G. pulchra with surrogate eggsac

[Joy]

Here's my pulchra female, nursing a surrogate eggsac which I substituted for her real one.

It took her about three days to figure out the imposture, at which time she dumped it unceremoniously in her water dish.

Normally I just use plain cotton balls in this situation. A few years ago, however, when Darrin Vernier and I were discussing surrogates, he said that if he used one he wouldn't be able to resist putting a smiley face on it. You will see I stole his idea, but am at least giving him credit for it

Joy

 

[LaRiz]

Poor girl It's a heart breaker to see them taking care of a sham.
Good luck on the sac!
john

 

[Joy]

Originally posted by LaRiz
Poor girl It's a heart breaker to see them taking care of a sham.

Yes, I do feel for them. But through bitter experience, I have learned it's even more of a heart-breaker to leave the eggsac with them and have them eat it!

>Good luck on the sac!

So far, so good

Joy

 

[Tim R.]

Man Joy she's absolutley awesome looking!

Good luck

 

[AudreyElizabeth]

I will agree on all points posted.....
It's so sad looking, but that is one beautiful tarantula....
I hope you get plenty of slings!!

 

[Jeff_C]

LOL. That is really funny. I can't believe it took 3 days for the T to dump it.

Also, that is one awesome looking T and it just went to the top (ok #2 almost top) of my most wanted list.


Thanks for sharing.

Jeff

 

[tarantulakeeper]

Joy, any tips on triggering an eggsac? My female was bred back in October. She's fat, but doesn't seem inclined to drop an eggsac. Thanks, John Maybe if I threaten her periodically, "Don't you DARE drop an eggsac. Stop it!"

 

[SpiderTwin]

That is a beautiful g. pulchra, I just got 1 myself and she is great.

I honestly would have thought that the T would have known right away that the new "eggsack" was a fake. It's a good idea though to at least substitute something when you pull the sac.

Good luck with the real eggsack.

 

[Tangled WWWeb]

Congrats Joy! I wish you luck.

Maybe I'll be stealing your stolen idea soon because my G. pulchra is looking fat and acting funny. *fingers crossed*

 

[Immortal_sin]

what a beautiful girl!
Mine is just about ready to molt, hope I can find a male for her.
The only surrogate eggsac I tried was with my Usambara female, she figured it out in a couple hours, webbed over and buried it (the cotton ball) and moved her burrow over!

 

[MrDeranged]

Originally posted by tarantulakeeper
Joy, any tips on triggering an eggsac? My female was bred back in October. She's fat, but doesn't seem inclined to drop an eggsac. Thanks, John Maybe if I threaten her periodically, "Don't you DARE drop an eggsac. Stop it!"

Maybe if you give it a surrogate eggsac and take it away it will make one of it's own John

Scott

 

[TheWidowsPeak]

what is the point in giving it a surogate eggsac... does it lower stress?

 

[Gillian]

Joy,
*LMAO* I LOVE IT! The smaller of my 2 pulchras molted out this morning. THIS exuvium I was able to wrest from her before she mangled it. I now have 2 adult females..
Peace,
Gillian
)o(

 

[petitegreeneyes]

Yes JohnnyJohnJon, they say it does help lower their stress. There is some species that really get depressed after their eggsac is removed and the surrogate helps until they figure out that it isn't really theirs.

 

[Joy]

Originally posted by tarantulakeeper
Joy, any tips on triggering an eggsac? My female was bred back in October. She's fat, but doesn't seem inclined to drop an eggsac. Thanks, John Maybe if I threaten her periodically, "Don't you DARE drop an eggsac. Stop it!"

I gave her a cooling period over the winter of temps in the high 50's/low 60's, then gradually warmed the temp to 80 for 3 months, then let it cool to 70. That may have done something to trigger it, but if so, it didn't work for my other G. pulchra female who was mated at the same time and kept under identical conditions. G. pulchras are tough to get eggsacs from, no doubt about it.

I have used surrogates for years and believe they often do help the female tarantula in these situations. Sometimes they are rejected, but I've had females who hung on to them for weeks. It's only speculation on my part, but it seems to me that by using a surrogate, the female becomes acquainted with her loss more gradually, and that it then seems to her as though it was a case of an infertile sac or otherwise a more "natural" and acceptable loss. I hope so, anyway.

Joy

 

[Penney W.]

She's beautiful joy, good luck on the sac~!
BB
Penney W.

 

[Telson]

Beautiful

Another species I once had an excellent specimen of and wound up selling when I needed extra money... I gotta stop doing that!!

 

[sunnymarcie]

Funny and sad at the same time!

Let me know when the babies are ready. I want at least 2 of them.