They don’t tell you about the dirty jobs involved in spider care. Last week, I fed all the adults nice big juicy mealworms, which they promptly killed and then spent several days sucking on their vital fluids. Even when they’re very thorough in their consumption, though, they still leave behind a sack of chitin with organic leftovers inside.
Then it rots.
It rots thoroughly, turning black and soft and turning hairy with fungus. It has a sulfurous reek to it, as well. Then the spiders turn to me and peremptorily demand, “Renfield! Oh, Renfield! Do clean up the rotting corpses, will you? That’s a good Renfield.”
Renfield is me, if you haven’t figured that out. This morning I got to go through all the cages and pluck out decaying mealworms with a pair of forceps. This is my job. That, and regularly bringing them fresh bodies to turn into rotting corpses.
Oh well. I also got to play with my shiny new camera and take photos of my masters.
You’ll have to go to Instagram or Patreon if you want to see photos. (Hmm, I didn’t do a very good job of promoting those links with all this talk of decaying corpses, did I…)
It is my experience that a saw and a big stove will solve most disposal problems.
You do not want to dig holes in the garden, the loose soil form suspicious-looking mounds.
Ever considered studying the fungi growing on the decaying mealworms or seeing if any mycologists are intrested in doing so?
Or seeing if you can make them into something approximating cheese or beer? Add some hops or stick them in Greenlandic ice -admittedly a bit of a schlep to get specifically there – for while like that decomposed shark dish?
@1. birgerjohansson : Green bin, compost, bokashi (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bokashi_(horticulture) ) or biogas production?
Not you,
GuillermoPZ.IYKYK :)
I thought that was what grad students are for.
@ ^ feralboy12 : They are probly a bit on the large size for the spiders to eat and not sure that feeding them to the arachnids would be legal somehow..
Tough call but not sure if an undecaying corpse might not be even worse given the implications it has.. /Horror writer mind.
From the previews I’ve seen this actually looks funny. I suspect I’ll probably wait until it hits digital or RedBox before seeing it.
Get some detrivores that are too big to get eaten by spiders?
My wife actually asked me if it would be playing in town or on Netflix early this morning…so I think I’m required to go.
Erratum. Detritivores?
“Hmm, I didn’t do a very good job of promoting those links with all this talk of decaying corpses, did I…”
Depends on your target audience, which I’m sure you know well. I’m heading over to admire them right now!