Help Breeding Pamphobeteus platyomma (Brazilian pink bloom)

[Graeboe]

Hi everyone, I've been slowly collecting ts for the past two years always with the intent on breeding them, and finally I might be getting the chance with one of my more striking species to finally start breeding. This is my first time and I can't really find anything specific on temp enclosure humidity for breeding pink blooms, as well as incubation and pulling the egg sac. Any advice or help would be appreciated.
The female should be arriving today so I have some time to get her settled and wait for the male to make a sperm web. Oh that reminds me, anyone have any feedback on how long after a male molts into mature til he makes a sperm web?

 

[Poec54]

Pamphos like slightly moist substrate (I use bagged top soil), moderate ventilation, and lots of food. Pretty hardy. Warmer temps raise their metabolism, and they eat more and grow faster.

I just paired up a platyomma last weekend, and her sister during the summer. Pretty straightforward, and over in 5 - 10 minutes.

Most of us pull sacs at around 30-35 days. By then they're usually EWL's, sometimes 1st instar. I carefully open the sac and pour it on a moist paper towel in a 16 oz deli cup. I either use one of those lids with holes covered by cheesecloth (somebody sells them) or make airholes in the upper sides with a safety pin. You need ventilation, but the holes have to be tiny to keep small flies out. Keep 80-85 degrees, and lightly mist before it gets dry. Pull any bad eggs or EWL's so they don't contaminate the rest. EWL's will darken a few days prior to molting into 1st instar, and 1st instar will darken a few days before molting into 2nd instar, which is when most get furry and fast.

For any with ball sacs (which is most T species), I remove the water bowl, as if the sac starts to go bad, the female may dispose of it in the water bowl even if there's still some good slings in there. Sometimes they'll eat the sac.

I never pull the hammock sacs some baboon spiders make, only ball sacs.

 

[Graeboe]

Thanks poec, ignore my choppy typing bc I use my cell phone for most of my online work and sometimes it's hard to see what I'm responding to when typing. What temps did you keep your pink blooms at for incubation and how big of an enclosure should I have the female in for the breeding etc. I've seen a couple mentions of moving females to larger enclosures when breeding them?

 

[Poec54]

I have my female platyommas in 15 qt sweater box size clear Sterlite containers (from Target). That's big enough for them to pair up in. The only spiders I'll use a larger breeding cage for are the ones in 6 qt shoebox size cages (Sterlite again). That's tight for some species, and I'll put their cage inside a much larger one, with higher sides. That way the male has room to maneuver and keep from being eaten. You always want to be right there, ready to break up disagreements. DO NOT leave the male in after mating. I don't re-pair mine, nor do I think it's necessary. Females can hold just so much sperm. Re-pairings lead to males being killed, and sometimes females can be injured in that. If you lose your male, that you probably won't have one if she molts before laying eggs (and loses her sperm pouch). You end up shooting yourself in the foot.

My collection is warm during the summer (85-90 days, 75-80 nights), and mild for the winter (75-80 days, 65-70 nights). I don't like my spiders getting cooler than mid 60's, especially slings. Sacs are incubated at these same temps.

Adult males keep their emboli loaded, you don't need to worry about him going around empty (unless he just mated in the last 24 hours). Your new female should have 2-3 weeks to acclimate and fatten up. The trigger for male's is the female's scent, especially on silk, so the more silk she lays down, the better.

 

[Graeboe]

Great thank you. I have her in a ten gallon right now bc they arrived a day earlier than I thought they would and I'm gonna keep them under my reptile display so they can get some better heat than the tarantula display and hopefully being next to each other will kick him into getting ready for her.

 

[Poec54]

Great thank you. I have her in a ten gallon right now bc they arrived a day earlier than I thought they would and I'm gonna keep them under my reptile display so they can get some better heat than the tarantula display and hopefully being next to each other will kick him into getting ready for her.

