New Phormictopus keeper questions

[Kibosh]

So I just got two Phormictopus sp. Dominican Purple slings at around 1.5"-2". Already I am noticing quite a few differences in behavior from current & past terrestrials I am keeping (Aphonopelma, Brachypelma, Grammostola).

They are fast, skittish, and great eaters as expected.

The biggest difference I noticed though is that they have been ignoring the hides and cover I have provided them and they don't dig at all like most of my other terrestrials.

Is this normal behavior for this genus? Will this change over time?

Thanks in advance.

 

[BoyFromLA]

Well, it’s not technically same one, but I do have Phormictopus cancerides, but I do not see any abnormal behaviors compare to other terrestrial tarantulas.

That being said, behaviors like using provided hides, digging to make a burrow, webbing to make a cover are solely up to individual tarantula’s choice.

In sum, it’s pretty normal for yours not to take (or to take) any hides you’ve provided.

 

[ConstantSorrow]

Different species, but my P. sp. south hispaniola sling is the same way....always out and about despite still being a rather small sling. And it's always been that way - even when I first got it, it made no effort to burrow or use the hide I provided.
It's a nice looking T, so I'm grateful that I get to see it all the time.

 

[Edan bandoot]

Give it a hide and you'll see less skittish behavior

 

[Sterls]

My ~2.5" Phormictopus so Dominican Purple is very skittish. Dug out a little bit under her hide/leaf, but not much at all. Yours sounds normal compared to mine. She uses her hide maybe 20% of the time max

 

[Smotzer]

Normal. Some individuals of tarantulas dig while others dont, some use hides while others dont, apart from making sure it is safely and approriately set up and that it has access to water and it is eating when it needs to, then down to behavior it doesnt really matter much at all. They do what they want, regardless of what we think they should do. It may change it one day or after it molts, may never change, not going to harm it either way.

 

[Kibosh]

Give it a hide and you'll see less skittish behavior

Clearly didn't read my OP

 

[Edan bandoot]

Clearly didn't read my OP

It says nothing about a hide

 

[Kibosh]

It says nothing about a hide

The biggest difference I noticed though is that they have been ignoring the hides and cover I have provided them and they don't dig at all like most of my other terrestrials.

Time to think about reading glasses lol

 

[Edan bandoot]

Time to think about reading glasses lol

Well my optometrist appointment is next week

 

[spideyspinneret78]

My female P. auratus is the same way. Always out, always visible. She only goes into her hide when she's in premolt.

 

[Goopyguy56]

Only ones I had that used a hide was auratus as a sling. My green femurs dug burrows as slings. My dom violets never cared. My dom violets are the best eaters of the three phormictopus I keep. They grow alot quicker than some other t's

 

[Kibosh]

Only ones I had that used a hide was auratus as a sling. My green femurs dug burrows as slings. My dom violets never cared. My dom violets are the best eaters of the three phormictopus I keep. They grow alot quicker than some other t's

Yeah fed them the night I got them and they practically tackled the crickets. Never seen such a crazy feeding response. Really makes me want to get a couple Phormictopus Auratus if the rest of the genus is like this.

 

[Edan bandoot]

Yeah fed them the night I got them and they practically tackled the crickets. Never seen such a crazy feeding response. Really makes me want to get a couple Phormictopus Auratus if the rest of the genus is like this.

You should get sericopelma sp santa Catalina they pounce on food just the same, apparently they get quite large aswell

 

[Kibosh]

You should get sericopelma sp santa Catalina they pounce on food just the same, apparently they get quite large aswell

Wow good call. Definitely going on the list. Never heard of it till now. Lol

 

[Edan bandoot]

Wow good call. Definitely going on the list. Never heard of it till now. Lol

Really??! Mine is my personal gem and hoping to get 2 more come summer, wonderful spiders

 

[Kibosh]

Really??! Mine is my personal gem and hoping to get 2 more come summer, wonderful spiders

Yeah doing a deep dive on info now and I am in love. This species has it all, size, color, ease of care, how are they not more popular? Lol definitely picking up a couple next time I track some down. Thanks for the tip.

 

[Edan bandoot]

Yeah doing a deep dive on info now and I am in love. This species has it all, size, color, ease of care, how are they not more popular? Lol definitely picking up a couple next time I track some down. Thanks for the tip.

I thought the exact same thing and still do lol.

If you don't give them any hide they won't burrow, but upon being given a hide mine made a duggout underneath the cork bark.

They come out and wander a bit a night but otherwise they sit at the entrance to their hide/burrow.

I keep mine with the very top layer of substrate dry and the rest moist.

As slings their carapace isn't orange, but according to @"The Grym Reaper" (don't wanna tag him) the carapace changes to orange as they mature.

If you have any other questions or want to hear other anecdotes just lemme know and I'll post about it.

That's all the info I can dump on you off the top of my head