An Instagram user has disclosed fascinating videos of his tarantulas shedding their external skin in order to grow.
The tarantula lover from Japan who goes by the username Shuyaman13 on Instagram revealed that despite his country’s prejudice towards the huge spiders he loves taking care of them.
The user said in a statement obtained by Newsflash: “By seeing these creatures together with the terrariums I make, I would like to show that they are beautiful and that they are not scary creatures if handled with the right knowledge.”
Two of the user’s videos show a Red Island Birdeater tarantula as well as a Cuban bronze tarantula twitching as they break out of their outer hardened shell known as an exoskeleton.
They have to undergo moulting before a new, larger exoskeleton hardens after they shed their previous, smaller exoskeleton.
Red Island Birdeater tarantulas, scientifically known as Phormictopus atrichomatus, typically originate from the Dominican Republic and Honduras and are native to Central America.
Shuyaman13 claimed that he reportedly got the Red island birdeater Tarantula when it was still a baby in March 2021.
The Cuban bronze tarantula in turn, also familiar as Phormictopus auratus, is a new world terrestrial tarantula that is endemic to the island of Cuba.
Another video shared by Shuyaman13 showed a Cuban Purple tarantula (Phormictopus cautus) walking on the user’s hand immediately after moulting.
Shuyaman13 said: “It’s very beautiful because it is a video immediately after moulting. Very similar to the Phormictopus atrichomatus mentioned earlier.
“The country of origin is roughly classified as South America.”
(@shuyaman13/Newsflash)
(@shuyaman13/Newsflash)
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Story By: Georgina Jadikovska, Sub-Editor: Marija Stojkoska, Agency: Newsflash
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