Doing well with Pamphos?

[Nemesis]

I am planning on obtaining a few pamphos. I have read all the care sheets etc., but am curious about personal experiences keeping this genus. I have not been real successful with Asians, despite doing things by the book, and do not want to learn by experience. Any advise will be appreciated.

Pax,
Kelly O

 

[Code Monkey]

I've only got a juvenile P. nigricolor that I raised from a sling but it's been very easy. I just keep it on slightly moist substrate and feed it. It burrowed as a sling but now stays out in the open or under the piece of cork it has as a hide. So, ime, nothing tricky about pamphos at all so long as you can keep the substrate moist.

 

[Tangled WWWeb]

I currently have 21 specimens from 6 different species of Pamphobeteus. I keep them on a slightly moist mix of vermiculite and peat with a large water dish and a shelter. I have not noticed any burrowing from any of my individuals at any size. Some of mine are very defensive and prone to striking, but most are very nervous and run ( very quickly) from the least disturbance. I have found the urticating hairs of some of these to be pretty bad- especially P. platyomma ( last listed as Vitalius but most feel it is a Pamphobeteus sp.). I haven't had many problems ( I lost 1 to a bad molt) keeping Pamphobeteus as long as they were not allowed to become too dry. This is my favorite genus by far.

Hope this helps
John

 

[Dasgre0g]

Originally posted by JP version 1.0
I currently have 21 specimens from 6 different species of Pamphobeteus. I keep them on a slightly moist mix of vermiculite and peat with a large water dish and a shelter. I have not noticed any burrowing from any of my individuals at any size. Some of mine are very defensive and prone to striking, but most are very nervous and run ( very quickly) from the least disturbance. I have found the urticating hairs of some of these to be pretty bad- especially P. platyomma ( last listed as Vitalius but most feel it is a Pamphobeteus sp.). I haven't had many problems ( I lost 1 to a bad molt) keeping Pamphobeteus as long as they were not allowed to become too dry. This is my favorite genus by far.

Hope this helps
John

John's definetly right on this one. Pamphos absolutely rule. I just recently reduced my collection to about 20 or so. Hard to let any of them go but I needed the space. I'll have to post a pic of my Pampho ssp red and blue sometime. She's pretty incredible. Out of all the Pamphos i have I have only had ONE burrow. My adult female P antinous, but she had just recent been mated. Other than that they all pretty much just sit right out in the open. Which reminds me. John ? You still have that adult female nigricolor? My male should molting out any day now and he will need some action!

 

[Nemesis]

Yes!!! this definitely helps. I am chomping at the bit to get some of these. I think they will be right up my alley. I am drooling to see pictures, so please post them!

As far as breeding them are they hard to breed? I'm not thinking about undertaking a project, obviously, as my knowledge base nil, but I was wondering why you don't see a lot of pamphos on dealer price lists.

What are your fav. spec. within the genus?

Kelly O
Taking copious notes

 

[Dasgre0g]

My favorite species are definetly Pampho antinous and probably P ornatus as well. Nigricolor is great except they lose that awesome coloration when they mature. Did I mention most Pamphos get very good sized as well ?
7-9 inches ?

 

[Tangled WWWeb]

Originally posted by Dasgre0g
Which reminds me. John ? You still have that adult female nigricolor? My male should molting out any day now and he will need some action!

I still have her and she's nearing a molt as well. PM me and let me know.

John

 

[xenesthis]

Pampho King!

If you guys didn't already know this, I have been keeping Pamphobeteus spp. since the early 1990's and usually have several species available on my price lists. (Email me at sales@tarantulaspiders.com if you don't already receive them). Pamphobteus spp. are not difficult to keep, just very, very difficult to get fertile sacs in captivity. I've got the following now:

P. vespertinus
P. nigricolor
P. antinous
P. "platyomma"
P. fortis

Todd Gearheart

 

[Immortal_sin]

speaking of Pamphos...

which, we are of course
which species KEEP their awesome coloration as adult females?
I know the males are rather spectacular, but which is the most colorful adult female?
I've been thinking of adding one to my collection, as I have nothing in this awesome genus

 

[Dasgre0g]

Re: speaking of Pamphos...

