The things we do for love

[delphipsmith]

Mr Psmith's biggest tarantula, Shelob, molted last week. He asked if I would kindly allow him to pose it on my face. In a moment of insanity (or possibly due to the three glasses of wine I had had), I said yes.



(click to embiggen...as if that f**ker needs to be any bigger...)

Comments

[gelsey.livejournal.com]

Holy mother of God.

Yeah it'd take at least that many glasses of wine for me too.

[delphipsmith]

I was kind of wishing I'd had a fourth lol

[toblass.livejournal.com]

Eeeeeeeep!!!!!!!

[delphipsmith]

Pretty much the only thing out of my mouth. Along with "hurry hurry hurry hurry hurry..."

[madeleone]

Woman, are you insane? I've got the creepy crawlies just looking at the photo!

[delphipsmith]

Well, when you've been around them as long as I have (my brother had one when we were kids) they kind of grow on you. They really are quite beautiful. Though even prettier when viewed from a distance. And behind glass ;)

[mundungus42.livejournal.com]

Gracious. You are an enormously good sport! Shelob must be absolutely magnificent, though I confess to being not the world's most learned authority on arachnid beauty. Though now I'm curious how much bigger a tarantula named Ungoliant would be...

[delphipsmith]

She really is quite an elegant beastie. If you want to see her moving about, we've got a video up here. That's from two years ago, so she's even bigger now!

[mundungus42.livejournal.com]

Haaaa! Excellent use of a tarantella! And she is remarkable. There are some critters that give me the heebie jeebies, but I'm kind of glad spiders don't because they are interesting and cool.

[a-boleyn.livejournal.com]

That's scary

[delphipsmith]

As you can tell, I had my eyes tight shut so I didn't see anything!

[mimimanderly.livejournal.com]

...And now I'd make him pose with it -- using it as a codpiece!

I can tell from your body language that you were terrified: hand over the neck, protecting the carotid artery is a classic "give". As is the clenched "smile". Seriously -- codpiece.

[delphipsmith]

Mwahahaaaaaa!! Brilliant XD

[delphipsmith]

Also hand over the neck, protecting the carotid artery is a classic "give" -- really? Did not know that, fascinating. I do know that it was instinctive, I couldn't help myself lol

[lash-larue.livejournal.com]

Either you redefine the term "little person", or that is the second biggest spider I have ever seen.

L

[delphipsmith]

I'm 5'2", so yeah, she's just damn big. Second biggest? The first being...?

[lash-larue.livejournal.com]

That was a "Get Smart" reference. I sometimes forget how old I am.

Shelob is obviously a very healthy spider, to leave such an intact molt.

What do you feed her, mice, or the neighbor's children?

L

[delphipsmith]

I used to love Get Smart! But I don't recall that reference. At the library where I work, we have a big jar of earplugs with a sign saying CREATE YOUR OWN CONE OF SILENCE. I always laugh, though I'm sure none of the small children masquerading as college students get it :)

She is quite big and healthy, yes. She eats giant cockroaches, mostly; maybe once a year we give her a treat of a fuzzy.

The neighbors...no longer have children. MWAHAHAHAAAA!!!

[teddyradiator.livejournal.com]

Um, I really hate to sound like a wimp, but would you terribly mind putting this under an LJ cut? I don't usually ask, but I have almost imbecilic arachnophobia, and this photo is literally making me have a panic attack every time I scroll.

I appreciate you have every right to tell me to take a flying leap, but it really is making me struggle to breathe everytime I check my LJ.

[delphipsmith]

Of course!! Tis done. So sorry, I should have thought of that, thank you for asking. I'm sure there are others that will be grateful :)

[teddyradiator.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I'm apologise profusely; I know it's a very big no-no to interfere with another person's journal entry, but I thank you from the bottom of my heart! ♥

[delphipsmith]

Totally not a problem, my dear. If it makes you feel better, I did in fact get two more requests, right after yours :)

[iulia_linnea.livejournal.com]

I saw this pic and all I could think was, Nope. *snorts* And then Shog and I went and read up on Shelob's kind. :P She really is quite impressive.

You did say "biggest"—do they all live together in the same terrarium, or would that be bad?

[delphipsmith]

No, they are territorial and will kill one another. Also, like most spiders, the female kills the male following mating (don't we all occasionally feel that we'd like to do that lol?!?), so you can't keep different genders together. So we have a room with lots and lots of tanks on shelves :)

[mywitch.livejournal.com]

**screams and runs away**
(new crack on iPhone screen)

[delphipsmith]

lol Sorry for the terror!!

[haruhi-fan.livejournal.com]

GEEBUS!

[delphipsmith]

I know, right???