Phormictopus sp south hispaniola

[Colorado Ts]

You know this is the first genus that scared me when I unpacked them. Most species hide down in the vials during an unboxing but these came out as soon as I popped the lid off. I usually have to pull the paper towel tubes out and open them up. As soon as I took the cover off I saw some little blue legs crawling out really quick. Took me by surprise. Same thing happened with Dominican violet. They ran out of the tubes when I popped the lids off. Even my female p cam was a shy sissy when I unboxed her. My Auratus were more shy until they got larger

That is so funny, I thought that it was just me...good to know others have had similar experiences.

 

[Goopyguy56]

They are bold. Some t's need a few days or longer to adjust to a rehouse. IME, Phormictopus might only need an hour. I usually don't offer food right after a rehouse but my Phormictopus will usually eat

 

[omni]

I picked up 3 Phormics from FNT a few weeks ago, billed as green femur, but really they have green setae all over legs and abd when you look at the right angles so might be emerald sp. or who knows they are all 1" or less so we'll see. shouldn't be long to wait, they eat very well and will grow fast!
Tom Moran does have a green femur adult, plainly just has the green legs under normal lighting. yeah I wish taxonomy would keep up with discovery of varieties lol

 

[mjzheng]

You know this is the first genus that scared me when I unpacked them. Most species hide down in the vials during an unboxing but these came out as soon as I popped the lid off. I usually have to pull the paper towel tubes out and open them up. As soon as I took the cover off I saw some little blue legs crawling out really quick. Took me by surprise. Same thing happened with Dominican violet. They ran out of the tubes when I popped the lids off. Even my female p cam was a shy sissy when I unboxed her. My Auratus were more shy until they got larger

Same LOL . My 2 cancerides as soon as the paper towel even moved they came sprinting out

 

[Colorado Ts]

I was looking at my Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens slings, decided to take some images of my Phormictopus sp southern hispaniola slings as well.



I swear on this sling, when the light caught it just right, the front femurs looked dark greenish-black



I probably sound like a broken record, but the growth of these slings is amazing. Every time I open an enclosure the occupant looks bigger...unless the AMAC boxes are shrinking?

 

[Colorado Ts]

Only a Couple are Feeding



Only a couple of the slings are eating, maybe 3 of the 8 slings are now actively accepting prey items. Abdomens are looking darker, but not glassy...just dark.



Here’s something you don’t see to often with a Phormictopus, here’s a prey item literally touching the sling and not being devoured.



Directly under this sling, just out of sight, is a prey item. The sling is stretched out, as high as it can get, so it can’t even touch tge prey item.



I could not believe the growth after the last moult...they may need to be re-housed if they have that kind of growth with this up coming moult. I’m going to need to buy some enclosures...

 

[Colorado Ts]

I love this genus. I have only one species at present, and that species is the subject of this thread. I’ve talked with both keepers and breeders of Phormictopus, and thoroughly enjoyed their stories and information that they have shared with me. I have really become almost Phormictopus Obsessed....

Recently, a group of us, here at Arachnoboards, got together and went looking for some of the rarer more desirable species of Phormictopus. We used each other to keep our little group informed, should one or more of us come across these harder to find Phormictopus. The adult colors on both the males and females, is just stunning; metallic greens, golds, blues and explosive purples. There is one species that is totally a vibrant green; the rarest spider color. A source for my second Rare Phormictopus species has been found, I have 8 Phormictopus cautus on order, should be arriving from Europe around the 3rd of June. For those of you familiar with Phormictopus, you are aware of the deep purple hues of P.cautus, a living jewel of a spider.

Great group of people, 10/10, we will do this again.

No...Seriously, is that sling posing?

I sat down the other night with the complete goal in mind of relaxing, enjoying the evening, and taking images of all my slings. It was fun, frustrating, and relaxing...had a great time, 10/10 will do again...

I don’t have very many different species of Tarantulas, I can count them on 1 hand plus a digit or two. I tend to collect groups of spiders of a specific species, I feel that this approach gives me greater incite into the species, instead of incite into a spider that is of that species.

So, I observed all my slings, and had a great time...trying to get that elusive photographic opportunity. Here is what I noticed when I was taking images of my slings...Phormictopus POSE...they are fearless and stand their ground...and they POSE for pictures. Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens will pose to an extent...but nothing like my Phormictopus.



I love the opportunities that they provide me. I open the enclosure, and they just seem to osmotically understand “action”. They move into position, hold them until I'm done...then as if on que, they reposition. How Weird is that?



They hold till I’ve taken a couple images and verified focus...then they move, into another pose. After the 3rd or 4th time this happened...I was perplexed. Just weird...



I have to say that it’s not easy trying to take images of small spiders...with a cell phone, to begin with... It helps when the subject is cooperative.



And when they are done and ready for you to move on they find subtle ways of telling you to go away.



