# Looking for any info on Phormingochilus sp. rufus.



## GraveWolf (Apr 1, 2018)

So I just won a spiderling last night for free from a contest and I will be receiving a Phormingochilus sp. rufus. I'm admittedly a bit new to the hobby still, but I'm excited to take it on. The only issue is, is that Google brings up very little information on the species.

Does anyone have any information on it so I know what I'm getting into? Care, housing, temperment, anything?


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## Venom1080 (Apr 1, 2018)

One of the most advanced species out there. 

Similar to Lampropelma. And kept the same way. They will burrow, so provide a few inches of sub for a sling. They appreciate some humidity as well. They are arboreal spiders, so a taller cage is required. I'd use a 16oz deli for a sling. 

Venom is nasty. Temperament can be too.

Not a good one for a beginner..

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 5 | Informative 2


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## GraveWolf (Apr 1, 2018)

Possibly not the greatest for a beginner, haha. I had the guess the species from a picture, not realizing that it was what I was going to get.

But I am determined to take good care of it. I might be newer than some to tarantulas, but not to exotics in general. I keep snakes, lizards, geckos, you name it...so I'm used to all kinds of crazy care requirements.


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## Venom1080 (Apr 1, 2018)

GraveWolf said:


> Possibly not the greatest for a beginner, haha. I had the guess the species from a picture, not realizing that it was what I was going to get.
> 
> But I am determined to take good care of it. I might be newer than some to tarantulas, but not to exotics in general. I keep snakes, lizards, geckos, you name it...so I'm used to all kinds of crazy care requirements.


Well they're alot simpler than most exotics. Some semi moist sub and maybe a water dish is all they require for humidity. Some good cross ventilation wouldn't hurt either. Here's some photos of some of my Lampropelma set ups. Will work for phormingochilus just fine.


Since you have a sling, something this size would work better.


I'd feed prekilled mealworms or crickets----little smaller than its legspan for crickets- a few times a week. They're generally very shy, so live would take a long time to watch. And I don't like to waste time.


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## GraveWolf (Apr 1, 2018)

Thank you very much for your help. They're a bit like the geckos, then.

Keep them a little moist, give them a little head room, and don't expect them to enjoy your presence. Got it. Any special temperatures or is room fine?

I have a week or so to prep since she said they're behind on shipping. I might have to get extra enclosures anyway since I might add to the order since I'm getting free shipping too, but I'm not sure what else I want yet. : ) It's a good weekend for adding to the collection.


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## Greasylake (Apr 1, 2018)

GraveWolf said:


> Thank you very much for your help. They're a bit like the geckos, then.
> 
> Keep them a little moist, give them a little head room, and don't expect them to enjoy your presence. Got it. Any special temperatures or is room fine?
> 
> I have a week or so to prep since she said they're behind on shipping. I might have to get extra enclosures anyway since I might add to the order since I'm getting free shipping too, but I'm not sure what else I want yet. : ) It's a good weekend for adding to the collection.


Room temp is fine for just about every tarantula. The only real reason to try to raise the temps would be to make it grow faster.


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## Nightstalker47 (Apr 1, 2018)

GraveWolf said:


> Thank you very much for your help. They're a bit like the geckos, then.
> 
> Keep them a little moist, give them a little head room, and don't expect them to enjoy your presence. Got it. Any special temperatures or is room fine?
> 
> I have a week or so to prep since she said they're behind on shipping. I might have to get extra enclosures anyway since I might add to the order since I'm getting free shipping too, but I'm not sure what else I want yet. : ) It's a good weekend for adding to the collection.


Temps in the range of 70-85 would be ideal, slings grow very fast. They are quite high strung spiders, temperament would be flighty/defensive...tarantulas with lots of personality early on.

Not a great beginner genus, wouldn't advise starting off with one. I would suggest learning from something out of psalmopoeus for now, not saying you cant get the phormingochilus in the future...but as your first T, bad idea. The psalmos are all great bridge spiders to OW arboreals, irminia and cam especially. Fast growth, great appetites and some attitude, sharpen your tools with these and then go for the rufus when you have some real experience.










Heck, even the NW arboreals will be a handful for someone brand new to the hobby. Best to learn how to swim before you dive into the deep end. 

Welcome to the boards!

Reactions: Like 4 | Agree 1


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## Venom1080 (Apr 1, 2018)

Nightstalker47 said:


> Temps in the range of 70-85 would be ideal, slings grow very fast. They are quite high strung spiders, temperament would be flighty/defensive...tarantulas with lots of personality early on.
> 
> Not a great beginner genus, wouldn't advise starting off with one. I would suggest learning from something out of psalmopoeus for now, not saying you cant get the phormingochilus in the future...but as your first T, bad idea. The psalmos are all great bridge spiders to OW arboreals, irminia and cam especially. Fast growth, great appetites and some attitude, sharpen your tools with these and then go for the rufus when you have some real experience.
> 
> ...


