Species library

Temp

22-28°C

Humidity

65-80%

Adult DLS

14-17 cm

Moult

Sling ~3w - Adult ~12mo

Electric blue tarantula - recently described; fossorial like others in the genus. Deep damp packed substrate with starter burrow, 75-80% humidity.

Temp

24-28°C

Humidity

70-80%

Adult DLS

11-13 cm

Moult

Sling ~3w - Adult ~8mo

The Purple Earth Tiger ("Aladdin", named for the Thai hotel garden where it was first found) - one of the very few Chilobrachys showing blue-violet colour on TOP rather than just the underside: purple legs and abdomen over the standard earth-tiger frame. All the genus charm comes too: teleport speed, theatrical defensive tantrums, fortress-grade webbing over a deep burrow, and medically significant venom. Cheap (£10 slings), fast-growing and endlessly entertaining for experienced Asian-fossorial keepers.

Temp

22-28°C

Humidity

65-80%

Adult DLS

14-17 cm

Moult

Sling ~3w - Adult ~12mo

Thai black - standard Chilobrachys fossorial care: deep damp packed substrate, starter burrow, heavy webbing, defensive.

Temp

24-26°C

Humidity

80-90%

Adult DLS

15-17 cm

Moult

Sling ~3w - Adult ~9mo

The South Thailand Blue - an undescribed southern Thai Chilobrachys of rock-crevice and cave-mouth habitats (deep shaded holes spun out with heavy silk), explicitly NOT a close relative of the Electric Blue (different spermathecae structure). One of the highest humidity requirements in the genus (80-90 %) and a fast defensive disposition on a 17 cm frame. £25 slings / £55 WC sub-adults.

Temp

22-26°C

Humidity

70-80%

Adult DLS

13-16 cm

Moult

Sling ~3w - Adult ~9mo

The Black Femur Fury (Chilocosmia dichromata) - velvety black body with a contrasting orange-pink carapace, from New Guinea. Taxonomic history: bounced from Chilocosmia to Selenocosmia to Orphnaecus and BACK to Chilocosmia when the genus was revalidated in April 2025. UK vendor disposition rating: "Satanic" - fearless, lightning fast, and willing to bite, but oddly less secretive than most Asians (often seen in the open, which is when the problems start). WC slings surface occasionally at £22; advanced keepers only.

Temp

22-26°C

Humidity

40-60%

Adult DLS

12-14 cm

Moult

Sling ~3w - Adult ~6mo

Three-tone showpiece: metallic green carapace, blue legs, vivid orange abdominal setae. Heavy webber, fast-growing, hardy. Likes it relatively dry.

Temp

22-26°C

Humidity

65-75%

Adult DLS

13-15 cm

Moult

Sling ~4w - Adult ~10mo

The LSD Earth Tiger - the hobby's "psychedelic" Indian earth tiger in polychromatic blue and pink forms, from a restricted slice of the southern Western Ghats. Taxonomy note: the valid name is Cilantica devamatha (moved out of Haploclastus in 2024); the "psychadelicus" label on trade lists is a misspelling of a replacement name WSC does NOT accept. A deep-burrowing, fast, defensive Old World with potentially serious venom - expert only. Provenance matters too: Indian export is regulated, so insist on captive-bred stock with paperwork.

Temp

22-26°C

Humidity

60-75%

Adult DLS

10-13 cm

Moult

Sling ~3w - Adult ~11mo

Cuban semi-dwarf with warm orange highlights over violet-blue tones and a dark facial mask - the colour shifts with the light, and the name cyaneus ("blue") undersells the orange. Calm, manageable at 10-13 cm, and content with straightforward tropical husbandry: an underrated, quietly beautiful display species.

Temp

22-26°C

Humidity

70-80%

Adult DLS

12-14 cm

Moult

Sling ~3w - Adult ~9mo

Brushy-legged Australian fossorial/terrestrial. Rare in the hobby and only sporadically available.

