Any other amblypygi keepers here?

Albireo Wulfbooper

Albireo Wulfbooper

Arachnoprince
Joined
Aug 1, 2019
Messages
1,604
I can't possibly be alone. (Besides Gil Wizen I mean!) I feel a bit crowded with all these (admittedly lovely) tarantulas on these boards!
 
Vanessa

Vanessa

Grammostola Groupie
Joined
Mar 12, 2016
Messages
2,422
Euphrynichus bacillifer

Euphrynichus bacillifer

Very freshly moulted.
Phrynus whitei

Phrynus whitei

Phrynus marginemaculatus Dominican Repubulic

Phrynus marginemaculatus Dominican Repubulic

Phrynus decoratus (Cuba)

Phrynus decoratus (Cuba)

Phrynus barbadensis

Phrynus barbadensis

 
asunshinefix

asunshinefix

Arachnosquire
Joined
Jun 2, 2017
Messages
55
There are definitely some of these guys in my future, I just love them!

Actually I spent today researching and I could use some advice. (If this is not the appropriate place to ask, I apologize, and mods feel free to delete/move.) I'd especially like to hear from other Canadians because we certainly have some specific temp/humidity issues. Without further ado:

My apartment environment:
-Average winter temp: 23-27°C (73-80°F)
-Few days of ~18°C (65°F), no lower, each spring and fall
-No A/C, average summer temps 25-42°C (77-108°F), plus humidex = up to 46°C (115°F) at very worst
-Usually only a week or two of really unbearable heat and humidity
If it just gets way too hot, I have an arachnid-savvy mum whose house is much cooler and who enjoys "baby"sitting

Experience
Keeping beginner-intermediate tarantulas for a few years, including big South American terrestrials, lightning fast dwarfs. Almost everyone raised from tiny slings. Husbandry systems working well and I'm ready to learn some new skills; I find amblypygi mesmerizing and I think I'm ready. But what species?

Ideal criteria
-Ease of care & hardiness above all else
-If I relevant, I prefer defensive behaviour to frantic lap-running around the enclosure (I know they are quite skittish and a certain amount of lap-running is probably inevitable)
-The bigger the better; wide leg/whipspan does more for me than than body size/weight
-Medium-sized species okay too but prefer no very small species (Charinus?)
-Must be captive bred - no worries with TarCan

Species I'm considering (from TarCan)
***Acanthophrynus coronatus
***Damon diadema (real diadema, not medius) - but I read that this is not an ideal beginner species?
***Phrynus longipes (orange form)
***Phrynus whitei
-Paraphrynus carolynae
-Paraphrynus robustus
-Phrynus barbadensis?
-Phrynus decoratus (Dominican Republic)
-Phrynus pseudoparvolus
(*** = seems likely to be a good fit)

Anyone who can speak to any aspect of this ridiculously and unnecessarily detailed post, please do:) Just like... hit me with all your ambly facts!
 
Albireo Wulfbooper

Albireo Wulfbooper

Arachnoprince
Joined
Aug 1, 2019
Messages
1,604
asunshinefix said:
There are definitely some of these guys in my future, I just love them!

Actually I spent today researching and I could use some advice. (If this is not the appropriate place to ask, I apologize, and mods feel free to delete/move.) I'd especially like to hear from other Canadians because we certainly have some specific temp/humidity issues. Without further ado:

My apartment environment:
-Average winter temp: 23-27°C (73-80°F)
-Few days of ~18°C (65°F), no lower, each spring and fall
-No A/C, average summer temps 25-42°C (77-108°F), plus humidex = up to 46°C (115°F) at very worst
-Usually only a week or two of really unbearable heat and humidity
If it just gets way too hot, I have an arachnid-savvy mum whose house is much cooler and who enjoys "baby"sitting

Experience
Keeping beginner-intermediate tarantulas for a few years, including big South American terrestrials, lightning fast dwarfs. Almost everyone raised from tiny slings. Husbandry systems working well and I'm ready to learn some new skills; I find amblypygi mesmerizing and I think I'm ready. But what species?

Ideal criteria
-Ease of care & hardiness above all else
-If I relevant, I prefer defensive behaviour to frantic lap-running around the enclosure (I know they are quite skittish and a certain amount of lap-running is probably inevitable)
-The bigger the better; wide leg/whipspan does more for me than than body size/weight
-Medium-sized species okay too but prefer no very small species (Charinus?)
-Must be captive bred - no worries with TarCan

Species I'm considering (from TarCan)
***Acanthophrynus coronatus
***Damon diadema (real diadema, not medius) - but I read that this is not an ideal beginner species?
***Phrynus longipes (orange form)
***Phrynus whitei
-Paraphrynus carolynae
-Paraphrynus robustus
-Phrynus barbadensis?
-Phrynus decoratus (Dominican Republic)
-Phrynus pseudoparvolus
(*** = seems likely to be a good fit)

Anyone who can speak to any aspect of this ridiculously and unnecessarily detailed post, please do:) Just like... hit me with all your ambly facts!
Click to expand...
No amblypygi is going to run laps - it’s not in their nature. Some species are more likely to become a bit defensive, but that also depends on the individual, so there are no personality guarantees. However, they will all spend most of their time sitting in one spot. As a result they don’t need a huge enclosure, and in fact prefer not to have too much excess space as it makes them feel exposed. They need plenty of height for climbing, but not width or depth.

