Lasiodora parahybana (Salmon pink birdeater) chances of a female?

[noelr]

Hey guys so Im really interested in a Salmon Pink birdeater, and i want to get it as a sling to watch it grow from 3/4 and inch to hopefully 8 inches or more. Only downside for me is I really want a female simple because of longevity. I have heard of people saying there's 50/50 chance for a female and those are good enough odds for me. I dont know much of tarantula offspring but arent there more males than females in a sack or is entirely random? Also is it possible to use ANY method or an educated guess to determine the difference between male or female slings?

 

[Marijan2]

get 5 of them, that way you'll get female for sure

 

[noelr]

Ha I wish. I can only afford one for the moment. I'm not broke but I have only so much space now. I just want to know if you tell the difference between male and female slings ( I know it will never be 100 percent but at least something) and the chances of a female. Thanks though

 

[lancej]

If you put them between a pink card and a blue card, the females tend to go to the pink one
Just kidding! There is no way to tell when they are slings. I would recommend getting 3. I know space is an issue, but 3 would take up less room than 1 adult.

 

[noelr]

If you put them between a pink card and a blue card, the females tend to go to the pink one
Just kidding! There is no way to tell when they are slings. I would recommend getting 3. I know space is an issue, but 3 would take up less room than 1 adult.

Thats a good point. What would the chances be of female out of three?

 

[goodoldneon]

Roughly 84%.

 

[Poec54]

What would the chances be of female out of three?

No one knows, but your odds are much better than if you get just one. Tarantula sex ratios have evolved for each species' set of conditions in the wild, just as sexual dimorphism, eggs per sac, and size of slings have. There's a variety of factors that determine that: more males may promote the survival of the species better (females spread out and with a longer, hazardous distance to travel to locate them), and where more females are preferrabe (females close by and living near each other). There's no reason to assume tarantula species have an equal sex ratio. That's why it's always best to get several slings of a species at a time if they're unsexed.

 

[845BigRed]

Its pretty hard to get one at a young age thats confirmed female. LP's are pretty cheap though, I know you said you didn't have a lot of money but search around and email people they may be willing to cut you a deal to sell 4-5 in bulk. A good place to check is the for sale section here, find someone who recently hatched a sack, LP's breed in the thousands.

LP's are pretty cool species to own though, mine has molted 3 times since I got it and its currently about 1.5 inch DLS. Keeping slings isn't hard either, a cheap dollar store food container is about right for the size of a container and as they grow you can set aside money for larger containers/glass aquarium when its time.

 

[Poec54]

LP's are pretty cheap though, I know you said you didn't have a lot of money but search around and email people they may be willing to cut you a deal to sell 4-5 in bulk.

+1. Is there any T cheaper than a parahybana sling? Good lord, they produce so many slings that anyone that hatches out a sac is totally overwhelmed. I bet you can find peope who'll give them away.

 

[MarkmD]

True LP are dirt cheap, now that said if it was T,Blondi/stirmi that had 1500-2000+ slings then the conversation would probably be about them, LP's have everything better than theraphosa sp, one just being a less humid sp, so LP wins that, they reach the same size, both have 1"+ fangs at adult size, both need the same size setups (throughout life), both eat like dragons lol, both have different qualities for a large terrestrial T, moving on lol, as said its better to get 2-3 of them just to be sure you get a female.

 

[cmcghee358]

Hey guys so Im really interested in a Salmon Pink birdeater, and i want to get it as a sling to watch it grow from 3/4 and inch to hopefully 8 inches or more. Only downside for me is I really want a female simple because of longevity. I have heard of people saying there's 50/50 chance for a female and those are good enough odds for me. I dont know much of tarantula offspring but arent there more males than females in a sack or is entirely random? Also is it possible to use ANY method or an educated guess to determine the difference between male or female slings?

I think Heartland Invertebrates was selling 1.25" confirmed LP females for like $25. Look em up!!

