Vinigaroon's

[Jeremy Huff]

Hi Bob,

The two photos you have posted are females. In M. giganteus, the male's first segment dips much further down and touches second and sometimes the third segment. Sorry, I don't have a male M. giganteus, but my female look just like yours. How big are your specimens? There is a possibility this trait doesn't show up until maturity. I will look in the literature I have and see if it is documented. I have see a couple hundred M. giganteus though and this is an accurate way to sex them. Hope this helps.
Jeremy

 

[Bob]

Thanks Jeremy,
I have three that look mature and body length is around 2 inches not counting claws or antenna. The other three are probably one or posibly two molts fron adult, I will just have to wait to see if I have a male or two. but so far they look like all females...oh well more babies!

Happy Thanksgiving !!

I have 25 coming over................

Bob

 

[Jeremy Huff]

No problem Bob,
Glad I could help. I suspect all your females will moult in the spring. Make sure you add moisture so there won't be problems in moulting. I suspect M. giganteus is very long lived. I had 80 babies one year. They all got fat, burrowed down for 4-5 months, and every one of them moulted within 48 hours of each other almost exactly 1 year from birth. They did not grow much, so I suspect they take 5-6 years at least before they are mature.

They are very interesting animals

Jeremy (my Thanksgiving was a month and a half ago - I'm Canadian...but happy Thanksgiving to you)

 

[Wade]

I looked at my adults and I can definately see this trait. The first segment on the male is very pointy, almost like an arrow pointing towards the rear. As Jeremy said, it overlaps the second segment and is touching or nearly touching the third. The females first segment is much more rounded.

Even more exciting, I looked at some of my immatures (about an inch body length) and they also appear to exhibit this trait!!! Although it is not as pronounced as in the adults, there is a distinct difference, or at least I THINK so. I marked their cards and time will tell if I'm really seeing it or if it's just optimism on my part.

Thanks again, Jeremy! You've definately cleared up something for me and many others I'm sure!

Wade

 

[Bob]

Wade,
Can you post a photo of an adult male underside??

I am sure mine are all females....I never have this luck with tarantulas!

Thanks

 

[chuck]

at what age / size can you start sexing them like this?

 

[Jeremy Huff]

I am glad I could help everyone. Good luck. I am always looking for specimens from outside the US. If anyone heres of any, please let me know. I am also looking for Florida specimens to see if they are really M.giganteus, but I need collection data with them.

Thanks
Jeremy

 

[Wade]

Originally posted by Bob
Wade,
Can you post a photo of an adult male underside??

I am sure mine are all females....I never have this luck with tarantulas!

Thanks

As soon as I can get a scanner or a digital camera. Not sure when that will be

Wade

 

[Longbord1]

hey how old do this sucker live till ? when there adults and from when they are just born.
mike

 

[Vinnie]

I just checked my vinegaroon. Its hard for me to tell though, because all the images exept one that were posted don't exist anymore. Could someone repost them?

And does anyone sell vinegaroons or know where I can get some? I'm planning on breeding them.

 

[fangsalot]

www.swiftinverts.com has them