Phormictopus cancerides — Fact Sheet

Phormictopus cancerides · Phormictopus cancerides

📋 At a glance

🏠 Enclosure

• Adult enclosure planning minimum: 45 x 30 x 30 cm

• Starter housing: small secure cup with moisture gradient and no prey left during premolt

• Secure enclosure with hides, water, ventilation, and visual cover

• Avoid loose lids, excess fall height, unstable heavy decor, and unregulated heat

• Use deep substrate and keep fall height low

• Keep a catch cup ready before opening the enclosure

🪨 Enclosure furniture

• Warm and cool retreats

• Water dish sized safely for the animal

• Deep substrate for tarantulas; branches/perches for active or semi-arboreal snakes

• Rough safe surfaces for shedding or molting

• Starter burrow or cork retreat that can be inspected indirectly

• Moisture gradient rather than uniformly wet substrate

💡 Lighting

• 10-12 hour day-night cycle
• UVB optional for most snakes; not required for tarantulas
• No visible night light
• Avoid bright drying lamps over tarantulas

🌡️ Temperature

• Target: 24-28 °C, with overheating above 30 °C avoided
• Use a real gradient and measure both warm and cool zones
• Control reptile heat with thermostats
• Avoid heat rocks, unguarded bulbs, and overheating

💧 Humidity & water

Moisture management: Follow the substrate gradient below; no fixed air-humidity percentage is prescribed.

Keep fresh water available in a stable dish sized for the animal. Keep moisture useful, not stagnant. Chronic dryness risks dehydration and bad molts; constantly wet substrate brings mold, mites, and poor air quality.

Pour water into one side so the lower layers remain damp while the surface dries. This is more stable than frequent misting. Strong cross-ventilation is essential, but tiny slings can desiccate quickly; check the depth of moisture rather than relying only on a gauge or surface appearance.

🪳 Diet

Feed regularly:

• roaches, crickets, locusts, and occasional worms; strong feeders can become obese

In moderation:

• Seasonal adjustments by body condition and growth

• Adjust feeding by abdomen shape, not begging response

• Remove uneaten prey during premolt or within 24 hours

Avoid:

• Oversized prey, wild-caught feeders, and uneaten insects during premolt

Supplements:

• None for whole-prey snakes or tarantulas eating good feeder insects

🩺 Health — warning signs

• Retained shed, bad molt, or stuck eye caps
• Wheezing, bubbles, or open-mouth breathing
• Regurgitation or refusal to feed with weight loss
• Burns, mites, swelling, wounds, or fall injury
• Sudden lethargy, constant soaking, or repeated escape attempts Consult an experienced reptile/exotics veterinarian for severe or persistent signs.
• Shriveled abdomen or weak posture → dehydration or decline
• Failed molt, leaking injury, or curled legs → urgent specialist help
• Keep written molt and feeding dates
• Never disturb a tarantula lying on its back to molt