Phormingohillus vs. Phormingochilus

[NMTs]

Are they synonyms? It looks like some species that have formerly been listed as Phormingohillus are now Phormingochilus, but not all, so any info is appreciated - having a hard time finding anything.

 

[l4nsky]

Phormingohillus is a spelling error.

 

[NMTs]

Interesting. Some reputable dealers have both on -hillus and -chilus current lists. I guess spell check doesn't work on Latin!

 

[Wolfram1]

same with P. sp. "machala" and sp. "machalla", i think its a marketing strategy, two "L" are obviously better than one, sales must go through the roof

 

[NMTs]

I'm not very familiar with the Phormingochilus genus, but I'm getting one next week, so I was researching. What was throwing me off is that the place I'm getting it from has a few listed as Phormingochilus sp., but also one Phormingohillus. I kind of thought that it might be a typo, but looking back at previous lists, there were others listed as Phormingohillus that had been changed to Phormingochilus on the most recent. Also saw similar stuff from multiple vendors... Thoroughly confused me. Thanks for the clarification!

 

[l4nsky]

I'm not very familiar with the Phormingochilus genus, but I'm getting one next week, so I was researching. What was throwing me off is that the place I'm getting it from has a few listed as Phormingochilus sp., but also one Phormingohillus. I kind of thought that it might be a typo, but looking back at previous lists, there were others listed as Phormingohillus that had been changed to Phormingochilus on the most recent. Also saw similar stuff from multiple vendors... Thoroughly confused me. Thanks for the clarification!

Which species? Phormingochilus as a whole is my favorite genus. They are a bit more on the advanced side of the husbandry spectrum, being potentially flighty and defensive, potent, moisture dependent, arboreal OW's, so definently do that research. All and all, IME they're not too bad as long as you have them setup right and once you get a bit of experience with them and their behaviour. I just had to do an emergency rehouse of two 6" DLS P. sp Akcaya and one 7" DLS P. sp Sabah Blue last week (%@#*ing ants.....) and I didn't get a single bolt or threat posture. Here's one of the Akcaya's. Hard to believe she only molted like 3 weeks ago with that abdomen size lol.

 

[NMTs]

Which species? Phormingochilus as a whole is my favorite genus. They are a bit more on the advanced side of the husbandry spectrum, being potentially flighty and defensive, potent, moisture dependent, arboreal OW's, so definently do that research. All and all, IME they're not too bad as long as you have them setup right and once you get a bit of experience with them and their behaviour. I just had to do an emergency rehouse of two 6" DLS P. sp Akcaya and one 7" DLS P. sp Sabah Blue last week (%@#*ing ants.....) and I didn't get a single bolt or threat posture. Here's one of the Akcaya's. Hard to believe she only molted like 3 weeks ago with that abdomen size lol.
View attachment 414590

That is an awesome creature...

I'm getting a P. everetti sling, and I'm pretty excited about it. Won't be my first OW, but will be the first OW arboreal - although from what I gather they tend to spend more time burrowing at this size. I'm thinking they need to be kept a lot like my Psalmo's, maybe a little more moist and a bit deeper sub - sound accurate? I'm not worried about their speed or potency - I treat all of my T's with respect and caution, this one won't be any different in that regard. From what I've seen they're gorgeous so I'm really stoked to be getting one! Glad to know you're the go to for knowledge on them!

 

[l4nsky]

Yep, so standard Asian Arboreal care applies: Deep, moist substrate and some height as well. If this is your first time caring for a moisture dependent OW, it can be tricky to get it right the first couple of times. You'll have to dial in your enclosure's ventilation to your substrate's ability to hold moisture. You can read a bit about that here (specifically the On the Subject of Soil Moisture and On the Subject of Ventilation subsections):
https://arachnoboards.com/threads/the-paradoxical-importance-of-humidity.346451/post-3190549

Also, I've detailed how I keep my smaller (1"+ DLS) arboreal tarantulas, both moisture dependent and not, here:
https://arachnoboards.com/threads/l4nskys-methodology.343787/

Any other questions, feel free to DM me.

Thanks,
--Matt

 

[Wolfram1]

beautiful animals, it is a shame they are so reclusive

I set up my 0.0.2 ~1.5" Phormingochilus arboricola last week:


unlike with arboreals i filled the bark up with substrate and just left a little starter burrow up top.

and the spider turned it into a perfectly round burrow within a few days, that goes all the way to the bottom:


now i am new to the genus myself but this schould be adequate for a few molts.

Yep, so standard Asian Arboreal care applies: Deep, moist substrate and some height as well. If this is your first time caring for a moisture dependent OW, it can be tricky to get it right the first couple of times. You'll have to dial in your enclosure's ventilation to your substrate's ability to hold moisture. You can read a bit about that here (specifically the On the Subject of Soil Moisture and On the Subject of Ventilation subsections):
https://arachnoboards.com/threads/the-paradoxical-importance-of-humidity.346451/post-3190549

Also, I've detailed how I keep my smaller (1"+ DLS) arboreal tarantulas, both moisture dependent and not, here:
https://arachnoboards.com/threads/l4nskys-methodology.343787/

Any other questions, feel free to DM me.

