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A moderatum

MassExodus

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So this friday I'm going after A moderatum, a few hrs from my house. In my area I've seen several tarantulas, and every one was an A anax. I have two wc females I bred in captivity. They're both hugely gravid, and have been placed in a quiet, dark closet.
The closest moderatum have been reported 48 miles from my location.
My question is this. If I'm successful and get a bunch of pairs, after sending most to breeders/forum members, if I get a few sacs from the ones I keep, would it be unwise, unethical, or wrong to seed my property with well started moderatum? Anax are everywhere here. While I know these two species reside in the same areas, is it ok to populate my area with moderatum? Will they cross breed? DO they cross breed? I read the Aphonopelma revision paper, all of it. This was not adressed in it. It cant possibly cover all the areas moderatum reside in, either. Just known locations. What do y'all think? Im not interested in selling slings. I would keep several, give some to friends, and release the rest on my property.
But how many tarantulas in the hobby resulted from overlapping territories and cross breeding? Is it wrong, what I'm thinking of? The species is not endangered. My motivation is purely selfish : I want moderatum in my field:) Thoughts?
 

Doc Miller

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Anything, wild or domestic introduced into an area that its not indigenous will even inadvertently have affects on native species.
I just lost my female moderatum a few weeks back. I got her back in 1999.
 

MassExodus

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Anything, wild or domestic introduced into an area that its not indigenous will even inadvertently have affects on native species.
I just lost my female moderatum a few weeks back. I got her back in 1999.
That's the thing, if you look at the moderatum map ive got them 48 miles east of me, and many collection areas south and west. It seems like they're mostly spread across south Texas, with most found near the south and west border areas. What im saying is they may be closer to me than I know..that's why I originally considered the idea. Areas with more rock than grass is where they live. I have both on my property, and plenty of red clay.. 48 miles is nothing to a species. Plus..A anax literally coat the buildings here when it floods, I don't see them going anywhere, especially by introducing a few moderatum, which they share territory with. Maybe I'm rationalizing though.
 

Doc Miller

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Sanford FL
Well I don't know much about the range of moderatum but the 48 miles is nothing to a species is speculative. The Apalachicola King Snake Lampropeltis getula goini or meansi as it is now is only found in parts of 2 counties. Red pygmy rattlesnake Sistrurus miliarus miliarus come from just a few counties.
And if you look at the Fl peninsula. We have many subspecies that come from no where else. Fl black bear, Fl panther, Fl cotton mouth, Fl pine snake Fl snapping turtle, Fl manatee etc.
I can drive an hour or 2 north and catch southern copperheads, canebrake rattlers and see beaver. but they're none in central FL
Also in reading up on new species of pampho's field collectors state many are coming from small ranges no spread across a country IDK
 

MassExodus

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Where are the Aphonopelma revisionists? Probably on AB...I need to bring those fantastic bastards here. I need to find them and ply them with drinks or some form of bribery..
 

PanzoN88

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Are you going to the valley (McAllen, Pharr, mission, etc...) in between McAllen and Alamo there is a rural road that looks like a good place to find tarantulas of that species. A. Moderatum are at the top of my list.
 

MassExodus

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Nope, headed west to Carrizo Springs and Uvalde. Im going to hit the western border area, and move south starting in Uvalde. I'm also plamning to check closer, on the way back. If you look at the Aphonopelma revision, there's a map of known locations. It seems heaviest west and south of me. I was going to go today but something came up. So tomorrow:)
 

kormath

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you spend your weekend hunting spiders, i spent my saturday educating hte public about them :D

How'd the hunt go?
 

MassExodus

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And its storming outside now:mad: Is God trying to tell me something? Too bad, im off til Friday, im going, God, whether you like it or not..(now watch it rain til Friday) :confused:
 

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