Phormingochilus hatihati
Purple Earth Tiger - complete care guide
Purple Earth Tiger
Temperature
24-28 °C
Target ambient range
Humidity
70-80 %
Substrate / enclosure RH
Adult DLS
13-15 cm
Average - varies per individual
Moult interval
Sling 3-6w - Juv 1.5-2.5mo
Adult 10-14mo
Adult cycle = mature females; males never moult again after maturity
About
Sulawesi earth tiger with a violet-purple sheen on the legs and carapace, freshest just after a moult. Described in 2024 from West Sulawesi - the only Phormingochilus east of the Wallace Line. Fast, defensive, potent Old World arboreal: tall setup with vertical cork, 70-80% humidity, strong cross-ventilation, and unusually deep substrate for a tree spider because slings and juveniles burrow before moving up into tree holes as adults.
Husbandry cheat sheet
- Origin
- Indonesia (Sulawesi)
- Habitat
- Lowland rainforest (secondary forest, mango plantations)
- Temperament
- Defensive
- In your collection
- 0
Growth, lifespan & conservation
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Maturity
- ♀ 16mo ♂ 12mo
- Lifespan
- ♀ 10yr ♂ 2yr
- Continent
- Asia
- UK availability
- Uncommon
Care Guide
Phormingochilus hatihati
Purple Earth Tiger - a complete husbandry sheet. Use as a starting point and adjust to your individual specimen.
What size enclosure does a Purple Earth Tiger Tarantula need?
Adults
30 × 30 × 45 cm tall - height matters more than footprint, but keep more floor substrate than a typical arboreal (5-8 cm): wild adults live in tree knotholes, yet appreciate a moisture buffer below. Generous vertical cork and anchor points for webbing.
Slings & Juveniles
Start slings in small tubs with deep substrate and a burrow start - they are semi-fossorial at this stage. Move to tall arboreal tubs with vertical cork once they begin climbing and webbing up. Upgrade as they grow.
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 Purple Earth Tiger Tarantula need?
Heating
The Purple Earth Tiger is comfortable at 24-28 °C. Most UK homes sit below this for much of the year; heat the room rather than the enclosure if it drops under 22 °C.
Humidity
Sulawesi lowland rainforest: 70-80 % with cross-flow. Warm (24-28 °C) and humid but never stagnant - same "breezy greenhouse" as Poecilotheria and other earth tigers.
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 Purple Earth Tiger Tarantula?
Recommended Mixes
Depth
5-8 cm
Notes
Deeper than most arboreal setups. Slings and juveniles burrow extensively and only adopt the canopy lifestyle as they mature; even adults benefit from the moisture buffer. Keep one corner lightly damp, never wet throughout.
How do you set up a Purple Earth Tiger 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 Purple Earth Tiger Tarantula?
Good Feeders
Long refusal worrying you? Separate premoult fasting from genuine problems with our "Is my T okay?" checker.
Is my Purple Earth Tiger Tarantula dying or moulting?
Pre-moult signs to look for
Refusing food for weeks is normal before a moult - a healthy Purple Earth Tiger 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 Purple Earth Tiger 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 45-75 days for juveniles, and every 180-270 days for sub-adults, with adult females moulting around every 10 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 Purple Earth Tiger 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
Fast, potent Old World arboreal. Never free-handled.
What are the most common mistakes when keeping Purple Earth Tiger Tarantulas?
✓ What They Love
- Tall enclosure with vertical cork
- Strong cross-ventilation
- Mist one wall - let it cycle dry
- Deeper substrate than most arboreals - young hatihati burrow
- Clamping/secure lid - arboreals are escape artists
✕ Common Mistakes
- Waterlogged substrate
- Sealed, unventilated tanks
- Heat from below
- Free handling - jumps and falls kill
- Expecting slings to live up high - young hatihati burrow and only move arboreal as they grow
Keep exploring: related care guides
More arboreal species and close relatives from our full library:
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