# Trapdoor baboon spider mating



## lhystrix (Dec 20, 2007)

Trapdoor baboon spider, Cyphonisia, courtship and mating.

Not pictured:
male tapping on trapdoor
opening trapdoor
crawling inside burrow to make physical contact with female and entice to burrow entrance


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## lhystrix (Dec 20, 2007)

The male making a quick retreat after copulation.

As I was checking for some decent pictures, I looked up only to find the female was out of the burrow and they were mating again.


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## Apophis (Dec 21, 2007)

Very nice pictures Jeff! :worship: 
No agressive behaviour from the female? Must have been pretty nervewrecking, considering how agressively these guys feed...  

Good luck man!


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## froggyman (Dec 21, 2007)

that female looks so monsterous!!

good luck hope you get a sac


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## Philth (Dec 25, 2007)

Unbelievable pics Jeff.:clap:   You seem to have luck finding rare males.  Best wishes with this prodject.

Later, Tom


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## lhystrix (Jan 10, 2008)

Thanks for the comments.

Here is an update.
Haven't looked in the burrow for a couple weeks, so not sure when sac was made.
Sac is at the bottom of burrow and female rests on top of it.

In another unrelated story, one of my L. malayanus molted sometime this week. Who cares.

Images are looking in the burrow and a close up.


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## What (Jan 10, 2008)

Please keep updating this! I will definitely be interested in any slings you sell off. If any.


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## lhystrix (Jan 10, 2008)

What said:


> Please keep updating this! I will definitely be interested in any slings you sell off. If any.


That was fast, What.

I will keep this updated, and hopefully she didn't get too upset when I gently removed her and took the pictures. So if she doesn't eat the sac, all should go well.

Sorry, not interested in selling the slings. I pay 6 bucks for these things, and the arachnodealers probably don't even pay half that.

That being said, I prefer to give them away to people such as yourself who are truly interested in raising them rather than making a buck. 

Now for the waiting game...
I'll check again in two weeks.


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## cacoseraph (Jan 11, 2008)

those are lovely

i think the males are sharp competition for the native CA Calisoga (Barythele) longitarsus, what with the black femurs and more silvery abdomen!


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## Rick McJimsey (Jan 11, 2008)

dang man, those are awesome
where did ya get em and how much?


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## GartenSpinnen (Jan 11, 2008)

This is a beautiful species. How big are the ones pictured? Im curious as to the size and how big the slings are going to be. Very interesting thanks for this post.
-Nate


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## syndicate (Jan 12, 2008)

congrats on the mating and eggsac!best luck with those.id love to raise up a group of these spiderlings  to breed myself.if they do well please let me know.
thanks
-chris


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## buthus (Jan 12, 2008)

Awesome pics!   Good luck!


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## Vietnamese510 (Jan 12, 2008)

*wow!!*

NICEE!! i hope everything goes well!!

let me know if you are going to give some away =}

I lovee trapdoor spiders


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## lhystrix (Jan 13, 2008)

Thanks, all.

Unfortunately I never photographed or measured the female at her peak, but the male has a LS of ~75mm and a 25mm body length (chelicerae not included).


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## ikelah (Jan 14, 2008)

wont the male die after mating; either been killed or will just die in a matter of a few weeks? maybe i am wrong.


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## cacoseraph (Jan 14, 2008)

ikelah said:


> wont the male die after mating; either been killed or will just die in a matter of a few weeks? maybe i am wrong.


some mygalomorph males can live for years after maturing. some do, indeed last more like weeks to months

i am not familiar with this genus at all, to make a guess


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## lhystrix (Jan 27, 2008)

Another view of the egg sac and female outside of burrow.

The egg sac is suspeneded close to the bottom (or resting on it) from opposite sides of the burrow (arrows).

The last image is a female I was going to send to What.
As I was getting her ready for shipping, she of course ran out of her container and took a 3 1/2 foot tumble off my table onto the carpet.
So I quickly scooped her up and she seemed fine. No bleeding, limping, nothing.

It seems there was severe internal damage and she basically popped during the night. No sign of worms or maggots or anything else that might have caused this.


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## josh_r (Jan 27, 2008)

oh man, that really sux. im sorry man


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## lhystrix (Feb 11, 2008)

Well, on a more positive note, almost there...