I wonder if Petko, from Dark Den, would appreciate their communication abilities...or is it being just rude...

8 Phormictopus cautus slings arriving in June. Very excited to receive my 2nd species of this amazingly beautiful genus.

 

[Goopyguy56]

I think those are the same thing as Dominican violet

 

[mjzheng]

Wish I could have got in on that order but ugh , just not the right time. Looking forward to your updates

 

[Colorado Ts]

I think those are the same thing as Dominican violet

I am not sure. I've put together a priority list of Phormictopus species that I want to collect. Phormictopus sp southern hispaniola was at the top of my list and I was fortunate to collect that species first.
Phormictopus cautus is 2nd on my list, and it’s taken some time to find a source...that has 8 of them available.

The Phormictopus cautus is supposed to have the most vibrant purples and violet hues of any of the Phormictopus that possess purple. That sounds a lot like what I’ve heard of the Phormictopus Dominican violet. It sounds just like the Dominican violet.

One breeder was telling me that he has a pair of Phormictopus, that he held back from an import a couple years ago. This pair is now showing their adult colorations, though muted, gold and pink carapace, with blue on the femurs...So what does that sound like? If he is successful and produces a viable egg sac...I'm down for a group of 8 slings. I've already made that clear....

 

[Goopyguy56]

Im pretty sure they are the same thing. I ordered my 4 as cautus Violet's then they package they came in said Dominican Violet. Mine aren't violet yet. First few molts they were blue. 3rs molt they got dark. Here is one of mine

 

[Goopyguy56]

Also, they are even better eaters than my south hispaniola you really are in for some fireworks. We're talking running across the enclosure and tackling chrickets type of behavior

 

[Goopyguy56]

Here is one of my 4 inch lady south hispaniolas that is really most of the time. I secretly names her Sue because that is my mother-in-laws name. I think she might be going into premolt again. I sure hope so. Want to see those adult colors.

 

[Colorado Ts]

Here is one of my 4 inch lady south hispaniolas that is really most of the time. I secretly names her Sue because that is my mother-in-laws name. I think she might be going into premolt again. I sure hope so. Want to see those adult colors.

The front femurs and the first segments of the pedipalps look blue...Do you know how old that spider is? It looks beautiful.

So far I've acquired the Phormictopus sp southern hispaniola.
I have Phormictopus cautus on order.

And now I'm looking for Phormictopus sp green...completely GREEN....a completely GREEN spider.

What Phormictopus are you interested in acquiring?

 

[Goopyguy56]

It was a sling a year ago. I got it last March and it was about 1.5 inches then.

 

[Goopyguy56]

Yeah I have been looking for the full greens for a while

 

[Colorado Ts]

I Knew It

Today was an awesome day, neighborhood BBQ, everyone cooking in their own driveways, conversations shouted at each other across the street.

Today is Sunday and I love this because I get to check over the slings with the grandkiddos. For awhile now, fewer and fewer of the slings have been taking prey items...today only one sling showed interest and ate.



And PhorGrGld#6 and PhorGrGld#7 have moulted. I was surprised, I was thinking maybe next week at the earliest, the 2 yr old got very excited because he thought there were 2 spiders in the enclosure. It reminded me of the first time my pet Tarantula moulted for me...sooo many years ago.

Pictured above is #6...PhorGrGold#7 has a cave. Try as I might, was not able to get an image.

But I knew it, I knew they were getting ready to cycle again.

Got a text from the seller that I ordered the Phormictopus cautus; order should arrive June 2nd...then ship out to me June 3rd. This has been the most awesome day.

 

[Deuteromycete]

I have a sp. Dominican I just managed to find after much searching at 3:45am this morning. I had heard a lot of these things from Tom Moran's podcast and he had never steered me wrong before but seeing it confirmed by your experiences has me totally geeked. Thanks!

 

[Colorado Ts]

This Always Jumpstarts My Heart

Checking the slings today and I found this...



Never, never will I ever, no matter how many times I see a Tarantula moult, it still makes me jump for an instant whenever I see a sling flat on it back. Don’t know if I’ll ever get used to it.

The moult looks to be going well, it’s gently moving each of its legs, so the carapace might’ve popped, or will pop soon.

 

[Colorado Ts]

Just About Done



I pulled out my Phormictopus slings to see how everyone is doing, and once I noticed that a sling was actively moulting...everyone went very carefully back into the sling cabinet.



It’s pretty neat seeing a spider that is moulting, and at the same time its a period of nervous apprehension.



Personally, I would rather look over my slings...take note of the exuviae in the enclosure and continue. Finding a sling mid-moult always puts my heart in my throat...no matter how many times I see it...

If your husbandry is good, and all the slings needs are being met, then all should be fine and the process ends with an exuviae and a spider that will be voraciously hungry in a few days.

Once those white fangs turn black, this little dude will be looking for food.