Latrodectus breeding question..

[RVS]

How do I know for certin when a male is sexually mature?
A female?
I only ask this because prior to my current collection, I've only owned and bred sexually mature adults.

 

[Gigas]

A male will have massive palps, and for the female people say wait for a dummy sac but i'm sure when they reach the legspan that females achieve thy are mature, or you may want to wait 1 moult longer.

 

[Brian S]

The male will stop making his own web and wont eat when mature

 

[buthus]

The male will stop making his own web and wont eat when mature

Thats a fair way of telling at least when it comes to the black flavors in n.America. Though, mature males do eat, but food becomes their least of concerns. I have documented them eating food caught by the female after mating. I have also kept unmated males thru to the end of their lives and will take 1 or a few (max) meals after maturity.
Hesperus males are easiest IMO because they suddenly slim down after their last molt...and their color/paterns tend to fade down a bit.
Some of these "new" species going around the trade right now are not so easy. For example, the black morph tred males I mated were tiny compared to American species. As adults these males greatly slim down and become next to impossible to feed. Mate em' or loose em'.

 

[RVS]

Well, my concern now is: sp. "Laos", menavodi, and revivensis

And later: bishopi and pallidus.

 

[buthus]

Well, my concern now is: sp. "Laos", menavodi, and revivensis

And later: bishopi and pallidus.

Do you have adult revivensis? If you do, post a pic.

 

[RVS]

Do you have adult revivensis? If you do, post a pic.

No, the revivenis are actually the smallest.
I have one female menadovi who should be ready to breed and a sp. "Laos" who should be ready next molt. I've been powerfeeding the females to keep them in pace with the males.

 

[buthus]

No, the revivenis are actually the smallest.
I have one female menadovi who should be ready to breed and a sp. "Laos" who should be ready next molt. I've been powerfeeding the females to keep them in pace with the males.

Be sure to snap a pic when mating these for a good size comparison. Most of us are new to these "exotics" and the knowledge base is slim at best.

I have come to the conclusion that the real key to successfully keeping ongoing lines of widows is the males. I have had some bad luck of late with L.b and L.p males ....feeding especially. With the L.b slings ...I had what i thought to be an abundance of males, but all molted to what looks like nothing but fems. My room got cold ...pulling a theory from thin cold air ...maybe the temps stimulated this result.
My favorate boyz when it comes to ease of raising are mactans and variolus ...they hunt like the girls...fairly aggressive and very hardy compared to other species.

 

[RVS]

Be sure to snap a pic when mating these for a good size comparison. Most of us are new to these "exotics" and the knowledge base is slim at best.

I have come to the conclusion that the real key to successfully keeping ongoing lines of widows is the males. I have had some bad luck of late with L.b and L.p males ....feeding especially. With the L.b slings ...I had what i thought to be an abundance of males, but all molted to what looks like nothing but fems. My room got cold ...pulling a theory from thin cold air ...maybe the temps stimulated this result.
My favorate boyz when it comes to ease of raising are mactans and variolus ...they hunt like the girls...fairly aggressive and very hardy compared to other species.

I'll try my best. It seems the sp. "Laos" males are starting to become less interested in food and are starting to really slim up. Hopefully I can get the females to molt in a weeks time.

 

[Rizzolo]

My room got cold ...pulling a theory from thin cold air ...maybe the temps stimulated this result.

Are you suggesting that their gender is not predetermined?
This would change my understanding considerably! I thought they were locked in.

 

[RVS]

Buthus, do you have any use for a mature male revivensis :wall:?

 

[buthus]

Buthus, do you have any use for a mature male revivensis :wall:?

Shoot me a PM when you get a chance ...explain your situation and maybe we can pair a couple up. I am not positive when it comes to ID of the L.rs that are going around. Would love to see some pics of your male(s).

Rizzolo
Quote:
Originally Posted by buthus View Post
My room got cold ...pulling a theory from thin cold air ...maybe the temps stimulated this result.
Are you suggesting that their gender is not predetermined?
This would change my understanding considerably! I thought they were locked in.

Key here is my statement "pulling a theory from thin cold air".
I am not an expert (not even close), nor have I observed enough to truely backup such a statement. But, I have been taken by surprise ...with what seemed to be sudden gender switching ...another key word -"seemed". Observation must be properly documented and repeated with as much control over the variables and enviroment as possible.
Forgive me if/when I come off as some sort of authority. I try to lay in blatant hints that I am but a goofball who tends to think outloud. I can surely change my approach, but I like to think that this is the type of forum where posers like myself can throw out some theories for the experts to confirm or rip apart ...whenever they feel it worth their time to do so. :?

 

[Selenops]

Soon to possess a couple of L. menavodi females. I feel I should attempt to breed them but need males besides.

Any breeding tips for this species?