Heteroscodra maculata
Togo Starburst Baboon - complete care guide
Togo Starburst Baboon
Temperature
24-28 °C
Target ambient range
Humidity
60-70 %
Substrate / enclosure RH
Adult DLS
12-14 cm
Average - varies per individual
Moult interval
Sling 3-6w - Juv 2-3mo
Adult 8-10mo
Adult cycle = mature females; males never moult again after maturity
About
Starry-patterned Old World arboreal from West Africa. Fast, defensive, and a powerful bite.
Husbandry cheat sheet
- Origin
- Togo, Ghana, Cameroon
- Habitat
- Savanna & forest edge
- Temperament
- Defensive
- In your collection
- 0
Growth, lifespan & conservation
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Maturity
- ♀ 14mo ♂ 10mo
- Lifespan
- ♀ 10yr ♂ 2yr
- Continent
- Africa
- UK availability
- Commonly available
Care Guide
Heteroscodra maculata
Togo Starburst Baboon - a complete husbandry sheet. Use as a starting point and adjust to your individual specimen.
What size enclosure does a Togo Starburst Baboon Tarantula need?
Adults
30 × 30 × 45 cm tall - height matters more than footprint. Provide generous vertical cork and anchor points for webbing.
Slings & Juveniles
Togo Starburst slings spend their first instars burrowed at the substrate base before going arboreal - start them with deep-ish substrate and a vertical cork lean, and let them choose.
To map exact floor space and substrate safety limits for your setup, use our free interactive tarantula enclosure planner.
What temperature and humidity does a Togo Starburst Baboon Tarantula need?
Heating
The Togo Starburst Baboon is comfortable at 24-28 °C. Most UK homes sit in or near this range for most of the year; heat the room rather than the enclosure if winter drops below it.
Humidity
Togo/Ghana savanna-canopy: 60-70 %, drier than most arboreals. Keep one cork retreat damp (water poured at its base, never sprayed at the spider) with strong drying airflow between.
Ventilation
The single most important husbandry factor for this species. Cross-flow (top + side mesh) is non-negotiable - stagnant air causes mould, mites and failed moults.
What substrate is best for a Togo Starburst Baboon Tarantula?
Recommended Mixes
Depth
3-5 cm
Notes
Substrate is mostly a moisture buffer - arboreals live above it. Keep one corner lightly damp, never wet throughout.
How do you set up a Togo Starburst Baboon Tarantula enclosure?
Décor
The Hide
A vertical cork tube or propped bark retreat positioned up off the floor - the higher the retreat, the more the spider uses it.
Water
Shallow dish on the floor. Even dedicated canopy dwellers descend to drink - keep it full and clean.
Lighting
Ambient room light only. Avoid basking lamps - they desiccate arboreal species quickly.
How often should you feed a Togo Starburst Baboon Tarantula?
Good Feeders
Long refusal worrying you? Separate premoult fasting from genuine problems with our "Is my T okay?" checker.
Is my Togo Starburst Baboon Tarantula dying or moulting?
Pre-moult signs to look for
Refusing food for weeks is normal before a moult - a healthy Togo Starburst Baboon Tarantula fasting is almost never an emergency in itself. Watch for slowing down and spending more time in the hide, thickening the silk hammock it sleeps in. Old World species do not flick urticating hairs, so there is no bald patch to watch - rely on fasting, lethargy and hide time instead.
On its back is MOULTING, not dying
A Togo Starburst Baboon Tarantula lying upside down or on its side with legs curled inwards is almost certainly mid-moult. Do not touch it, do not right it, do not mist it - just remove any live prey (crickets can kill a defenceless moulter) and leave the room.
How long between moults?
For this species, expect a moult roughly every 21-42 days for spiderlings, every 60-90 days for juveniles, and every 135-191 days for sub-adults, with adult females moulting around every 7.5 months (up to 9.8 months at the extreme). Males never moult again after their ultimate (mature) moult.
After the moult: fang hardening time
The new exoskeleton stays soft, with fangs that cannot grip, for roughly 5 days in this species. Offer no food and no handling for about 7 days - feeding too early is how fresh moulters get injured. The shed exuvium is also the best sexing tool there is - see our tarantula sexing guide for what to look for.
Genuinely worried about behaviour that is not moulting? Our "Is my T okay?" triage tool walks the danger signs one by one.
What ongoing care does a Togo Starburst Baboon Tarantula need?
🪞 Moulting
Arboreals often moult suspended in a web hammock. Do not disturb, remove prey, and slightly raise humidity around the time. Wait 5-7 days post-moult before offering food. Adult intervals apply to mature females - males never moult after their ultimate moult.
🧹 Cleaning
Spot clean webbed boluses when visible, refresh the water dish weekly. Full clean only when soiled - established webbing is valuable to the spider.
✋ Handling
Old World arboreal with explosive speed and a nasty bite. Ornamental-display species; catch cup only.
What are the most common mistakes when keeping Togo Starburst Baboon Tarantulas?
✓ What They Love
- Tall enclosure with vertical cork
- Strong cross-ventilation
- Mist one wall - let it cycle dry
- Clamping/secure lid - arboreals are escape artists
✕ Common Mistakes
- Waterlogged substrate
- Sealed, unventilated tanks
- Heat from below
- Free handling - jumps and falls kill
Keep exploring: related care guides
More arboreal species and close relatives from our full library:
⭐ Community Ratings
No ratings yet - be the first to rate this species!