I'm guessing the female is responsible for opening the sac. It is improbable the first instars are responsible, but there could be 2nd instars hiding in the burrow that I did not see.


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## Vietnamese510 (Feb 15, 2008)

*d*

CUUTEE little slings!!

i cant wiat till they grow enuff to live on there own


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## lhystrix (Feb 15, 2008)

Vietnamese510 said:


> CUUTEE little slings!!
> 
> i cant wiat till they grow enuff to live on there own


Me either. After further investigation, there is no movement, and no spiderlings present, so they are currently at the prelarva/larval stage.
The female was responsible for the tear in the sac. Now if they can just make it the rest of the way...


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## lhystrix (Feb 18, 2008)

On the 17th the first 1st instar crawled out.


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## Vietnamese510 (Feb 19, 2008)

*g*

ohhh! cute little guy!
im dying for more to comeout!@


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## lhystrix (Feb 25, 2008)

Round 2 took place last night 2/24/08. Same male and female. Male is not so pretty anymore, weathering with age, although perfectly healthy and functional.


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## lhystrix (Feb 25, 2008)

Sac yielded 23 spiderlings, 43 fatalities. Fatalities were larvae and 1st instars.
Here are a few


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## Vietnamese510 (Mar 1, 2008)

*he*

yay!!   

i cant wait! are you going to be sellign them or giving them away 

i would love to care for them!


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## HaploFool (Mar 7, 2008)

*Brilliant creature here*

Hi,

   I am fascinated by trapdoors, I have two Malaysian red/black striped (L. Murphyorum) and these Baboon Trapdoors are exquisite! I myself am trying to raise and breed different types of trapdoors and these photos are so informative! Beautiful creatures! Thank you for posting this.


Jason


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## Rick McJimsey (Mar 7, 2008)

i actualy have a trapdoor baboon aswell
i managed to get a few pics


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## HaploFool (Mar 7, 2008)

*Baboon Trapdoors*

Where can one obtain a pair of these beauties?


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## lhystrix (Mar 8, 2008)

AvicLover74 said:


> Where can one obtain a pair of these beauties?


Hi. 
Botar by Eights has them for sale as Silver brush-footed trap door spiders. 


Nice specimen, bobtard. Good luck and I hope you enjoy it.


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## cacoseraph (Mar 8, 2008)

sorry for the losses, glad to see you got some babies though


hey... what substrate is that?  it makes for super clean trapdoors!  lovely pics as always


also... what are your plans for raising the younglings. i am trying to really get into CA native trapdoors and my first attempt at raising babies was a dismal failure. my second attempt is going better but not great... i have them communal (B. californicum) and they group feed and are probably like 3i now.  my problem is that when i pot them up they make trapdoors that are so tiny no feeders i have work :/


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## lhystrix (Mar 8, 2008)

cacoseraph said:


> sorry for the losses, glad to see you got some babies though
> 
> 
> hey... what substrate is that?  it makes for super clean trapdoors!  lovely pics as always
> ...


Thanks, me too. If the second mating was successful, hopefully there will be more survivors.

The substrate in the first set of mating images is a mixture of sand, Excavator substrate, and coconut fiber. The substrate in the second mating series is Excavator substrate with a coconut fiber trapdoor. 
The reason for two different substrates in the images is I moved the spider to a more shallow enclosure (4" deep burrow) for easier maintenance when required.

I prefer (and the various African trapdoors as well) a mixture of coconut fiber, sand, and a little excavator soil. The sand I use is white sand from local sand scrub areas and is often referred to as 'sugar sand'. Using the right proportions results in a nice, loamy substrate. For trapdoor material I provide local moss and lichens commonly found in xeric habitats. I'll post images if you or anyone else is interested.

What is the CA traps BL at 3i?
The spiderlings posted here are still 1st instars, with a body length of 5.5mm.
As second instars they should have no problem taking pinhead crickets.

Have you tried small true spiders as prey for them? Spiders are part of their diet as well in a natural environment (as you may be very well aware of). Many Gnaphosids and wolf spiders wind up as prey during the night.


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## cacoseraph (Mar 11, 2008)

ah.  i was actually only aware of Aptostichus simus preying on wandering MM Lutica spiders (and totally want ot get a sand dune viv goign with both species in it!)

thanks for the info man!