Thanks,
--Matt

those were defenitly helpful, great insights

 

[NMTs]

Yep, so standard Asian Arboreal care applies: Deep, moist substrate and some height as well. If this is your first time caring for a moisture dependent OW, it can be tricky to get it right the first couple of times. You'll have to dial in your enclosure's ventilation to your substrate's ability to hold moisture. You can read a bit about that here (specifically the On the Subject of Soil Moisture and On the Subject of Ventilation subsections):
https://arachnoboards.com/threads/the-paradoxical-importance-of-humidity.346451/post-3190549

Also, I've detailed how I keep my smaller (1"+ DLS) arboreal tarantulas, both moisture dependent and not, here:
https://arachnoboards.com/threads/l4nskys-methodology.343787/

Any other questions, feel free to DM me.

Thanks,
--Matt

Great info - appreciate the resources!

 

[l4nsky]

beautiful animals, it is a shame they are so reclusive

I set up my 0.0.2 ~1.5" Phormingochilus arboricola last week:
View attachment 414619

unlike with arboreals i filled the bark up with substrate and just left a little starter burrow up top.

and the spider turned it into a perfectly round burrow within a few days, that goes all the way to the bottom:
View attachment 414620

now i am new to the genus myself but this schould be adequate for a few molts.

They can be reclusive, but I've found that you can see them more often if you have them setup with their security in mind. It's a wierd paradox where if you set them up so that you may never see them, then you have a higher chance of seeing them.

Vis a vis the hide, that's exactly how I setup my adults (see below). I believe that best replicates the tree hollows with debris that they've been known to naturally inhabit. For younger animals, I use flats angled against the enclosure walls. That way, I can have a better chance of seeing them so I can keep an eye on their health as they're growing and more delicate.

 

[Wolfram1]

those look nice, i like the angle you used, with a little flat space out front, do you see them partially out of the burrow often?

I was going for a aproximation of a rotting stump as well :^).

i currently keep them in a closed cabinet and if i open it carefully my 0.0.1 Ephebopus cyanognatus sling remains at the mouth of its turret. I had been hoping it would be the same for these but so far no luck. I think they still need some time to settle in though and the second one is in premolt and has closed itself off anyway.

 

[l4nsky]

Yes, often. The MF Akcaya that was in the pictured enclosure would sit at the choke point to her burrow quire frequently and would occasionally be out on the cork itself.

 

[antinous]

Have three 𝘗𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘰𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘶𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘢 slings and five 𝘗𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘰𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘶𝘴 sp. ‘Akcaya’ slings. So far it seems that that the 𝘗. 𝘢𝘳𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘢 web much more than the 𝘗. sp. ‘Akcaya’, while the latter tends to burrow more.

𝘗𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘰𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘶𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘢 (have since webbed up quite a bit more)


𝘗𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘰𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘶𝘴 sp. ‘Akcaya’ (have not webbed much more)

 

[Wolfram1]

Interesting, how long have they been in these?

I got mine (P. arboricola) in 2 flat tubs, that were choked full of webbing too, i had to slowly and meticulously tear the web tube to get them out as i didn't want to accidentally squish them. So that would definitely support your claim of them being heavy webbers.
Though i guess based on the markings they had been in there since the beginning (4 molts).

I will keep an eye on it and maybe post a few pics for comparison in a few months.

 

[NMTs]

So cool. I'll let you guys know what the P. everetti looks like when I get it next week, and will post a couple pics of its enclosure I've once I've got it set up, as well. Thanks!

 

[NMTs]

Here's my enclosure for the 1.25" DLS P. everetti sling I'll be getting Tuesday. It's 4"x4"x5", and I like it because of how clear it is and how securely the lid pops into place (you can definitely tell if you didn't get it on all the way). Re-purposed candy container. My only concern is whether or not I made the ventilation holes too large - depending on what I think after getting a look at the sling in person, those might get taped over and reduced in size until it molts a time or 2.

I packed in one layer of sub and wet it down pretty thoroughly, then set the cork bark and packed in another layer of sub that I didn't add any more water to other than what came out of the moss when I squished it down (it was soaked for about 45 minutes). I put a starter burrow in the corner behind the bark.

What do you think? Did I go overboard with the moss, or do I need to add more?


I keep my Psalmopoeus sp. in much the same way, but with slightly less substrate and slightly less moisture, but the basic construction is the same. Here's a pot for a 0.5" P. victori sling that's coming in the same shipment:


Anyway, let me know what you think. Thanks!

