Maturity

[Jamihl]

Is my mexican fireleg mature enough to breed she is currently 4-5" if not what size do a fireleg need to breed anyhelp will help

 

[Oursapoil]

Is my mexican fireleg mature enough to breed she is currently 4-5" if not what size do a fireleg need to breed anyhelp will help

She seems to be by her size but I would wait for her next molt to inspect her spermatheca. If they are on the darker side she should be good to go

 

[x_raphael_xx]

She seems to be by her size but I would wait for her next molt to inspect her spermatheca. If they are on the darker side she should be good to go

I think I know when a male is mature enough to mate (sperm webs, boxing gloves, tibial hooks etc)
How do you tell a female is ready? Is it the developement of nubs on the spermathecae? Or as I like to call them...Shrek ears.

 

[Oursapoil]

I think I know when a male is mature enough to mate (sperm webs, boxing gloves, tibial hooks etc)
How do you tell a female is ready? Is it the developement of nubs on the spermathecae? Or as I like to call them...Shrek ears.

Spermathecas differ drastically in size, form and shape between species. My understanding is that ones the pocket starts to darken it is usually a sexual maturity sign.
As an example here are a few spermatheca from last week when sexing some of my Ts.

 

[x_raphael_xx]

Thank you. I'm a while away from attempting breeding just yet, but I'd like to try it in the future.

 

[octanejunkie]

Mature males are easy to spot based on a few physical characteristics, like the aforementioned and lankiness, but also that they become less interested in food and begin to wander, looking for a mating opportunity.

Females have fewer outward physical characteristics that are as obvious as males, other than their epigastric furrow which may bulge, and the lack of all the male's attributes.

As mentioned, examination of the gonal area in exuvia is most conclusive, and when judging maturity, scelortized spermatheca (darkened) denote maturity regardless of size. But it gets better.

There are degrees of scelortization as a measure of maturity; non, weak and strong have been used descriptively by other hobbyists to denote the maturity of individuals in examination of their exuvia. Dark to the point of almost black is strongly-scelortized, while weak may be just a rosy hue at the most extreme end of the spermatheca. Non-scelortized are translucent and indicate an immature specimen. Immature females usually have smaller, not fully developed spermatheca which should be visible by the fourth or fifth instar.

 

[Tarantulafeets]

What do you mean by "fire leg?" I would make sure that you know the exact sp before breeding.