Entering new territory. My first tarantula.

[Snagrio]

So, I noticed a peculiar sign in front of a display at one of my local pet stores, saying that the animal was looking for a new home and was free. Asked the manager about it and apparently any animals that fail to find a home for half a year or more are effectively adopted out. And, well, my foray into isopods with my snake setups already made me curious with inverts and I already had an empty 10 gallon sitting around so...




Aphonopelma seemani, or Costa Rican zebra/stripe knee tarantula. Not sure on the sex as I've shown pics of the ventral area to those more knowledgeable than I and I've heard both (I'm guessing female though), but I have the closeup shot if any T keepers want to give it a look.

[Bogertophis]

Ooh, congratulations! I've kept a T in the past- just a California native one, & only for about 6 mos. I'm no expert- I was told mine was a female based on the large abdomen ("opisthosoma") but I'm not sure that's an accurate way to tell. I like the black & white markings on yours.

This says the best way to tell is from a shed, so it might be a while before you find out. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mf5SujzLmQc

[Snagrio]

Ooh, congratulations! I've kept a T in the past- just a California native one, & only for about 6 mos. I'm no expert- I was told mine was a female based on the large abdomen ("opisthosoma") but I'm not sure that's an accurate way to tell. I like the black & white markings on yours.

This says the best way to tell is from a shed, so it might be a while before you find out. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mf5SujzLmQc

Yeah that's generally what I've heard, you have to wait for a molt and examine the insides.

[plateOfFlan]

Congrats! I have a very teeny A seemanni who has been sequestered underground for :checks calendar: over 3 months now. I caught it outside the other night so I know it's alive!
They're known for endearingly quirky personalities - they like to do things like perform elaborate floatation experiments with their water dish or rearrange everything in the tank for no reason. If you offer yours a ping pong ball or other light item they can pick up they might play with it, they're weird little guys.

[YungRasputin]

Yeah that's generally what I've heard, you have to wait for a molt and examine the insides.

in spiderlings (“slings”) and juveniles yes because they’re simply to small to visually discern with any accuracy without using equipment (eg: microscope) however when they’re adults, like what you have, there are physical characteristics that differentiate them that you’ll be able to tell eg: females will have the flap on the abdomen and males will “hook out” i.e. you’ll visually be able to see their “tibial hooks”

[Bogertophis]

Oh, by the way- now I remember why they said my (California) tarantula was surely a female, without even checking the underside: it was because of her size. The females can live 20-25 years, while the males usually only live to 7 or 8 (10 max), & her "abdomen" was the size of a ping pong ball- she was huge, & all the males I ever saw were so tiny by comparison. I don't know if the lifespan & size differential applies to any other kinds of tarantulas- as I said, my experience with them is very limited, but they're all pretty cool.

[YungRasputin]

Oh, by the way- now I remember why they said my (California) tarantula was surely a female, without even checking the underside: it was because of her size. The females can live 20-25 years, while the males usually only live to 7 or 8 (10 max), & her "abdomen" was the size of a ping pong ball- she was huge, & all the males I ever saw were so tiny by comparison. I don't know if the lifespan & size differential applies to any other kinds of tarantulas- as I said, my experience with them is very limited, but they're all pretty cool.

sexual dimorphism is seen virtually all tarantula species - i think there may be a couple species where this may not be the case or is less extreme than in most cases but this true for like 99% of tarantulas - the size of the abdomen is largely dependent upon food intake and in both sexes it should be relatively proportional to the rest of their body tho as you say females are a bit bigger of course - lifespan wise i would say that’s about average - in their late stages of life males will just wander and mate until they’re a) eaten by the female or b) die of their own accord

[Bogertophis]

sexual dimorphism is seen virtually all tarantula species - i think there may be a couple species where this may not be the case or is less extreme than in most cases but this true for like 99% of tarantulas - the size of the abdomen is largely dependent upon food intake and in both sexes it should be relatively proportional to the rest of their body tho as you say females are a bit bigger of course - lifespan wise i would say that’s about average - in their late stages of life males will just wander and mate until they’re a) eaten by the female or b) die of their own accord

Yeah, I've heard that some of them are pretty bad at dating. Poor guys...

[YungRasputin]

also pokies are super cool, i kept them/bred them, P. rufilata is my particular favorite of the genus but given the size, temperament and venom level they’re definitely an advanced/veteran level species

but! you can work your way up to them by keeping what i call “bridge species” i.e. lower level species with particular traits comparable to pokies - so like starting with A. avicularia, then P. irminia/P. cambridgei then Tapinauchenius then Pokies - would be a good way to do it - this way you build up skills in basic arboreal keeping (Avics), speed (Tapinauchenius), and hyper-defensive behaviors and higher venom levels (Psalmopoeus)

this all needed because ‘teleporting’ is v real and hard to deal with even with experience and pokies are one of the few species that won’t give you a threat pose or any clues before bolting or striking - something I’ve only seen in African arboreals like S. cals + H. maculata and fossorial baboons like P. muticus

[ecoles5]

Hi and congratulations! You’re best off waiting for a molt. Soak it in water and dab of dish soap and then on the inside you can tell if the molt went well. Most T’s sexual dimorphism is seen coloration of the ones that display outer signs until ultimate molt for males I have over 30 at this time. I adore them.