Temp

21-28°C

Humidity

70-85%

Adult DLS

4-6 cm

Moult

Sling ~2w - Adult ~3mo

A jewel of a dwarf from the Peruvian Amazon: barely 4-6 cm with a pale heart-shaped abdominal patch (the "Love Heart" of UK trade), vivid orange-red legs and a bright carapace. One of the fastest-maturing tarantulas known - roughly a year from sling to adult - and easy to breed, so captive-bred slings appear regularly. Escape-proofing and micro-prey are the only real husbandry challenges.

Temp

22-28°C

Humidity

60-75%

Adult DLS

4-6 cm

Moult

Sling ~3w - Adult ~12mo

Dwarf tiger rump - tiny terrestrial. Small enclosure (15-20 cm cube), thin substrate, water dish (bottle cap). Shy; feeds on small prey.

Temp

22-28°C

Humidity

60-75%

Adult DLS

4-6 cm

Moult

Sling ~3w - Adult ~12mo

Dwarf tiger rump (Bolivian) - tiny terrestrial; small setup, small water dish. Undemanding dwarf.

Temp

22-28°C

Humidity

60-75%

Adult DLS

4-5 cm

Moult

Sling ~3w - Adult ~12mo

Bolivian dwarf tiger - small terrestrial, standard dwarf care: small enclosure, water cap, small prey weekly.

Temp

20-24°C

Humidity

70-80%

Adult DLS

5-6 cm

Moult

Sling ~2w - Adult ~4mo

The Golden Heart Dwarf ("Oronegro") - jet black with a metallic gold-to-red "mirror heart" abdominal patch, an undescribed Peruvian Cyriocosmus in the hobby since 2007 and possibly the gentlest dwarf in the trade. Remarkably visible for a dwarf (sits in the open, lightly webbed), grows at ridiculous speed, and breeds readily. £35 slings that become display adults inside a year - a pocket-sized beginner gem.

Temp

22-26°C

Humidity

70-80%

Adult DLS

10-12 cm

Moult

Sling ~3w - Adult ~6mo

Black-and-gold striped abdomen, red setae on the legs. Small, attractive, and active - benefits from a deep substrate for burrowing.

Temp

22-28°C

Humidity

60-75%

Adult DLS

13-15 cm

Moult

Sling ~3w - Adult ~12mo

Guatemalan tiger rump - small-medium terrestrial. Slightly damp substrate corner, water dish, hide. 70% humidity. Bold for its size.

Temp

23-26°C

Humidity

70-80%

Adult DLS

6-10 cm

Moult

Sling ~3w - Adult ~9mo

The Chiapas Tiger Rump - an undescribed Davus from Mexico's Chiapas with bronze carapace, black-and-orange tiger abdomen and startling WHITE legs ("Frozen Flame" in US lists). Size reports conflict (5 cm dwarf vs TSS's 8-10 cm - possibly mixed forms in trade), so treat stats as provisional. Same bulletproof Davus husbandry as pentaloris; docile, active and visibly out and about. Rare and priced to match (£80 slings) after recent first US captive breeding.

Temp

22-28°C

Humidity

60-75%

Adult DLS

5-7 cm

Moult

Sling ~3w - Adult ~12mo

Brazilian blue dwarf - small terrestrial; small setup, dry substrate, water cap. Fast-growing, bold dwarf.

Temp

22-26°C

Humidity

60-75%

Adult DLS

5-7 cm

Moult

Sling ~3w - Adult ~3mo

Dwarf species previously in Cyclosternum. Striking black-and-white markings on a tiny frame.

Temp

24-28°C

Humidity

70-80%

Adult DLS

12-14 cm

Moult

Sling ~3w - Adult ~8mo

Heavy-bodied African arboreal - one of the larger African tree tarantulas. Fast, defensive, potent.

Temp

22-28°C

Humidity

60-75%

Adult DLS

13-15 cm

Moult

Sling ~3w - Adult ~12mo

Blue fang skeleton - fossorial; deep (10 cm) damp substrate with starter retreat, 75-80% humidity. Pedipalp hair-brusher; display species.

Temp

22-28°C

Humidity

60-75%

Adult DLS

13-15 cm

Moult

Sling ~3w - Adult ~12mo

Skeleton - fossorial-terrestrial; deep (10 cm) damp substrate with a starter retreat. 75% humidity. Uniquely brushes urticating hairs from PEDIPALPS - no skin contact.