I passed because I already have a female.

 

[noelr]

What would I do with the slings that arent female then?

 

[Scuttlebutt]

You can have thrice the tarantulas until the males reach maturity, then sell them or lend them out to breeders.

 

[lancej]

Just sell or trade away the ones you don't want. You don't have to wait until maturity to sex them. At 2 to 3 inches, most can be sexed accurately.

 

[Poec54]

LP's have everything better than theraphosa sp, one just being a less humid sp, so LP wins that, they reach the same size.

As far as which one is 'better' depends what you want and what your skill level and experience is. Although both get large, the average Theraphosa size is bigger than the average parahybana. I had a MF parahybana that maxed out at 7"; Theraphosa adults always exceed that by at least an inch or two. Theraphosa are more delicate and harder to propagate, and have the worst hairs of any tarantula, making them best-suited to advanced collectors. Parahybana are much hardier and easier to maintain, making them good for beginners who want a larger-than-average spider.

 

[prairiepanda]

I would disagree that it's impossible to sex slings; I do it regularly. I do, however, use a microscope to do so. They can be sexed ventrally with about 70% certainty, based on the angle of the superior book lungs and the shape of the epigastric furrow, if enough reference photos can be found for comparison. They can also be sexed with 100% certainty by looking for spermathecae on an exuvium, too, though the really tiny slings tend to chew up their exuvia

 

[Poec54]

I would disagree that it's impossible to sex slings; I do it regularly. I do, however, use a microscope to do so. They can be sexed ventrally with about 70% certainty, based on the angle of the superior book lungs and the shape of the epigastric furrow, if enough reference photos can be found for comparison. They can also be sexed with 100% certainty by looking for spermathecae on an exuvium, too, though the really tiny slings tend to chew up their exuvia

Right, with magnification, the parts are all there. With they naked eye, they're too small to vent sex until they get around 1 1/2". Good luck finding dealers/breders/collectors that can, or will sex 1/2" slings.

 

[noelr]

Hey, Ill be honest I dont know what you said but all that matters is your first sentence ; you have given me hope

 

[MarkmD]

As far as which one is 'better' depends what you want and what your skill level and experience is. Although both get large, the average Theraphosa size is bigger than the average parahybana. I had a MF parahybana that maxed out at 7"; Theraphosa adults always exceed that by at least an inch or two. Theraphosa are more delicate and harder to propagate, and have the worst hairs of any tarantula, making them best-suited to advanced collectors. Parahybana are much hardier and easier to maintain, making them good for beginners who want a larger-than-average spider.

I've raised a 1.3" T,blondi sling till 11" MF (back in 2003) then sold in (2009) for breeding project, but. I know what you mean, I was mainly stating that LP do get just as big as T blondi/Stirmi without most of the drawbacks of humidity etc, I've also been haired from my blondi during rehousing and it did burn/itch for a couple of hours, wasn't the best thing to happen. now all that said other than the initial price of a T,blondi or stirmi and coloration/humidity, LP are pretty much the same for enclosure size/decor, food.

 

[Mysteryavic]

Hey there best of luck finding what u are looking for! With that being said ill throw my few cents worth in. I am rather new to the hobby still. just to give u a little hope, i did buy 10 baby LPs for 15 bucks shipped. On top of that i got 2 freebies. If you do the math that is .80$ a sling. I had bought a 100 pack of little containers for all my slings at walmart for like 3$. All but 4 have molted once in the month or so i have had them. With that being said i do think with a little research you can maybe find 3 to 5 for 10 bucks or less. If u don't have any luck PM me i might part with a few as 13 L.P. (i already had one that is 2 molts ahead of the little ones i bought). Also i got them at 1st instar so (from what i kno) the ones that molt into 2nd instar last would be more probable to be girls as i can already tell they are smaller and id venture a guess are more probable girls. Hope this helps and go get a few!! They are awesome eaters and growers what a good sp.

Matt