Transvestite Tarantula!

[Grizzabella]

Ok so not really
however....
Ive had a rose hair tarantula for almost 2 and a half years now, and i was under the impression that it was a "He" because he shed about a year after i first got him, (i didnt know about determination of sex via shed at the time), and proceeded to engage in what i thought were male behaviors; spinning a table-like web and collecting sperm, etc. Today, i find out that "He" has shed AGAIN! after a year and a half of no shedding! (and repeated male bahaviors)...
P.S. he is of adult size
I always thought that a male will shed into his adult size, and after that he has a sentence of about 2 to 3 years where he would search for a mate (in the wild, not in my house ) during which there would be NO shedding and he would eventually die... so now we can imagine my surprise to find him shedding after all this time!
So my real question is this: Has anyone ever heard of a male tarantula engage in mature sexual behaviors BEFORE his final molt? I definitely still think he is a male, but i wont know till i have access to his molt (im not home at the moment).. so has anyone ever heard of this before? Thanks!

grr i'll be mad if "he" is a "she" after all this waiting around!!

 

[Sang]

i had a turantula that molted several times within 4 years. not sure of the variety but it was medium sized turantula.

 

[Grizzabella]

sigh

yeah i also have a smaller flame-legged tarantula (and i KNOW shes a female) and she has molted about once every 1 1/2 months but thats normal for females and babies, and she is both(as far as i know adult females will molt about once a year depending on food etc.).
Just an Update: "He" is still molting which has me kind of worried, normally it doesnt take this long; then again i havnt had an adult shed their skin in quite a while so maybe it does take longer when they are bigger? My little girl normally gets it all done within 6-12 hours... and its been almost a day and a half with him.... Although he is still movin about, wavin his legs and such.
But i cant know if hes a HE until that shed comes off! so hurry it up stupid boy!!

 

[wuffielover]

A 'for sure' way to sex adult male rose-hairs is tibial spurs, which only mature males get. They basically look like little protrusions on their front legs that stick out the back. Another physical characteristic that they develop is 'boxing gloves' on the end of their pedipalps; they will become very poofy and rounded on the tips.

Some male tarantulas will attempt to molt again after their 'ultimate' molt (the molt where they develop these characteristics), but unfortunately this molt is usually unsuccessful. I have heard of (on forums) tarantulas who made it through, tho.

Good luck! Maybe you have a confused girl?

 

[Grizzabella]

BIGGER sigh

i have deffinitely seen the "bulb" appendages on his pedipalps; and especially when he did his little mating thing
Unfortunately i came home teh otehr day to find him flipped over (so he was rightside up) with teh shed still attached to him, and my vet was going to come over to see if he could do anything (like cut the free-standing shed so it didnt hinder locomotion etc) but before he got a chance i noticed that teh poor boy had started bleeding...
I'm guessing that his new skin hardened up and then when he tried to keep shedding the old skin was dry and teh new skin was dry and he cracked and bled out
So now we are going to try to get a definitive sex on this guy...
Its always sad to see someone so old and distinguished go
he was my longest lived tarantula; and i had been hoping maybe i got it all wrong and he WAS a girl... ergo he would have many more happy years to come

RIP Mer

 

[Grizzabella]

OMG false alarm!!

Yesterday evening (after a wake of sorts) we went to remove DEAD tarantula from tank to take to teh vet for sexing, and lo and behold; he MOVES! Imagine the scream
he was still upsidedown and such, but deff alive... so instead we show up at the vets office with a LIVE spider, and god bless my vet, he set right to work trying to free him from the old shed
it went "successfully" and i say that with quotations because he is still a little bit contorted and hasnt eaten yet, but hes alive, which is way more than i could ask for
bad news: he would have to go through anpother shed to regain use of his disabled legs (not all of them are, just 2 or 3) which i would imagine is dangerous...
and i STILL DONT KNOW IF HES A BOY!!