# Can spiders change sex



## kevhutch (Feb 18, 2010)

As above

i have resently sexed (or i thought) female T's, only for them to be male:blush:

i have done it about 3 times now, also a friend of mine done the same

are we just (badly) mistaken or does it happen?:bash:

your thoughts please

cheers Kev:no1:


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## 8and6 (Jan 19, 2010)

mistakes can easily be made

tufts of setae can be mistaken for spermathecae, especially at very young ages

are you sexing via exuvia or externally?

PS, i have never known a T to 'change' sex


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## kevhutch (Feb 18, 2010)

[email protected] said:


> mistakes can easily be made
> 
> tufts of setae can be mistaken for spermathecae, especially at very young ages
> 
> ...


just from the moult, (never managed to just pick up a spider and look at the underneath to sex)and not small, that i could understand the mistake

i know changing sex sounded extreme, but i wasnt sure

maybe i need some better specs:2thumb:


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## aaronsweeting (Feb 3, 2011)

Tarntulas cant change there sex lol if there male there male and if there female they are female.


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## Hedgewitch (Feb 12, 2008)

Nah, their sex is genetically decided. Ignoring cases of gynandromorphs, have you got any pictures of the moults of these spiders?


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## kevhutch (Feb 18, 2010)

Hedgewitch said:


> Nah, their sex is genetically decided. Ignoring cases of gynandromorphs, have you got any pictures of the moults of these spiders?


no havent got the moults, just kept records

must be going senile in my old age.

i thought they didnt change sex, just thought i would ask the question

to be honest i am surprised there hasnt been more people posting on this thread, replying what a stupid thing to ask, there usually are (the usual) people with there own opinion, so i am a bit disappointed in that respect
* i hear the keyboard chattering away as we speak*

i might need to invest in a microscope, i think rather than a magnifying glass

cheers Kev


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## snowgoose (May 5, 2009)

don't be so bloody ridiculous, haha changing sex tarantulas what a **** stupid idea to even contemplate such.

^ is that more what you were after? ^

lol, nah, tarantulas sex is determined very very early on in their egg stage, which is why some people seem to up or lower temps in an attempt to obtain required sexes from egg sacs ( this is something I have only read a couple of times and have no idea if it actually works :lol: )


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## corpselight (Jan 10, 2008)

some species of T have male accessory glands. these can look similar to spermathecae. 
i think the extra bit that is definitely female is called the "epigynal plate" (someone correct me if this is wrong), and that should help. it's a flat structure under the spermathecae, pretty obvious when you know what to look for depending on size and age of spider (and strength of magnifying lens  )


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## kevhutch (Feb 18, 2010)

snowgoose said:


> don't be so bloody ridiculous, haha changing sex tarantulas what a **** stupid idea to even contemplate such.
> 
> ^ is that more what you were after? ^
> 
> lol, nah, tarantulas sex is determined very very early on in their egg stage, which is why some people seem to up or lower temps in an attempt to obtain required sexes from egg sacs ( this is something I have only read a couple of times and have no idea if it actually works :lol: )


thats more like it snowgoose, thats just what i was after:lol2:

i know the temperature works in tortoise etc........ but spiders?


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## garlicpickle (Jan 16, 2009)

kevhutch said:


> thats more like it snowgoose, thats just what i was after:lol2:
> 
> i know the temperature works in tortoise etc........ but spiders?


what a ridiculous question :devil:


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## kevhutch (Feb 18, 2010)

garlicpickle said:


> what a ridiculous question :devil:


:lol2: i chuckled again

thanks lisa


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## garlicpickle (Jan 16, 2009)

kevhutch said:


> :lol2: i chuckled again
> 
> thanks lisa


well judging from the number of "almost certainly female" or even "definitely female" sold on the classifieds that subsequently moult out to be males, I wouldn't be surprised TBH :lol2:


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## FOREST FLOOR (Nov 3, 2009)

Judging from the fact that you say you got 3 wrong, is that from 3 tries or do you have a number of correct id's as well?
If not then it is simple, if you believe that a spider is male, then double guess yourself, knowing you were wrong previously makes this spider a female.
See simple:gasp:


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## kevhutch (Feb 18, 2010)

FOREST FLOOR said:


> Judging from the fact that you say you got 3 wrong, is that from 3 tries or do you have a number of correct id's as well?
> If not then it is simple, if you believe that a spider is male, then double guess yourself, knowing you were wrong previously makes this spider a female.
> See simple:gasp:


it 3 over the last couple of years, the majority are right 

i like your logic


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## Oderus (Nov 24, 2009)

Yes they can, but it's takes a bit of money and they normally go to Thailand for the op :whistling2:


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