Is this mating bizarre?

skinheaddave

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Okay. So it's wednesday and I can't get into chat. What do I do? Breed Ts, of course!

I introduce Peter, my male G.rosea, to C1, a female G.rosea, for the second time. He walks up, taps her abdoment, she turns, he bends her over backwards and goes to work. I couldn't get a really good look due to the angles on things, but his palps were doing various things under her. Then he backs off, but leaves one leg between her fangs. She stays in a sort of a threat posture -- reared up. He then re-approaches (despite my telling him that he was pushing his luck ;) ) and bends her over again. His palps go wild. He then calmly meanders away, leaving her in a classic threat display. I slowly put the lid on her and she walks towards her hide. I coax him onto his piece of wood and replace it, and him, in his enclosure.

Is this normal? Do you think there's a chance he actualy inseminated her? Is it possible that he's using his relatively large size (much less sexual dimorphism than some other species) to actualy force a mating?

And lastly, a bit of speculation for the more academic members of the board. Is it possible that the T mating system arose as a result of the T threat display? If she's going to rear up anyways, you may as well hook her fangs and bend her backwards.

Cheers,
Dave
 

Immortal_sin

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hmmmm, no answers, but many more questions!
I had somewhat the same experience night before last mating G rosea :)
There was no foreplay to speak of LOL...no drumming, no dancing, just alot of non-interest.
He went into her enclosure, and they ignored each other for about 15 minutes. He drummed briefly, once. Then, she started moving towards him, I was nervous, plastic spoon ready LOL
He advanced rapidly, almost at a run, hooked up, and did his thing...not sure about palp insertion, I would have to say I think at least one was properly inserted. My daughter was taking pics, and I was hovering with said spoon. She (female tarantula) got angry, male literally unhooked and FLEW out of the enclosure, across the rug, and onto me. She was moving her fangs up and down, like she meant business! No overt threat display, but plenty of fang motion.
I am hoping that both our scenarios mean that they know more about what they are doing than we do!
It certainly was not what I expected either!
Holley
 

skinheaddave

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Sin,

That's the thing that got me. Although she was reared up, he didn't seem to bother at all. He basicaly just turned and walked away. She didn't attack -- just stood there looking mean. The first mating I did (other female), she attacked him and I had to intervene with a wooden spoon. The next two (one w. each female), they both just walked away calmly.

I guess you're right -- they must know something we don't. Hopefuly sharing accounts of non-textbook matings will help us to figure things out. ;)

Cheers,
Dave
 

savian

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Hey I thought you guy's knew that G. Rosea does nothing by the book. Why should the mating be any diff.:D ;) :)
 

Garrick

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Dave,

With G. rosea, what you described is pretty much what I've seen with 3 different males and I don't know how many females. It seems just standing there is enough to get the male walking away.

With P. murinus, the female seems to "pass out" for a while. . .very funny!

-Garrick
 

Immortal_sin

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Dave,
let's keep comparing notes then...I'm assuming you'll be trying with them again?
I am going to see how it goes with them tonight again.
I'd really like to see both palps inserted for sure, so that I can be more certain that he deposited sperm.
Then I may try him with my other female, although I have no idea when she last molted, but it's worth a shot
 

atavuss

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Holley and Dave, I have not bred roseas but I was at Scott's house when we had a marathon rosea breeding session......it was cooler in the living room where we first attempted to breed them and there was no response from any of the multiple pairs we tried. we then moved everything into his animal room where the temp was probably around 84 degrees (it was probably mid 70's in the other room) immediatly there was interest with each pair we tried. they were almost frantic at times and poor E. Anne about climbed the shelves several times in that room (I have some of the breedings on video in my camcorder). I still don't think any of the females have dropped sacs yet and this was last fall if I remember correctly. I will ask Scott this weekend when I see him, we are having a tarantula party all weekend! we will go out and do at least one collecting trip in the foothills as well. can't wait!
Ed
 

skinheaddave

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Garrick,

The thing is that he didn't walk away at first. ;)

Holley,

Yeah -- I'm going to keep rotating the male until he dies or the females give very good indications that they are no longer interested. I am going to focus on the two females that have bred with him and the new one I'm getting next week. Then I am going to re-try with the one that rejected him rather notably last time.

Ed,

That'd be great. Always love to know what might be comming up. As for Tarantula parties, I just wish I lived somewhere that had Tarantula parties. Not enough people around here keep these things.

Cheers,
Dave
 
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