Pamphobeteus sp. Dark
Copperhead Birdeater - complete care guide
Copperhead Birdeater
Temperature
20-24 °C
Target ambient range
Humidity
70-80 %
Substrate / enclosure RH
Adult DLS
20-22 cm
Average - varies per individual
Moult interval
Sling 4-8w - Juv 2.3-3.8mo
Adult 11-16mo
Adult cycle = mature females; males never moult again after maturity
About
The Copperhead Birdeater ("Pamphobeteus sp. Dark") - one of The Spider Shop's newest Ecuadorian Pamphobeteus imports, a big copper-toned giant at up to 22 cm rated "fearless" by the vendor. All the genus virtues: gluttonous feeding, impressive size, cool-tolerant Andean-foothill husbandry, and the usual hair-flicking response to disturbance. £50 for 3 cm slings; undescribed, so the "Dark" label is pure trade nomenclature.
Husbandry cheat sheet
- Origin
- Ecuador
- Habitat
- Humid rainforest floor
- Temperament
- Defensive
- In your collection
- 0
Growth, lifespan & conservation
- Growth rate
- Medium
- Maturity
- ♀ 60mo ♂ 42mo
- Lifespan
- ♀ 18yr ♂ 5yr
- Continent
- South America
- UK availability
- Rare in the hobby
Care Guide
Pamphobeteus sp. Dark
Copperhead Birdeater - a complete husbandry sheet. Use as a starting point and adjust to your individual specimen.
What size enclosure does a Copperhead Birdeater Tarantula need?
Adults
40 × 30 cm (16 × 12 in) for a mature adult. Floor space matters more than height.
Slings & Juveniles
House spiderlings in small, appropriately sized deli cups or sling enclosures.
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 Copperhead Birdeater Tarantula need?
Heating
The Copperhead Birdeaters is comfortable at 20-24 °C - cool-kept; most UK homes manage without supplementary heat for much of the year.
Humidity
70-80 %: overflow the water dish weekly and let it dry back.
Ventilation
Cross-ventilation is essential - side-vented enclosures, never stagnant.
What substrate is best for a Copperhead Birdeater Tarantula?
Recommended Mixes
Depth
8-10 cm
Notes
Keep substrate dry to barely moist - never soaking. Pack firm; 8-10 cm for opportunistic digging.
How do you set up a Copperhead Birdeater Tarantula enclosure?
Décor
The Hide
A cork bark half-log or leaning slab; established spiders also web generously around it.
Water
Always provide a LARGE shallow water dish - a 22 cm spider drinks properly.
Lighting
No special lighting needed. Ambient room light is enough.
How often should you feed a Copperhead Birdeater Tarantula?
Good Feeders
Long refusal worrying you? Separate premoult fasting from genuine problems with our "Is my T okay?" checker.
Is my Copperhead Birdeater Tarantula dying or moulting?
Pre-moult signs to look for
Refusing food for weeks is normal before a moult - a healthy Copperhead Birdeater 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. New World species like this one often show a bald spot on the abdomen that darkens to near-black as the new skin underneath readies - a darkening bald patch is a reliable countdown, not a disease.
On its back is MOULTING, not dying
A Copperhead Birdeater 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 28-56 days for spiderlings, every 70-115 days for juveniles, and every 160-250 days for sub-adults, with adult females moulting around every 11 months (up to 15.7 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 8 days in this species. Offer no food and no handling for about 8 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 Copperhead Birdeater Tarantula need?
🪞 Moulting
Signs: refuses food, abdomen darkens and goes glossy, becomes sluggish, often heavy webbing or a moult mat. During the moult: do not disturb, remove any live prey, keep water available. Wait until the fangs are black and hard (about a week for a big adult) before feeding again. Adult intervals apply to mature FEMALES - a mature male never moults again.
🧹 Cleaning
Daily: check the water dish. Weekly: remove uneaten prey boluses and spot-clean. Full deep clean only every few months.
✋ Handling
Fearless rather than docile - a committed hair-kicker. Look, do not hold; wash up after maintenance.
What are the most common mistakes when keeping Copperhead Birdeater Tarantulas?
✓ What They Love
- Fresh water dish at all times
- Cool-side stable temperature
- Cross-ventilation
- A proper hide and deep substrate
- Tongs feeding - the strike is violent
✕ Common Mistakes
- Overheating - cool Andean foothills
- Soaking-wet substrate
- Free handling - heavy hair-kicker
- Small prey for a 22 cm spider
Keep exploring: related care guides
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