Matt82's Tarantulas

[matt82]

I've given the MM OBT about 10 days to settle in now, he's fed once, webbed up, and on the advice of another keeper, I added some of the female's old skin and webbing to the MM's enclosure to see how he responded. After about 4 days, pretty positive response


Setting a lure...


mm obt inspecting the female's webbng

I am pretty sure he has loaded up his palps, and now that he has begun thoroughly inspecting the female's webbing, I'm sure he's ready to be introduced to the female's tank now. I'm gonna try a first introduction tomorrow

 

[Hendersoniana]

Thats pretty interesting! I didnt know they would be attracted that easily, ive never bred Ts before so i wouldnt know haha. Great pics, i like the 1st one!

 

[wesker12]

Obts are horny little spiders! Great choice to learn the basics of breeding!
Just went through all 9 pages and I am impressed, both by your macro skills and those gorgeous gems you have
You should check out A.purpurea as your next T!

 

[matt82]

Thats pretty interesting! I didnt know they would be attracted that easily, ive never bred Ts before so i wouldnt know haha. Great pics, i like the 1st one!

Yeah just a tip I heard recently, that if he shows interest in this webbing and skin, he is ready to breed. He was

Obts are horny little spiders! Great choice to learn the basics of breeding!
Just went through all 9 pages and I am impressed, both by your macro skills and those gorgeous gems you have
You should check out A.purpurea as your next T!

Thank you, and horny Ts is right, no time wasted at all!! And he survived date night as well, so bonus for him


Here are some pairing pics...


OBT encounter


Exchanging drum solos


Good first date


Dr. OBT in session


The female was very receptive towards the male, and at least 2 insertions were made, and I suspect more, he definitely got a couple of turns on her before she retreated down the burrow, and could have already made an insertion by the time I saw they'd discovered one another...

She eventually backed off down her burrow, and any attempts the male made to follow, he soon got the message not to; he was better off backing off after that as she was getting highly defensive.

I'm going to see how the male fares being left in there for a couple of days - she has retreated underground and he is roaming around; it is a big tank and I've prepared an area with some of his webbing so maybe he'll find it and settle there.

Any advice or criticism on the above co-habiting plan is welcomed, of course!

 

[Hendersoniana]

Pretty lucky male there! Beautiful pics, very cool series!

 

[Robotponys]

Can't wait for pics of tons of little orange speedsters! Lovely OBT's.

IMO, it's all right if the male gets eaten. The ENTIRE purpose of their life is to make more of its kind. They usually die soon after anyway. For me the exceptions are if it is still young, extremely rare and needs to be passed around, or if it you're attached to it. Just my opinion.

 

[advan]

Good luck with the pairings! Very nice shots too! I can never seem to get any decent shots when mine are doing the thing.

 

[matt82]

Pretty lucky male there! Beautiful pics, very cool series!

Still warm, the hemolymph that courses through that MM! He is now co-habiting in the female's tank, and has webbed up again. Glad you liked the pics, I am just fortunate that I caught them in the act, just took these through the glass!

Can't wait for pics of tons of little orange speedsters! Lovely OBT's.

IMO, it's all right if the male gets eaten. The ENTIRE purpose of their life is to make more of its kind. They usually die soon after anyway. For me the exceptions are if it is still young, extremely rare and needs to be passed around, or if it you're attached to it. Just my opinion.

True, thanks for the input too man, I think I'll leave him in with her for another week at least, or until she show no interest. I'll play it by ear!

Good luck with the pairings! Very nice shots too! I can never seem to get any decent shots when mine are doing the thing.

Cheers Chad, they seem to be quite prolific sac producers, so here's hoping; pretty excited to see a good outcome. As for the shots, luck of the draw I guess! She obliged and displayed her best position

 

[Storm76]

Hope you'll get some nice sacks...and that OBT gives certain sentences a whole new meaning ...

 

[wesker12]

Co habiting is a good way to ensure that the female is bred! It does however lower the mature makes chance of living quite drastically! But to be honest better as nutrition for his children then slowly wasting away and dying!

 

[matt82]

I picked up this sling as a freebie yesterday, nice little C. darlingi


C. darlingi - 30mm DLS

 

[wesker12]

Is it in premolt??

 

[matt82]

Is it in premolt??

It could well be alright, I am no expert for spotting an upcoming moult, other that a lack of feeding response. Just picked this one up yesterday. S/he is certainly fat enough to suggest that it could be!
I'll leave it be, offer a very small feed tomorrow or Monday; no response and that'll be a good enough indicator for me

---------- Post added 05-12-2012 at 04:02 PM ----------

I will try for some M. balfouri sling shots tomorrow, they are not cooperative, whatsoever...!
One of the C. schioedtei moulted yesterday/ the day before, so I will try for a pic of it as well. (not tomorrow or course, I'll leave that one for another bit)

 

[mcluskyisms]

Nice little C. darlingi there sir, not bad for a freebie! I don't see anything that would suggest pre-moult though, in fairness it looks pretty fresh to me!

 

[matt82]

Nice little C. darlingi there sir, not bad for a freebie! I don't see anything that would suggest pre-moult though, in fairness it looks pretty fresh to me!

Not too shabby for a freebie, true indeed! Proper little digger too, having fashioned a very cool tunnel already (pretty impossible to photograph it's extent, but it's an impressive structure) - a simple setup, rearing jar mostly filled with substrate, small piece of moss for a water source, and a thin bark tube buried into the soil, which was put to instant use, and in true baboon fashion, a burrow was established in record time

I am a setup nerd, love seeing pics of setups, even mini ones, so here's some pics for the rest of the setup nerds...


C. darlingi - sling setup


C. darlingi sling setup - burrow entrance

I think despite me initially thinking that this little baboon looked quite round, it would appear to be quite fresh alright, having darkened in colour since that shot (although the natural light may have enhanced the colour in that shot somewhat) and fed on a sz. 3 cricket or two with gusto.

P. pulcher - ventral shot...

I finally got around to annoying this T for a ventral shot.


P. pulcher - ventral shot

I know it is far from an accurate method of determining the sex of a T, and as this is taken in the dark with flash on, some detail will have been lost ( it's cropped too) - but even so, if anyone can have even a guesstimate at the sex of this P. pulcher from this shot, I would be very grateful

 

[advan]

You have a lady Matt, congrats!

 

[matt82]

You have a lady Matt, congrats!

That is fantastic news Chad, I am delighted with the conviction of that reply Really did not want this one to be male, she is my favourite T, hands down. Cheers!

 

[matt82]

Quick update photo of the OBT girl - she appears to be lugging around a bit of extra junk in the trunk. Paired 2 weeks ago and has not really been excessively fed since - well fed, but not excessively


Gravid?

Spotted her once or twice since Saturday, outside the burrow, and moving around quite cumbersomely - I think she could possibly be looking for a new spot to set up shop...

I read before in a well known T keeper's book (not TKG, the other one... ) where the author says they "defy you NOT to have success with breeding this species!" - so far, that seems to hold true...

 

[Hendersoniana]

That is a beautiful colouration! She is super fat as well haha.

 

[papilio]

Hey Matt!

Sorry I haven't been by for a while, was just on flickr and realized I needed to update myself on your latest activities ... sounds like you're having LOTS of fun!! Best luck with the OBTs!!!!! My female H. mac from Thad just dropped her sac yesterday.

You've got balfouris??? SOOO jealous! Once I get my collection back together that's gonna have to be an addition soon as possible.