Temp

24-28°C

Humidity

75-85%

Adult DLS

11-14 cm

Moult

Sling ~3w - Adult ~9mo

The Red Skeleton (Burgundy Skeleton) - a wine-and-cream fossorial oddity from French Guiana: the "skeleton" leg striping of its genus over deep burgundy, and burrowing habits unusual for the otherwise arboreal spider-clade it belongs to. Its party trick is defensive: like all Ephebopus it carries Type V urticating hairs on its PEDIPALPS and flicks them into the face of anything leaning over the burrow - gloves and eye protection for deep cleans. Secretive, plug-the-burrow behaviour and a ferocious ambush feeding response. A rewarding display-of-nature species rather than a display spider.

Temp

22-28°C

Humidity

60-75%

Adult DLS

13-15 cm

Moult

Sling ~3w - Adult ~12mo

Skeleton (Brazilian) - fossorial; deep damp substrate, starter burrow. 75-80% humidity.

Temp

18-24°C

Humidity

50-65%

Adult DLS

8-10 cm

Moult

Sling ~4w - Adult ~12mo

The Chilean Bronze Flame (trade label "bronce", long sold as "Paraphysa sp. Bronze"; undescribed) - a warm-bronze dwarf with cream knee stripes and an orange abdominal tuft, from the same Andean scrubland as Chile's other Euathlus. Famously "puppy-dog" docile and curious; UK room temperature is its natural climate; hardy even as tiny slings. True dwarf at 8-10 cm with 20-year female potential - a long-term companion species at £50 a sling.

Temp

20-24°C

Humidity

55-70%

Adult DLS

8-10 cm

Moult

Sling ~4w - Adult ~11mo

The dark colour form of Euathlus manicata - Simon's 1892 species and the type of the old genus Paraphysa, folded into Euathlus in 2014 (WSC now spells it manicatus). "Black Flame" is the UK trade label for the sooty black-and-charcoal form from central Chilean scrubland; the same species also comes in gold and green forms. A docile 8-10 cm dwarf with red-setae flashes on the abdomen, famously calm and slow - genuine guinea-pig territory. Very slow-growing, with females living 15-20 years. Captive-bred slings reach the UK market periodically.

Temp

20-24°C

Humidity

55-70%

Adult DLS

8-10 cm

Moult

Sling ~4w - Adult ~11mo

The gold colour form of Euathlus manicata - a warm golden-tan and bronze dwarf from central Chile, rarer in UK stock than the black form. Identification caveat worth knowing: at least one major UK vendor's "manicata gold" listings are labelled Paraphysa parvula, and some gold stock is likely Euathlus parvulus (Pocock, 1903) - a separate but visually similar species with identical husbandry. Either way you get a glowing, ultra-docile 8-10 cm dwarf with the classic calm Euathlus temperament and 15-20 year female lifespan.

Temp

20-24°C

Humidity

55-70%

Adult DLS

8-10 cm

Moult

Sling ~4w - Adult ~11mo

The green colour form of Euathlus manicata, sold in the UK as the Emerald Flame - mossy green-grey femora over the dark Euathlus frame. Hobby naming footnote: UK vendor notes record this form being "known for many years as Euathlus truculentus", and colour-form names across this species-group have been shuffled for decades - treat "green" as a trade label for manicata-lineage stock rather than anything formal. The rarest of the three manicata colour forms in UK shops and identical in care: a docile 8-10 cm dwarf, very slow-growing, females 15-20 years.

Temp

22-28°C

Humidity

60-75%

Adult DLS

13-15 cm

Moult

Sling ~3w - Adult ~12mo

Chilean dwarf - small dry setup, water dish. Cool room temperatures suit them; heat stress is the main risk.

Temp

22-28°C

Humidity

60-75%

Adult DLS

13-15 cm

Moult

Sling ~3w - Adult ~12mo

Chilean fire leg - dry substrate, water dish, hide. Cool-keeping species; avoid heat. Docile dwarf-medium.