Maturity ?

[Jerry]

Is sexual maturity of female tarantulas based solely on size or are there other signs I searched but couldn't find anything previously posted so a link to other posts would be awesome if there out there

 

[Nightstalker47]

Best way of knowing for certain if a female is mature, would be to examine the spermathecae on the most recent molt.

Mature females will have darkened spermathecae.

 

[Jerry]

Interesting I'll have to make sure I pay attention to that with the next few molts

 

[The Grym Reaper]

They can mature at around 60-70% of max size IIRC but best way to know for sure is to check the moult and see if the spermathecae are sclerotised.

 

[Jerry]

The reason I ask is my female Metallica is 5 " dls and I haven't measured my female vagans lately but she's getting Fairly large too

 

[Teal]

The reason I ask is my female Metallica is 5 " dls and I haven't measured my female vagans lately but she's getting Fairly large too

P. metallica are smaller Pokies. Your female is probably mature.

I am comfortable, for the most part, and have had success pairing females at 2/3rds of the maximum species size (which coincides with Grym's percentages).

 

[cold blood]

The reason I ask is my female Metallica is 5 " dls

I would say with complete certainty that a 5" P. met would be mature without a doubt.

 

[Jerry]

Now the question is breed or not to breed

 

[viper69]

Now the question is breed or not to breed

P mets- Yes, needed
Vagans- No, not needed

P mets aren't the easiest to breed I've from what I learned from experienced P met breeders. I'm sure now that I wrote this, someone will say "all I did was throw a male/female together" To that I say, "you were lucky, good for us".

 

[Jerry]

Yea I know what you mean the same thing happens to me I have a lot of research to do and then I'll make a decision and I would breed the vagans for the sole purpose of having a army of vagans's