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I hate spiders!

I hate spiders! Not the big, furry, eight legged hamster types; the little, leggy ones, colonising my bug room! They seem to have hatched out everywhere and are making themselves at home in each nook and cranny. I keep wiping everything down and paying special attention to the underside of the shelves but they seem to be multiplying on a daily basis. I wish I had something that would eat them. I did think about releasing little geckoes into the bug room but they would probably eat everything except the spiders and I don't think the conditions would be right. I don't want to be cruel to them.

The bug room is all going great apart from the spiders. I have mated my Vietnam Earth Tiger tarantulas this week, fingers crossed I will have an egg sac soon. The baby Vietnam scorpions have now left the safety of their mother's back and are feeding independently but I have not had any other scorpions give birth. I'm still waiting for the obviously pregnant Imperial and Flat Rock scorpions to produce babies. I will have to take them on another journey. My hubby suggested posting them to myself as a trip in the mail generally seems to do the trick but I think that's a bit over the top.

Talking of over the top - I spent a fortune yesterday on new housing for my Corn snakes. I'm not going to tell you how much, I am a bit embarrassed that I spent so much. I knew the price of the two vivariums but I didn't anticipate how expensive the lights, thermostats and other bits and pieces were and then there was vat! My hubby is at this moment putting the new housing together (it came flat packed). I hope my snakes appreciate their new homes. The day before I went on holiday my female snake laid a clutch of eggs. The eggs are looking good so I hope they will hatch shortly (I'm told 55 days, so that's next week). I will be so disappointed if they don't hatch. Goodness knows what colour they will be but it all adds to the fun. My great niece/god daughter Izzy, will be five in October so I have told her she can have a snake for her birthday. Daddy says that's fine but I'm not sure what mummy will say? I had the kids on Wednesday (as I have done throughout the holidays) but they are now in Majorca so I will actually be able to post orders again next Wednesday. It is just as well because Monday is a bank holiday, so no post. I now have our son's cat here as he is away and I'm popping back and forth to my nephew's house as I'm looking after their cat too. Honestly, all this pet sitting and I don't get paid a penny! (actually I did get a bottle of Bacardi). My hubby says I need to learn the 'no' word but that isn't going to happen. Caring for everything and everyone is clearly what I do best in life.

I collected my weekly cricket supply yesterday so I will be feeding all the spiders, scorpions and various 'bug eating' creatures over the next couple of days. I sold a large number of stick insects to a reptile shop yesterday which means less bramble to collect, thank goodness. I'm really not sure where I'm going with stick insects. I love them but sales have dwindled to a point where they are more pets than business. I have drawn a complete blank on finding a supplier of sweet jars and without the jars I just cannot post out stick insects in any quantity. It makes sense to get rid of them all before the winter sets in but I'm not sure I can do it! The only stick insects that are worthwhile keeping are the Jungle Nymphs. They are spectacular and one of my favourite bugs, I will certainly continue to keep these. I haven't seen my half male/half female nymph for a week or so. I must remember to check the tank this weekend. I expect he/she is fine for now but they rarely make it to adulthood as moulting becomes more difficult with each skin change. I will do my best and keep you posted.

The website is still in the process of being upgraded. My poor web guy is working flat out, he has a young family and they are taking their first holiday in years, next week. He hopes to have my website finished tomorrow but I'm panicking now that he will hand it over to me and I will be stuck without any help for a week! I don't know how different it will be for me to manage but as you all know by now I can't cope with technology or change so both together is a recipe for disaster. He needs to get it sorted ASAP because there are continuing issues with the payment side of things on my site. We don't know why PayPal is refusing to authorise some payments and others are going through fine. I keep asking customers to ring me but I suspect that some people just give up trying to place their order! Technology is great when it works.

Anyway I must get on, have to take my car down to the garage now for its MOT. Hope everyone has a good bank holiday weekend.


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