Has my T really laid eggs ??

Al64

Arachnopeon
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Jan 29, 2011
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Hi, I hope that someone can help me here.
I've got a Chillean rose which I bought from a pet store in November.The card said c.b. but I'm guessing that she may be w.c. I know the sex, as she recently molted.
Today she span two sheets off silk just outside of her burrow (log) and climbed in between them on her back and stayed there for over an hour.
I can't see if there is an egg sac in there as when I opened the lid of her tank she ran out and guarded it, she's still there now.
Do T's have sort of phantom pregnancies, was this just regular ovulating or will this probably be the real thing ??
Many thanks in advance for your help guys, any advice would be much appreciated.
 

newspidermom

Arachnosquire
Old Timer
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Nov 13, 2010
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57
If she molted since you've had her and has never been paired with a male since that last molt I don't see how any sac would be viable. I think I've heard that females can drop a sac without being paired, but they're duds. Sort of like a chicken egg. All chickens lay eggs. They don't all become chicks...lol
 

billopelma

Arachnolord
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Sep 20, 2005
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604
Four possibilities:

One is just strange rosie behavior, lol.

Are you sure it's female? Sounds a lot like a sperm web...

For a sac they make a big bowl, lay the eggs in it, web over them, then wrap it up in a ball.

A molt mat is usually flat on the ground, one layer, then they lay upside down on top. But if it molted recently, then not that.

Bill
 

Al64

Arachnopeon
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Jan 29, 2011
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definatley not a molt mat, she only molted a couple of months ago, no spurs and seems not to have the sperm spinneret that males have either, I could be wrong of course but I did check as closely as possible.
And yes i can understand it being like a chicken laying an egg, she just seems so protective of her little bed that she made and I could not see what her back end was doing while she was between the silken sheets. Maybe time will tell
 

Mack&Cass

Arachnoprince
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Oct 14, 2007
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Yeah that really sounds like a sperm web..."she" wouldn't lay upside down if it were an eggsac, and if "she" just recently molted, it wouldn't be a molt mat.

Can you post a picture, we'd be able to tell you if it's a mature male or not.

Cass
 

Al64

Arachnopeon
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my camera ain't too good but i'll get one of the lads to take a pic tomorrow with a new iphone which should be pretty sharp
 

Chris_Skeleton

Arachnoprince
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Sounds like a sperm web to me also. Was it punching it with it's pedipalps while in it?

You say it has no spurs, etc. Do you know what you are looking for? And where they are located?

Also, what do you mean by sperm spinnerette?
 

Newflvr

Arachnosquire
Old Timer
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Jul 20, 2009
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definatley not a molt mat, she only molted a couple of months ago, no spurs and seems not to have the sperm spinneret that males have either, I could be wrong of course but I did check as closely as possible.
And yes i can understand it being like a chicken laying an egg, she just seems so protective of her little bed that she made and I could not see what her back end was doing while she was between the silken sheets. Maybe time will tell
I'm fairly new myself, so please explain what is a sperm spinneret?
 

Al64

Arachnopeon
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After closer inspection and reading of The tarantula keepers guide (Shultz and Shultz) it turns out that my T is actually a male.
It was hard to tell from the ultimate moult as there were no tibial hooks present...which I have to say are definatley there now...so yes a sperm web it is...and no eggs of course.
When i said sperm spinerets i meant the epiandrous fusillae, but could'nt remember the name.
Tahnks for all your help and advice on this matter, it is much appreciated.
One thing though...does anyone know how old my T would be if HE's just had his ultimate moult ?
 

xhexdx

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
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Jul 20, 2007
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5,357
Nobody could give you an accurate guess on the age of G. rosea bought at a pet shop, ever.

On top of that, when it comes to mature males...it really doesn't matter. He won't molt again and will be dead in 2 years, if you're lucky. Most other species' males live about a year after maturity.
 

LadySharon

Arachnoknight
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Feb 27, 2006
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After closer inspection and reading of The tarantula keepers guide (Shultz and Shultz) it turns out that my T is actually a male.
It was hard to tell from the ultimate moult as there were no tibial hooks present...which I have to say are definatley there now...so yes a sperm web it is...and no eggs of course.
When i said sperm spinerets i meant the epiandrous fusillae, but could'nt remember the name.
Tahnks for all your help and advice on this matter, it is much appreciated.
One thing though...does anyone know how old my T would be if HE's just had his ultimate moult ?
Did he molt in your care or did the pet store say he recently molted? (I'm not sure I caught that.)

If he molted in your care - I can tell you I have a MM that is over a year old. Don't know if that helps. (I've never caught him making a sperm web though. :( )
 
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