Redrump??? (pet store rescue)

[Keith Richard]

Got bored at the weekend and decided to take a visit to a local pet store that carries tarantulas. All tanks were typically labelled "Red Knee", "Zebra Stripe", Featherleg", "Tiger rump" etc........There was one labelled as "Red rump" which I assumed may have been B. vagans. As soon as I saw the poor thing huddled around its water bowl I suspected that I might know what it is. Since it was listed a $49.99 I decided to buy it and hope for the best. Please see below pictures and let me know if you think this is A. versi. I also managed to get a good ventral view (picture is a bit fuzzy) and am 97% that this is female. She is around 3.75" - 4.0" and very sweet and docile. I think that struck out and got a good deal. I know the pet store will restock and the cycle will continue.......I just could not turn away from this little beauty.

[Nick_schembri]

A. veriscolor all the way in my opinion

[WhyTeDraGon]

definitely A. versicolor. Not sure about the sexing...but the palps look rather large. Does "she" have any hooks? :)

[OldHag]

Thats a mature MALE A. versicolor. Looks just like my two right down to the palps. :D

[Keith Richard]

definitely A. versicolor. Not sure about the sexing...but the palps look rather large. Does "she" have any hooks? :)

No hooks but a very large (and even gaping) slit inbetween her booklungs.

[OldHag]

Male Versicolors dont have big hooks. Infact you can BARELY see them when you do get a good look at them.... :( I have a link here somewhere to my male's hooks. lemme go find it

http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=42196 There ya go

[AfterTheAsylum]

It is definitely an A. versicolor. Nice grab.

[Socrates]

Awesome catch, Keith! Congrats on a superb addition. :} :clap:

Definitely an Avicularia versicolor, and looking at your second picture I'd have to agree that she looks mighty girlish. (fingers crossed that she is)

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Wendy
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[Keith Richard]

If this little fellow is in fact male (and I do tend to agree that the Palps look relatively large), what exactly is the large slit between the booklungs that is extremely visible when (s)he is climbing the glass walls of the vivarium?

How depressing knowing that this cute little thing maybe on extremely limited time.

[aaronrefalo]

what a species!!

Aaron

[OldHag]

If this little fellow is in fact male (and I do tend to agree that the Palps look relatively large), what exactly is the large slit between the booklungs that is extremely visible when (s)he is climbing the glass walls of the vivarium?

How depressing knowing that this cute little thing maybe on extremely limited time.

OH NO NO NO NOT AT ALL!!!! if it is male, and it looks it to me and Ive been wrong before ;), Send him off to someone with a female and get 50% of the babies!!!! Theyre darling electric blue fuzzie wee things!!! Not depressing at all!! VERY GOOD BUY!!! I would have jumped all over it!!!

[Cirith Ungol]

From what I can make out I too think it's a male, but you're the owner with the close-up view ;) so check again... If you see it climbing look for the boxing gloves and check again if there are hooks on the front legs.

But it's def. a versi. Yes, I'd agree, if it's a male you might actually get more out of this than you expected :D

[cacoseraph]

it looks like male from V-sexing. it looks like it's got the epiandrous fusilae patch.

[Huk7]

Nice looking Vagans, you did well at the pet store!!!! :D

I agree, it definitely looks like a male, can you possibly get a better shot of the pedipalps?

After all, Versicolors, sorry I mean Vagans ;) are fairly docile (but fast), so it may be possible.

[Vicious]

Nice steal man..... hopefully things work out the best for ya man {D

[Keith Richard]

Thanks for the compliments. (S)he has today found the behind of the piece of corkbark so (s)he is settling in nicely.

I have taken another look at the pictures and the Palps don't actually look as bulbous in the full scale photo.....there's a lot of shadow which may be distorting the view some what in the posted pics.

So, is it plausible that this is a male with a gaping slit between the booklungs that looks as though it's a tiny mouth? lips and all? The slit is open slightly. Perhaps I need to brush up on my understanding of boy spider *bits*??

[Socrates]

So, is it plausible that this is a male with a gaping slit between the booklungs that looks as though it's a tiny mouth? lips and all? The slit is open slightly. Perhaps I need to brush up on my understanding of boy spider *bits*??


The way you describe her, I am even more convinced she's a girl.
Boys don't have that pocket pouch there with an open slit.

Sooooo, I think it's safe to assume that she is indeed a girl - and a beautiful one. :)

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Wendy
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[Keith Richard]

The way you describe her, I am even more convinced she's a girl.
Boys don't have that pocket pouch there with an open slit.

Sooooo, I think it's safe to assume that she is indeed a girl - and a beautiful one. :)

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Wendy
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I got an excellent ventral view this morning. In my humble (and not too experienced) opinion, there are no "boxing gloves", no hooks, and of course the very pronounced slit between book lungs. "She" truly is a beautiful specimen......."her" exaggerated walking style is a joy to behold!!

[OldHag]

I would totally agree. The furrow looks very female. But those palps...DANG If I dont see emboli on them. That Split in the middle of the palp is just too maleish. You wont see the hooks on versicolors. Theyre just TINY.
Maybe get a close up of the underside of her palps.
http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=14610&highlight=emboli Thats a blondi emboli opened up, they usually keep them tucked next to the leg. Versicolors emboli are needle thin hard to see..
Heres some of a versicolor http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=45737&highlight=emboli that shows a FRESH molted emboli so its still white. they get black and harder to see when they harden up. Notice how you cannot see the hooks on the leg.