Originally posted by Immortal_sin
which, we are of course
which species KEEP their awesome coloration as adult females?
I know the males are rather spectacular, but which is the most colorful adult female?
I've been thinking of adding one to my collection, as I have nothing in this awesome genus

Antinous keeps the shiny jet blackness as an adult, and P ornatus keeps the purple highlights on their legs.
Nigricolor keeps SOME color but nothing they have as juvies or babies. Alot of the pampho beauty is in teh iridecent highlights they have or the colorful hairs that poke out on the abdomen. Which reminds, how yah been Todd(who i am sure can expand on this thread)? I knew this thread would bring you out

 

[xenesthis]

Pamphobeteus coloration

Fellow Pampho keepers,

Here is the low-down on the Pamphobeteus sp. in the trade:

P. antinous "Bolivian Blue Leg" - very rare now, no longer available as imports, spiderlings don't have the "X-mas tree pattern", adults are impressive, legspans of 9.5" have been recorded, female is jet black to blueish-black with bushy, 50% covered abdomen in reddish-brown hairs, mature males are purple-reddish-steel blue in the femurs, very leggy and high-strung/aggressive, several geographical variations with the ones from SE Peru/NW Bolivia being exceptionally large, to 10.5" and stockier with mature males being an even brighter "blue" in the legs.

P. nigricolor "Blue Bloom"- even rarer with no imports, and few CB's produced, nice X-mas tree pattern in the spiderlings on a bright orange abdomen, adults can achieve 8"+ legspans, females are greyish-black overall with a fully-covered, reddish-brown abdomen, mature males are stunning in deep purple to blueish highlights in the femurs and a starburst pattern on their carapace, very leggy

P. fortis "Colombian Dusky-brown" - rare, but most commonly available Pampho, no imports available, but CB spiderlings to juvs occasionally, X-mas pattern in the spiderlings, adults are chestnut to reddish-brown, mature males have purple highlights in the femurs on the carpace (not as colorful as P. nigricolor though), stockier than P. antinous, nigricolor and vespertinus, adults achieve 8"-9" legspans, I call these a "Poor man's Goliath Birdeater"

P. vespertinus "Red Bloom" - extremely rare, only as CB spiderlings by me recently (1st time US offering of these as CB), spiderlings lack the X-mas pattern, but have a thin, white trim of white around the carpace, adults have bright red abdominal hairs, a black to grey color overall with two "red horns" behind the eyes, mature males have a red bloom in the femurs and a starburst pattern on top, adults to 7.5"

P. ornatus "Colombian Pinkbloom" - extremely rare, only available as CB spiderlings every few years, spiderlings lack X-mas tree pattern, adults are a two-tone dusky-brown to chest-nut brown with a lighter tanish carapace, both sexes have pinkish-purple coloration in the femurs of the legs with the color more vivid in the mature males. Grows to 7.5"-8.5"

P. insignis "Colombian Purple Bloom" - Rarest of the Pamphos, only two CB spiderling offerings to date in the U.S., spiderlings have the Xmas tree pattern, adults are olive-brown overall with mature males showing deep purple coloration on the carapace and inside the femurs, to 7.5"-8.5"

There are several undescribed/new Pamphobeteus spp. recently imported as CB spiderlings. Not much is known about them. Here are a few:

"Ecuadorian/Peruvain Black & Red" (Similar-looking to P. vespertinus, but females are almost as colorful as mature upon maturity)

"Ecuadorian Giant Red Rump" (Sold in early '02 out of Europe in error as P. antinous). Looks like these will grow up to be P. vespertinus to me.

"Ecuadorian/Peruvian Red & Purple" - I'm not sure what these were in 2001-2002, possibly a dealer name gimmick.

"Colombian Red Star" (Never has been imported or offered as CB). This is on Rick West's site though.

The genus Pamphobeteus needs revision badly, but nobody is working on it in the taxonomy world. I'm sure there are new species to be discovered in Ecuador, Peru, Colombia, Bolivia and Brazil.

Pamphos are my favorite genus because they display so well. Don't burrow no web much. Spiderlings/juvs are awesome-looking, they grow quick, feed well, often and on big prey, mature males are stunning with purple, red, and blue highlights, both sexes are amongst are largest Ts with legspans of 6 3/4"-9.5" with many females averaging 8" and generally speaking, they are fairly hardy. I keep them 78F-85F during the day with drops into the upper 60s at night with 80% humidity, 3"-5" of slightly moist peat, shallow and wide water dish and a cork bark shelter. I feed adults twice a week. They are confirmed vertebrate feeders. Anyway, Pamphos rule! I usually have several available if interested.

Todd

P.S. Check out the pic below of my mature male P. nigricolor! He will bred in a few days.

 

[Nemesis]

Thank you all so much!

Todd, I appreciate all the info. You truely are the pampho king. I love the picture!!!! AWESOME!!!!! My bloodpressure is up, my palms are sweating and I'm breathing deeply...oops almost sounds like a thread from the watering hole=D I KNOW what I will be doing with my Christmas money. That new pair of grooming shears is gonna' have to wait!

Kelly O

 

[Immortal_sin]

thanks Todd!
I'm going to have to make a decision then, maybe I'll buy myself a Christmas present