Ornithoctoninae sp. Vietnam Silver
Vietnam Silver - complete care guide
Vietnam Silver
Temperature
24-28 °C
Target ambient range
Humidity
75-85 %
Substrate / enclosure RH
Adult DLS
11-13 cm
Average - varies per individual
Moult interval
Sling 3-7w - Juv 1.8-3mo
Adult 9-14mo
Adult cycle = mature females; males never moult again after maturity
About
The Vietnam Silver - a recently discovered, still-undescribed ornithoctonine glowing silver-blue with orange setae: one of the calmer Old World forms on any vendor list (vendor rating "shy"). Smallish at 12 cm, fast-growing, warm and humid. £22 CB slings - an approachable piece of the Asian silver-blue collection for intermediate keepers moving up from New Worlds.
Husbandry cheat sheet
- Origin
- Vietnam
- Habitat
- Tropical forest floor
- Temperament
- Docile
- In your collection
- 0
Growth, lifespan & conservation
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Maturity
- ♀ 32mo ♂ 20mo
- Lifespan
- ♀ 12yr ♂ 3yr
- Continent
- Asia
- UK availability
- Rare in the hobby
Care Guide
Ornithoctoninae sp. Vietnam Silver
Vietnam Silver - a complete husbandry sheet. Use as a starting point and adjust to your individual specimen.
What size enclosure does a Vietnam Silver Tarantula need?
Adults
25 × 20 cm footprint with 10 cm of substrate.
Slings & Juveniles
Small tubs with 8 cm of substrate and an anchor.
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 Vietnam Silver Tarantula need?
Heating
The Vietnam Silvers is comfortable at 24-28 °C; UK homes need supplementary warmth for much of the year.
Humidity
75-85 %: among the wetter Asian setups - damp lower substrate with strong airflow.
Ventilation
Cross-ventilation with high humidity.
What substrate is best for a Vietnam Silver Tarantula?
Recommended Mixes
Depth
10 cm
Notes
Deep and packable, holding burrow and web structure.
How do you set up a Vietnam Silver Tarantula enclosure?
Décor
The Hide
A webbed burrow or heavy retreat around cork.
Water
Shallow dish at surface level.
Lighting
Ambient room light only.
How often should you feed a Vietnam Silver Tarantula?
Good Feeders
Long refusal worrying you? Separate premoult fasting from genuine problems with our "Is my T okay?" checker.
Is my Vietnam Silver Tarantula dying or moulting?
Pre-moult signs to look for
Refusing food for weeks is normal before a moult - a healthy Vietnam Silver Tarantula fasting is almost never an emergency in itself. Watch for slowing down and spending more time in the hide, laying a thick moult mat of web on the floor. 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 Vietnam Silver 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 24-48 days for spiderlings, every 55-90 days for juveniles, and every 130-210 days for sub-adults, with adult females moulting around every 9.3 months (up to 14 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 7 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 Vietnam Silver Tarantula need?
🪞 Moulting
Moults in the webbed retreat. Do not disturb; keep prey out and humidity high; wait until the fangs are black and hard before feeding. Adult intervals apply to mature females - males never moult after their ultimate moult.
🧹 Cleaning
Weekly: refresh the water dish and clear boluses with tongs.
✋ Handling
Shy rather than defensive - catch cup only.
What are the most common mistakes when keeping Vietnam Silver Tarantulas?
✓ What They Love
- Warm and humid with strong cross-flow
- Deep substrate for burrows
- Long tongs
- Anchor points for webbing
- Enjoying the silver sheen after each moult
✕ Common Mistakes
- Free handling - still an Old World
- Cool rooms
- Dry substrate
- Expecting visibility - shy
Keep exploring: related care guides
More ground-dwelling species and close relatives from our full library:
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