Mindanao Tarantula and Scorpion Society Meet

Hobbyists, arachnid lovers, tarantula and scorpion keepers, arachnofreaks, arachnoholics, whatever you call us, we are different people who share the same passion. And for the 3rd time we made a successful gathering, shared our experiences, knowledge. And of course, what would the meet be without our dear arachnids?

The Hobbyists

Captivated by the beauty these little beasts bring

The enclosures

trying to identify the gender

Me, handing the itchy brachy 

Me, coaxing P. regalis. Just look at Sir Gary's expression.

This is one speedy nasty little devil

Orange Baboon Tarantula. Look, but don't touch

Beautiful GBB.

These are just some of the pictures. There's actually a lot of them beauties, spiders, scorpions, and even the feeder roaches too.

Zipline at Extreme Samal Adventure

It was a sunny Saturday afternoon, the sun was high, the boys were having their usual RH drinking spree sessions (take note, under the scorching sun), then an american guy approached us and said "You should be doing this."

He showed us a picture of a high cliff (about 130 feet? if I got it right), with a rope connected to the sea. I really don't have any idea what the hell was that, all I know is that it'll be another adventure that's about to take place one lazy afternoon.

It was a ZIPLINE! the moment we saw the photo, everyone agreed to try it without any hesitations, without second thoughts. :)

We paid 100 pesos for 2 slides instead of the regular rates which is 150 pesos.

The money is all worth it. :)

Daphne, Jonah, and me

Beach Escapade with my Second Family

Beach, booze and good laughs. Nothing beats spending the whole weekend with your barkada. :)

Fear Factor

 It's all about my creepy crawly tarantulas again. Well I've been into this hobby for a long time and to tell you honestly I've only handled quite a few of my pets - the ones with a docile temperament.

I never thought of handling my most aggressive spiders, fearing i might get bitten.. well, the bite i can take, but the potency of the venom makes me think twice about handling them... i've read a lot of stories of people being bitten by their tarantulas and the severity of the bite reported ranges from a mild stinging pain to a week of agonizing pain of muscle cramps (i've read this somewhere in arachnoboards.com)

My C. huahini up close

So one day, I went out of my wits and thought of handling 2 of my most aggressive spiders:
Poecilotheria regalis (Indian Ornamental Tarantula) - she's 7.5cm(around 3inches) legspan, she's actually very fast and easily startled. And the Chilobracys huahini (Huahini Bird-eater/Asian Fawn Tarantula) -she's 4.5inches legspan, poses a threat pose at slight movement, and she's very fast.

Some info i got about these certain critters i have:

Poecilotheria regalis is probably the most popular ornamental in the hobby. Like the other pokeys, they are purported to have powerful venom compared to most other tarantulas. They are native to India as their name would suggest. Their speed makes them a poor choice for the beginner, but they're a beautiful classic for those with more experience. (source)

Poecilotheria regalis: There are individuals of this species that are prone to biting, but the three I have prefer to run. As they are capable of lightning speed, it is a quite effective defensive manuever. Some people that have been bitten by Poecilotheria have endured some swelling and cramping, which suggests that being bitten is wisely avoided. Their speed alone makes them a "look but don't touch" display spider. (source)

Poecilotheia regalis: One of the most popular, having brilliant patterns reaching 8" and very bulky. Aggressive arboreals, like all attractive pokies, reports of high potency of venom follows this spider with recommended caution. (source)

I could hardly find care sheets about my C. huahini over the internet, they're not that popular.. but hobbyists(from around the world) report that these creatures are very fast and aggressive. It is not recommended for a beginner.

Despite the information I've learned about them, I was a bit reluctant to handle them for the first time. But I did.

Beginners should not try handling these. They're still dangerous and the life of the spider is also at risk.

handling P. regalis

beautiful. you should see the color under them - striking bright yellow

my name plate, for size comparison

Handling C. huahini

We have a duckling! :)

My sister won this from a 'random lucky pick' from a vendor outside her school. I feel sad for the ducklings though. Helpless to become a prize. Who knows what their fate would be in the hands of a kid? Geez. Anyway, this one's a cutie and very sweet too. 

RF Online.. A New Dawn

     It’s February 26, 2008 and this is the day RF Online Philippine players have been waiting for. And I just wanted to share something….

