Prego Behavior? (Gravid)

Scorpionking20

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
May 31, 2010
Messages
158
So my A geniculata, Jen, is most likely Prego. I haven't candle lit her, but she's beyond obese and has had a insatiable appetite for a long while. She, unfortunately, ate the male I put in with her.

My question is this; Several months after the pairing, and with her eating massive amounts of food through those months, today she's begun the strangest cleaning process I've ever seen.

She's gone to her web mat and begun cleaning her legs after rubbing her legs on her opisthsoma. In between there have been instances where it looks like she's kicking u-hair onto the mat. She then cleans her legs in the usual manner.

Is this a sign of gravid Ts before they lay a sack? I'm curious because where she put her web mat would be a bad place to lay, as it will most likely run off to a lower elevation. I'm hoping she won't lay today, because I want to get in there and eliminate the slope she's created so the sack isn't just poured into the soil.

Please advise me if you have some insight! Thanks guys!

PS: She's also rubbed her underside, near the furrow.
 

xhexdx

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 20, 2007
Messages
5,357
I'd let her do what she wants. Typically they kick hairs onto a molt mat, but it could be for dropping a sac as well.
 

Scorpionking20

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
May 31, 2010
Messages
158
I'd let her do what she wants. Typically they kick hairs onto a molt mat, but it could be for dropping a sac as well.
I'd be bummed out if she's going to molt. I'm definitely going to let her be for the moment, but if she doesn't lay, would it be advisable to rearrange the substrate to have less of a slope?
 

sharpfang

Arachnoangel
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 20, 2009
Messages
909
She molted a few months ago, maybe it was May or sooner :?

Strange Molting patterns this year, @least for many West-side Hobbyists I hear {Weather ?} :cool:

I agree w/ Joe - let her decide her home - I saw the cage she's in - it's nice!

GL w/ her Matt - just keep feeding the wittle piggy {D :p This is the girl that had a sack for me earlier in the year SOLD 2 KTBG
 

Scorpionking20

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
May 31, 2010
Messages
158
Fair enough guys! I will let her be for now. I'm hoping the behavior she's doing is a sign she's ready. She actually stopped eating about 2 weeks ago, and looks like a huge widow spider! From the massive abdomen anyway...it's enormous.
 

roaddog

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Sep 27, 2009
Messages
233
No Worries!

Mine took almost 5 months to drop sac. You will know when she makes a crazy web around the thank. The sac she laid was the size of 2 golf balls! Just leave her be and you should be fine. I have am male here if she happens to molt out. Kind of doubtful if she molted out two months ago. But I have seen it happen to my A. versi's :wall:
 
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