Sexing

[Faye Sweeney]

Hiya, I'm a newbie T owner and just got my first spider - a B. smithi last night... I was wondering if there is anywhere that I can send a moult to to get it sexed? It moulted last week and the old owners kept it...

some pics:




Off out now to buy some crickets and some more substrate...

[Mark Pennell]

Faye
Just photograph the inside of the abdomen an we should be able to easily tell what it is.

Oh and read this for what to look for, its old but valid page from my site

http://www.seriousbite.com/sexing_your_tarantula.htm

cheers
Mark

[Faye Sweeney]

that'd be great! here are a few shots: if they're no good, I'll try re-hydrating it and take some more tonight when my o/h gets back with my good camera!

[Mark Pennell]

Faye
Female! OK

cheers
Mark

[Faye Sweeney]

Faye
Female! OK

cheers
Mark

Woo-hoo! thanks so much - I was really hoping for a girl

[Colin D Wilson]

Congratulations !!!

And welcome to the Forum Faye.

[Faye Sweeney]

Congratulations !!!

And welcome to the Forum Faye.

Thank you Colin... the forum is great - I've spent most of today doing my research
I've named my spidey Mary Jane (sorry if the spiderman references have already been exhausted! ) and am really enjoying her - she wolfed down her first cricket and seems really settled and docile... couldn't have asked for a better first T (and am already looking into what I want for a second! )

[Craig Mackay]

Welcome to the forum Faye. I'm fairly new myself and you'll find you are made very welcome here. Don't be scared to ask questions. You always get great answers. Gorgeous T by the way and congratulations on her being female. I'm hopefully getting a B.Smithi sling next week. Fingers crossed she'll be a female too.

[Colin D Wilson]

Thank you Colin... the forum is great

Thank you, nice to hear, post away....ideas, pictures, questions always welcome.

I've spent most of today doing my research

Excellent, The hobbies a non stop learning experience

and am already looking into what I want for a second! )

There's so many routes you can go down, you could stay with one genus and try and get all the different species within it, concentrate on an area (Asia, Sth America, Africa etc) and pick from the ones available or just go and buy everything that appeals,
Eitherway this is one of the most interesting and compelling hobbies out there.

[James Box]

one warning about the latter method:
it's hard to stop! i know from experience lol
cause within that you start favouring certain genera, and then you start getting more spiders of those genera...and before you know it, exponential growth!

[jason holland]

hard to stop is an understatement lol.... take Chris Golen for eg... look at his thread in the pic section.. he has wayyyy to many lol
(theres prob people on here with more but chris posts pics almost daily, so hes the first name that comes to mind)

[Faye Sweeney]

I know what it's like - I've now got 12 rabbits from originally just wanting a pair!
My o/h is adamant that 1 T is enough, but it's my birthday next week, so I'll see if gentle persuasion works!
Little M.J. is working her magic too – she just took out 2 crickets at once - that's just showing off! lol

[Faye Sweeney]

well, that was easier than expected - he just agreed to let me get another and all I had to do was order him a curry!

now I just have to pic a species... ooooh the fun!