Our resident amblypygi expert @wizentrop will tell you that for ease of care and robustness to conditions, you can’t beat Phrynus whitei (hopefully he will pop in here and give a more thorough answer to all your questions). Acanthophrynus coronatus is also quite hardy and easy to keep, and may suit your aesthetic preferences a little more. They’re certainly a very impressive and leggy species, and grow relatively quickly. Damon diadema are a bit more delicate and apparently more prone to moult problems - I don’t think they’re the best choice for a beginner. I have one now but started with P. whitei, then A. coronatus and P. barbadensis before moving on to a trickier species. Incidentally while I personally love P. barbadensis, they are fairly small, not especially fast growers, and they’re not a leggy species, so I don’t think you’ll be totally happy with them even though they are easy to keep.

For the record, I have similar apartment conditions, and have had no problems with lack of air conditioning. 18°C is also okay for short periods for both A. coronatus and P. whitei, though you wouldn’t want to drop below that for any length of time. The humidex reading isn’t really relevant for them, so what you want to pay attention to is the actual temperature inside the home near their enclosure. Mine have been as high as 33°C for days on end with no apparent ill effects or changes in behaviour.
 
wizentrop

wizentrop

to the rescue!
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 20, 2005
Messages
649
@asunshinefix thanks for the detailed description. The only real issue I find for keeping Amblypygi in your apartment would be extreme summer temperatures. My apartment is on the top floor with no A/C and it gets to 36°C max, no more than 4 days a year, and my animals can take it with some careful care. However, if you have 42°-46°C it is way to high, even for human rearing! :lol:

As stated above, Phrynus whitei and Acanthophrynus coronatus will easily tick all the boxes for you. I would definitely not go for a Damon as they are not as forgiving as people think. Also Paraphrynus are not easy species to keep. Phrynus decoratus might benefit from the high temps but it is a small species that requires small food, and breeding it is somewhat tricky (if that's your plan).

If I had to pick one, I would go for Acanthophrynus coronatus. This species is a monster, and not just in appearance. It gulps down whatever situation it is presented with. Hands down the most rewarding species to keep. Of course, in order to enjoy it you must swallow the bitter pill of its high price tag, but everyone who got them from me admitted that if they could go back in time they would get more and start with a larger group. One of the problems with this species though, is that being the largest and one of the most colorful amblys, everything else looks dull next to it. Kind of like enjoying a Poecilotheria metallica for a while and then getting a brown terrestrial tarantula... So maybe it's not the best to begin with the best, and Phrynus whitei will be a better choice. Your call, I just gave you something to think about.
 
Moebius

Moebius

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jul 5, 2017
Messages
48
If their price tag wasn't so substantial, I'd be snagging 5 A. coronatus, not gonna lie. There's some E. bacilifer (sp) and D. medius togo locality in the collection, though I'd like some whips for myself. Good to know regarding Phrynus whitei, something I'll be keeping in mind this year.

Are you folks aware of any (relatively) robust smaller species (at least compared to some of the mid to large monsters)? Any that retain distinct reds and/or blacks (not a necessity, drab whips or those that lose coloration don't bother me none)?

I've seen quite a few on TarCan that get my curiosity, but I'm far less whip scorpion savvy compared to Ts, and information isn't always prime with more uncommon species, and I'm not sure which may be worth a go-to outside of what has already been mentioned. For the longest time about all I'd ever see was Damon diadema, so being able to dip into more diverse species is a treat for me.
 
Albireo Wulfbooper

Albireo Wulfbooper

Arachnoprince
Joined
Aug 1, 2019
Messages
1,604
Moebius said:
If their price tag wasn't so substantial, I'd be snagging 5 A. coronatus, not gonna lie. There's some E. bacilifer (sp) and D. medius togo locality in the collection, though I'd like some whips for myself. Good to know regarding Phrynus whitei, something I'll be keeping in mind this year.

Are you folks aware of any (relatively) robust smaller species (at least compared to some of the mid to large monsters)? Any that retain distinct reds and/or blacks (not a necessity, drab whips or those that lose coloration don't bother me none)?

I've seen quite a few on TarCan that get my curiosity, but I'm far less whip scorpion savvy compared to Ts, and information isn't always prime with more uncommon species, and I'm not sure which may be worth a go-to outside of what has already been mentioned. For the longest time about all I'd ever see was Damon diadema, so being able to dip into more diverse species is a treat for me.
Click to expand...
Phrynus barbadensis is fairly small (not as tiny as some species, but certainly on the more petite side) and quite easy to keep. Not sure how they are to breed, if you care about that, but Gil will know. I adore their proportions, small but robust-looking. Like tiny tanks.
 
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