In stock Guatemalan Tiger Rump Tarantula for sale All tarantulas for sale
Davus pentaloris
Guatemalan Tiger Rump Tarantula: Advanced Care Guide
Keeper Snapshot: A small colorful terrestrial that grows quickly and works well in compact setups: adults reach about 4-5 inches across.
Group: TarantulasDifficulty: Spice 2: BeginnerSetup: Dwarf terrestrial, opportunistic burrowerHandling: Not recommended, small and quick
Use This Guide Safely
- Confirm the exact animal. Match this guide to the species, locality, size, and life stage on your label. If the ID is uncertain, use the more conservative part of the range and ask before changing the setup.
- Change one thing at a time. Treat temperature and humidity as target zones, then watch posture, burrowing, drinking, feeding, and molt behavior before making another adjustment.
- Respect the handling boundary. If the guide says no handling, fast, defensive, or medically significant, plan transfers with catch cups, locked lids, and no bare hands. For serious bites, stings, or symptoms, seek emergency medical care.
Quick Snapshot
| Temperature | 72-80°F |
|---|---|
| Humidity | 60-75%, damp pocket for slings, drier surface, small dish |
| Setup Type | Dwarf terrestrial, opportunistic burrower |
| Substrate | Moderately moist soil/coco mix with hide |
| Feeding | Small prey weekly |
| Care Difficulty | Spice 2: Beginner |
| Handling | Not recommended, small and quick |
Humidity zones: Very Low under 30% - Low 30-60% - Low-Moderate 40-70% - Moderate 60-80% - Moderate-High 70-85% - High 80%+ - Very High 90%+
Enclosure Format / Size Class
- Compact secure enclosure while it's a tiny sling.
- Horizontal terrestrial burrow setup, juveniles through adults: a Burrow Buddy footprint is a forever home for a dwarf this size.
Warnings First
- Small and quick.
- Do not let tiny slings dry out.
- Can kick hairs.
- A compact enclosure kept damp for a sling turns moldy within days without airflow; vent low on two opposite walls.
Simple Care
- Keep slings slightly more moist than adults.
- Use small vents low on two opposite walls; a damp sling enclosure has almost no air volume to buffer it.
- Give a starter burrow.
- Use a bottle-cap water dish with pebbles or grit so a dwarf sling cannot drown.
- Do not use oversized prey.
Advanced Keeper Notes
Enclosure & Microclimate
- This dwarf species is easy to overhouse. Use a compact enclosure where prey is easy to find.
- Moisture matters more for slings than adults; keep part of the substrate lightly damp while leaving dry areas.
- Vent low on two opposite walls, at or just above the substrate, so air crosses the floor of a sling enclosure.
- Judge by hand and eye: the damp portion lightly moist with no free water, the dry portion genuinely dry, no condensation on the walls.
- Put moisture into the starter burrow rather than misting the whole cup.
Feeding, Growth & Maintenance
- A starter burrow under cork helps the spider settle and reduces bolting.
- Feed slings tiny prey 2x weekly, juveniles every 5-7 days, adults weekly to every 2 weeks; keep prey smaller than the abdomen.
- Molting: it goes sluggish, seals into its burrow or web, and stops eating for days or weeks. Pull uneaten feeders and wait 5-10 days after the molt before feeding again.
Possible Origin / Range
- Likely native range: Mexico, Guatemala, and Central American seasonal forest.
- Habitat translation: Terrestrial or fossorial starter burrow with seasonal dry-down and water access.
Advanced Keeper Details
- Slings often burrow and web; don't over-enlarge them too early.
- Respect premolt fasting; remove live feeders that can invade burrows.
- Active and skittish, but not a notably defensive species: a genuinely good display terrestrial.