Grammostola pulchripes [molt sexing]

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  Liquifin

• Oct 8, 2018

Looks to be a Mature Female, based on the flap size. How big is she?

 

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  burnsj22

• Oct 8, 2018

The molt is about 5 inches long. The molt wasn't pliable enough for me to lift the flap (if that's what it is) and I was concerned about ripping it.

 

• 

  Ungoliant

• Oct 8, 2018

@burnsj22 Try the following procedure:

1. Cut the abdomen off of the rest of the molt
2. Cut off the bottom off the abdomen below the second pair of book lungs. (Otherwise, it has a tendency to fold in on itself.)
3. Prepare a dish of water with a drop of dish soap to reduce surface tension. (Otherwise, the light molt has a tendency to float on top.)
4. Place the molt in the dish. Let it soak for up to five minutes (until it becomes pliable).
5. Photograph the inside of the abdomen, focusing on the area between the first pair of book lungs. Sometimes it helps to backlight the molt.

Lately, instead of removing the molt from the water before taking photos, I've been spreading it out in the water and taking the photo while it's in the water. It's a lot easier to spread the molt in water (it tends to fold on itself when you remove it), and the water acts as a diffuser of light.

 

• 

  PidderPeets

• Oct 8, 2018

Very much female

 

• 

  Dorifto

• Oct 9, 2018

Female 100%

That's a very clean mold! With a litte bit of glued cotton fill her abdomen and carapace, and you will have and execelent mold to show

 

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  burnsj22

• Oct 9, 2018

@Dorifto I know! I'm pretty excited about since every previous molt was completely destroyed. My local zoo as a molt on display that is vaguely ID'd and super old so I'm hoping they'll be interested