Ornithoctoninae sp Malthai growout project

[curtisgiganteus]

Second one has started to build a trapdoor structure. They seem more of a cross between a turret and a trapdoor at this point, however I believe that will change as they get larger.

 

[curtisgiganteus]

First two finished trap doors!

 

[campj]

First two finished trap doors!

View attachment 436265
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That is awesome.

 

[curtisgiganteus]

 

[curtisgiganteus]

Update 01/20/23

After keeping the slings at a similar RH level to my other Asian species I realized they hadn’t done too much expanding if they’re premade burrows. I decided to “flood” the substrate much as you would do with something like C lividus and that seems to have triggered them into expanding. Most of them have now burrowed extensively toward the side of the vials with more moisture. If any of you keep this species I recommend keeping them in the wetter side. Pictures will follow in the next day or two.

 

[curtisgiganteus]

All the malthai slings have webbed up extensively. I’m expecting molts here soon

 

[curtisgiganteus]

All the malthai slings have webbed up extensively. I’m expecting molts here soon

Okay, finally have an update. These guys are damn near impossible to take pictures of because of how much they burrow. But I found a molt! First one out of the 5 and the remaining 4 look to be in heavy premolt. Like, gonna molt in the next few days premolt.

 

[curtisgiganteus]

4 of the 5 slings have molted at this point. Once #5 molts I’ll be rehousing and taking those much talked about pictures I keep promising

Edit: it decided to molt at the top of its burrow!

 

[curtisgiganteus]

2 of the slings not at a stocky and solid 1” after their rehouse.

 

[klawfran3]

2 of the slings not at a stocky and solid 1” after their rehouse.

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Dumb question, but what is your plan for when the males mature out before the females? Are you going to sex them and then keep the males in a cooler area with reduced feeding to slow their growth rate?

 

[curtisgiganteus]

Dumb question, but what is your plan for when the males mature out before the females? Are you going to sex them and then keep the males in a cooler area with reduced feeding to slow their growth rate?

Once they hit 2.5” or so and I can verify, I’ll keep the males at room temp 70-72 instead of the 85-88 I keep my rack heated to. I also know at least one person who currently has 2 or 3 adult females. So it should pan out. I’ll be doing similar with alot of the rarer sp I keep

 

[curtisgiganteus]

I’m off Sunday and have to do some maintenance on my collection so I’ll try to get some pictures of the newly constructed trap doors after their recent rehouse.

 

[curtisgiganteus]

And we have trapdoors for you guys! All of the slings are at 1”+ and began construction on their trap doors within a few hours of being rehoused. The way they construct their trap doors is very similar to the way I mira construct theirs.

 

[CEC]

I may have a few of these? lol
If not, a very closely related species...

I bought these slings a couple years back & they were labeled "Ornithoctoninae sp. Laos (trapdoor)".

Now they are around 3.5", I'd say.

 

[curtisgiganteus]

I may have a few of these? lol
If not, a very closely related species...

I bought these slings a couple years back & they were labeled "Ornithoctoninae sp. Laos (trapdoor)". View attachment 446702

Now they are around 3.5", I'd say.
View attachment 446703

I’m actually quite jealous. I have been trying to track sp Laos down for ages.

Chris basically said what I was thinking on FB lol

 

[Mike Withrow]

Very beautiful. I've not tried to source these as of yet and my last order for a while is coming Wednesday. Due to the summer temps and work I got lucky getting these to ship. I hope you can get some feeding clips posted.

 

[curtisgiganteus]

Very beautiful. I've not tried to source these as of yet and my last order for a while is coming Wednesday. Due to the summer temps and work I got lucky getting these to ship. I hope you can get some feeding clips posted.

I know Joe and WickedWebz has them. I picked up mine directly from import however.

 

[IntermittentSygnal]

I may have a few of these? lol
If not, a very closely related species...

I bought these slings a couple years back & they were labeled "Ornithoctoninae sp. Laos (trapdoor)". View attachment 446702

Now they are around 3.5", I'd say.
View attachment 446703

Wow, that’s a gorgeous, bumblebee spider.

 

[CEC]

Wow, that’s a gorgeous, bumblebee spider.

Nice pre-molt coloration, eh? Lol

Here is a post molt sibling/sister of the previously posted...

 

[curtisgiganteus]

I may have a few of these? lol
If not, a very closely related species...

I bought these slings a couple years back & they were labeled "Ornithoctoninae sp. Laos (trapdoor)". View attachment 446702

Now they are around 3.5", I'd say.
View attachment 446703

After more research I’m growing to believe that Yok Don, sp Laos, and Malthai are all the same species.

Here is a bigger female Malthai I recently picked up.