A 10 gallon is plenty big for her and for breeding. The challenge with aquariums is proper lids. Terrestrials can chew right thru fiberglass and aluminum screen.

 

[Graeboe]

Oh it's got one of those thick screens that are built for ten gallons lol it used to hold one off snakes lol though I'm going to have to put books on top of it until the clips to hold it down arrive. Everyone's keeping an eye on her bc I can't findy extra bag of substrate so she's only got about half an inch of it under her feet right now lol Petco here I come after work lol

 

[Poec54]

Oh it's got one of those thick screens that are built for ten gallons lol it used to hold one off snakes lol though I'm going to have to put books on top of it until the clips to hold it down arrive. Everyone's keeping an eye on her bc I can't findy extra bag of substrate so she's only got about half an inch of it under her feet right now lol Petco here I come after work lol

Go to Home Depot and get a 40 lb bag of their cheap top soil for $1.50. That's all I use.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

Go to Home Depot and get a 40 lb bag of their cheap top soil for $1.50. That's all I use.

really?wish mine had that deal, in ohio.

 

[Graeboe]

What are your guys views on cocoa fibers

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

What are your guys views on cocoa fibers

Best substrate I have used but, Waiting on $2 / 40ib bag of potting soil I cannot find in ohio. Maybe I can find it in ohio, but no way ill find it that cheap. Peat moss only works well for dry species IMO.

 

[cold blood]

What are your guys views on cocoa fibers

Overall probably the most popular substrate used in the hobby.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

Overall probably the most popular substrate used in the hobby.

Great for burrowing Ts, Peat moss sucks IMO its only good for Ts who like dry substrate. Good for LP's in huge cages though !! Peat moss is cheap. cheap cheap

 

[Graeboe]

Has anyone ever mixed it w vermiculite?

 

[Poec54]

Best substrate I have used but, Waiting on $2 / 40ib bag of potting soil I cannot find in ohio. Maybe I can find it in ohio, but no way ill find it that cheap.

I'm talking about the cheap stuff, with no fertilizers added. Good old dirt. There fancy big name top soils with additives that cost a ridiculous amount. Don't use those. Not good for the spider or your wallet.

---------- Post added 10-31-2014 at 06:54 AM ----------

What are your guys views on cocoa fibers

Used a lot, but most people are just following the herd, and not putting a lot of thought into it. It's not a substance that tarantulas live in, in the wild. Very few animals live under falling coconuts. I don't like cocofiber at all.

 

[Graeboe]

Ok I was just wondering bc I'm more interested in moisture retaining qualities of diff substrates.

 

[Poec54]

Ok I was just wondering bc I'm more interested in moisture retaining qualities of diff substrates.

Vermiculite eventually breaks down with moisture. Perlite is small, but hard and sharp. Peat is powdery and water-repellent why it's dry. I don't know that you have to mix anything in with top soil; it's already a mix of organic materials.

 

[purevl]

Used a lot, but most people are just following the herd, and not putting a lot of thought into it. It's not a substance that tarantulas live in, in the wild. Very few animals live under falling coconuts. I don't like cocofiber at all.

I have put a lot of thought into it and considering the fact that dirt is simply finely broken rock mixed decomposing biological matter...that means coco fiber is just dirt without the rocks. And, sure, few animals live under falling coconuts but there are plenty of animals that will go get those already fallen coconuts to break open & eat. This leaves plenty of coco fiber on the ground away from the falling zone which then starts to break down & become dirt that other animals can live in.

 

[Poec54]

few animals live under falling coconuts but there are plenty of animals that will go get those already fallen coconuts to break open & eat. This leaves plenty of coco fiber on the ground away from the falling zone which then starts to break down & become dirt that other animals can live in.

There's infinitely more animals (and spiders) in the world living in soil/dirt in their native habitats than decaying coconut husks.

 

[ratluvr76]

I for one, believe you Poec.... Experience trumps thinking about stuff... imo