# can tarantulas change sex?



## kevp (Apr 16, 2014)

Hi there can anyone tell me if they've had any experience with t's changing sex? I had a confirmed female chromatopelma (confirmed by dealer) and 3 later molts also all showed female. She again molted yesterday and she now has bulbas pedipalps and tibial hooks!? Her molt has female characteristics!  I'm gutted, almost heartbroken to say the least!   Is bimorphism normal? Is it something I've done? Or can this just happen like it does in some other creatures?  

I'm disheartend because I know now ill lose her/him sooner than expected! Help please.


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## paassatt (Apr 16, 2014)

Sounds like both you and the dealer didn't determine the sex of the spider correctly when examining the exuvia from the molts. The spider's sex does not change throughout its lifetime.

Reactions: Like 8


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## metallica (Apr 16, 2014)

are you sure you and the dealer did not see male gonopores and confuse these for a spermathecae?

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## Poec54 (Apr 16, 2014)

The spider was incorrectly sexed to begin with.

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## kevp (Apr 16, 2014)

Poec54 said:


> The spider was incorrectly sexed to begin with.


. Yeah that's what I'm thinking now.. I'm not sure how he sexed him to be honest. Kinda gutted though.  Thanks guys.


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## RJ2 (Apr 16, 2014)

why gutted? find someone with a female and do a breeder loan, get half the slings, or sell him and buy more slings!


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## Jones0911 (Apr 16, 2014)

RJ2 said:


> why gutted? find someone with a female and do a breeder loan, get half the slings, or sell him and buy more slings!


KEVP if you do this find a reliable  person to loan to, try not to get scammed. 

I've never done this but the first two people I'd trust are Poec54 and, CATFISH

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## Poec54 (Apr 16, 2014)

If you want a female, get several unsexed slings.  Odds are one will be a girl.

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## kevp (Apr 16, 2014)

Jones0911 said:


> KEVP if you do this find a reliable  person to loan to, try not to get scammed.
> 
> I've never done this but the first two people I'd trust are Poec54 and, CATFISH


Thanks guys, I don't really want to do a breeding loan.. i had big plans for (her) enclosure and I was looking forward to having years with her.  Seems ill just let him live out his days as best I can.. I saw a mature female for sale a few weeks ago but I've missed out. Thanks for the advice.


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## awiec (Apr 16, 2014)

kevp said:


> Thanks guys, I don't really want to do a breeding loan.. i had big plans for (her) enclosure and I was looking forward to having years with her.  Seems ill just let him live out his days as best I can.. I saw a mature female for sale a few weeks ago but I've missed out. Thanks for the advice.


You really should sell him then, at least he will be able to go out in the world to be able to do what he is meant to do, then you can use the money to buy a female or some slings. There is a silver lining to this situation.

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## kevp (Apr 17, 2014)

I might have to sell him. The thing is where i live there isn't anyone who's interested and finding someone will be hard.
I wouldn't even known what to ask for him really.  god this is killin me'. But I do completely see what your saying.. Let him do what he can.


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## Bipolar Spider (Apr 17, 2014)

Half the people on UK forums are from Wales, it's so annoying as nothing is ever this part of the UK. Why the worry? It dies when it dies, I have no clue what all my T's are and really dont care. Yes it would be nice to have them all female and live longer but it's part and parcel of the hobby. You could send him off to breed and get back squat but a leg. If you like your T, keep your T


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## awiec (Apr 17, 2014)

Bipolar Spider said:


> Half the people on UK forums are from Wales, it's so annoying as nothing is ever this part of the UK. Why the worry? It dies when it dies, I have no clue what all my T's are and really dont care. Yes it would be nice to have them all female and live longer but it's part and parcel of the hobby. You could send him off to breed and get back squat but a leg. If you like your T, keep your T


The point is that the OP was sold the T as a female, they didn't want a male in the first place, so the best course of action is put up a classifieds here to get back some money that they lost to get an actual female. Whether the seller did it intentionally or not I don't know but they are now stuck with a male that will expire soon so might as well make the best of it.

