Interesting behaviour

[l4nsky]

Just a small clip (barely any audio) I took of a mature female Phormingochilus sp Sabah Blue drumming, presumably for the MM that's in an enclosure above her. It's through a Sterilite lid, at night, with a phone so the footage isn't stellar either. Still though, I wanted to share this little video because few people have probably seen this behaviour in this species.
View attachment 20220714_212201.mp4

 

[l4nsky]

She's still at it this morning. I really need to get them paired this week. Problem is she's a confirmed maneater and I have 2 females I need to try and get paired.
View attachment 20220717_044855.mp4

 

[liquidfluidity]

Ouch! Hope he's fast!!!

As the for the female activity, I saw it in a pair of P. rufilatas. I had a P. metallica MM that woke me up drumming.....he was the only Pokie at the time.....

Seriously though, good luck with your pairing.

 

[l4nsky]

View attachment 1659062741000_D03F27533FD3131659062741.mp4
Phormingochilus sp Sabah Blue pairing (sort of, happens barely off screen). I'm attempting to use a "breeding arena" of sorts to allow remotely monitored pairing and overnight cohabbing while giving the MM plenty of space to bolt away. IME, flighty Asian arboreals don't pair well under keeper observation and females can be quite murderous. I couldn't help laughing at how he yeeted out of there in the end, almost like the female threw him. When I actually went in to split them up afterwards, the MM was on his back with his legs scrunched up in his enclosure where he landed. I was concerned that the female might have tagged him, but quickly found out he was fine. As soon as I put a lid on his enclosure and he felt vibrations, he started going spaz in his enclosure, probably thinking she was coming after him. I didn't get a clear visual of an insertion, but I feel pretty confident based on both the MM and MF's body language when they split.

 

[l4nsky]

What a lovely pile of freshly excavated substrate! She's expanding her hide, which is a pretty good sign considering how far away she is from a molt. The next mile marker will be when she refuses food. For now though, she's still eating like a pig (1 adult female dubia or 2 adult male dubia per week) and getting enormous.

I wasn't able to get my second female paired. She showed no interest and has sealed herself away. She had a pretty bad crush injury during a rehouse maybe a year ago and has only molted once since then. If I had to take a guess, she's still in the process of healing from it. Hopefully she molts soon and I can try to pair her before this MM passes on.

 

[l4nsky]

Sabah Blue on egg sack

• l4nsky
• Oct 7, 2022
• egg sac egg sack mature female ornithoctoninae phormingochilus sabah blue

MF Phormingochilus sp Sabah Blue on egg sack

Sabah Blue on egg sack

• l4nsky
• Oct 7, 2022
• 3
• egg sac egg sack mature female ornithoctoninae phormingochilus sabah blue

MF Phormingochilus sp Sabah Blue on egg sack

Sabah Blue on egg sack

• l4nsky
• Oct 7, 2022
• 1
• egg sac egg sack mature female ornithoctoninae phormingochilus sabah blue

MF Phormingochilus sp Sabah Blue on egg sack.

I did manage to get my second female successfully paired as she did end up molting, so we'll see what happens with her.

 

[l4nsky]

Day 43 (10/18), getting ready to be mobile.


Day 44 (10/19), EWL to 1i molt has begun in earnest.

Female number two is still pounding food and growing larger.

 

[l4nsky]

Day 47 (10/22). Pretty much all EWL's have reached 1i. I guess I better start melting holes in deli cups now in preparation for 2i.

Female number two pounded two adult male dubia yesterday, appears to have partially sealed her burrow today. It's mostly dirt and no webbing, so she's possibly enlarging her burrow chamber.

 

[l4nsky]

Day 61 (11/5), going into premolt for 2i.

Female number two is still eating, but she's recently enlarged her burrow as well. If she's going to drop an eggsack for me, I'm guessing it'll be sometime in the next two weeks.

 

[l4nsky]

Day 68 (11/12), all slings have completed their 2i molt.


They've been separated and will be offered food on Monday-Tuesday. I'll be preparing a breeding report some time in the future.

Female number two is in the same holding pattern. This will be her first eggsack if she drops for me.

 

[Olan]

Congrats! What’s the final count?

 

[l4nsky]

Congrats! What’s the final count?

132 slings, 3 unfertile eggs. This was her second eggsack in my care.

 

[l4nsky]

Wholesaler confirmed their quantity all arrived alive and healthy.

Female number two is starting to get ridiculously large. She took down two more male dubia this week and I continue to have high hopes for her. All signs still point to eggsack.

 

[Smotzer]

Congrats on the successful breeding, healthy sac, sale, and introduction of this species captive bred and born into the hobby!! Super awesome to see!! Such a gorgeous spider!

 

[l4nsky]

Female number two is just absurdly large now. I thought she was going to go off food this week as she didn't pounce on the male dubia when offered. I was starting to get excited but my enthusiasm was quickly curbed a few hours later when I saw her munching away on the roach ...

 

[klawfran3]

View attachment 434064
Female number two is just absurdly large now. I thought she was going to go off food this week as she didn't pounce on the male dubia when offered. I was starting to get excited but my enthusiasm was quickly curbed a few hours later when I saw her munching away on the roach ...

I'm on the edge of my seat, any updates?

 

[l4nsky]

I'm on the edge of my seat, any updates?

Lol that makes two of us . As of last week, she was still eating and I plan to offer prekilled food today. She did start webbing herself in a little bit, which has me optimistic.

One thing I did notice is that with my other female, her first eggsack last year was layed around 75-90 days post pairing (need to dig into my notes to be sure), but her second eggsack this year was only 39 days post-pairing. This eggsack will be the first for this female and she's right at day 77 now. If the pattern holds, it shouldn't be long.

 

[klawfran3]

Lol that makes two of us . As of last week, she was still eating and I plan to offer prekilled food today. She did start webbing herself in a little bit, which has me optimistic.

One thing I did notice is that with my other female, her first eggsack last year was layed around 75-90 days post pairing (need to dig into my notes to be sure), but her second eggsack this year was only 39 days post-pairing. This eggsack will be the first for this female and she's right at day 77 now. If the pattern holds, it shouldn't be long.

Here's hoping! I hope you get a good one!

Dumb question, but do they usually lay a second sac faster than the first when bred again? Is that because their fat reserves are depleted from the first one so they don't develop as many eggs, hence faster?

 

[l4nsky]

Here's hoping! I hope you get a good one!

Dumb question, but do they usually lay a second sac faster than the first when bred again? Is that because their fat reserves are depleted from the first one so they don't develop as many eggs, hence faster?

Good question actually, and one I can really only guess at given the small sample size.

Her eggsack this year was larger than her first one and took less time to be developed and laid as well. IMO, it either has to do with the fact that she has successfully reproduced in the past and her body is "primed" for it now so to say or it could do with the fact she was paired several months into her molt cycle this time around as opposed to the few weeks after she molted last year.

 

[l4nsky]

Still eating.............