how to tell when mature?

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Arachnobaron
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how exacly do u tell when a female is matuer? i dont rember if thay make a web or not..
 

ballpython2

Arachnoprince
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how exacly do u tell when a female is matuer? i dont rember if thay make a web or not..
I most people tell a mature female by inches so I think onces they get over like 5 -6 inches (legspan) I think that means they are mature...


Someone help out please.
 

Talkenlate04

ArachnoGod
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Size is a good way to judge it, But I think once the sexual organs have developed is a better judgement of maturity. Ts sexually mature sooner then most people think. They wont reach max size for a while but sexual maturity definatly comes before adult size.
 

ballpython2

Arachnoprince
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Size is a good way to judge it, But I think once the sexual organs have developed is a better judgement of maturity. Ts sexually mature sooner then most people think. They wont reach max size for a while but sexual maturity definatly comes before adult size.
how can you tell when female tarantulas sex organs have developed..Can you see it from a human' point of view?...:? :?

I know make tarantulas pals get longer and they have hooks on the end....
 

Talkenlate04

ArachnoGod
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Well when a female T molts if you are able to sex the molt and see the Spermathecae odds are she is capable of reproducing at that time. However that does not mean you should. Matings with smaller females under 4" can result in the male sometimes eating the female! No one wants that. So if you did chose to mate a smaller female you would have to supervise a little closer. Plus you get smaller clutches. But something is better then nothing!
 

ballpython2

Arachnoprince
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Well when a female T molts if you are able to sex the molt and see the Spermathecae

What does this or what do these look like exactly?...is this same thing about how you can tell if its a female or male? if not what would i have to look for??
 

Talkenlate04

ArachnoGod
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Ok here are two pics.... on you can clearly see the flap. Thats a female. And the second there is no flap, thats a male. Thats how you sex your Ts via a molt skin. The flap looks a bit different from species to species but once you get the hang of what you are looking for its easy.

 

David_F

Arachnoprince
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I think the way most people decide whether a female is mature or not is comparing her carapace size to that of the male. (Generally) If her carapace is the same size or larger than his she's mature.

What does this or what do these look like exactly?...is this same thing about how you can tell if its a female or male? if not what would i have to look for??
When you're looking at the spermathecae you want to see if they're sclerotized (hardened) yet. If the spermathecae are a dark, brownish color she's probably mature enough to breed. If they're still transparent she's probably too young. At least that's what I've gone by.
 

Talkenlate04

ArachnoGod
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When you're looking at the spermathecae you want to see if they're sclerotized (hardened) yet. If the spermathecae are a dark, brownish color she's probably mature enough to breed. If they're still transparent she's probably too young. At least that's what I've gone by.
I agree with this as well. I forgot to mention that. You can see the spermathecae very early on some species, and that does not mean go try and mate them....... That brownish redish color, yep.
Glad you brought that up man...... we might have had a few people trying to mate 2" Ts.
 

ratz00

Arachnosquire
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I agree with this as well. I forgot to mention that. You can see the spermathecae very early on some species, and that does not mean go try and mate them....... That brownish redish color, yep.
Glad you brought that up man...... we might have had a few people trying to mate 2" Ts.

Okay, this is from my G.pulchra's last molt... I have no experience in this so I cant really tell anything from this, when you say brownish reddish color... The pulchra is at least 3 inches in body length... about 5+ inch legspan... My instincts tell me to wait one more moult... just to be safe...:)

 

David_F

Arachnoprince
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Okay, this is from my G.pulchra's last molt... I have no experience in this so I cant really tell anything from this, when you say brownish reddish color... The pulchra is at least 3 inches in body length... about 5+ inch legspan... My instincts tell me to wait one more moult... just to be safe...:)
She's probably big enough. When you're looking at the spermathecae you want to look at just the spermathecae, not the entire "flap" (uterus externus). The spermathecae are the dark brown....ear-type-things that are covered by the uterus externus. Those are the actual seminal receptacles. I've outlined them in your pic (hope you don't mind). It's a bit hard to pick them out in the pic but if you look again at the exuvium you should be able to better tell what you're looking for.

If you've got a male for her, have a go at breeding them. :D
 

ratz00

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Wow. Okay. I shall try to look at them again when I get home. I only have public net access for the moment. Thanks a lot. As for breeding her now, ah well I did ask around and all the males vailable in my area are all waitng for their ultimate molts, lol. So I guess I could still wait for her next molt. Again, thank you!!!:D
 

Talkenlate04

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I hate to be the one thinking wrong, but I dont see a flap. If you can post a ventral picture of that T I can sex it. But the area he tried to cricle is to high for it to be the flap you are looking for.
I think you have a male. I remember the flap being much easier to see at 5".............. but I like being wrong. I hope I am wrong.
 
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ratz00

Arachnosquire
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Um there is a flap, I sort of brushed it up with a flat brush immersed in soap and water so it would stick to the inside skin of the opisthosoma and stand up like that. Hehe. It was kinda folded in a way and I was having a hard time holding it up. :D
 

David_F

Arachnoprince
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I hate to be the one thinking wrong, but I dont see a flap. If you can post a ventral picture of that T I can sex it. But the area he tried to cricle is to high for it to be the flap you are looking for.
I think you have a male. I remember the flap being much easier to see at 5".............. but I like being wrong. I hope I am wrong.
I've edited the pic again and outlined the parts that show this one is female and most likely mature (due to the darkened aspect of the spermathecae).

The part outlined in blue is the uterus externus, the part that most people are referring to when they talk about a "flap". The part outlined in yellow is called the bursa copulatrix (or lower alcove). The part in red is the spermathecae. If you were to carefully excise the uterus externus you would be able to see the entire structure but, as it is now, all of the spermathecae that is visible is the upper extremity of each receptacle. These are all features that you'll only find in females.

Here's a good page showing spermathecae pics from a few Grammostola spp. G. pulchra isn't there but they're all pretty similar so it should give you a good idea how the entire genital structure looks.
 
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Talkenlate04

ArachnoGod
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He showed me a ventral picture as well and it is a female...... I guess its the lighting on the picture cause it does not pop out at me at all.
 

ratz00

Arachnosquire
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@ Talkenlate and David, thanks for the info and the effort guys. Like I told Talk, I did pay a lot for a guaranyeed female, I am very much relieved.:cool: thanks guys.
 
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