Brachypelma boehmei and Pandinus imperator, and The Chasch

Brachypelma boehmei and Pandinus imperator

Just after twelve in the afternoon the tarantula and scorpion I had ordered with Matthijs Tempelman of Tarantulahub yesterday in the afternoon via Facebook Messenger arrived. I paid €25 for the tarantula, €60 for the scorpion and €10 for shipping. All in all €95.

Later in the afternoon I prepared two enclosures. I had expected the tarantula, a female Brachypelma boehmei, to be larger. Her enclosure is now a bit on the large side.

Brachypelma boehmei female — *Brachypelma boehmei* female.

First, I transferred the female Brachypelma boehmei to her enclosure; a plastic container with a piece of cork and some plastic plants. The substrate is a mix of sand and coconut coir, which I had made slightly moist.

Next, I transferred the Pandinus imperator to its enclosure; a small plastic container with a piece of cork and some plastic plants. I don't know yet if this specimen is a male or a female. The substrate is moist coconut coir.

Finally, I cut up a superworm and put a small piece in each terrarium.

Later, in the afternoon, while checking up on the new ones, I noticed that the emperor scorpion was eating!

Pandinus imperator eating a piece of superworm — *Pandinus imperator* eating a piece of superworm.

I also replaced the lid of the enclosure of the Brachypelma boehmei with one with much smaller holes. The one I used originally had holes that are a few millimeter in diameter and maybe the spider could manage to escape through one.

Near the end of the afternoon I noticed that the Brachypelma boehmei also had taken away the piece of superworm. When I lifted the cork I spotted her on the inside holding the piece of superworm.

The Chasch

The starship Explorator IV is destroyed after entering orbit around the planet Tschai. Adam Reith's scout ship is en route to the surface when the attack occurs, and is damaged in the explosion; Reith crash-lands and is separated from his ship. He finds a world full of violence, where four non-human races rule: the Chasch, the Dirdir, the Wannek, and the Pnume. Humans are present, but dominated by the other races. In this volume Reith sets out to regain his scout ship, and makes his way to Dadiche, ruled by the Blue Chasch and their human servants. Along the way he finds loyal friends, and challenges social inequities with the same aplomb that he rescues fair maidens- like the lovely Ylin Ylan, Flower of Cath.

In the evening I started in The Chash, part 1 of 4 of Tschai by Jack Vance. I've read this book several times already. It's one of my favourite series. The ebook I had downloaded has cover art by David Russell.

Back in the previous century I named my first Windows machine Tschai after the planet of adventure.