It finally happened... O.violaceopes.

Blue Jaye

Arachnobaron
Joined
Sep 16, 2013
Messages
339
There has been many attempts at pairing violaceopes successfully. It has been rather a horror show up until this last pairing. I did all my research. Tried pairing the way everyone else did. And my results were that the male would get eaten before he ever got a chance. Mind you the females were fed heavily and looked like they would pop. And still they went out of there way to eat the male. I started with my big girl. She molted, I waited two months and started feeding her heavy for a month. Put the mms enclosure next to hers added his webbing to her enclosure and hers to his. He made a sperm web. And I gave it a go. Put him on the far side of her enclosure. He tapped she came out showing interest and not defensively nor angerly as usual. He tapped and moved closer she tapped and hammered him. She slapped him so hard she broke him and snatched him up. Ok that was horrific.

Next pairing 3 weeks later new mm same female. I had been steadily feeding her keeping her very fat. All conditions seemed right enter mm. He tapped, she tapped and grabbed him so fast there was nothing to be done.

Next attempt a year later. Decided to try smaller female. Freshly molted, fed, again all seemed to be right. Enter mm. Well this time it was his fault. He climbed in calmly slowly walked to the middle of the enclosure. Then he put on a little speed not much, but enough to blow it as he ran about an inch from her. Um ya, she moved so fast and with so much power it took her till the other side of the enclosure to stop. And yes she had him. At this point I was devastated. And felt like I had done nothing more than send these males to their death.

Last attempt. I decided to use a neutral enclosure. I had used her enclosure because that's what I've seen and read that's how others were successful. This was not the case with my females. They see the males as nothing more than intruders in their hide.
So I cupped the female. Which is not an easy task. While she will allow the cup to come close to her . She will push with her front legs to keep it off of her and try to just straight take it from you. Any hoo I got her cupped and in to the neutral zone. Gave her some webbing from the mm. A few hours later I put the mm in with her.

Omg she jiggled at him and was actually very receptive. I watched three attempts at pairing. He was having a hard time holding her up but she was actually being gentle for the first time in her life. He moved away from her to take a break. I watched several attempts and eventually left him in for a sleep over. It was already 4am. I checked on them the next morning around 10am. He was gone and she was very easy going for the return home.

Last night at 1am SHE'S HOLDING A SAC!!!!!
Paired Jan 19, 2017
Dropped sac March 15, 2017
I'm so very, very stoked and excited it finally happened!!!!
 

cold blood

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jan 19, 2014
Messages
13,223
Good info to note for aggressive females. Glad ya finally got one...now hopefully she tends to it till the end and doesn't eat the sac as well.:p **knocks on wood**
 

Blue Jaye

Arachnobaron
Joined
Sep 16, 2013
Messages
339
Good info to note for aggressive females. Glad ya finally got one...now hopefully she tends to it till the end and doesn't eat the sac as well.:p **knocks on wood**
Me too!!! This was a rough one for me. So far sac looks large and very nice. Fingers crossed and knock on wood she will be a good mom.
 

EulersK

Arachnonomicon
Staff member
Joined
Feb 22, 2013
Messages
3,292
"I know that the male was eaten, but I haven't found him."

"Here's a bolus with legs. I think that's him."

True story.
 
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