# P. metallica size



## Helix (Sep 25, 2010)

I used the search function, but I haven`t found the answer to this question..or I`m blind from how sleepy I am 
What is the average size for the P. metallica adult female?

The thing is, I had a bit of a luck that my single P.metallica sling turned out to be female, and today she surprised me with a molt. The molt has 11 cm leg span, so that means a bit more then 4inch.(cant say yet how much she grew with molt since I dont want to disturb her yet)

So I`m wondering what is the right size of P.metallica to start a breeding project?
I know people say its ok to breed at 60-70% of the adult size, but I can`t say that I know what the adult size is in this case 
Also it will take some time to find the male if she will be ready with the next molt, and I don`t want to force it too early.

Thank you for the answers


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## TerribleGrizz (Sep 25, 2010)

The adult size of a P. metallica is generally somewhere between 6-8 inches as far as I know. If it's a female, it's probably a safe bet it will be somewhere towards the higher end of that scale.


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## WARPIG (Sep 26, 2010)

I have two which are just over 5", both recently molted and both sharing a male now.

4" is worth a go.

PIG-

Reactions: Like 1


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## dianedfisher (Sep 26, 2010)

WARPIG said:


> I have two which are just over 5", both recently molted and both sharing a male now.
> 
> 4" is worth a go.
> 
> PIG-


+1
P.metallica are one of the smallest Poecilotheria.  6" inches is going to be pretty average for an adult female.  I think 8" is stretching the envelope by about 2 inches.  The spermathecae will begin to darken as sexual maturity approaches and should give you some clue as to her readiness for a breeding attempt.  Congrats on your female and good luck with your breeding attempt.
Diane


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## Pociemon (Sep 26, 2010)

dianedfisher said:


> +1
> P.metallica are one of the smallest Poecilotheria.  6" inches is going to be pretty average for an adult female.  I think 8" is stretching the envelope by about 2 inches.  The spermathecae will begin to darken as sexual maturity approaches and should give you some clue as to her readiness for a breeding attempt.  Congrats on your female and good luck with your breeding attempt.
> Diane


Hi Diane

8" is not uncommon, my female from 2005 is 8" now and quite bulky. The guy here in Denmark who have regurlarly bred p metallica had at least 6 8" inch females from 2003 and produced many offspring from those. It is from him i got my female(for free, because i helped him ship all his T´s when he stopped having T´s here in march this year).

From what he tells me, p metallica is ready at 5" to breed.


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## dianedfisher (Sep 27, 2010)

Thomas said:


> Hi Diane
> 
> 8" is not uncommon, my female from 2005 is 8" now and quite bulky. The guy here in Denmark who have regurlarly bred p metallica had at least 6 8" inch females from 2003 and produced many offspring from those. It is from him i got my female(for free, because i helped him ship all his T´s when he stopped having T´s here in march this year).
> 
> From what he tells me, p metallica is ready at 5" to breed.


Well then I stand corrected.  Mine will never reach anywhere close to that size and I'll have to look more closely at my other breeder friends girls the next time I visit. When I got into the hobby I asked the question about sizing for different species of Poecilotheria and the thread shoud still be on the BTS.  As I call, no one mentioned the possibility of 8" P.metallica.  Maybe I need to review my measuring technique.  Diane


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## Helix (Sep 27, 2010)

Thank you all for the answers.
She is aprox. 5 inches atm.. and I may try to breed if there will be a male available where I live. 
If not, then I guess she will have to wait for the next molt 

I also thought that mature P.metallicas are a bit smaller then the rest of the poecilotherias, so its interesting to hear there are such size differences.


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## Pociemon (Sep 27, 2010)

Helix said:


> Thank you all for the answers.
> She is aprox. 5 inches atm.. and I may try to breed if there will be a male available where I live.
> If not, then I guess she will have to wait for the next molt
> 
> I also thought that mature P.metallicas are a bit smaller then the rest of the poecilotherias, so its interesting to hear there are such size differences.


They are smaller, no doubt about that. But they do get a little bigger than people expect. 

I hope you find her a nice male to som loving


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## Merfolk (Sep 27, 2010)

On average it is smaller. On average, they are more P ornata-rufilata that reach larger sizes. While those two are said to go 9-10 inches, a P metallica that is 7" LS is clearly a giant!


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## rustym3talh3ad (Sep 27, 2010)

I as well have always been told that 6" is a good size adult female P. metallica. I have heard of regalis and fasciata reaching 7-8" and then ornata rufilata (already stated) reaching 10". Though i also heard somewhere that tigrinawesseli are the largest of the pokies reaching 11"...but of course this is unconfirmed and merely hear say on my part.


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## dianedfisher (Sep 27, 2010)

rustym3talh3ad said:


> I as well have always been told that 6" is a good size adult female P. metallica. I have heard of regalis and fasciata reaching 7-8" and then ornata rufilata (already stated) reaching 10". Though i also heard somewhere that tigrinawesseli are the largest of the pokies reaching 11"...but of course this is unconfirmed and merely hear say on my part.


Funny, I heard that P.tigrinawesseli are another of the smallish ones and my adult female is, again, pretty small.  I think maybe it has something to do with the way different people measure.  Measuring molts, which are stretched, will always yield a measurement too large-again, my personal view.  I thought tarantulas were measured in their, what I call, natural resting state.  Legs slightly bent and using a diagonal leg span measurement.  I mainly try to measure my arboreals while they are perched on the side of their acrylic tanks.  The whole measurement thing is pretty subjective.  My Cyriopagopus schioedtei and Lamproplema violaceopes are probably the largest tarantulas in my entire collection and I would only call them 9 inches. They are fully mature.  My largest P.ornata female is not fully grown and very leggy so I guess maybe she could approach this size as well.  My MM male P.rufilata is gone now, but he was a good-sized boy.
Sorry for the book.  I still think determing the sclerotization of the females spermathecae is the best indicator of her readiness to breed.  Females of most species are ready to breed much sooner than most people realize.
Diane


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## MichiganReptiles (Sep 27, 2010)

dianedfisher said:


> *Funny, I heard that P.tigrinawesseli are another of the smallish ones and my adult female is, again, pretty small*.  I think maybe it has something to do with the way different people measure.  Measuring molts, which are stretched, will always yield a measurement too large-again, my personal view.  I thought tarantulas were measured in their, what I call, natural resting state.  Legs slightly bent and using a diagonal leg span measurement.  I mainly try to measure my arboreals while they are perched on the side of their acrylic tanks.  The whole measurement thing is pretty subjective.  My Cyriopagopus schioedtei and Lamproplema violaceopes are probably the largest tarantulas in my entire collection and I would only call them 9 inches. They are fully mature.  My largest P.ornata female is not fully grown and very leggy so I guess maybe she could approach this size as well.  My MM male P.rufilata is gone now, but he was a good-sized boy.
> Sorry for the book.  I still think determing the sclerotization of the females spermathecae is the best indicator of her readiness to breed.  Females of most species are ready to breed much sooner than most people realize.
> Diane


Not sure how accurate this is, but I was just scoping out the T's for sale on tarantulahomes.com and they have Poecilotheria tigrinawesseli slings for sale. It says adult size is 7 to 8".

Reactions: Funny 1


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## robc (Sep 27, 2010)

Merfolk said:


> On average it is smaller. On average, they are more P ornata-rufilata that reach larger sizes. While those two are said to go 9-10 inches, a P metallica that is 7" LS is clearly a giant!


I have a MM that is 7" and he is a giant!! My other MM is about 5"+ tops! My female is 6.5" and my other is 5"+.. I would say a average is about 6" and a 7-8" would be like the 12" blondi!


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