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## lucanidae (Mar 11, 2008)

Are the young still being co-hab with the mother? Are they living with her in her burrow or dispersing? The last picture of the young you have doesn't look like they are at a feeding stage yet, perhaps another molt?


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## lhystrix (Mar 14, 2008)

lucanidae said:


> Are the young still being co-hab with the mother? Are they living with her in her burrow or dispersing? The last picture of the young you have doesn't look like they are at a feeding stage yet, perhaps another molt?


Yes, that's right, the spiders are still first instars as mentioned in previous comment, and the sac was removed hence the body count.

If the second copulation was a success, I don't plan on interfering with the natural process in captivity.

Took this picture earlier tonight.
Second instars any day now...

For those of you who don't know, all spiders 'turn' dark prior to molt (compare this image to other first instar images in this thread). If the spider is naturally dark (L. mactans, for example) however, it is not as easy to see this.


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## Kevmaster06 (Mar 16, 2008)

i would be more than willing to help raise 1,2, or mabe a few of those as trapdoor spiders are by *FAR* my favorite.


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## Vietnamese510 (Mar 16, 2008)

Kevmaster06 said:


> i would be more than willing to help raise 1,2, or mabe a few of those as trapdoor spiders are by *FAR* my favorite.


i agree!:worship: :worship:


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## lhystrix (Mar 21, 2008)

2nd instars as of 3/16/08. 1st instars for 3 weeks.
BL 5mm average.

trapdoor spiders are by *FAR* my favorite, too.


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## lhystrix (Jan 30, 2009)

These are easiest trapdoor spiders to breed, raise, and breed again. If only the other genera were this simple.

One more from 12/22. I don't remember when she laid eggs, but the egg sac image was taken today.


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## Widowman10 (Jan 31, 2009)

nice action shots :clap: those pics are great! do you take out the sac after a while (like with tarantulas) and do it yourself? i know you said you had a count, but was wondering if the process is similar?


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## lhystrix (Jan 31, 2009)

I did that the first time but I'm just going leave it alone this time.


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## Zach Valois (Feb 23, 2009)

Nicely done Jeff.

 I had a large female that dropped an eggsack for me about a month ago. Unfortunately the eggsack was infertile, so I gave it back to her and she promptly ate it.

 An interesting note is that during the first two and a half weeks or so, the eggsack was suspened (in the burrow) by two points. Hanging just like a hammock. She would sit on top of it without touching it. After the few weeks of that, she tore it down and rolled it up tighter. On the fourth week I pulled it and found the eggs were not fertile.

Well done. Now lets see some of those other African Mygales CB. By the way, can you give me names (even general tenative ID's) for the "redleg trapdoor" (there are two species of "redleg trapdoor" isn't there?), "light brown trapdoor", "black/brown trapdoor", as the ones listed on this site? Much appreciation. FYI, I would kill for live or preserved mature males of any of these.

http://www.tarantulainc.com/tarantula_inc_020.htm

 thanks! Keep up the great work.


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## HaploFool (Feb 23, 2009)

Beautiful job :clap: ... selling any of the babies? I can't seem to find these anywhere.


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## lhystrix (Feb 23, 2009)

Thanks. I don't have any babies yet, still waiting for the sac to hatch. Look for the dealers selling silver tunnel spiders and brush footed trapdoors.


Zach, the first one is a Ctenolophus, two is Ancylotrypa, three is Idiops, four and five are Cyphonisia, six is idiops or Ctenolophus. The other red and brown legged spider available elsewhere is Damarchus, but you will see it incorrectly IDed, not even in the right family!

Currently I only have one of each preserved males- Ctenolophus, Ancylotrypa, and Cyphonesia. I do have a live Idiops and Cyphonisia male, though. Funny you should ask, I just checked on my fastest growing Cyphonisia from the first sac earlier, and it's now an adult male. Figures. I may have other plans for this male, but if I keep it, I'll send you one live or preserved, and keep you in mind for the other genera. Unfortunately their fate usually results in a pile of rubbish. I would rather try to breed them first  before I put them on the shelf. As far as breeding, I have had absolutely no success with the African Idiopids or Malaysian Nemesiids yet. 


The first to reach maturity from the first sac, a male :wall:.


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