Can you save a mature male tarantula?

[Moakmeister]

Sorry if this seems like a hair-brained scheme, but I am a tarantula novice.

As we all know, male tarantulas have very short lifespans, normally dying upon reaching maturity. The tarantula's big-fisted pedipalps get stuck in its molt and it dies. I'd imagine it would be sad watching your mature male go into pre-molt and knowing he will pass away soon. But... what if that didn't happen?

Think about the Giant Octopus. A mother octopus will stop eating after she has laid her eggs, and she will watch over them until they hatch. She then starves to death and dies. But, in captivity, when female octopuses are given food again, they can live much longer.

Tarantulas can regenerate lost limbs. So I was thinking... what if you removed the mature male's pedipalps? He would survive his next molt, right? When he regrows the pedipalps, would they still have the emboli?

Also, how does the male get his slightly bigger palps stuck, anyway? Emps have to fit their big lumbering claws through their skinny arms every time they molt.

 

[EulersK]

It's not that they always get stuck, it's that they stop eating. Not all mature males ever even attempt a molt - in fact, I've only had one even try it. They're just dying of old age and starvation. Mother Nature only needs them for one thing, and that's passing on genetic information. If they've done that, then their job is done. If they're not doing it... well then, not much point in keeping them alive, is there? It's just how evolution played out, nothing we can do about it.

 

[louise f]

what if you removed the mature male's pedipalps? He would survive his next molt, right? When he regrows the pedipalps, would they still have the emboli?

Why would you even try to do that ? Who knows, maybe he will maybe he wont. You can`t really tell 100% for sure.
But IMO if the worst case scenario, and he lost the palps in an accident. Not if someone pulled them of, Jesus christ i would think he would survive for the next molt. But if he would still have the emboli, I`m not sure.

 

[viper69]

You cannot save it from death, unless you have some vodoo powers? Also, they don't always die in the manner you mentioned. Sometimes they actually make it to another molt, rare, but it happens. I had a Rose Hair that did.

I don't believe you have a firm grasp on this aspect of tarantula biology. I suggest you continue reading.

 

[DeanK]

Sure they can remove and regenerate lost limbs but they do that themselves by shutting down the flow of fluid and hemolymph to the area before they remove the affected limb, you can't just cut off any part of it's palps and expect everything to be ok

 

[viper69]

you can't just cut off any part of it's palps and expect everything to be ok

You mean if I cut off its legs, the legs won't grow a new T for me, bummer!

 

[jakethemusk8]

000pp0009

Really?...

 

[RezonantVoid]

Not gonna lie i was thinking of this not long ago (not actually doing it of course, but just thinking if it would theoretically work). I got a male who eats well and will be 2 years mature in April. Id hate to have to watch him die in a molt. He pretty much behaves like a female outside of making the occasional sperm web

 

[SeniorSpidieLovr]

Googling. 5 Ts in my new hobby collection. Just saw my c.darlingi has hooks (molted about 7 days ago)

Thanks TarantulaForum

I see "2016" conversation
Very interesting
The males must be gone by now.
I Wonder what how it went.