breeding P. formosa - advice please

[Lisa Ashforth]

Hello

I'm about to embark on my first tarantula breeding attempt. I guess P. formosa was not the best one to choose as my first as I've heard they're not very easy to breed, but it's just turned out that way. I have the MM here and the female moulted about 3 days ago. I'm going to leave her for 2 or 3 weeks to harden off and hopefully feed, then introduce the male. I've put some of her web into his tank and also part of her exuvium. I'm not so worried about the mating part - either they will or they won't - but I wondered if anyone has had success with these and would share tips on how to encourage the female to lay.

She's in an Exo Terra and I've put her hide in one corner. It's wider at the bottom than the top, and the glass behind it is covered in dark paper to minimise light getting into the area. She has a small heat mat taped to the side of the glass behind her hide too.

I would like to know about how I should condition her for laying - dry, wet, feeding or not, temps etc. I realise it's a long shot with formosa, but I'd like to give her the best possible chance.

Thanks

[Robert Sleaford]

Hi there,

Let me know how you get on with the breeding attempt, I bought a nice big female at the BTS show who is looking for a man in her life!

My guess would be to keep conditions as you normally would, but make sure that she has got a really good place to hide with her egg sac. I give all mine hollow logs, my A. avic is currently hiding in hers with a teeny-weeny sac.

[Lisa Ashforth]

Hi Robert, good luck with the Avic sac!

I'll keep you posted on how it goes with the formosa.

I'd offer you this male, but he's been mature for a few months already, and if he survives my girl he's going to somebody else, which will probably just about be his lot. Good luck with finding one and let me know how you get on