moist their houses 3 times a week. For scorpions, since I'm new to them I just have them fed like how my T's were fed.

Sub-adult enclosures were as natural as possible. I have to give them similar to what they have in the wild though I haven't seen their real habitat but I am gathering ideas from care sheets given by other keepers. Coco peat is one needed in the hobby and water dish(applicable to sub-adults or 3inches tarantulas) to prevent them from drying out or desiccation. Then I put stones and pebbles in some enclosure for holding the temperature lower when to spraying.

Then I change substrate twice a month to prevent mites from infesting my enclosures. Then for feeders, I fed them with B. lateralis and sometimes crickets for a change of meals. Then I feed my lateralis colony with thunder hawk stag developer as advised from a friend and have them cotton balls soaked in water for drinking.

Since I'm out in the house for my studies in leyte, I left my brother, I guess he's into the hobby too, to feed my tarantulas and scorpions while I'm away. Ofcourse I briefed him with what these creatures are capable of, and his doing really good in it. I might as well introduce him to the group someday.

My pets:

Tarantulas:

Grammostola rosea
Cyclosternum fasciatum
Chilobrachys fimbriatus
Brachypelma smithi
Brachypelma albopilosum
Lasiodora parahybana
Lasiodora difficilis
Acanthoscurria geniculata
Acanthoscurria brocklehursti
Orph. sp.

Scorpions:

Heterometrus longimanus
Centruroides margaritatus
Centruroides Exilicauda

Feeders:

Turkistan Roaches
Meal Worms
Crickets
Hiissers

Others:

Cat
Shih Tzu
Pitbull
Local Turtle