Is my Singapore Blue a female?

[paynestaley]

I'm hoping my L Violaceopes is a female, but I need opinions from people who know better Reptile Forums UK - paynestaley's Album: Lizlids, kittehs - Picture It looks like there is blue on its legs, which you can see better in this moult she had today Reptile Forums UK - paynestaley's Album: Lizlids, kittehs - Picture what do you think?

[Poxicator]

Considering you have the moult you have the most accurate way of getting a good sexing and L. violaceopes is quite easy to sex, at least as they get a good size.

Put the moult in a cricket tub with some kitchen towel soaked in warm water. Leave for 10-15 mins and then take it out. The wrinkled abdomen is what we need to see. If you pour water directly onto this you'll hopefully open it up to reveal the book lungs which are inside and appear as 4 large white blocks. Inbetween the top 2 book lungs you'll find a slit (epigastric furrow) and from that slit you should find a protruding element which, as can be seen from the image below, has 2 humps signifying its female.
Other species will have a moon shape with smaller protrudences and obviously the younger the individual the less well developed these spermathea are.

Try to get an in focus pic of the same area from your own one. If possible take the pic outside so that it has natural light.

[paynestaley]

Thanks I've always wondered how to properly sex a tarantula from a shed. I'll try that out and hopefully get a decent picture up if I can't tell myself.

[ph0bia]

Wow, the spermathecea are really noticeable on them!

[Poxicator]

LOL Ben, makes you think perhaps its not leaflike afterall, cough cough

[paynestaley]

Hmm I think I'm going to have to wait until s(he) gets bigger. I soaked the moult in water but it's mainly head and legs, there's a tiny little shrivelled bit though, is that the abdomen? If so I think it's too small to tell at the moment.

[Poxicator]

yes, its the shrivelled bit you need to see. It will open up if you lightly squirt water into it or peel it over your finger tip.
These grow and mature fast, probably at about a year and unfortunately the ratio of male to female is quite high in the males favour. Having said that I couldnt find a male for ages!!!!

[ph0bia]

Originally Posted by Poxicator

LOL Ben, makes you think perhaps its not leaflike afterall, cough cough

? ? ?

I'm... confused...

The epigastric furrow is the leaflike protrusion, usually, no?

[Poxicator]

not sure what the protrusion is actually called but the furrow, to my understanding, is the crease or slit within the abdomen. I just found it odd that within your video there was no mention of spermathea despite providing reference to the epigastric furrow and "plate". The pic above shows just how obvious this can be in some species and with a keen eye and magnifying glass you can see protrudences in all female exuvia.
I also found it amusing that you say "whilst that's drying" and yet you don't come back to it LOL. Soz

[paynestaley]

Do you think that shrivelled bit is all of the abdomen or is it supposed to be that tiny? I've tried opening it up but can't see any book lungs or anything, maybe the rest is still in his enclosure? If they mature within a year then I suppose it'll be easier to see in a couple of shed's time when he's bigger, cos I can't tell anything from it! How big was the T that the moult in your picture is from?