need female vinegaroon measurement

[Bob]

I have three Vinegaroons that measure 1.75 inches from head to tail not counting the tail antenna and claws. I have a 2.0 inch male. (huge claws)
I am wondering if the other three are female and are full grown. Does anyone have an adult M. Giganteus female they can measure for me ?

This guy is huge and needs a date!!

 

[Wade]

I was feeding my collection last night and I tried to get a measurement on my females, but they were in their burrows and I didn't want to disturb them. Next time I see them up, I'll see if I can get a measurment. They're both mature as they've both had eggsacs (which they destroyed ).

I measured my male, he's nearly 2.5" without the claws. Size can probably vary from population to population, so predicting maturity based on size alone is probably not 100% accurate. Any chance of posting some pics? I've noticed that matures of both sexes seem to have perportinately bigger pedipalps than the immatures. I might be able to take guess.

Wade

 

[Bob]

Wade,
I thought I recieved one male and two females from Hatari inverts yesterday. I got an email from them this morning telling me they sent two males and one female. That explained their behavior last night.
I palce what I thought was one male and a female in a 10 gallon with a hokie devider to separate them. They both went nuts trying to get at each other. A few hours latter I found them wresling . Don't have a clue how they got past the devider. I thought they were trying to mate. I think they are both males. Can you tell from the second photo?
First photo is the larger one trying to get to the onther side.

 

[Bob]

oops ...here is the male on the devider.....

 

[Steven]

AWSOME !!!!!!!!! :} :} :} :}

 

[Bob]

Stand back....I know Karate ! I separated them after a few minutes thinking they are both males. I tell you what...they don't back down !

 

[Steven]

i'm to jalous to give any comment know

 

[Bob]

You should have seen the tails going! The hole room smelled like vinegar. I finaly figured they were pissed off and separated them. I think I have three males and two females now.
My problem is are the two females old enough to mate. I really don't want any to get hurt.

 

[Wade]

It looks to me that the one on the left ***MIGHT**** be a female. The palps look smaller in relation to the body that on the other one. Hard to say for sure. If that is a female, I'd say it appears to be mature. Again, no guarentees, just a guess.

Depending on how recently Barney collected them, you female might already be insemenated. If so, she may regard males as nothing more than food at this point. You might want to feed them pretty heavily before trying again. Newly collected vinegaroons are often ravenous after going through the process of being collected, stored and shipped.

Although I've kept these things for years, and had wild collected females drop sacs, I've never seriously tried to breed them, but it's definately a project I've been meaning to get around to. I can't tell you a method that works, since I haven't done it yet, but I can tell you how I plan to do as soon as I can get around to it.

My plan is to set the female up in a LARGE container with opaque sides and a deep substrate, kept moist at the bottom and dry at top. I may even include a large rock so she can dig a burrow under it as this is the way I always find them in the wild. I will have to be sure there's other rocks burried beneath the big rock to keep it from collapsing on top of her if she digs out too much. I will have this tub set up on the concrete floor in my basement, in order to minimize disturbances caused by vibrations.

Once she settles in and has burrowed, I will introduce the male. I'm opperating on the assumption that males wander more when seeking females, although I do not know this as a fact. I have noticed that many of the males I've collected are often more battered looking, and often missing tails. This could be due to encounters with would be predators while out looking for females, or maybe just males fighting with each other, or maybe even unrecptive females.

I will leave him in there for a day or two. Hopefully, if the container is large enough, niether vinegaroon will be killed. This is one of the reasons I haven't tried yet, I really love these guys. It's easier with tarantulas because you know the males days are numbered anyway.

I'll probaby pull him out and reintoduce him a few times. Then I'll leave her alone. I may feed her a few times, but once she seals her burrow, I won't do anything other than keep her bowl filled and moisten the dubstrate slightly.

Then I will have to be patient and resist the urge to look ar her. I'll wait until she emerges on her own in the spring, hopefully with lots of little ones

Wade

 

[Bob]

Thanks Wade!

I will remove all 5 tonight, place in clear containers and compare claws. Barney said the males are "usually" a little larger. He did say the one on the left with kind of brown abdomin is a large male. Maybe I will try and photograph all 5 in containers and post later. I have noticed the ones I think are males wonder around allot more. Maybe like T's.
I don't want to rush this project . Steve Bullington mentions on his website to get a copy of a 1971 study done by Peter Weygoldt from the UK. Naturaly I can't find it.

Bob

 

[Wade]

Originally posted by Bob
Thanks Wade!

I will remove all 5 tonight, place in clear containers and compare claws. Barney said the males are "usually" a little larger. He did say the one on the left with kind of brown abdomin is a large male.
Bob

Barney definately has more experience than me, so I'd go with what he says.

I think it easier to see the size difference in the claws when they are at rest and the claws are curled inward. The bulk is clearer and easier to see. If I had a digital camera, I'd take some pics.

Wade

 

[Bob]

>>I think it easier to see the size difference in the claws when they are at rest and the claws are curled inward.

That was the problem last night. These two seen to be strutting their stuff with claws extended. I think I will take the five out and
check them out in the open with claws pulled in. These sure are active !!