# Identify My Tarantula's Gender/Age?



## JennieDoomsday (Apr 6, 2010)

Hi. Here are some photos of a Texas Brown Tarantula I caught recently. It was missing two back legs. Can any of you help me figure out the spider's gender and age from these photos?




















*Also, here's a video of me catching it so you can see the size.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2EEK1VBtdU*


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## Stopdroproll (Apr 6, 2010)

Can't tell its age. Unsure whether it is matured or not.


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## Scoolman (Apr 7, 2010)

Welcome to this forum as well Jennie.  Again, nice job on the rescue, and congrats on being "bit" by the tarantula bug. You will really enjoy your new friend.


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## Teal (Apr 7, 2010)

*Welcome to the forum 

In order to tell if your spider is male or female, we need what is called a "ventral" shot - that is, a picture of the underside of the abdomen. Inbetween the book lungs (the white blobs), will be the furrow... that will allow us to guess on whether or not your T is male or female. If you want to know for sure, you have to examine this same part on the molt 

As for telling if the spider is mature or not, you'll want to look up the approximate size this species reaches and compare it to the spider you have. A mature male will have hooks and enlarged palps, and a mature female can be sexed by molt.

Congrats on your new additon!  *


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## cacoseraph (Apr 7, 2010)

it doesn't really look mature male to me. nonspikey legs that are still pretty good diameter


the pedipalps are not visible in the pics, but it doesn't hold them like it's knuckle walking either... another slight indicator that it is not a mature male



other than that... no clue.  pretty thing, though, for sure!


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## dopamine (Apr 7, 2010)

Poor guy... He's a trooper though.


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## DanHalen (Apr 8, 2010)

I'd personally change the substrate to something more suitable.


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## Moltar (Apr 8, 2010)

From the video you posted I'd say that the tarantula is not mature yet. It's pretty difficult to determine age because it depends so much on how much they eat and temperatures. They have a much more elastic metabolism than mammals do.

As for the substrate, DanHalen makes a good point. You should change it to peat or coco coir (bed-a-beast or jungle bed or whatever trade name you see) Or perhaps native soil where you see these guys as long as you KNOW there are no pesticides, fertilizers, etc in it. It's also better practice not to feed wild caught insects due to the possibility of accumulated pesticieds or parasites. However, since you cought this specimen in the wild anyway it's not really as critical I suppose.

Nice catch! It's a beautiful specimen.


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