Virginia Cheeseman Blog

A much better week all round. The weather has improved throughout the week and there have been no problems with the post. We did have snow again on Monday though. I couldn't believe it, one minute it was raining and then the cotton wool ball snow came down and started settling. Thankfully it had disappeared by the afternoon. The spider collection that I was waiting for last Friday did arrive and all spiders were fit and healthy. Within the collection was a huge Goliath Birdeater, I do find that the 'hairs' on the Goliath spiders are far more itchy than all the other species of tarantula. I am quite glad that she is being picked up from me tomorrow. I received a large number of spiderlings from a European contact on Wednesday. I have just about finished housing and feeding them all. They went up on the website yesterday and overnight I have already received several orders for them. Oh the power of the internet! I cannot believe how the website has transformed my business si...

Business is booming but it's still only me! I am really pleased that the website, launched only last September, has been such a success. Orders are pouring in but at times it is very difficult to keep up with it all. The beginning of the week is frantic because I have all the orders that have accumulated from Thursday to Sunday, when there is no Special Delivery post. Generally I am getting sorted out by Wednesday and then Thursday is the cut off point and the build up of orders starts all over again. The weather still continues to be cold and yet again I have had problems with the post. I so rarely lose anything in the post and yet over the last couple of weeks I have had several animals arrive dead (more than I have had in the last couple of years). This is very sad, I actually posted a replacement spiderling on Monday and that too arrived dead. In all my considerable years of running this business I don't think I have ever had this happen. I ended up refunding the order so ...

A tough week emotionally! I have never had so many orders to deal with and the extra work has bought with it many problems. I have had several parcels delayed (I despair of Royal Mail), I had my first fatality of a spider posted abroad. Last but certainly uppermost in my mind is the death of another aunty. I hadn't been to a funeral in years and now I have two in less than a week. The second funeral is next Tuesday, it is again a long distance away so I will not be available the entire day and of course that will mean that I only have three days to post orders next week. Please be patient, most people have been really nice and understand that I am struggling with everything at this sad time. There is only one guy that I would like to strangle but if I am not allowed to strangle him I would certainly like to find a way to ban him from using my website! I know you can't please everyone but I can't help trying to. The bug house residents are doing great. My Natal Brown tarant...

Spring is approaching. I can finally say that it is spring next month! The weather has been considerably warmer these last couple of days, which is good as I have had a lot of new live stock this week. I have two parcels of spiders due today so I will be busy housing and feeding them all and entering them on the website. It's been another really busy week with lots of orders coming in. I am trying to keep a good range of bugs but some of my 'little friends' take far too much effort, I cannot wait until the praying mantids have sold out. I love mantids but I cannot continue to sell them. I don't like posting them as they moult so frequently, I get attached to them as I spend so much time feeding them and (trying to think of a tactful way to put this) I simply get too many enquiries about them and continual hassle. On a personal note it was my birthday on Wednesday '21 again', my husband was away with work and I had a lot of orders to get out that day but the fa...