I'm curious as to know how to breed Theraposa Blondis I currently just purchased 3 True Blondis

Robyn8

Arachnoknight
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Feb 24, 2016
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194
If you'd want to use heat, use a space heater but like its said earlier, why are you worried about temps at your location?

I use heat cables to heat the inside of a cabinet. the cables are placed a few inches from the enclodures. once i placed an enclodure a bit closer, one of my Ts started burrowing to the sides. so use with caution. then again, you live in Southern California?
 

Andrea82

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Jan 12, 2016
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If you'd want to use heat, use a space heater but like its said earlier, why are you worried about temps at your location?

I use heat cables to heat the inside of a cabinet. the cables are placed a few inches from the enclodures. once i placed an enclodure a bit closer, one of my Ts started burrowing to the sides. so use with caution. then again, you live in Southern California?
I've witnessed the same, T burrowing towards the cable. Most of my T's sit where the heat cable is closest, so i make sure there is enough space between cable and enclosure.
OP stated he has a heatmat, not only on the wall of the tank, but actually IN the tank. Seriously? :confused:
 

Thistles

Arachnobroad
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Mar 21, 2012
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I've been watching this thread since the beginning and I guess it's time to say something.

OP, your desire to see more captive breeding is admirable. I completely agree that Theraphosa sp. are worthy of an intensive captive breeding program, both to ensure a supply for the hobby and to relieve the pressure on the wild population.

That said, you are probably not the person to do it, and if you are, you have gone about it rashly and irresponsibly. Enthusiasm is great, and I don't want to dampen your love of the hobby or your desire to breed tarantulas, but it needs to be tempered with experience. Before you buy a very rare and difficult species, hone your husbandry. You want to breed animals you don't even know how to care for properly! Learn on hardier species before you take on something that even experienced keepers and breeders struggle with. Know your limits, or you may end up killing the same animals that you wish to benefit and propagate.

I'm not trying to talk down to you; I've been in the hobby for maybe 7 years and bred many species but I still won't touch some species for fear of wasting specimens of breeding age on my clumsy attempts. I would love to own and breed them eventually, but I try to be sensitive to my competence level instead of letting my good intentions get carried away. Anyone can buy 100 slings, but how many are thriving? Have you bred anything before? Baby steps ;)

If you have questions feel free to message me and I will do my best to help, but don't be surprised that you're getting grief here when it appears that a novice bought first and asked questions later.
 

Angel Minkov

Arachnobaron
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Aug 3, 2014
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595
I still won't touch some species for fear of wasting specimens of breeding age on my clumsy attempts.
If everyone said that to himself we wouldn't have any CB spiders. Baby steps really doesn't apply here, breeding isn't as difficult as people make it out to be. Male, female, some drumming and mating. After that its knowledge and a lot of luck. If I had to listen to the people of this forum I'd be years away from breeding Poecilotheria or any other hot/more difficult species, yet 3 months ago I got the first Bulgarian Poecilotheria miranda eggsac and it was the first species I'd ever attempted to breed. First try she molted, but the second time I got it and got 2 slings out of it. I had 109 healthy EWL, but sadly 99% of them died due to bad molts - they either had crooked legs or had just popped their carapace. He's years away from having these T. blondi mature anyways, so giving him advice from now or telling him how he "probably won't be the one to do it" won't do him any good.
 

Thistles

Arachnobroad
Old Timer
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Mar 21, 2012
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If everyone said that to himself we wouldn't have any CB spiders. Baby steps really doesn't apply here, breeding isn't as difficult as people make it out to be. Male, female, some drumming and mating. After that its knowledge and a lot of luck. If I had to listen to the people of this forum I'd be years away from breeding Poecilotheria or any other hot/more difficult species, yet 3 months ago I got the first Bulgarian Poecilotheria miranda eggsac and it was the first species I'd ever attempted to breed. First try she molted, but the second time I got it and got 2 slings out of it. I had 109 healthy EWL, but sadly 99% of them died due to bad molts - they either had crooked legs or had just popped their carapace. He's years away from having these T. blondi mature anyways, so giving him advice from now or telling him how he "probably won't be the one to do it" won't do him any good.
Congratulations! I've had similar frustrating setbacks, so I know how disappointing that molt must have been. Here is what I see as the crucial difference: you already know basic care. You have husbandry down, so it's a matter of doing what it takes to breed. (You're right; with many species it is trivially easy, but not all!) The OP still is a novice keeper. I wish him all the best, but there's a big difference between breeding a hardy species for which there are established breeding techniques and a novice not only keeping a relatively difficult species alive but then breeding when few others have. It's like if I were to decide to be the world's best wingsuit flyer and attempt a daring stunt when I've never even put a suit on before. Obviously not so dramatic, but I hope you see the parallel.

Also, not to criticize you or diminish your achievement, but if you had had prior breeding experience you might have had a better yield. If the 109 EWLs were healthy as you say, I suspect there was a humidity (or other) issue causing the molting problems. The only way to get experience is by doing, but I suggest starting with something both easier and less, um, precious? I don't know what word to use, but I hope you perceive my meaning. Again, good luck to the OP, but I'm trying to explain why he's meeting with some hostility.
 

Angel Minkov

Arachnobaron
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Aug 3, 2014
Messages
595
By the time those blondi are even close to maturing he'll have several years. Blondi aren't as fragile as people say they are, its just a matter of bad husbandry.

The humidity was high, temperatures were around 22-24C. At some point they started oozing a black liquid out of their mouth parts... The incubator was okay, I asked many long-time breeders for opinions and they had no idea what went wrong. Regardless, I'll try again when my female molts again. I currently have a mated metallica and subfusca LL, we'll see what happens with those :)
 

Thistles

Arachnobroad
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Mar 21, 2012
Messages
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By the time those blondi are even close to maturing he'll have several years. Blondi aren't as fragile as people say they are, its just a matter of bad husbandry.

The humidity was high, temperatures were around 22-24C. At some point they started oozing a black liquid out of their mouth parts... The incubator was okay, I asked many long-time breeders for opinions and they had no idea what went wrong. Regardless, I'll try again when my female molts again. I currently have a mated metallica and subfusca LL, we'll see what happens with those :)
Good luck! You pick out beautiful poecies.

And yes, when an animal consistently fails to thrive in captivity it's because the keepers are doing something wrong. How does one improve husbandry? Time and experience.

Can anyone give me advice on refinancing mortgages? I don't have a house yet, but I'm planning to buy one sometime in the future.
 
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