That center bit looks very --- press-able.

you go first

You look at the pedipalps, which are they appendages closest to the fangs.

The males have an extra appendage on the end of them called the cymbium, which holds the palpal organ, which holds the sperm. Females don't have this end piece, but still have pedipalps. Females are usually larger than males too.

Here is a male, with its pedipapls. Picture Source

Hey thanks for that Skip.

Ill have to find a male by the looks of things. Then hopefully she doesnt kill it.

check out the pedipalps on my big one (same 1 thats upsidedown). Theyre more like an extra leg than anything

that's definitely a Female. Beautiful too.

Wait till late spring. As the temperature warms up, spiders will become more active. Spring rain can also flood burrows and cause them to surface and wander. Males will be more common then too, searching for females to mate.

Cool, thanks for the advice

Matt, Where did you find this one?

I am keen to keep on as a pet too.

I have not seen them around for quite some time.

Still want one? you can have the smaller one if you like, seems to have one pedipalp missing but otherwise she's all good.

Imagine the photos you could get on that new camera lol

Got a little vid of me feeding mine a blowfly.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruOo5VYjbfA

WOW!! Ever fed them a whitetail? That would be a cool video to see.....dam whitetails!!!

I fed it a decent sized spider off the roof yesterday, next time I see a white tail ill chuck it in

I fed it a decent sized spider off the roof yesterday, next time I see a white tail ill chuck it in

Yeah!!!!! Don't forget the video....please.

wow awesome spider pics. Been looking for these for a while but they are rare as it is

wow awesome spider pics. Been looking for these for a while but they are rare as it is

Not really if you know where to look.

I went for a walk in the bush the other day and within an small area about the size of a quater acre section I found about half a dozen of them.

Mine has turned into a hermit. He wont come out till I am not looking.

if you find any females

same at my place,under pine plantation,pumicey soil for easy burrowing with a good layer of damp litter and millions of cochroachs.There are plenty of them,/not that you see them but the burrows are easy to find,don`t make a habit of looking for them!!

yeah i can find the webs/tunnels. being patient enough to get them out is another story...hmmm may have to get the chainsaw out

Are these guys easy to breed in captivity?

May have to find a male for my female and see what happens.

thought the one i gave you was male?

cant imagine them being too hard to breed. I just want to try something different. Dont think ive ever seen a really small one of these spiders.

edit, true i had two females, dur :oops:

i want a male or 2 if anyone finds any

edit, true i had two females, dur :oops:

i want a male or 2 if anyone finds any

:lol:

nice one

found 8 today and 5 males

good find. is that all :lol:

found 8 today and 5 males

nice indeed. Had a look last night and mine appears to be female

good find. is that all :lol:

only in a small are too

having a clean up

Female Banded Tunnel Web Spider (Hexathele hochstetteri)