Breeding timeline

[enginee837]

In October we started dropping temps then began placing our male with our two females (3 days at a time) and had witnessed locks with both females on multiple occasions. By January the male and females had lost interest in each other. By February we raised temps back up and everyone is back to eating normally again with no observed ovulation. I have heard of bp's retaining sperm for long periods of time but I was wondering if there is a rule of thumb for timeline from cooling to breeding to ovulation.
Thanks for the replys, we are just wondering what to expect.

[StillBP]

Well to put it totally honestly they go when they are ready. I started pairing November 1st. I got eggs in March and the beginning of April. I have one that is going to lay any day now and one ovulated yesterday. So as you can see they can go at different times. Also just curious but why drop temps. I don't and many on here don't and still breed successfully. It is not necessary

[Stewart_Reptiles]

No rule some people don't even cool, I don't and I pair year round when my animals are ready and the conditions are right.

Now on the technical aspect there is no timeline to many variable for that, you may start cooling or pairing to stimulate follicular development or but it does not mean that it will start right away and when it does follicular development can take 4 to 8 months.

Can they retain sperm? absolutely, you could very well have a female laying eggs at this time even after you no longer pair her.

While breeding is not rocket science being able to observe and understand you animal's behavior is very important it helps you know where your female stands and if the moment is right for her to be paired, and whether she needs to be paired again, or whether you can stop etc

Have you palpated your female, did you feel any follicles?

Did you observe any type of positive signs? What and when?

[enginee837]

The temperature drop was only at night and I let them drop to about 75 deg, daytime temps remained in the 88 range. I waited for a good storm to roll in before the first pairing as I know from past experience with other species the change is weather can help.
As for what I witnessed, with both females the male went to work immediately and within a couple hours of introduction to each female, had locked with them and remained locked for some time. I kept them together in 3 day increments with 3 days off through november and december. By January they began to show little to no interest in each other.
I have seen no signs of ovulation and withing a couple days of bringing the night time temps back up all 3 are eating again.

Both females have been staying on the cool side of their enclosures but not wrapped around their water bowls. I have not palpated for follicles. I figured the fact that they were both feeding again was likely a sign that they were not gravid.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

Palpating for follicles and being gravid are two different things, they are gravid when they ovulate but until they do they are building up (follicular development) and during that time they will eat.

If you do not feel for follicles it's always hard to tell if whether or not they need to be paired (depending on the follicle size there is a moment when they are prime for being paired, after they reach a certain size they do not need to anymore).

There is also no reason why you need to pair 3 days on 3 days off, pairing once a month is more than enough.

While you have witness locks it does not mean the condition were right it might have stimulate the beginning of follicular development but it does not mean anything will ever come out of this.

Should you keep pairing or not well since you do not really know where your females stands it's hard to tell.

Are they still on the cool side? (Not all females will bowl wrap or soak) being on the cool side is enough for some females.

If they are still on the cool side keep pairing until you see an ovulation, do so once a month using the weather at your advantage, if they return to the warm side and show no interest you either missed the ovulation or they are not gonna go this season.

[enginee837]

Thank you for the info. I have not palpated for follicles. I did however check on them today. Both females are going into shed. Our albino spider female looks pretty normal. Our other girl looks like this;

[enginee837]

Our albino spider is still showing noo signs of gravidity. Jasmine however has been off food since early June and had her post ovulation shed sometime in the first week of July (we were on vacation at the time). She had been on the hot side until yesterday when she became quite restless moving around her cage for a few hours before settling down in the cold side hide.
I went back to check on her before going to bed and found this.[IMG][/IMG]

Looks like she pushed all of the bedding out of her hide as well.

[enginee837]

Came home Friday afternoon and found this. 7 healthy eggs. Cooking them low and slow at 84.5. Hopefully we will get some healthy babies in about 70 days.[IMG][/IMG]

[bcr229]

Came home Friday afternoon and found this. 7 healthy eggs. Cooking them low and slow at 84.5.

That's a tad too low. Raise the temp half a degree a day over the next few days until you're up to 86.5-87*F if you want to incubate slowly.

[enginee837]

That's a tad too low. Raise the temp half a degree a day over the next few days until you're up to 86.5-87*F if you want to incubate slowly.

Thank you for the advice however I have been in close contact with a breeder with extensive experience and success (Michael Cole) with the super black pastel gene combo. I am following his advice to the t.