The perils of surrogate motherhood.

[skinheaddave]

So yes, I am bracing for a potential onslaught of maternal activities. Does anyone have any good sources for dealing with egg sacs? I am tempted to leave them with the mother should one of my Ts lay -- but I understand that it is often safer to remove the sack. I understand the basics -- make some sort of incubation container with the proper temp/humidity and rotate the sack several times a day. Where can I find info on the more subtle aspects?

Cheers,
Dave

 

[MrDeranged]

I'm not really experienced in this aspect of the hobby yet, but here's my 2 cents.

Alot of the time it really depends on the species that you are trying to breed. From what I've heard, many species make great mothers and you'd be a fool to remove the sac. On the other hand, some may eat their sac if you just breathe on their enclosure and if you want a possibility of a hatchout, you have to remove the eggsac.

Why don't you let us know what you're trying to breed and if any of the more experience breeders on the board have any info, they'll help you out alot more than I can.

Scott

 

[johns]

Hi, SHD- Darrin Vernier(gphx@msn.com) could also possibly answer any questions about surrogate motherhood, incubators, etc

 

[skinheaddave]

Scott et al.,

We currently have two G.rosea who have been bred, a P.regalis that we suspect has been bred and a H.lividum that the guy who had it before supposedly bred.

We will also be breeding B.vagans and Usumbaras once we have mature males.

Cheers,
Dave

 

[Phillip]

I would leave them with mom...

Not too many folks have had great success with the artificial incubating thing. The mothers usually do just as good if not better. With the poke definately leave the sack as unless it's bad she shouldn't eat it. Rose hairs I wish you luck but don't hold your breath they don't breed as easily as you would be led to believe from all the info out there.
If you do take any sacks it's important not to take them too soon or they wont be fertilized. I would wait until they were close to hatching before taking anything away from the mother as most often she knows what to do where we are only guessing.
Phil

 

[Wade]

Some, like Avicularia, have a reputation for being good moms, while others, such as Brachypelma, have the opposite rep. It makes sense that burrowers would be more sensitive to disturbances than aboreals. Having a deep, secluded burrow may help.

Many breeders split the difference, and pull the sac after a few weeks, the assumtion being that most of the needed turning has already occured.

Generally, old world T's that make the hommock-style eggsac (such as Pterinochilus) rarely, if ever, destroy their sacs. As one who has failed many more times than I've succeded, I've found these to be very easy to breed.

Wade