alexarachnid
Arachnopeon
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Can you breed tarantulas at any time or do you have to wait for fall?
Tarantula breeding question
- Thread starter alexarachnid
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Mostly anytime, but there are some species I prefer to breed in the cooler seasons as some species need specific temperatures to drop. If you have don't have much experience or not much of an idea to breeding, then it's better to not attempt a breeding. Also what species are you referring too for breed? Your question is quite vague as certain species need specific requirements to drop a sac.
alexarachnid
Arachnopeon
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I have a nhandu coloratovillosus MM
spideyspinneret78
Arachnoprince
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You can technically breed them at any time of year, although some breeders prefer to emulate the species' conditions in their natural habitat (climate, etc. ) beforehand. This varies considerably, though, depending on the species and the breeder. Most importantly, you need to know where the female is in her molt cycle and whether or not the male is freshly mature/ has made a sperm web. Keep in mind that if you ever breed tarantulas, you'll potentially have hundreds of slings that you'll need to find homes for. I'd avoid breeding them unless you're experienced with tarantulas and have all of this arranged beforehand.
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Okay, that is one species I highly recommend you sell or loan to another breeder. That species is not the hardest to breed, but not really a beginner level for breeding. They produce a large number of offspring, which is quite a problem considering the number of feedings, the time and effort, and not to mention the expenses to house all those slings. If you can find someone to sell it too or someone to loan it too, then it helps take off the stress. But I would not breed a species that can easily lay 700+ eggs/offspring unless a loan or wholesale happens. I would recommend to sell him away, but it's your call on what to do with your male.
alexarachnid
Arachnopeon
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I was consider doing a loan and selling the slings (maybe keep one for myself)
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You can breed them any time of year...I don't put a lot of stock in the seasonal beliefs of many.
Now, just because you can any time of the year, doesn't mean any time. When you pair will depend on your female, more specifically, its molt cycle. You don't want to pair if a molt is coming for obvious reasons and its always a big help to know your females previous few molt cycles so you can accurately predict when the best time is. A freshly or recently molted female, however, is always a good sign. After molting I like to feed them up for 30-60 days before pairing.
The male also needs to be paired at the right time...lots are too eager and try to pair before the MM even has a chance to make a sperm web.....and again, many pair a second time or with a second female, without giving the MM time to regenerate those emboli. The male IMO, should, whenever possible, be fed before and between pairings and will always need to have his hydration at optimal levels...this means damp sub, probably damper than normal, and a big water dish that's constantly topped off. Keeping the male in tip top shape is nearly as important as keeping the female in tip top shape.
I find colorativillsus to breed pretty readily.
Now, just because you can any time of the year, doesn't mean any time. When you pair will depend on your female, more specifically, its molt cycle. You don't want to pair if a molt is coming for obvious reasons and its always a big help to know your females previous few molt cycles so you can accurately predict when the best time is. A freshly or recently molted female, however, is always a good sign. After molting I like to feed them up for 30-60 days before pairing.
The male also needs to be paired at the right time...lots are too eager and try to pair before the MM even has a chance to make a sperm web.....and again, many pair a second time or with a second female, without giving the MM time to regenerate those emboli. The male IMO, should, whenever possible, be fed before and between pairings and will always need to have his hydration at optimal levels...this means damp sub, probably damper than normal, and a big water dish that's constantly topped off. Keeping the male in tip top shape is nearly as important as keeping the female in tip top shape.
I find colorativillsus to breed pretty readily.
keep in mind, loans provide no gaurantees
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DO NOT do a loan with someone you don't know..NEVER. Just sell your male.
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I always recommend most of the Aphonopelma genus (mostly A. chalcodes specifically) for a first breeding beginner project since Aphonopelma slings are hardy and tough as nails. A. chalcodes is what I always recommend as they're hardy and are very easy to a beginner. Not to mention how easily and long slings can go with only one meal. I know most people mention A. avic or T. albo as a first breeding project since they're easy to breed and more interesting in comparison to A. chalcodes. But A. chalcodes will always be the number 1 spot for beginner breeding projects for me. Everyone's recommendations for a first time breeder may vary, so find something to breed that you know will be worth it to you.
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I wish someone gave me this advice when I first started. These days, I can count on one hand how many people I'd do a breeding loan with. Sometimes it's not even that I don't trust them as a person - its that I don't trust them as a breeder.
About the only caveat to this is a contingency plan. If someone really wants to do a loan, I'll consider doing a modified loan. I'll sell them the male for something like 75%-100% of what I would have typically charged (percentage depends on how much I trust them), and we conduct the transaction identically as if they had simply bought the male. If they end up producing a successful sac, they get all of their money back once I get my half of the slings (or my half of sling sales to the wholeseller). This way of doing a loan with someone you don't fully trust allows you to have some kind of safety net, and I've found that sacs are miraculously more common when the breeder actually has something to lose.
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I like your idea a lot.