 

[l4nsky]

Here's my enclosure for the 1.25" DLS P. everetti sling I'll be getting Tuesday. It's 4"x4"x5", and I like it because of how clear it is and how securely the lid pops into place (you can definitely tell if you didn't get it on all the way). Re-purposed candy container. My only concern is whether or not I made the ventilation holes too large - depending on what I think after getting a look at the sling in person, those might get taped over and reduced in size until it molts a time or 2.

I packed in one layer of sub and wet it down pretty thoroughly, then set the cork bark and packed in another layer of sub that I didn't add any more water to other than what came out of the moss when I squished it down (it was soaked for about 45 minutes). I put a starter burrow in the corner behind the bark.

What do you think? Did I go overboard with the moss, or do I need to add more?
View attachment 414681 View attachment 414682 View attachment 414686 View attachment 414685 View attachment 414684 View attachment 414681 View attachment 414691

I keep my Psalmopoeus sp. in much the same way, but with slightly less substrate and slightly less moisture, but the basic construction is the same. Here's a pot for a 0.5" P. victori sling that's coming in the same shipment:
View attachment 414692

Anyway, let me know what you think. Thanks!

I'd recommend against tape (that's how slings lose legs). If the sling's carapace can fit out of the ventilation holes, then I'd use another enclosure for a molt or two until it gets some size.

Vis a vis the actual decor, it looks a bit too damp IMO. The substrate looks a little bit too much on the moist side.

Alright, I need to break off on a little bit of a tangent here and discuss the subject of field capacity in relation to mycology. Now field capacity is technically defined as the water content of a soil after gravitational drainage over approximately a day. Basically how much water could the substrate hold in it’s unaltered, natural state. For growing mycelium, we’ve found that the ideal field capacity is roughly 60%. A quick dirty trick to get this right in mycology is to squeeze (and I mean SQUEEZE) a handful of substrate. If only one or two drops comes out of your clenched fist, this should be really close to 60%. If you’re ever in doubt, always err on the side of drier as well. It’s a lot harder to take moisture out then it is to add moisture to a substrate. Going forward, proper field capacity will be defined as squeezing the substrate hard and only having one or two drops come out of your clenched fist.

Back to the setup. For the bottom layer of substrate, you should use substrate that has proper field capacity. To achieve this, start out with a big bowl of dry substrate, distilled or R/O water, and a mixing implement. Add water and stir the substrate until all the water has been absorbed. Grab a handful and squeeze it hard. If more than 1 or two drops drips from your clenched fist of substrate, crumble the substrate in your hand back into the bowl, add a handful of dry substrate, thoroughly remix, and test again. If it’s still too wet, repeat until you get the desired results. If the substrate is too dry, you get no water droplets out of a clenched fist of substrate, or your hands aren’t damp after you squeeze the substrate, crumble the clenched fist of substrate in your hand back into the bowl, add a little bit of water, thoroughly remix, and test again. If it’s still to dry, repeat until you get the desired results. Once you have the substrate to a proper field capacity, add this to the enclosure as the bottom layer of substrate. Use your fist to ensure that this layer is well compacted. We want to do this to maintain and support future burrow construction and reduce the size of the air pockets in the soil to lessen evaporation to ensure the bottom layer retains moisture.

 

[Wolfram1]

Vis a vis the actual decor, it looks a bit too damp IMO. The substrate looks a little bit too much on the moist side.

yea i was thinking the same thing,

the way i interpret moisture dependant and correct me if i am wrong here @l4nsky, you are the expert, is not that they need more moisture than others but that they need that moisture more consistently.

You can wet down half the substrate for Brachypelma species for example but let it dry out almost completly before watering again or could even keep them mostly dry. Not with these, they need that moist corner consistently. I am currently adding a few drops of water every 3-4 days but that is just to counter the evaporation and the substrate feels just slightly damp to the touch.

It may also mean that they can deal with much higher moisture levels for a short period of time but too much moisture can kill them just as quick as other spiders.

 

[l4nsky]

yea i was thinking the same thing,

the way i interpret moisture dependant and correct me if i am wrong here @l4nsky, you are the expert, is not that they need more moisture than others but that they need that moisture more consistently.

You can wet down half the substrate for Brachypelma species for example but let it dry out almost completly before watering again or could even keep them mostly dry. Not with these, they need that moist corner consistently. I am currently adding a few drops of water every 3-4 days but that is just to counter the evaporation and the substrate feels just slightly damp to the touch.

It may also mean that they can deal with much higher moisture levels for a short period of time but too much moisture can kill them just as quick as other spiders.

Lol I'm not the expert, just the most vocal . IMHO, it's a little bit of both, especially in comparison to a species that dwells in a more arid environment. The key thing to remember is that moisture dependent tarantulas are tarantulas that exclusively live in rainforests. They don't really conserve moisture (in comparison) and they're never far away from it, but they are able to get away from it as well. Hence, it's a balancing act in captivity.