Love is in the air... (my first mating attempts)

[Yinnon Dolev]

Well, it's that time of year.
The end of this month (2 weeks time) I will be attempting 3 matings (my first). Going to start with the locals - Chaetopelma gracile (the northern population) - 2 fems 3 males.
Next would be P. murinus RCF 3 fems 2 males.
and last but not least B. albpoilosum 2 fems 2 males.

Any tips, notes and luck wishings will be greatly apreciated !!!!
Got to get to reading all there is about matings now. If all goes as pland, might just add an artical on the mating of the locals to the next BTS jornal

Cheers,
Yinnon.

[Yinnon Dolev]

Brace yourselves, this is going to be a long one

Well, I have successfully went through with my first (7) mating attempts. They were as follows:
1) Chaetopelma gracile: male (1) (aka cassanova) X female (1). both specimens werry willing and interested. The male went right to it - no drumming or tapping. There was immediate contact between the two. After the male has succured his spurs on the fem' chlicearae, he started tapping/stroking her carapace on the ventral side with his pedipalp. The female was slightly lower than the male due to tank conditions and their chosen spot. Therefor the male didn't have easy access to the femals epigastric fold. After a few minuets of this, the femal seemed drew legs 2 on both sides around the male. At first I thought this was sign that she is planing on a meal, but that didn't happen. She withdrew he leges back, and the two just parted. No insurtion of a plap was sighted. It seemed that they just wern't 'comfterbale'.

2) Chaetopelma gracile: male (2) X female (2). Thought this male was mature, and slightly larger than male (1), he wasn't very active. The male was presented to the females tank. He wandared about for quite some time, avoiding getting close to the female. He kept try to get out of her tank. No drumming or tapping on either side. Eventualy the male got out of her tank, and returned to his tank on his own.

3) Chaetopelma gracile: male (1) X female (2). Being that cassanova was receptive and willing, and being that the first attempt failed, we figured to try to pair him with the female of the second try. He again went straight for the female. She immedatly pounced and he retreted. She pounced again and the male caught her chlicearae with his spures. Again he started tapping on the fem's carapace like attempt 1. The female raised her abdomen as high as she could, keeping it well out of reach. After about 15 mineuts of try to suduce the female, the male slowly realsed the female and dashed off. There was deffinitly no insurtion of the plap.

4) B. albpoilosum : Only one succfull attemept. They took their time dancing about. The female seemed much more receptive and interested than the male. A lot of times she intiated the drumming, and activly came to the male.

5,6,7) P. murinus: 2 succfull attempts, one failed attempt. No males were lost, but one seemed too scared to do anything. The next day that male was seen preparing a sperm-web. He was probably unprepared when attempt was made.

I am going to try with the locals again tomorow night. This time with a camera ready. Hoping for the best.
Cheers,
Yinnon.