Im hoping Im tragically wrong and you do have a female!! :D Just dont want her to die male thinking shes a she...when shes a he..hehe

[Keith Richard]

I would totally agree. The furrow looks very female. But those palps...DANG If I dont see emboli on them. That Split in the middle of the palp is just too maleish. You wont see the hooks on versicolors. Theyre just TINY.
Maybe get a close up of the underside of her palps.
http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=14610&highlight=emboli Thats a blondi emboli opened up, they usually keep them tucked next to the leg. Versicolors emboli are needle thin hard to see..
Heres some of a versicolor http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=45737&highlight=emboli that shows a FRESH molted emboli so its still white. they get black and harder to see when they harden up. Notice how you cannot see the hooks on the leg.

Im hoping Im tragically wrong and you do have a female!! :D Just dont want her to die male thinking shes a she...when shes a he..hehe

Wow....those are some great shots Michelle. I can honestly say I did not see any such appendage on the spider's palps....and I think I would have noticed since I paid close attention to the palp and front leg area. I will check again at next opportunity now I have a better reference. But I do have to agree that Chris' versi *looks* pretty identical to mine otherwise. Perhaps you could PM your email addy and I will send you the full sized picture to take a look at.

[bagheera]

Nice hit! If you do figure the gender, and I can determine the gender of mine, maybe they can get together. {D

[WhyTeDraGon]

did you figure out yet if your versicolor is a male or female?

[Keith Richard]

did you figure out yet if your versicolor is a male or female?

Yep...sure did! Despite all the denial and hoping, HE confirmed his sex to me on Monday. Found him in mid sperm web activity. Now that he's fully charged, I need to find him a welcoming lady versi. I hope that he can wait for a month or so since I am out of the country at present. I have offered him to Michelle for breeding.

[OldHag]

If hes making sperm webs still I think you have some time. Who knows how "post ultimate" he is. I would think since hes still actively making spermwebs you would have a bit of time.

I would love to try him with my female :D

Michelle

[aaronrefalo]

sure she is....hope soon i will have mine....goodluck

Aaron

[Keith Richard]

Well, yesterday I packaged him up and sent him down to Beverley Hills to meet a high class female versi. I've yet to hear that he arrived safe and alive but my fingers are crossed. Hopefully, there could be some news and pictures to be posted in the near future.

[Gesticulator]

Hope some pretty blue babies are in the making.Such a beautiful species!

[KennethM]

Mature male versicolor don't have hooks but what you have is definately a mature male versicolor. Find a female to hook him up with quick because he won't be around for long.

[Socrates]

Mature male versicolor don't have hooks but what you have is definately a mature male versicolor. Find a female to hook him up with quick because he won't be around for long.

Goooood morning. Please see post #26. {D {D {D

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Wendy
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[joe8421]

hey ,man
A.versicolor surely ,but can't see its sex ,
guys above ,please teach me how can u know it's a "boy" with a roughly glance?

[joe8421]

hooks???
in that foto ,we can not see any hook clearly ,right?

[OldHag]

Versicolor hooks...the femoral hooks are so small you cant see them unless the spider decides to show you. The best way to tell on versis is looking at the end of the palp. It wont look like a regular toe...but it will look "amputated". Blunt...with a crease in the middle where the emboli fold into it.
http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/sho...ighlight=emboli That shows a side view of an acutal versicolor palp and emboli. The emboli will usually be held tighter to the palp and is harder to see. That pic is of the embolus relaxed away from the palp a bit. Perfect picture.
I dont think you can tell from a "rough glance" if its male or female. I have to twist and turn and peek and prod til I finally can see any emboli or hooks. But the blunt palps on the male is a sure fire way to tell...immature males...I guess wait til they shed and look for spermithicae

[Keith Richard]

Received a call last night that he'd arrived safely. Now it's just a matter of wait n see!!

[DavidRS]

Yes, he has had his way with the first of my 2 females. I agree it was difficult to see the emboli, but they sure knew what was what with all the tapping. Looks like he got several inserts. I'll wait a couple weeks, or if I catch him making a sperm web, and then give him a go with the second female.

[Mendi]

Great 'vagans' rescue :clap: :clap: :clap:

Some mislabeled Ts turn out to be true gems :D :}

[Keith Richard]

Yes, he has had his way with the first of my 2 females. I agree it was difficult to see the emboli, but they sure knew what was what with all the tapping. Looks like he got several inserts. I'll wait a couple weeks, or if I catch him making a sperm web, and then give him a go with the second female.

Way to go wee boy!!! Makes the rescue all the more worthwhile.....game-on!!

[OldHag]

YAY!!!!!! May you be plagued with 1000 wee blue babies :D
My female ended up eating her sack....good thing you didnt send him to me.
Good luck!

[Niloticus]

Very nice A. Versicolor. I'd say you got a good deal. I am not sure what sex it is, however.

Niloticus

[Keith Richard]

YAY!!!!!! May you be plagued with 1000 wee blue babies :D
My female ended up eating her sack....good thing you didnt send him to me.
Good luck!

Thanks Michelle!! Blue babes would certainly be nice. I sense that versi's aren't the easiest to produce. Good luck David!!

[DavidRS]

That little womanizer just had his way with my second female. He's doing pretty good for a spider that wasn't "obviously" a male.:razz:

[Crimsonpanther]

Hey VERY nice A.Versicolor !
Those are spectacular Spiders , it does tend to look male though
Sorry :8o

[Keith Richard]

He's doing pretty good for a spider that wasn't "obviously" a male.:razz:

Ha!...well he is from San Francisco you know David!! Best of luck in a successful egg(s) sack.

[Keith Richard]

Sadly, the poor guy succumbed to the hungers of a versicolor lass. On the brighter side, David advises that there is an eggsack. Fingers crossed....good luck David!