A. geniculata prep for mating. To flood or not to flood, that is the question

[ornamentalist]

so my female genic is huge and fat and full to popping point. The mm is in the next enclosure so now he can see her, hoping for his first sperm web very soon. I was just wondering, on preparation for mating, is it the done thing to flood the burrow of this sp like a g.b.b? I have seen somewhere on the net that it is an advantageous idea as it signals spring, but on the other hand iv seen breeding reports on here with no mention of pre-mating changes (if any) i was just wondering if anyone has any hints or heads ups for me regarding breeding this sp. Many thanks to anyone who has experience and wishes to chime in.

 

[Fran]

The fake rains always trigger reactions. I did it with my Lasiodora, and it worked like a charm. They are both from Brazil...

I wouldnt flood it, but maybe making some morning rains will trigger it .



PS: Sorry, I thought it was the laying, not the mating.

 

[ornamentalist]

thanks for reply. By the sounds of it most sp have a change of behaviour in response to weather conditions

 

[xhexdx]

thanks for reply. By the sounds of it most sp have a change of behaviour in response to weather conditions

Yep. That's why you'll tend to find several spiders all molt during a thunderstorm, or several spiders of the same genus dropping sacs at the same time, even if they were paired days, even weeks apart.

 

[Bosing]

Yep. That's why you'll tend to find several spiders all molt during a thunderstorm, or several spiders of the same genus dropping sacs at the same time, even if they were paired days, even weeks apart.

Thanks for putting it that way. I kinda understand why people who have bred similar species have different reports as to the time intervals.

Now based on your experiences, which species require flooding to trigger a sac drop? I'm kinda new in breeding Ts and I apologize for the TS for this question in his thread.

 

[xhexdx]

I've not used the flooding technique for any species I've bred thus far, although I'm attempting it with my (hopefully) gravid C. cyaneopubescens.

 

[sjl197]

Hi all.

I have heard in other forums/threads that flooding can be suggested as the universal solution to droping eggsacs and the like, but i want to emphasise it is all very species or location specific. Im glad you are all generally saying the much more general that 'rains can trigger some reaction'.

Before thinking if increased wetness, humidity or indeed flooding maybe an important cue for the given species in hand, its first valuable to look up the annual climatic data for that species.

Here is something suitable for Acanthoscurria geniculata
http://www.climatetemp.info/brazil/santarem.html

Its also worth figuring out when the males appear and when mating occurs, which im not entirely sure for these (i never saw them in the wild yet), but i think males are around Jan-Feb time. Several species mate in the rainy season when females also fatten up in preparation for eggsac laying. Other species time their eggsac hatching to coincide with rains though. Im not sure on the specifics of this species... but thats my point.... it can be location and species specific... worth doing some homework on it!

So, from the climate chart you will see this part of brasil where they definitely occur big fluctuation in rainfall. I would suggest though the climate is starting to dry out as the eggacs are laid, and that increase wetness may be more a cue for mating and egg development, rather than egglaying but worth some research on the species specifics here.

best wishes
s

 

[Jmugleston]

When I go through and spray my spider cages I provide extra water if I see a spider is about to molt or if it looks like an eggsac may be coming soon. I don't "flood" the tank, but a bit extra water so if they lay or decide to molt just before I go through that shelf again they will have enough water that I won't have to bother them. I don't try to recreate the seasons as some others do. I try to find out what is the optimal temperature and humidity and keep them around that at all times. There is a debate regarding this with reptiles as well. One side feels that the natural conditions including the winter or dry periods needs to be present in order to "trigger" certain behaviors (e.g., mating, molting, laying, etc.). Others think that the animals go through that period solely because those are the conditions in which they evolved. They breed when conditions are right so keep conditions right all year and they'll breed all year round. There is more to it than that, but that is the basic idea behind it.

 

[ornamentalist]

rain definately triggers some instinct in them. On many occasions i have heavily sprayed an enclosure and woken up the next day to find a moult. My g.b.b, p. Antinous and p. Nigricolor all moulted, one after the other after a heavy soaking recently. I have been keeping the genic moister than usual and she is very receptive, i intro'd the mm the other day again and he mated and inserted. He then went back into his own enclosure. I later found out from the guy i bought him from that, he hasnt to his knowledge made a sperm web since his mature moult over 2 weeks ago, and no sign of 1 with me either :? Now, is it just me or do t's always insert whether they are fertile/loaded up or not? Im damn sure iv had 3 infertile matings with previous t's, never any sperm webs etc but still, in he goes! But why would they? Is it likely that my genic is infertile too, along with the rest? He is obviously ready to go but hasnt packed his tools, i just dont comprehend it

 

[Jmugleston]

rain definately triggers some instinct in them. On many occasions i have heavily sprayed an enclosure and woken up the next day to find a moult. My g.b.b, p. Antinous and p. Nigricolor all moulted, one after the other after a heavy soaking recently. I have been keeping the genic moister than usual and she is very receptive, i intro'd the mm the other day again and he mated and inserted. He then went back into his own enclosure. I later found out from the guy i bought him from that, he hasnt to his knowledge made a sperm web since his mature moult over 2 weeks ago, and no sign of 1 with me either :? Now, is it just me or do t's always insert whether they are fertile/loaded up or not? Im damn sure iv had 3 infertile matings with previous t's, never any sperm webs etc but still, in he goes! But why would they? Is it likely that my genic is infertile too, along with the rest? He is obviously ready to go but hasnt packed his tools, i just dont comprehend it

He (they) may have just destroyed their sperm webs. I have had a few that only a faint trace was visible once I was digging through the cage.