Almost Christmas!

Almost Christmas! It's a good job that November was a busy month for me as I've received a very low number of orders in December. I hope some people will order and collect next week but I'm not holding my breath. Next Wednesday will be my last day to post orders before Christmas, I know it sounds early but it isn't only the weather that becomes a problem, postal deliveries tend to become more erratic and I worry that some orders may not arrive the next day. Having said that, I haven't had any orders not arrive the next day for ages, Special Delivery is generally a very good service but I don't want to push my luck! The weather is very mild for the time of year (here in Buckinghamshire) which is nice as I detest the cold.

A new outer door was fitted in my bug room last Friday. I can't believe the difference it has made. The old wooden door was warped, difficult to open and very wet. The new door is thickly double glazed, simple to open and when a little condensation forms on the window I can simply wipe it off with a cloth. The door is wider and the window is larger, letting in more light. The locks on the old door were on the inside so I couldn't get in from outside unless I left it unlocked. The new door is fully locking and I can't believe how much warmer the whole area around that end of the bug house feels.

The bug house is looking quite depleted, which was the idea before Christmas. I still have plenty to care for but it is not as hectic as usual. Cleaning and feeding is constant but there just isn't so much of it - bliss. Much as I love the bugs and enjoy 'playing' with them, I can never explain to anyone just how much time their daily care takes. I've said it many times before but I think it is the most aggravating aspect of my work that very few people realise how busy I am on a daily basis. I suppose it is difficult to know what anyone else's job really entails unless you see it. I had a customer moaning at me a little while ago, he said I am always busy when he calls. I just said "welcome to my life".

I am writing this blog a day early again as I will be out most of tomorrow and really wouldn't have time in the morning. As it is Thursday I will have my nephew's kids this afternoon and due to a Christmas play this evening for the elder one, I will have the girls for the evening too. I love the kids dearly they are great but I don't think they would appreciate me disappearing off into my office to write the blog and due to the timing I have two lots of dinner to cook this evening as well.

Anyway enough of my domestic life and back to the bugs. I have done extremely well with breeding millipedes this year. Something that I actively set out to do earlier in the year. I just hope I can get the Giant Train millipedes breeding this time. I have some lovely large adults and have seen much mating going on. I cleaned their tank yesterday but didn't see any sign of eggs. I am keeping them in a large Exo Terra vivarium, rather than the usual large plastic boxes. They have a light on during the day and a heat mat on the side of the cage. They seem to enjoy climbing around on the branches that I've put in the cage. Fingers crossed for the patter of multiple, tiny feet in the new year. I didn't disturb the substrate too much so there may be eggs in there? I'm hoping that the lighter, airier cage may encourage them to reproduce. Talking of reproducing, great excitement this week, when I came to feed the scorpions I found that three of my Chile scorpions had got babies on their backs. They are not large species so the babies are pretty tiny but I'm sure they will be fine feeding on micro crickets. I just hope I can get them to that stage. The boxes were a little damp so I have had to disturb them a bit and scorpions with babies really don't like to be disturbed. I still have a couple more that are clearly about to give birth so I'm really pleased. I knew they looked gravid when I bought them but with scorpions there is no guarantee they will ever give birth. I've said it so many times before, there is still so much to learn about scorpion breeding in captivity. I do not know why so many babies are reabsorbed or the gravid female dies or they only have babies after a journey. I know it sounds crazy but I have had so many people notify me that their scorpion has given birth a week or two after they have received it in the post. Perhaps it applies a little to tarantulas as well. I was most irked recently when a customer let me know that the Chile Beauty he had just got from me had laid an egg sac. Oh well, he's a sweet guy and said I can have some of the babies when they are born, very nice of him. My baby Tail-less Whip scorpions are growing nicely, I think these bugs are so cute (even if others think they are grotesque, namely my husband).

Must get going, my elderly neighbour just popped in and needs some help. I also had to stop in the middle of the blog to take the dog for a walk. I MUST finish writing my Christmas cards today, it is tormenting me. I keep writing a few but it is job that I loathe (sorry but I really do). My hubby never writes a card, rarely wraps a present, moans like a drain if I make him come Christmas shopping with me. Is that fair? One day I am going to go on a Caribbean cruise and escape Christmas altogether! Bah Humbug :)