Pamphobeteus sp. Mascara
Mascara Birdeater - complete care guide
Mascara Birdeater
Temperature
10-24 °C
Target ambient range
Humidity
70-80 %
Substrate / enclosure RH
Adult DLS
18-20 cm
Average - varies per individual
Moult interval
Sling 4-8w - Juv 2.2-3.6mo
Adult 10-14mo
Adult cycle = mature females; males never moult again after maturity
About
The Mascara Birdeater - a two-toned Ecuadorian Pamphobeteus from drier coastal forest, with the widest temperature tolerance of the genus forms (10-24 °C on the vendor panel - genuinely cool-tolerant). Grows fast for a Pamphobeteus, hatches unusually large slings, and flicks hairs at every opportunity. £22 for 2 cm juveniles - one of the cheaper entry points into the giant South Americans.
Husbandry cheat sheet
- Origin
- Ecuador (dry + coastal rainforest)
- Habitat
- Coastal and dry forest floor
- Temperament
- Flicky
- In your collection
- 0
Growth, lifespan & conservation
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Maturity
- ♀ 54mo ♂ 36mo
- Lifespan
- ♀ 18yr ♂ 4yr
- Continent
- South America
- UK availability
- Uncommon
Care Guide
Pamphobeteus sp. Mascara
Mascara Birdeater - a complete husbandry sheet. Use as a starting point and adjust to your individual specimen.
What size enclosure does a Mascara Birdeater Tarantula need?
Adults
40 × 30 cm (16 × 12 in) for a mature adult.
Slings & Juveniles
Small deli cups; slings hatch large and start strong.
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 Mascara Birdeater Tarantula need?
Heating
The Mascara Birdeaters is comfortable at 10-24 °C - the most cool-tolerant Pamphobeteus form; no supplementary heat in UK homes.
Humidity
70-80 %: overflow the water dish weekly and let it dry back.
Ventilation
Cross-ventilation is essential.
What substrate is best for a Mascara Birdeater Tarantula?
Recommended Mixes
Depth
8-10 cm
Notes
Keep substrate dry to barely moist. Pack firm; 8-10 cm for digging.
How do you set up a Mascara Birdeater Tarantula enclosure?
Décor
The Hide
A cork bark half-log or leaning slab retreat.
Water
Always provide a large shallow water dish.
Lighting
No special lighting needed.
How often should you feed a Mascara Birdeater Tarantula?
Good Feeders
Long refusal worrying you? Separate premoult fasting from genuine problems with our "Is my T okay?" checker.
Is my Mascara Birdeater Tarantula dying or moulting?
Pre-moult signs to look for
Refusing food for weeks is normal before a moult - a healthy Mascara 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 Mascara 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 65-108 days for juveniles, and every 150-240 days for sub-adults, with adult females moulting around every 10 months (up to 14.3 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 Mascara 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 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.
✋ Handling
Committed hair-kicker - look, do not hold.
What are the most common mistakes when keeping Mascara Birdeater Tarantulas?
✓ What They Love
- Fresh water dish at all times
- Cool-side stable temperature
- Cross-ventilation
- A proper hide and deep substrate
- Generous feeding - brisk growth
✕ Common Mistakes
- Overheating
- Soaking-wet substrate
- Free handling - heavy hair-kicker
- Underestimating sling appetite
Keep exploring: related care guides
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