Made in Impulse buy. Need advice.

[PhilMcWonder]

TODAY I bought a "Purple starburst birdeater" Sling.
I THINK the scientific name is "Pamphobeteus Machala"
Local pet store was selling one today and I had to have the little cutie!
But I am quickly realizing... I don't know jack crap about the species.
So I tried googling it and google wasn't very helpful...

SO! What are these tarantulas like?

 

[johnny quango]

These are fast growing, always hungry, large, beautiful (male) females are brown. They need to be kept a little more humid than your average beachy, Grammy as they are a tropical species, they can be skittish and flickers but not always. I've been haired by mine and I have no reaction to them. It took around 3.5 years for mine to mature from a 2cm sling to a 7" beast he is now

 

[Chris LXXIX]

beachy, Grammy

Beachy and Grammy (Award)

 

[PhilMcWonder]

What sort of terrarium set up? are they burrowers or do they spend a lot of time out in the open?

 

[Chris LXXIX]

What sort of terrarium set up? are they burrowers or do they spend a lot of time out in the open?

As @johnny quango said, keep part of the substrate on the moist (not wet, uh) side. They are 'pure' terrestrial (in the sense that they aren't obligate burrowers like other NW's such M.robustum etc) but, obviously, I would offer (at least) 4/5 inches of substrate nonetheless, because at the end you never know if a Theraphosidae wants to burrow a bit

 

[The Grym Reaper]

The only Pamph I keep is antinous but care is pretty simple (as explained above), slings and smaller juvies will most probably burrow but they should stay out more as they get larger, they're very skittish and will either bolt or kick hairs. Good eaters.

 

[johnny quango]

Beachy and Grammy (Award)

In my defense I had rum fingers

 

[Olan]

My female Machala burrowed a bit as a sling, but now just sits out in the open waiting for food. Provide a corkbark hide. Substrate should be dampened now and then. Feed liberally.

 

[antinous]

Pamphobeteus sp. ‘machala’* it’s not a described species yet.

Out of the trio I have, one burrows, the other two don’t. Keep the sub moist and they’re great eaters.

 

[boina]

Feed them a lot more than you'd feed Brachy/Grammy. These grow a lot with each molt - they can be monstrously fat pre molt and still look thin and starved afterwards, and they molt frequently. With slings and even juveniles I make sure to fatten them up soon after a molt because they may molt again soon and then they'll need the fat.

 

[viper69]

Research before you buy!!