Molt sexing ?

[Phobic1]

I recently purchased a couple of female Ts. Both were 1.5 in dls. Can you eyeball a molt at that size acurately or is it done w a microscope? Are there people on this Forum that have molts shipped to them for sexing? Is it costly? I trust my source of purchase but have other young ones coming up that i would like sexed.

 

[Neonblizzard]

If you've got a few T's/ like being nerdy i would recommend getting a microscope / digital endoscope. I got mine from amazon for maybe £100, its got a big digital screen, and although it's no good for looking at cells, it's great for molts.

The main issue for smaller spiders is it gets hard to physically manipulate the molt to get a look without it being ruined. But you could try with a jewellers loupe or something like that as a cheaper alternative to see what you can see.

I've heard of people sending molts to others to be sexed. Doubt another spider lover would charge you bar shipping costs.

Here is a pic of one of mine that's a 3" juvie, but i think with a decent molt you could use it to look at a 1.5" molt too.

B. Hamorii 3" DLS M or F?

• Neonblizzard
• May 5, 2021
• 3

Bought as female but I'm not sure. Thoughts anyone?

 

[ccTroi]

I recently purchased a couple of female Ts. Both were 1.5 in dls. Can you eyeball a molt at that size acurately or is it done w a microscope? Are there people on this Forum that have molts shipped to them for sexing? Is it costly? I trust my source of purchase but have other young ones coming up that i would like sexed.

Exuviae that size requires me to use a microscope. A smaller exuviae is more delicate and can be easily destroyed when manipulating it for sexing. Patience and practice makes better. I’d be happy to sex them for you at no cost. You just mail them to me. I won’t guarantee I can get a definitive shot compared to one day old exuviae that I sex.

 

[Phobic1]

Exuviae that size requires me to use a microscope. A smaller exuviae is more delicate and can be easily destroyed when manipulating it for sexing. Patience and practice makes better. I’d be happy to sex them for you at no cost. You just mail them to me. I won’t guarantee I can get a definitive shot compared to one day old exuviae that I sex.

Hey. Thats great. Thank you.

 

[Spoodfood]

I bought a microscope recently and was able to make some educated guesses on them, but they were awfully small. Around “1. Mostly just for fun and guessing games that small, but at 2” I’d say you’d be able to tell easily with a microscope. At around 3”, you should be able to tell with the naked eye. I got a microscope at target for $20. I can see what I need to see on the largest setting, so I’m good with it for now. Only downfall is I can’t take cool pictures of mine with it since it isn’t digital

 

[ccTroi]

I bought a microscope recently and was able to make some educated guesses on them, but they were awfully small. Around “1. Mostly just for fun and guessing games that small, but at 2” I’d say you’d be able to tell easily with a microscope. At around 3”, you should be able to tell with the naked eye. I got a microscope at target for $20. I can see what I need to see on the largest setting, so I’m good with it for now. Only downfall is I can’t take cool pictures of mine with it since it isn’t digital

What do you use? Can you send a link?

 

[Spoodfood]

What do you use? Can you send a link?

I got it in store because I wanted it that day I had six molts waiting I didn’t want to wait! But it’s the smithsonian one. It’s plastic and really cheap and I plan on getting a better one but it does work.

 

[viper69]

Can you eyeball a molt at that size acurately..?

No

 

[Phobic1]

So if a microscope is good enough to work on circuit boards it can verify molts at 1.5 to 2in?

 

[The Grym Reaper]

At 1.5" you can sex using a cheap 60X currency microscope.

Obviously, if you can find something more powerful for a decent price then that'll make life easier.