Setting up for breeding, a few questions

Nixy

Arachnoprince
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I'm planning on housing the pairs in ten gallon aquareums with a partition in the middle.

Ok.
Should I make the partition opaque or use plexiglass so they can see each other? Or does it matter?

How long should I let them aclimate before introducing the male to the female?

I Know I should feed the female up Real good before hand but what about the male?

Should he be given a meal before mating? I don't plan on starving him but don't want to slow him with too full a belly.
If that makes sense.
I know it's prolly an unfounded fear.
But I figured I'd ask just in case.

Will molting effect the females pregnancy if she does become gravid?

And about how long is gestation before the sacks get spun?

Perty much asking for any and all information from your experienced breeders.
What you've found that works, and things to avoid.

Thanks in advance.
:)
 

deifiler

Arachnoprince
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answers ar ein no order:p

yes, if it moults, the stored sperm will be lost

to acclimate them, i let them 'tap' between tanks for 2 weeeks, though it shouldnt take this long,. Youll notice them tapping to each other.. hard to explain but when you see it youll know :p then move the male onto her subtrate. to do this follow these:

1) place male on her substrate
2) place upturned tank onto him

there.. hes can tap through the substrate and pull on the silk shes put down. you MUST make sure they tap before introducing them, else she will simply think hes food.

dont be too over cautious - let the male go near her, with my first breeding i was over zealous with the speration whenever she turned around, the first time i let the male near her properly they proceeded with.. uhh.. business:rolleyes:

before mating arm yourself with:
water sprayer, wooden spoon, card sheet (seperation tools)

the gestation differs from species... my g.rosea bred last october and its still gravid.. however the pinktoe was justa few months

i dont think the male will eat if theres a female (free spider love) on offer, do however feed the female - hungry female + vibrations from male = food

be sure the male has made a sperm web and is 'loaded' ;)
hope that helps :)
 

Nixy

Arachnoprince
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Thanks thats Alot of help really.

They Have been tapping at each other between their deli cups.

Flirting all night and day.

They're still in the big deli cups I got them in, they were crystal clear and clean so figured to let them stay in them while I ghot the houses set up.

No sperm webs in either but they have only Been in the cups a day and I dont know if the males did any loading before I purchased them.
So how long till the male should be expected to spin and load?
 

deifiler

Arachnoprince
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if hes tapping hes probably already made one, i think they make one within the first few weeks of their prematuring moults actually :>

his palps will be more swollen, but i guess if hes new you wont be able to compare it :p

just let them near each other, i dont think he'll try and breed with empty guns :D you can always breed multiple times anyhoo, we borrowed the male for four weeks and bred it three times (one time they were at it for 15 mins, which i guess isnt normal!
 

Joy

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Originally posted by Nixy
I'm planning on housing the pairs in ten gallon aquareums with a partition in the middle.

Ok.
Should I make the partition opaque or use plexiglass so they can see each other? Or does it matter?

*I don't think it should matter as to visibility. You might consider putting some perforations (i.e., small holes) in the partitions, however, as the ability to communicate chemically probably does play some role.

How long should I let them aclimate before introducing the male to the female?

*I usually wait about 24 hours, or until some sign of interest is observed in the female. Since your male is in comparatively comfortable quarters (as opposed to a cramped deli container), you could stretch that out to days without any problem. I've always heard evening spoken of as the best time to introduce the two, and that's when I mate all my spiders, but I don't really know if it makes that much difference.

I Know I should feed the female up Real good before hand but what about the male?

*Most mature males IME have little interest in eating. I believe nutrition may play a role in male longevity, but this is naturally dependent on the male choosing to eat. Just offer him food as often as you feed your other adult tarantulas, and don't fret if he refuses it.

Should he be given a meal before mating? I don't plan on starving him but don't want to slow him with too full a belly.
If that makes sense.
I know it's prolly an unfounded fear.
But I figured I'd ask just in case.

*I never really considered this as a possible obstacle! As such, I have no data on which to base any advice. If you think it might be a problem, I'd say go ahead and abstain from feeding him. In all probability he would refuse the food anyway (see above).

Will molting effect the females pregnancy if she does become gravid?

*Yes, alas, alas! This is the heartbreak all would-be tarantula breeders come to know and dread.

And about how long is gestation before the sacks get spun?

*It can vary wildly, from as little as a couple of weeks to over a year! I have one female taratula who was mated 2 1/2 years ago. As yet she has not made an eggsac, but she hasn't molted, either. Theoretically, it's still possible she might make an eggsac, though I'm not holding my breath.

Joy
 

Nixy

Arachnoprince
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Thanks both of you Tons.

The males have some Fat palps.
Alot bigger then I expected them to be from pictures I've seen.

Both males ate their crickets between tapping and "dancing" which to me is what that tap tappipiting looks like to me that their doing.

The Bracy female Has eaten good.
the Avic female has Not.

So I'm gonna wait till big momma Avic munches some before they get their introductions.

I'm going to set up their tanks tomarrow.
Tonight I have the big cups side by side with their respective new partners and letting them flirt.

I'm nervous and excited over the prospect and I want to do right by the T's and not screw it up.

In the end I will keep their welfare first over my breeding desires for them.
 

deifiler

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haha nice!

if you want some information on breeding the avics' i can email the women who borrowed dave (my male avic) and ask her how she did it?
 

Grael

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ooooo good luck :) take some pics! i love seeing mating pics :rolleyes: soo cool
 

deifiler

Arachnoprince
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heres a good breeding one i got of ours as they approached each other (male on left, my brutish girl on right)

EDIT : notice the wooden spoon between them!? i was a bit cautious... haha

(its on my website but the site isnt uploaded fully yet.. so no peeking!!)
 

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Nixy

Arachnoprince
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Oooooh Nice picture. :)

I'll try to get pics, If I'm not to paranoid and guarding too much :p.
 
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