Austin S. Breeding Thread

[Mattkc]

Looks like you've been busy; I got my eye on those Brachy's - especially your klaasi - what a gorgeous specimen!!!

 

[Austin S.]

Been a while!
Hapalopus sp. Columbia 'small' MF

Hapalopus sp. Columbia 'small' - 2i

Brachypelma auratum MF

'True' Hysterocrates gigas mating (Female #1)

'True' Hysterocrates gigas mating (Female #2)

Very gravid Poecilotheria metallica

My favorite GBB photo. Shows the male an female courting

Avicularia metallica 'cayenne' MF - 7"+

Brachypelma emilia with egg sac (Sac was bad )

Aphonopelma sp. 'diamondback' (Veracruz) MF

Mature female Thrigmopoeus psychedelicus

Penultimate male Thrigmopoeus psychedelicus

 

[Mattkc]

Great photo's - sorry to hear about your emilia egg sack.
How is your B. klaasi egg sack developing?
Good Luck...

 

[IamKrush]

Have you had any luck breeding the T.psychedelicus?

 

[Austin S.]

Have you had any luck breeding the T.psychedelicus?

I was hoping to receive a MM from someone I know, but it may fall through.
So looks like I will have to wait for this male to mature.

 

[IamKrush]

I was hoping to receive a MM from someone I know, but it may fall through.
So looks like I will have to wait for this male to mature.

I hope you the best of luck and things work out for you.

 

[Austin S.]

It has been a dream of mine to produce these two species. So far so good!
Brachypelma hamorii (smithi)

Brachypelma auratum

 

[Mattkc]

I always enjoy seeing the progress of your new projects - best of luck!

 

[Austin S.]

Thank you @Mattkc !

Brachypelma klaasi female that was mated, has been doing some major excavating. The above smithi, auratum, emilia, and boehmei did the same thing before dropping a sac
Fingers crossed.
https://vimeo.com/204419021

 

[IamKrush]

Thank you @Mattkc !

Brachypelma klaasi female that was mated, has been doing some major excavating. The above smithi, auratum, emilia, and boehmei did the same thing before dropping a sac
Fingers crossed.
https://vimeo.com/204419021

Pretty cool catching that on film. Its neat to watch them work

 

[MassExodus]

Austin do you have any experience with breeding T stirmi? Ive got a MF, a penultimate male, and another(7") female coming today. I've read alot on the subject but there seems to be conflicting info. The BTS is a good source for apophysis and blondi, but stirmi are not mentioned much. AB had some decent threads. So far breeding stirmi seems just like any other tarantula..but people dont seem to have much success. Mine are all false bottom setups, same for Pamphobeteus. Any tips? I really want to breed these Theraphosa. Ive only ever bred a porteri, and have 2 gravid anax and a big pissy Lp thats about to molt out of my last attempt at breeding her. Someone mentioned we hobbyists need to get on it and start breeding Theraphosa more in the states, before they ban the import of one of our greatest genera. I agree, they're right up there with Phormictopus and Pamphobeteus on my list. Anyway, any advice?

 

[Austin S.]

Austin do you have any experience with breeding T stirmi? Ive got a MF, a penultimate male, and another(7") female coming today. I've read alot on the subject but there seems to be conflicting info. The BTS is a good source for apophysis and blondi, but stirmi are not mentioned much. AB had some decent threads. So far breeding stirmi seems just like any other tarantula..but people dont seem to have much success. Mine are all false bottom setups, same for Pamphobeteus. Any tips? I really want to breed these Theraphosa. Ive only ever bred a porteri, and have 2 gravid anax and a big pissy Lp thats about to molt out of my last attempt at breeding her. Someone mentioned we hobbyists need to get on it and start breeding Theraphosa more in the states, before they ban the import of one of our greatest genera. I agree, they're right up there with Phormictopus and Pamphobeteus on my list. Anyway, any advice?

For starters, thank you for using my wifes picture for your profile. It was a nice photo shoot. lol.

