Pamphobeteus sp machala sling care and other questions

[Wolfram1]

So, how to begin,
as it stands i have not owned a tarantula before and i realized that i am breaking multiple rules by getting a Pamphobeteous sp. as my first t. and a teeny, tiny sling at that but there are several reasons, which u may or may not find acceptable. First of i had been planning on a Grammostola pulchra, but i was adverse to having it shipped per parcel and possibly being weakend by the transport, i don't like the idea in general, and secondly when i found that a breeder in Vienna, where i live, is expecting an egg-sack to hatch a a week and a half from now, i did some research and found that the genus Pamphobeteus seemed to have all the aspects that i had wanted from the G. pulchra except its gentle nature. This is no problem for me though since i don't plan on handling the spiders anyway. (There seems to be very little Information in general though :/)

So i went to the library and borrowed a few books on pets that included invertebrates in their care instructions, but after looking through them i felt like they where way to general about it, basically just listing temperature and humidity levels without any instructions on how to achieve them or any explanation on how to care for slings. So i went and downloaded a proper book on tarantula care: The Tarantula keeper's Guide (1998) by S. A. Schulz & M. J. Schulz and red through most of the parts that where still unclear to me, but still i felt like more and more questions were popping up. and now after watching numerous Youtube-videos, most helpful probably "Tom Morans" sling-care videos, a few questions still need answering in order for me to feel secure in taking care of the spiders once i will be able to get them. It is my hope that someone with some experience with this species or genus will be able to answer them.

1)The Genus:
From what i found the genus Pamphobeteus has a few well defined species, but most seem to be not yet recognized and in need of further scientific categorization, to top it of it seems to be especially difficult due to its changing colouration. I have seen a few pics on this site that mach the one from the breeder and others who do not. In addition there seems to be another sp. called "machalla" thats confusing me, is it the same or not?

2) Substrate:
I am planning on making bioactive enclosures for my Ts and have already started an Isopod culture a month ago, that's doing well, but the little ones are not growing up as fast as i had hoped. I am planning on a springtail culture too, but we will get to that later.
So my question would be: What substrate do i use for the slings that have probably just fed once or twice and do i get them started with Peat, Coco-fibre, Vermiculture, Top-soil, Coco-husk, ... or a combination of any of them, do i need sphagnum moss etc.
What kind of loam content is accepteble if at all?
Do i make it bioactive from the beginning or should i try to keep the slings in rather sterile?

3)Enclosure:
Should i keep them in one of those pilljars? (that space is tiny and it seems cruel, but i guess it makes feeding and caring for them easier?)
What kind of live Plant make thrive in the recommended Substrate?(at a later stage)

4)Feeding and Drink:
I'm not sure if i will be able to get food tiny enough to feed those tiny Ts in time so my Question is do they take tiny Woodlice? And does anyone with experience know if they will take parts of prekilled roaches, or pinnheads from the petstore? I don't think they have the flightless fruitflies.
I noticed none of the tiny Ts got water-dishes in any videos i found, is it really enough to spray water at the sides or is a tiny patch of moss recommended that can be made wet? How often do they feed and drink at that stage?

5)Regarding Springtails:
Is it feasible to collect and breed my own or should a starter-culture be bought?

6)Isopods:
Will regular, find them under the bricks in the backyard woodlice do, or should i try to collect them myself in general? The alternative would probably be the "dwarf white" - trichorina tomentosa or some other species more adapted to humid climate.

I will be asking the breeder all of those questions of course but in case any of you can answer some of it, it would be greatly appreciated.

Wolfram

 

[cold blood]

Geez, where to start.....that's a lot of info you want.

i realized that i am breaking multiple rules by getting a Pamphobeteous sp. as my first t.

What rules? While not generally recommended, its a much better choice than any OW, or even an avic IMO. They're pretty easy, and their size, growth rate and voracious appetite all make them really easy to raise, they can just be feistier and gain more size faster.. They also tend to be less available and more expensive (In the US at least, which know you are not residing in), so they don't always make for the best to learn with as a mistake will be more costly.

and a teeny, tiny sling

Yeah, there's where you just don't know what to expect....Pamphs are not born as tiny slings like so many other species, they tend to be large, like often a full inch right at second instar....big head start on most other ts....they do have smaller sacs, so there's the catch.

First of i had been planning on a Grammostola pulchra, but i was adverse to having it shipped per parcel and possibly being weakend by the transport, i don't like the idea in general

The more you learn, the more you realize just how well adapted ts are to shipping....everything required in shipping, is part of what they crave...tight dark places...and because they are passive breathers, they require almost no air. Get over these unfounded fears and get used to having them shipped. Seriously, shipping issues are very uncommon.

New keepers are often irrationally fearful because they read dated literature, which speaks of "shipping syndrome". What they rarely tell you is that this is generally an import thing...like a wild caught pile of ts are improperly packed, dry and bouncing around for weeks...not the situation any ts you would buy would be remotely close to.

secondly when i found that a breeder in Vienna, where i live, is expecting an egg-sack to hatch a a week and a half from now,

Keep in mind, this would mean they wouldn't be ready to actually sell for a good month or more. After hatching there is a whole molt cycle they need to go through before being ready to sell.

did some research and found that the genus Pamphobeteus seemed to have all the aspects that i had wanted from the G. pulchra except its gentle nature

Total polar opposite ts in just about every way...being NW and terrestrial is about all they have in common.

