Breeding Poecilotheria metallica question

[Poec54]

This female on the picture is not such a good eater.. she just took 2 dubia roaches from her last molt. the second female is a bit larger and eating like crazy, so I hope I will have more succes with the bigger one.

Poecs aren't always thrilled with roaches. Have you tried crickets with the skinnier female? All of my Poecs, all sizes and sexes, love crickets. Roaches were a flop. Is there anything different abut her cage conditions or where it's placed in the room?

---------- Post added 08-21-2015 at 08:12 PM ----------

You can leave metallica males in with the females for longer periods of time...They cohabitate just fine, the males are almost same size as females, so they can fend for themselves.

With one male and two females, his best advice is to put the male in for one night only, and then only if both are drumming/tapping (I give them 15-20 minutes to start that, and if both aren't courting, I pull the male). There's always a degree of risk when two tarantulas share a cage; the OP has a chance to get two sacs. If he loses the male early in the process, he won't get even get one sac. Not worth the risk.

 

[Pociemon]

Poecs aren't always thrilled with roaches. Have you tried crickets with the skinnier female? All of my Poecs, all sizes and sexes, love crickets. Roaches were a flop. Is there anything different abut her cage conditions or where it's placed in the room?

---------- Post added 08-21-2015 at 08:12 PM ----------




With one male and two females, his best advice is to put the male in for one night only, and then only if both are drumming/tapping (I give them 15-20 minutes to start that, and if both aren't courting, I pull the male). There's always a degree of risk when two tarantulas share a cage; the OP has a chance to get two sacs. If he loses the male early in the process, he won't get even get one sac. Not worth the risk.

I know, i have myself 2 males for 9 females, but i prefer they are together maybe 1 week before i switch them. Then i dont need another round with that female, i just watch how many spremwebs the male produces while in there. Also in my experience metallica are a little slow to initiate the mating, not allways you will see any mating the first night at all. I have never lost a male. But of course it can be a good idea to start out with one night. Just telling him what i do, i am sure he can make his own opinion on his advice.

 

[Poec54]

I know, i have myself 2 males for 9 females, but i prefer they are together maybe 1 week before i switch them. Then i dont need another round with that female, i just watch how many spremwebs the male produces while in there. Also in my experience metallica are a little slow to initiate the mating, not allways you will see any mating the first night at all. I have never lost a male. But of course it can be a good idea to start out with one night. Just telling him what i do, i am sure he can make his own opinion on his advice.

In spite of what usually happens, it's not predictable. I would have never believed that I would have had several Poec males killed within seconds of being put in a female's cage. I didn't think it was possible for that genus. One vittata female quickly killed and ate two males (a week apart) before she was able to spend all night with a third one. She was well-fed before the first male was introduced.

An ornata female bred without incident and laid a good sac. Two years late she instantly killed a male in under 5 seconds. She shed, and then spent a peaceful night with the next male. It's like Russian roulette.

You just don't know what's going to happen. In the artificial confines of captivity, they may do things they wouldn't ordinarily do in the wild. Most of the time a Poec male survives the initial encounter, but if I only have one, I won't take unnecessary risks.

 

[Pociemon]

In spite of what usually happens, it's not predictable. I would have never believed that I would have had several Poec males killed within seconds of being put in a female's cage. I didn't think it was possible for that genus. One vittata female quickly killed and ate two males (a week apart) before she was able to spend all night with a third one. She was well-fed before the first male was introduced.

An ornata female bred without incident and laid a good sac. Two years late she instantly killed a male in under 5 seconds. She shed, and then spent a peaceful night with the next male. It's like Russian roulette.

You just don't know what's going to happen. In the artificial confines of captivity, they may do things they wouldn't ordinarily do in the wild. Most of the time a Poec male survives the initial encounter, but if I only have one, I won't take unnecessary risks.

I am not in disagreement with you at all. The exception is only with metallica, not any of the others. I have also had dead males amongst almost every poecilotheria available, just not metallica.

