Poecilotheria subfusca

[Nicola Dolby]

Hi, I wonder if anyone can help me. I have this (rather large) P. subfusca. I have tried to find the gender, others have told me female but when I went to check the shed skin after its last moult the spider had destroyed it. Unfortunately the little thing has a new cork bark den which it loves so much I never see it to photo in the daylight (my camera is hopeless in the dark), at least not since the last moult. The spider now, from glimpses I've seen at night, looks like the picture below only with a slightly darker black on the legs, no purple colour and more brown hair. In terms of size I'd say 13-14cm. Can anyone help?

[Steevens DROGUET]

She's a female

[Nicola Dolby]

Thanks Steevens. Considering her size, do you know anyone who has a male for sale by any chance?

[Barbara Gittings]

Thats a very pretty T Nicola !! I shall have to check this one out

Barbara

[Jay Howdle]

I aint being picky or condescending or anything Steevens but how do you come to the conclusion that its a female just from that photograph?
J x

[Kain Prestwood]

Male and Female pokies generally have slightly different colourations

Kain

[Nicola Dolby]

Male P. subfuscas are almost grey all over, but like all Poecilotheria males they only seem to show this after maturation (possible exception P. ornata). While were on the subject of mature males, I learnt a big lesson tonight. I've always said that if given the right conditions with minimum fuss, no spiders are "psycho" like H. lividiums and P. murinus are said to be. I was wrong. My H. schmidti matured at the weekend. tonight I was lightly spraying his moss outside his den for humidity and out he came, fangs flying and threat postures. He is a BIG spider too. this thing seriously looks viscious, it would be halloween as well! so I guess I'm looking to buy a female to breed with him, because I'm not putting my hands in there to pack him up and send him off for 50/50. I like my fingers.