You know you waaaaaaant it.

[skinheaddave]

That's the catch-line for something-or-other on some TV ad, but I can't remember what.

Anyhow, the question at hand concerns my chilian roses. I've just mated my male with one of the two previously bred females a second time. Does her so readily accepting him mean the last one probably didn't take? Or will they continue to mate just as readily even after she is gravid?

Cheers,
Dave

 

[Vayu Son]

><

He'll probably just rip off her right leg I, like mine did :8o

 

[Immortal_sin]

good question! I think the only way to find out *almost* for sure is if your male gets munched. Someone said (I forget who) that that is usually a good sign she is gravid (or just wants a nice snak!)
That is what happened to my loaner male B albopilosum. They mated quite a few times, she munched him, then made an eggsac.
However, he had already mated successfully with 1 other female, who then made an eggsac, so it's not reliable either.
How's that for a very convoluted way of saying 'I have no clue'!

 

[Wade]

I suspect she'll accept him until she has no more room for the sperm, or until the time she's ready to drop. At least, most of the times I've bred T's the female will accept the male 2-3 times, and then will have none of it thereafter.

Tarantulas are never really "gravid", because there is no internal fertilization. The sperm is stored until the eggs are actually laid, and then she douses them with the sperm she's been saving.

Just speculating here, but more sperm = more potentially fertile eggs, so it makes sense that she will accept him more than once. Probably in the wild, females accept more than one different male, thereby further increasing the odds of some of her offspring being Darwinian winners.

Wade

 

[skinheaddave]

Okay. In that case I will continue to breed them. I have three females (one potentialy immature -- just got her and haven't gotten a moult yet). The two that I know to be mature have both bred with him once and now the first one has bred with him again.

How long should I be leaving between matings? So far I've been leaving a couple weeks. Is this longer than I need? Shorter?

Wade> Your speculation seems very sound.

Cheers,
Dave

 

[Wade]

All he really needs is time to make a new sperm web. If you see signs in his cage of a new one (they usually destroy it after loading up)then he should be ready to go. Since the remains aren't always apparent, I usually give him at least a week if I don't see a definite sperm web.

Wade

 

[skinheaddave]

Wade,

Okay, sounds good. I think I will make Wednesday mating day and alternate between females. Thanks for your help.

Cheers,
Dave

 

[Cuttlefish]

He he he... your title is from a Cheez Whiz commercial...

Tamara.

 

[skinheaddave]

I knew it was from some sort of commercial. Thanks dear.

Cheers,
Dave