Phrixotrichus vulpinus care

Cemykay

Arachnosquire
Joined
Oct 29, 2019
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86
Hey guys,
I recently got hold of two Phrixotrichus vulpinus slings. There are almost no informations about this species besides their locality (at least thats what i found). Do you have any husbandry or care informations? Only thing i read was that they seem to die easily and that would be a shame.
 

Jonathan6303

Arachnoangel
Joined
May 14, 2021
Messages
836

This might help. Unfortunately, this genus is notorious for dying in captivity. In fact every single Phrixotrichus has died in captivity.
 

Jonathan6303

Arachnoangel
Joined
May 14, 2021
Messages
836
Do you have any idea why this might be the case?
I have speculations but no certainty. Coild be airflow, it could be that wc slings are to fragile and they need a few generations to adapt to captivity although we can’t seem to figure out how to get those few generations.

@Arachnid Addicted are there any South American breeders who are working on this species and have more insight.
@Marcostaco Have you heard any new about this species
 

A guy

Arachnodemon
Active Member
Joined
Aug 8, 2020
Messages
669
I have speculations but no certainty. Coild be airflow, it could be that wc slings are to fragile and they need a few generations to adapt to captivity although we can’t seem to figure out how to get those few generations.

@Arachnid Addicted are there any South American breeders who are working on this species and have more insight.
@Marcostaco Have you heard any new about this species
I've heard news but nothing positive.
P. vulpinus slings have been imported here in Canada for the past few months. I personally know some people who got a bunch of them and unfortunately, just as we've said; they do not do well in captivity. The imported slings have been dying off, not even little by little but in numbers. They have been very slow growing, molted a few times and everything is just dying. This includes P. scrofa, the real P. scrofa has also landed in Canada. I know this because the slings have two distinct urticating patches, indicating that they are the real P. scorfa or at least definitely a Phrixotrichus species.

These Phrixotrichus species have came in different batches, all of them are doing horribly. Lot of changes in set ups has been done but no success whatsoever. All of them are continuing to die off in numbers. Until we have these guys figured out, I suggest stay away from them.
 

Cemykay

Arachnosquire
Joined
Oct 29, 2019
Messages
86
I've heard news but nothing positive.
P. vulpinus slings have been imported here in Canada for the past few months. I personally know some people who got a bunch of them and unfortunately, just as we've said; they do not do well in captivity. The imported slings have been dying off, not even little by little but in numbers. They have been very slow growing, molted a few times and everything is just dying. This includes P. scrofa, the real P. scrofa has also landed in Canada. I know this because the slings have two distinct urticating patches, indicating that they are the real P. scorfa or at least definitely a Phrixotrichus species.

These Phrixotrichus species have came in different batches, all of them are doing horribly. Lot of changes in set ups has been done but no success whatsoever. All of them are continuing to die off in numbers. Until we have these guys figured out, I suggest stay away from them.
😭 But how are we going to find out what they need in captivity when we don't try to raise them? This is horrible, such a beatiful species...
 

A guy

Arachnodemon
Active Member
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Aug 8, 2020
Messages
669
😭 But how are we going to find out what they need in captivity when we don't try to raise them? This is horrible, such a beatiful species...
As far as I'm aware, their wild population isn't being threatened. So better to just leave them alone, some things are meant to be left alone.
 

spideyspinneret78

Arachnoprince
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Jul 19, 2019
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1,418
I've also read that they tend to die in captivity. I wonder why. From what I understand (though I may be wrong) they live in mountain ranges at higher elevations. Maybe this has something to do with it. Environments like this can be difficult to replicate in captivity.
 

A guy

Arachnodemon
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I've also read that they tend to die in captivity. I wonder why. From what I understand (though I may be wrong) they live in mountain ranges at higher elevations. Maybe this has something to do with it. Environments like this can be difficult to replicate in captivity.
Exactly that
 

arthurliuyz

Arachnoknight
Joined
Dec 17, 2021
Messages
274
These might help. I'm looking for husbandry info on these myself.
 

l4nsky

Aspiring Mad Genius
Arachnosupporter +
Joined
Jan 3, 2019
Messages
1,230
I've heard news but nothing positive.
P. vulpinus slings have been imported here in Canada for the past few months. I personally know some people who got a bunch of them and unfortunately, just as we've said; they do not do well in captivity. The imported slings have been dying off, not even little by little but in numbers. They have been very slow growing, molted a few times and everything is just dying. This includes P. scrofa, the real P. scrofa has also landed in Canada. I know this because the slings have two distinct urticating patches, indicating that they are the real P. scorfa or at least definitely a Phrixotrichus species.

These Phrixotrichus species have came in different batches, all of them are doing horribly. Lot of changes in set ups has been done but no success whatsoever. All of them are continuing to die off in numbers. Until we have these guys figured out, I suggest stay away from them.
Do you know or can you find out if they're having a tendency to die stuck in molts?
 

A guy

Arachnodemon
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Do you know or can you find out if they're having a tendency to die stuck in molts?
No, no stuck molts. If it comes to molting, they're molting fine. They literally just die out of nowhere. Fed in the morning, dead in the evening. No signs whatsoever, just dropping like flies.

I've also contacted people who owned them way before the Chile export closed. Some lived to become sexable juveniles and even lived for a few years. But they really just die out of nowhere. Also got something from a person who actually imported tons of them before the closure "I brought in slings, juveniles and adults. None of them survived long term. Yes, you will find some specimens that are still alive to this day but you have to realize that there were thousands being brought outside of Chile at the time. So that would be what? A handful of specimens alive from literally thousands."
 

l4nsky

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No, no stuck molts. If it comes to molting, they're molting fine. They literally just die out of nowhere. Fed in the morning, dead in the evening. No signs whatsoever, just dropping like flies.

I've also contacted people who owned them way before the Chile export closed. Some lived to become sexable juveniles and even lived for a few years. But they really just die out of nowhere. Also got something from a person who actually imported tons of them before the closure "I brought in slings, juveniles and adults. None of them survived long term. Yes, you will find some specimens that are still alive to this day but you have to realize that there were thousands being brought outside of Chile at the time. So that would be what? A handful of specimens alive from literally thousands."
Interesting.... If I had to take a guess, it's more than likely temperature/metabolism related. Being a montane/high altitude species, I imagine it's way more important for them to sync up their growth/molt/and breeding with their habitat's natural weather shifts. As such, they might have become specialized to the point where they require a brumation period for their life cycle. It wouldn't be unprecedented in nature.

I'm having my own issues with highland species, but they keep perishing after getting stuck in their molts (hence my original question).
 
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