Do you have any phormingochilus yet by any chance? I've been eyeing the slings at TC for a while now..


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## Nightstalker47 (Apr 1, 2018)

Venom1080 said:


> Do you have any phormingochilus yet by any chance? I've been eyeing the slings at TC for a while now..


Yep, picked up an everetti at the last show, almost left with some rufus as well... kind of regret not getting any.

Molted once so far, lots of fun to come.

Reactions: Like 3


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## Venom1080 (Apr 1, 2018)

Nightstalker47 said:


> Yep, picked up an everetti at the last show, almost left with some rufus as well... kind of regret not getting any.
> 
> Molted once so far, lots of fun to come.
> View attachment 271305


Awesome. 

Do you know if the genus has the higher chance on being male, like Lampropelma?


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## boina (Apr 1, 2018)

Unfortunately I can't post any pics of my P. sp. rufus since I've seen it last when I bought and housed it nearly a year ago... a completely invisible spider . 

Keep like any Asian arboreal, as @Venom1080 already described. In contrast to Venom I don't keep mine in a completely arboreal setup but I give them more floor space and substrate and bark at an angle, not upright, to burrow under. Mine has made a rather extensive burrow but I guess they are somewhat opportunistic and will do fine in an arboreal setup, too. This species does not get very big - I don't think they get much more than 5", although I'm not sure how big mine is now... as I said I haven't seen it in quite a while but Dubias keep disappearing, so I guess it's alive. They are great and fearless hunters and mine will even take adult Dubias which are quite large in relation to the spider. 

They are very skittish and nervous, though, and I would put it in a larger enclosure even if the spider is not adult yet, to minimize rehousing because that can get, well... interesting.

Reactions: Like 3


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## Venom1080 (Apr 1, 2018)

boina said:


> Unfortunately I can't post any pics of my P. sp. rufus since I've seen it last when I bought and housed it nearly a year ago... a completely invisible spider .
> 
> Keep like any Asian arboreal, as @Venom1080 already described. In contrast to Venom I don't keep mine in a completely arboreal setup but I give them more floor space and substrate and bark at an angle, not upright, to burrow under. Mine has made a rather extensive burrow but I guess they are somewhat opportunistic and will do fine in an arboreal setup, too. This species does not get very big - I don't think they get much more than 5", although I'm not sure how big mine is now... as I said I haven't seen it in quite a while but Dubias keep disappearing, so I guess it's alive. They are great and fearless hunters and mine will even take adult Dubias which are quite large in relation to the spider.
> 
> They are very skittish and nervous, though, and I would put it in a larger enclosure even if the spider is not adult yet, to minimize rehousing because that can get, well... interesting.


That's the semi arboreal package.  Notice the 3-4" of sub? 
	

		
			
		

		
	



Here's a better contrast. Do note these are Lampropelma, not phormingochilus, but the care is the same.

Reactions: Like 2 | Agree 1


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## Nightstalker47 (Apr 2, 2018)

Venom1080 said:


> Do you know if the genus has the higher chance on being male, like Lampropelma?


That's what I hear, not sure how true all of that is though...doubt anyone has even raised an entire sac and sexed them all.

I know my luck with the borneos and shiodtei would refute those claims, with unsubstantiated evidence it can go either way. Don't let that stop you man. 

@boina I was told 6'' for the rufus, thanks for that info...I do prefer larger species. The everetti are 7'' range spiders.

Reactions: Funny 1


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## GraveWolf (Apr 2, 2018)

Didn't even notice I hadn't been getting alerts for the thread, I thought it'd already died off!

This isn't my first T, technically my second. I got a GBB months back and I'm currently awaiting a molt from her. She's been eating very well until a couple weeks back. Compared to my other exotics, they're incredibly low maintenance.

I understand the concern, of course, I'm not dismissing the advice. My plan wasn't an old world for a second T, but I'm used to dealing with fast moving critters that wouldn't mind taking a bite out of me. I've got a male ball python that strikes at my arm more than his food and an Everglades rat snake who looks for every chance to bolt, uses his tail as a whip and doesn't mind trying to make a snack out of my fingers. It's just what I do. At least the others are far better tempered than those two. They aren't hot snakes by any means, but a bite is still very unpleasant. 

I'll probably look into an initially bigger enclosure to avoid rehousing until I'm used to it, depending on the size of the spiderling. I don't know how unusual they are to find, but the admins in one of my other T groups has been trying to sweet talk me into giving it to my "favorite admin". XD They're jealous.


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## boina (Apr 3, 2018)

GraveWolf said:


> Didn't even notice I hadn't been getting alerts for the thread, I thought it'd already died off!
> 
> This isn't my first T, technically my second. I got a GBB months back and I'm currently awaiting a molt from her. She's been eating very well until a couple weeks back. Compared to my other exotics, they're incredibly low maintenance.
> 
> ...


They are still rare and usually pretty expensive, so I bet people would like to take it off your hands


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