Pulchra can be kept dry, Pamphs require moisture....pulchra grows slooooow, Pamphs grow fast, pulchra are moderately sized, pamphs are large, pulchra are typically calm and docile, pamphs are not....pulchra are black, Pamphs actually change color drastically during molt cycles, but are often also colorful, males look like they are plugged into the wall they are so bright....etc, etc. Although many tend to be black, they are more "flashy" about it IMO.

nigricolor

• cold blood
• Mar 2, 2018
• 2

(machalla tends to have more purple on its femurs)

So i went to the library and borrowed a few books on pets that included invertebrates in their care instructions, but after looking through them i felt like they where way to general about it, basically just listing temperature and humidity levels without any instructions on how to achieve them

Yeah, ignore that stuff...you were right to be leery of those specific numbers they were throwing at you, none are actually relevant. Just keep sub damp, when its dry, add water. Keep temps over 70 and you are fine for any t....many adults can be kept even cooler.

or any explanation on how to care for slings

Pretty much all NW terrestrial slings are cared for the same way...damp sub and temps over 70.

From what i found the genus Pamphobeteus has a few well defined species, but most seem to be not yet recognized and in need of further scientific categorization, to top it of it seems to be especially difficult due to its changing colouration. I have seen a few pics on this site that mach the one from the breeder and others who do not. In addition there seems to be another sp. called "machalla" thats confusing me, is it the same or not?

Pictures are almost never the best, or even a reliable way to identify species. As you see, Pamphs can all be the same species, yet all look drastically different depending on where they are in the molt cycle. This is the same Pamph, pre, mid and post molt.

Resized952016112095154314

• cold blood
• Nov 20, 2016
• 4

very fat nigricolor. She's about 6.5"

Resized952017022895233014

• cold blood
• Mar 1, 2017
• 3

nigricolor.

Gotta love Pamphs!!

Resized952016112295174054

• cold blood
• Nov 22, 2016
• 1

nigricolor

I am planning on making bioactive enclosures for my Ts

All you are doing here is making a relatively simple thing, overly-complicated. In 5 years when you have done many housing things and have a broader understanding, go for the bio set up if you like, but its not something that will benefit the sling, but the over-complication actually could.

The best way to raise slings, is to keep things as simple as possible.

Pamphs are even easier due to their size and aggressive feeding response as you can skip the small enclosure and go right to a 16oz deli with a hide and a water dish. Punch a ring or two of holes around the outside for ventilation. Then just dampen the sub when it dries out, simple as that.

Deli Cup Setup for Terrestrial Slings 1-3"

• cold blood
• Mar 13, 2017
• 6
• enclosure

Deli cup set up for terrestrial slings 1-3"

What substrate do i use for the slings

No t requires a specific sub...any of the proper subs can be used for any tarantula from sling through adulthood.

Coco fiber is the most popular, eco earth and jungle mix are basically that....peat moss or just plan top sol all work fine, as does any combination of these. I use topsoil for everything, but have used the others in the past.

Vermiculite isn't a sub though, its an additive some use to help the sub retain moisture.

Do i make it bioactive from the beginning or should i try to keep the slings in rather sterile?

Sterile isn't needed any more than bioactive would be. And actually you will get more mold when sub is sterilized, as the first thing to colonize, has it all to its self.

Should i keep them in one of those pilljars? (that space is tiny and it seems cruel, but i guess it makes feeding and caring for them easier?)

No, as I described and pictured above, they can go right to a 16oz deli or something that size...just don't use a KK until close to 2" or they can escape out of the slats.

What kind of live Plant make thrive in the recommended Substrate?(at a later stage)

Plastic ones would be my recommendation, although plants are purely for you and not a necessary addition....but a little green does look nice. Again, I would wait till you have more t experience before going live...get the animal care down first.

I'm not sure if i will be able to get food tiny enough to feed those tiny Ts

Being they are large and food aggressive, they will pretty much tackle anything you drop in. I really don't think this will be a real problem for you. Super small prey items won't really be required.

I noticed none of the tiny Ts got water-dishes in any videos i found, is it really enough to spray water at the sides or is a tiny patch of moss recommended that can be made wet? How often do they feed and drink at that stage?

If there is room for one in the enclosure, a water dish is always a good addition...but yes, someone experienced can easily water by spritzing or dribbling water in specific places....but a water dish is really the ultimate safety net. Like you don't need a seatbelt 99% of the time you drive, but you are really happy its on when you do...and it was free with the car. The water dish is your seatbelt for t keeping.

5)Regarding Springtails:
Is it feasible to collect and breed my own or should a starter-culture be bought?

Nice addition, but not really needed, especially for a sling that will be re-housed frequently due to growth....this alone would make it impractical IMO.

If you ever use them, I would just buy a culture, they're really not expenisve.

 

[Wolfram1]

Thanks for the great answers, i acctualy didnt know they would be that big , makes me feel much safer already as most of my concerns were due to that misconseption.

The person i will be buying from did tell me she was going to be contacting me after their first meal, i didn't realise that could take a month but i guess that gives me more time to prepare.

In regards to G. pulchra, i had come to like Pamphobeteus sp. machala more when i researched it anyways, but i didn't realise that the size and growth rate where that drastically different.


Awesome Photos by the way, your spider is gorgeous, i just didnt realise all those pictures were from the same spider when i saw them in other posts.


Not sure if i will be getting other Ts, i know i am the collecting type which is why i will need to set rules for myself in regards to buying new additions.

I am getting 2 P. sp. machala though, that should suffice until they are fully grown adults. I'm hoping the eggsack turns aut fine, fingers crossed.