 

[Poec54]

I am not in disagreement with you at all. The exception is only with metallica, not any of the others. I have also had dead males amongst almost every poecilotheria available, just not metallica.

So far. Just because something hasn't happened yet is no ironclad guarantee that it won't in the future.

 

[KcFerry]

I have been following this thread with avid interest!
I am also trying to pair my P. metallica. On the first attempt, the male ran straight at her and they tangled on the glass for a second before falling to the bottom... Then the female took flight and ran out of the enclosure and up the wall! This all happened in a split second. I put them away and called it a night. The second time I introduced them, the male was tapping and inching towards her when she turned and slapped at him like she does with an unwanted roach! I immediately pulled the male out. On the first encounter the female was bobbing her abdomen and started to tap before the male rushed her, so I'm assuming she's ready, but it seems she's still a bit freaked out after the way he rushed her the first time. I'm waiting for her to eat a couple of times before I try again.
From the behavior I saw on the second attempt, I'm not comfortable co-habitating them overnight just yet. I'm hoping that she will calm down once she's fattened up some more.

 

[Angel Minkov]

So far. Just because something hasn't happened yet is no ironclad guarantee that it won't in the future.

He was just sharing his experience and wasn't saying it's a 100% guarantee it won't happen. There is no need to further your justification of not leaving the males with females or re-pairings. There is a point where things get a little redundant, Rick. Not trying to start anything.

PS: I agree with your points with not re-mating or leaving the male in for too long when males are scarce and he has 2 females which need pairing and might shed unexpectedly. I'm considering different approaches towards my female miranda when I'll be introducing her to males. I've heard shark-tanking is useless, but maybe I can try it to see how the female responds - is she going to attack, or tap back? If it's the latter, then I can open the male enclosure and let them proceed with their business. That way I won't end up with a dead male and no pairing if my female decides she doesn't want to mate. If I get а мале from somewhere, I might attempt re-pairing, because I have another SA male on the way to maturity. I don't have anything to lose, anyways.

 

[Austin S.]

I'm glad this thread is getting some attention. I will continue to post within it as the days progress with my two females. Female one was mated 7/13
(Video)
https://vimeo.com/133657441
Female two was mated 7/16 after a fresh sperm web was noticed

(Video)
https://vimeo.com/133623804
Female #2.

I know it has not been very long since the successful matings, but both females have gained much appetite now. So tonight, I transferred them into what will hopefully be, the container they drop their sacs in. Example is given to Michael. Here are the links everyone should follow:

http://kissmybighairyspider.blogspot.com/2015/07/37-casa-de-tarantula-2.html?m=1
http://kissmybighairyspider.blogspot.com/2015/07/38-breeding-tarantulas-1-poecilotheria.html?m=1

Only thing I have not followed yet, is the cool/dry period. Being that it has been close to a month and a half since , I'm afraid it is too late to begin this cycle. What do you all think?

I wish you all the best of luck in breeding these.

 

[Austin S.]

Anyone have any opinions on the cool/dry cycle? Or should I skip it now?

 

[Austin S.]

Update:

Both females have been rehoused, I did one last soaking. I will let it dry out for about a week to a week and a half, offering crickets (they ignore dubias) three times this week. Once the soil is dry, I will move them into another room of the house where temps are 64-66 degrees. I will leave both containers there for 35 days.

I will post my findings as they come, here.

 

[Poec54]

Anyone have any opinions on the cool/dry cycle? Or should I skip it now?

Do you let your collection cool down some in the winter? Between that and the shorter days, that'll will help cycle some species. I don't do the 'soak the cage' thing as I'd take months for it to dry again, and I could lose the spider in the meantime from a soggy cage. In the wild there's breezes and sunshine to dry things out. In captivity it can easily become a swampy mess.

 

[Austin S.]