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## kevp (Apr 17, 2014)

I'm just going to keep him and give him a nice place to live whilst he's here.. I'm a complete animal lover and can't really bare to part with him to be honest.  These things happen I suppose. I don't think it was an intentional mis-selling but a misguided one instead. I did pay over the odds thinking about it but never mind.. You live and learn eh?


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## MarkmD (Apr 17, 2014)

Hi OP, sad to hear another person sold the wrong sex of T after told it's female then (turned out male), probably for a quick buck by the dealer or unless he/she didn't bother to check/doesn't know to begin with (may never know), best to make sure it's a credible source/dealers/breeders next time, or as cheaper is buy a couple unsexed slings/Juvies, that way no one to blame and exciting to see what they will be.


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## Hanska (Apr 17, 2014)

Just a question, do tarantulas have hermafrodites or anything like that?
It's not uncommon to someone sell a male as a female but the OP said the 3 molts after that confirmed female. So either the OP got it wrong three times or... or were the molts sexed by said dealer?


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## Bipolar Spider (Apr 17, 2014)

awiec said:


> The point is that the OP was sold the T as a female, they didn't want a male in the first place, so the best course of action is put up a classifieds here to get back some money that they lost to get an actual female. Whether the seller did it intentionally or not I don't know but they are now stuck with a male that will expire soon so might as well make the best of it.


Yes I get what the point was, but as stated it's part of the hobby, sometimes you end up with male even after paying for a female. Putting it in classifieds is an option but not necessarily the best option, that is down to the OP. Glad to hear you're keeping it tbh, i've done the same and i'm sure we arent the only ones.


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## kevp (Apr 19, 2014)

Bipolar Spider said:


> Yes I get what the point was, but as stated it's part of the hobby, sometimes you end up with male even after paying for a female. Putting it in classifieds is an option but not necessarily the best option, that is down to the OP. Glad to hear you're keeping it tbh, i've done the same and i'm sure we arent the only ones.


Hi, ye to be honest I thought she had changed sex.. Honestly.  I thought i knew my beans and I also thought I could trust the "company" who supplied her/him (I won't mention them now) I did pay over the odds too thinking she was female. Although at this point I am talking to them and arranging a free gift as compensation. I can't really get rid of him in my opinion.. that way I'm not in the hobby for the right reasons if I do that..    
Besides he is kinda ugly/pretty and I like that. Now he drums on the side of the enclosure all night long!!!


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## Formerphobe (Apr 19, 2014)

kevp said:


> Hi, ye to be honest I thought she had changed sex.. Honestly.  I thought i knew my beans and I also thought I could trust the "company" who supplied her/him (I won't mention them now) I did pay over the odds too thinking she was female. Although at this point I am talking to them and arranging a free gift as compensation. I can't really get rid of him in my opinion.. that way I'm not in the hobby for the right reasons if I do that..
> Besides he is kinda ugly/pretty and I like that. Now he drums on the side of the enclosure all night long!!!


Selling or trading him for breeding *is* part of the hobby.  It's contributing to the production of more captive bred spiders.  Nothing wrong with keeping him either.  Totally up to you.
I've kept some males until their demise, sold/traded others.  I hate watching them get frail and die.  If they breed successfully, it's sort of neat to be able to raise some of their young.
It's not unusual for spiders to be mis-sexed.  Ventral sexing is frequently a fail.  Molt sexing young spiders can be hit or miss.  The seller may have sold as a female in all good faith.  The fact that they are working with you on this speaks highly of them.  I recently purchased a juvenile 'guaranteed female'.  Right out of the shipping vial it screamed, MALE.  Now I have to wait on a molt to confirm.  The seller is working with me on it.  Mistakes do happen.

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## viper69 (Apr 19, 2014)

Hanska said:


> Just a question, do tarantulas have hermafrodites or anything like that?


No, no, no


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