    A repost from my previous blog:

      I can’t remember how and when it all started; what I can remember back then is that Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game (MMORPG) became a hit to old and young ones, especially those of my age. It spread like wildfire and is totally getting epidemic. But I wasn’t really interested to that especially when I learned that you have to pay to play. Just think about this, you have to pay both for the game time and internet connection at the same time.. Definitely you are being ripped off. To those who fell for such, how pathetic.

     Way back then, I was introduced to iRose Online. It was my very first MMORPG, it’s free and I really really enjoyed it. Although it was a bit more like a childish game because of the graphics, I really enjoyed the community since I’m not only interacting with pinoys online, but other people from different countries as well. I was so pissed off when Rose Online was adapted by Level-up-Games, and certainly they implemented that P2P(pay-to-play) scheme which made me say I’m NEVER going to play any games that have game time rates.

    Although I tried playing the first free hours of p2p games like ragnarok, guildwars, and tantra  - none of them really suites my taste. I also tried flyff, it’s a good game, but I didn’t find it interesting either.

    I tried other online games which are for free and I found myself at the halls of the schools of Ran Online, it’s free for life and it was fun – well at first it was, but I didn’t like the community since it was infested with trashtalkers, kids, or most likely adults who acted like kids. I stopped playing it of course.

    Then I came across an internet café and saw a lot of people playing RF Online. Although I wasn’t really interested I tried playing it at home. And I just don’t know why I certainly got hooked and addicted to it. It’s a pretty decent game with a lot of new stuff to the MMORPG world that hasn’t been. It is at least different from most other MMORPGs because the skills are dependent on how much time and usage you put into it and not what your level is. Combining Sci-Fi and Fantasy is excellent and the graphics are really awesome. I love the story, the concept, pvp, chipwars, battle dungeon, the team-play and more updates to come. I love the community, the social interaction, everything! I just can’t get enough of it. Curiosity did kill the cat. It’s Level-Up’s most expensive game at that time, but I didn’t mind. And eating my words isn’t really me at all, but I did.

—–

    I actually stopped playing this for more than a year because I’ve been very busy with my life. Well at least by now, I have lots of time to work, to study, to be with myself, my love ones and my friends, and I can still find time to play. I’m back to Novus Sector.

    And what has really drawn me to write something today? I was waiting for RF Online’s Crimson Dawn patch. It will be up some time late this evening. I can’t wait. xD

Tomorrow is another year

                The year is about to end. A fresh new year is about to begin. A new chapter of my life is about to unfold. What lies ahead of me? Will there be a change? Will I accept the change? Or will I just stand up in the same place I’m standing on right now?

                I could still remember those tormenting months I had when my mom and I used to have a feud. Our fight really made a drastic change in my life - it was actually a catastrophe. I have neglected my studies and my responsibilities; I’ve lost myself and almost lost my faith. It didn’t only affect my life, but the lives of those who cared for me as well. It really made a deep cut into my heart that I thought it would be impossible to heal. But those events made my life more meaningful, it made me see the real beauty of a simple yet complicated life. It made me stronger than I was before. And lastly, it made me learn how to forgive.

            Where I am and what I’ve become right now is all because of the things that happened in my past and with the help of our good Lord. Perhaps, I’ve lost a lot, I’ve lost too much. Yet, I have gained something that will always be with me and will never be taken away from me... That is having the courage and will to forgive the ones who once hurt me inside.

            It wasn't easy, but I did. Forgiveness made my heart feel light as a feather floating in the open air. It was indeed an enlivening and wonderful feeling.

            Past is past as the cliché goes, but the past shouldn't be forgotten because it molded me in to what I am today. The scars are still visible, nonetheless, my heart is happy and wound-free. Those traces of a bitter yesterday will always be there to remind me of the things that happened along my journey. Those scars are there to show me how strong I’ve become, how I’ve handled the trials that were given to me, and how I've managed not to give up and keep going even when everything is getting tougher each day.

            My past gave me a positive outlook of life. These painful events made me a better and stronger person. These bitter-sweet memories that I have will always remain in me as I cherish the time I call today.

            The year is about to end. A few hours from now will be the start of 2008. Will I have a fresh start? Of course…yes. My heart is free from resentment, and I’ve yielded all the burdens inside me. Nothing beats the feeling of having a happy heart to start a new year.

            Have a happy new year everyone! I hope each and every one of us will have a fruitful and blessed year ahead of us. ^_^