Do you let your collection cool down some in the winter? Between that and the shorter days, that'll will help cycle some species. I don't do the 'soak the cage' thing as I'd take months for it to dry again, and I could lose the spider in the meantime from a soggy cage. In the wild there's breezes and sunshine to dry things out. In captivity it can easily become a swampy mess.

I have two rooms dedicated for just this. Subadults and adults that are/will be, in breeding projects, switch rooms (well it is two rooms in 1. Main room has an office, that is closed off, which cools to 60 during those winter months) from the warm room (80-85) to the cold room (60-62) for a few months, depending on where they are at in the breeding cycle. I have no humidity flow in the main T room, and have a box fan running 24/7, so even when I soak, it evaporates in a few days. Will be purchasing a humidifier soon though.

I was mainly curious if it was too late for me to put the females into the cold room or not since they were mated over a month ago, and have been eating and thriving just fine since then. I didn't want to disrupt anything happening. But after doing some research and reading an article from BTS, I decided to put them into the cold room in a week or week and a half, which actually hits close to the exact time the person I am following, did. They mated theirs and a few months later cooled them. I was under the impression that you cool this species as soon as the mating takes place.

 

[Poec54]

Main room has an office, that is closed off, which cools to 60 during those winter months from the warm room (80-85) to the cold room (60-62) for a few months.

60 is too cold for some low elevation tropicals, you can lose them with that temp, especially if the substrate is moist (I'm speaking from experience). Keep them on the dry side when in the 60's.

For most species, slings below 70 make me nervous, especially low 60's. They're more delicate. You don't want them going off food for long. A daytime warm up is good for their metabolisms, but I'd keep them on higher shelves, where the air is warmer on winter nights.

 

[Austin S.]

60 is too cold for some low elevation tropicals, you can lose them with that temp, especially if the substrate is moist (I'm speaking from experience). Keep them on the dry side when in the 60's.

For most species, slings below 70 make me nervous, especially low 60's. They're more delicate. You don't want them going off food for long. A daytime warm up is good for their metabolisms, but I'd keep them on higher shelves, where the air is warmer on winter nights.

My apologies, I should have specified a little more better.

Adults that will be involved in breeding, only go into the cool room. The stated temps are an estimate, as I do not have a thermometer in that room. However after that post, I made my wife put one up in that room. She just messaged me the temperature is 66 degrees. This is the first year I will be attempting this. The P. metallicas will be first introduced to this as well. I have a few other Megaphobema species that will in a few months as well.

When cooling my gravid T's (Poecilotheria so far, Megaphobema soon after) they are the only ones that go into this cooler room. With the exception of some Aphonopelma species and other genus that require a cool down, will also go into this room.

My other tarantulas, slings, juvies, some sub adults/adults (Aphonopelma hentzi go into the cooler room to mimic their natural habitat. It is how I produce them every year) stay in the main T room, which is around 80 degrees.

 

[Angel Minkov]

It's up to you, really. Everyone breeds their spiders differently. I stopped searching for breeding advice on P. metallica, simply because every person I asked breeds them differently. You have to find out what works for you

 

[Austin S.]

It's up to you, really. Everyone breeds their spiders differently. I stopped searching for breeding advice on P. metallica, simply because every person I asked breeds them differently. You have to find out what works for you

I understand. I have seen this species being produced many different ways too. But for me, I am only trying this, because it seems that is has been the most successful out of all the other ways. People have tried it numerous different ways, yes, but why not try the way that seems to be more prolific. Just my personal opinion.

 

[EDED]

Austin

thanks for keeping the log going and best wishes!

 

[Angel Minkov]

Personally, I'm going to breed my metallica by lowering the temps when winter hits. Though, I'm not going to do anything fancy for my miranda, or any other Pokie when the time comes. I'll have to work a bit and see what best suits me.

 

[Austin S.]

Temperature from yesterday evening in the cool room. Testing it out for a week in hopes that it will stay at this degree. :/

 

[Austin S.]

Made the container switch as mentioned a few days ago. They will be going into the cool room in a few days. Here are the containers.