Pics of my Myrmekiaphila trapdoors...finally!

[Chris_Skeleton]

So here is my largest of my three specimens of Myrmekiaphila species (I suspect foliata). This guy took me about 20 minutes of digging to find it. I keep it in a pill vial with peat moss (same with my other three) and they make some interesting burrows. They are the cutest little spiders, very skittish, and run at the slightest disturbance. Never once shown a threat posture. I typically have to feed them prekilled prey or else it scares them and they scurry down their burrow. I find them outside of their burrows and climbing the sides of the vials quite frequently. They also utilize more than one entrance to their burrow. I'm taking notes on their behavior right now and all that, because I know there is pretty much next to nothing known about these. I'll be hunting more once warm weather rolls around.

Sorry for the blurry photos.

Here are the pics, enjoy:

 

[Moltar]

Awww such a cute widdle spidey! That's a nice find, love me some WC locals.

 

[Chris_Skeleton]

I'd love to find some other local species, but my whole year of hunting has only turned up these. Would've had a nice 4" specimen of this species if I wouldn't have accidentally killed it while digging it up.

 

[Bugs In Cyberspace]

Four inches?

Your project is really interesting. Keep up the good work and when you get a handful of those 4-inchers, let me know!

 

[Chris_Skeleton]

Four inches?

Your project is really interesting. Keep up the good work and when you get a handful of those 4-inchers, let me know!

Probably closer to 2.5" now that I think about it. I didn't get to measure it. A little overexaggeration on my part lol. It was a nice sized adult though. I don't know the full grown size of this genus or species, but I'll find out.

 

[Chris_Skeleton]

**update**

The one pictured has since lost a leg. I keep them in the "push down and twist" pill vials, and I forgot to look and see where it was when I opened it and it ripped a leg off. Felt bad about that one.

The smallest of the three has been a bit lethargic lately and would not burrow to the extent of the others. Dug it up today to feed it and found it in a death curl, from dehydration, but it was still alive. So I immediately placed it in an ICU and kept it there through the night. Ran my space heater and woke up to find it's abdomen plump again and it was trying to dig into the paper towels. Disaster averted

*Notes*
If you are keeping similar species of trapdoors that are too small for a water dish. Keep the substrate moist. This will allow them to make better burrows and it will keep them hydrated.

Two of the three make elaborate burrows with straight up and down holes, slanted holes, and curving holes. They also make a room at the bottom of the enclosure. One of them will close off the entrances while the other keeps them all open.

Will post more updates later and a care sheet I guess.