Theraphosa need temperatures around, and as close to 23C - 24.5C as possible (73.4F - 76.1F). Nothing colder, nothing warmer.
This genus can produce in lower and in higher temperatures, however they will be infertile.
T. blondi burrow temps - 78.8F
T. apophysis burrow temps - 73.5F

I've produced stirmi once, egg sac is my profile pictures. 143 successful 2i. That was about 6-7 years ago, and since have not been able to.
I received two imported females recently, both dropped shortly after housing and keeping them at those temperatures. However, both sacs were bad.
I have a freshly molted proven female, and a penultimate male whos bald spot turned black the other day. So, I will be attempting them again shortly.

The main issue with breeding this species, is set up and dirt.
I use a mixture of peat moss, timberline top soil, a small amount of fine construction sand, and Sphagnum peat moss (that New Zealand brand).
For proper set up, I follow my good friend Ben Weber:

Key features play a roll in being a successful breeder, many of which I am still trying to figure out.
Even if you mimic these steps perfectly to a T, you need to consider your location, outside temperature and humidity, elevation, location of the tank in the house, circulation, windows, doors. You need to understand them, each person will find their own way with the same species. It takes time and patience. If you want to become a prolific breeder, you have to figure out your own personal methods, and what works best for you only. There will be many downers, such as bad sacs, eaten sacs, dead females, etc. Just don't give up, as the good will always outweigh the bad.

Best of luck to you. Let me know if you have any more questions my friend.

 

[MassExodus]

For starters, thank you for using my wifes picture for your profile. It was a nice photo shoot. lol.

Theraphosa need temperatures around, and as close to 23C - 24.5C as possible (73.4F - 76.1F). Nothing colder, nothing warmer.
This genus can produce in lower and in higher temperatures, however they will be infertile.
T. blondi burrow temps - 78.8F
T. apophysis burrow temps - 73.5F

I've produced stirmi once, egg sac is my profile pictures. 143 successful 2i. That was about 6-7 years ago, and since have not been able to.
I received two imported females recently, both dropped shortly after housing and keeping them at those temperatures. However, both sacs were bad.
I have a freshly molted proven female, and a penultimate male whos bald spot turned black the other day. So, I will be attempting them again shortly.

The main issue with breeding this species, is set up and dirt.
I use a mixture of peat moss, timberline top soil, a small amount of fine construction sand, and Sphagnum peat moss (that New Zealand brand).
For proper set up, I follow my good friend Ben Weber:

Key features play a roll in being a successful breeder, many of which I am still trying to figure out.
Even if you mimic these steps perfectly to a T, you need to consider your location, outside temperature and humidity, elevation, location of the tank in the house, circulation, windows, doors. You need to understand them, each person will find their own way with the same species. It takes time and patience. If you want to become a prolific breeder, you have to figure out your own personal methods, and what works best for you only. There will be many downers, such as bad sacs, eaten sacs, dead females, etc. Just don't give up, as the good will always outweigh the bad.

Best of luck to you. Let me know if you have any more questions my friend.

Thanks Austin. Im just going to have to experiment with conditions, but temp and humidity will be as you described. Two females and a male should give me some room to experiment. Im beginning to suspect my female Lp was a flop. She could still surprise me. Theraphosa have drawn my interest lately, although Phormictopus is still my favorite genus. But I have Theraphosa ready, so they're next

 

[MassExodus]

By the way...those are my hand prints..lol

 

[Austin S.]

Brachypelma hamorii (smithi) - Day 28. Will wait longer to pull in the future :/. Hopefully more develop out of the 900+ good eggs.

Monocentropus balfouri - slings emerging

Brachypelma boehmei

Brachypelma hamorii (smithi)

Grammostola pulchripes

Cyriopagopus violaceopes

Brachypelma albopilosum

Augacephalus ezandami

Hapalopus sp. Colombia 'large'

Got a nice breeding group of mesomelas (4.7.0) and M. peterklaasi (1.1) in the other day:
Megaphobema mesomelas female 1

Female 2

Megaphobema peterklaasi female

 

[Thistles]

Yaaas mesomelas! Love love!

Gotta say though, some of those Brachypelma look less than, uh, pure. Don't know how to not come across as a racist.

 

[Pasodama]

Great pics & Ts.
If you grace us, with the pics, I look forward to seeing the babies you produce.
Megaphobema mesomelas ... among my favorite Ts. Only have one female, at this time, and just love her!

 

[MassExodus]

Yaaas mesomelas! Love love!

Gotta say though, some of those Brachypelma look less than, uh, pure. Don't know how to not come across as a racist.

Could you elaborate Thistles? I'm not seeing it..the albopilosum are obviously Honduran, the boehmei look gorgeous as well as the smithi.

 

[Thistles]

Could you elaborate Thistles? I'm not seeing it..the albopilosum are obviously Honduran, the boehmei look gorgeous as well as the smithi.

I don't KNOW obviously, but the boehmei look like possible baumgarteni hybrids and the smithi have awfully defined knee patches like auratum. There's a member on AB who is like the boehmei/baumgarteni police, and I bet he'd flag those. Unfortunately a lot of hobby stock is like that.

As for the smithi/hamorii, here are some pics (not mine) of smithi showing how the patches are sort of softly defined, smudging into the black and with a thick yellow band at the bottom:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/siegfriedtremel/5008071000/in/photostream/
http://mytarantism.blogspot.com/2012/09/genus-brachypelma.html
I just googled that, but the spider is on a mirror so you can see the soft fade from underneath on the second one. Also you can see that the red goes to the top without that little triangle of black that auratum have.

Here are some spiders that look like a sort of mix, with the thicker yellow of the smithi and the crisp edge to the red of the auratum. Again, these aren't my pictures and it's just my opinion:
http://www.terrarium.com.pl/196-brachypelma-smithi-ptasznik-czerwonokolanowy/
http://www.exotic-animals.org/pajki/opis_vrst/brachypelma_smithi/index01_en.htm

I'd say that the male smithi looks great but the female smithi pictured isn't as blurry as I like my smithis. She's not as bad as the ones I linked, though.

Austin's auratum above is a beeeeeautiful example of the species, with very little yellow and crisp red. I want her. Now.

It's possible there is just some natural variance, and some have speculated that B. baumgarteni is a naturally occurring hybrid between boehmei and smithi. I don't really know. I just am jumpy about hybrids. At this point it probably doesn't matter.

 

[MassExodus]

I don't KNOW obviously, but the boehmei look like possible baumgarteni hybrids and the smithi have awfully defined knee patches like auratum. There's a member on AB who is like the boehmei/baumgarteni police, and I bet he'd flag those. Unfortunately a lot of hobby stock is like that.

As for the smithi/hamorii, here are some pics (not mine) of smithi showing how the patches are sort of softly defined, smudging into the black and with a thick yellow band at the bottom:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/siegfriedtremel/5008071000/in/photostream/
http://mytarantism.blogspot.com/2012/09/genus-brachypelma.html
I just googled that, but the spider is on a mirror so you can see the soft fade from underneath on the second one. Also you can see that the red goes to the top without that little triangle of black that auratum have.

Here are some spiders that look like a sort of mix, with the thicker yellow of the smithi and the crisp edge to the red of the auratum. Again, these aren't my pictures and it's just my opinion:
http://www.terrarium.com.pl/196-brachypelma-smithi-ptasznik-czerwonokolanowy/
http://www.exotic-animals.org/pajki/opis_vrst/brachypelma_smithi/index01_en.htm

I'd say that the male smithi looks great but the female smithi pictured isn't as blurry as I like my smithis. She's not as bad as the ones I linked, though.

Austin's auratum above is a beeeeeautiful example of the species, with very little yellow and crisp red. I want her. Now.

It's possible there is just some natural variance, and some have speculated that B. baumgarteni is a naturally occurring hybrid between boehmei and smithi. I don't really know. I just am jumpy about hybrids. At this point it probably doesn't matter.

Yeah ive read all the threads on boehmei/ baumgarteni and others. I've also read a paper stating with certainty that A brocklehursti is just a regional color variant to the geniculata. That one kinda blew my mind, and made me start thinking and looking at different pictures of the same species, seeing small variations in almost every one. It makes sense to me that all tarantulas of a species wont look exactly alike..(molt stage obviously plays a role, but you see what im saying?) I don't really know what to think anymore, except ID the spiders the best you can before pairing them. And yeah that auratum is drool worthy.