Haplopelma doriae (supplier synonym: Cyriopagopus doriae)
Sold under its hobby name. This guide covers the group or trade name this fella is sold as, so the ranges fit the whole group. Start in the middle and watch how your animal settles in.
Haplopelma doriae Tarantula: Advanced Care Guide
Keeper Snapshot: An advanced deep-burrow tarantula: give it depth, humidity control, and a maintenance plan that assumes speed.
Group: TarantulasDifficulty: Spice 4: AdvancedSetup: Deep fossorial Old World tarantulaHandling: No handling, fast with a painful bite
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 | 76-82°F |
|---|---|
| Humidity | 70-80%, cross-vent at substrate level, damp lower column |
| Setup Type | Deep fossorial Old World tarantula |
| Substrate | 8+ in damp packed substrate, starter tunnel |
| Feeding | Weekly for juveniles; adults every 1-2 weeks |
| Care Difficulty | Spice 4: Advanced |
| Handling | No handling, fast with a painful bite |
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
- Juvenile/subadult: tall fossorial enclosure with deep packed substrate.
- Adult: deep fossorial enclosure with a strong, secure lid.
Warnings First
- No urticating hairs, but a painful bite. Assume it will use it if disturbed.
- Expect fast defensive speed if the burrow is disturbed. Tools and a catch cup only.
- Do not flood the burrow.
- Cross-ventilate at the substrate line. A damp column with no airflow goes stale at the bottom.
Simple Care
- Pre-dig a starter burrow.
- Keep the lower substrate lightly damp and the top layers ventilated.
- Cross-ventilate low on two opposite walls, at the substrate line, so the burrow column breathes.
- Keep a water dish with pebbles in it so slings cannot drown.
- Use a catch cup and long forceps for every interaction.
Advanced Keeper Notes
Enclosure & Microclimate
- Depth is the whole point here, not decoration. Pack substrate firm enough to hold a tunnel shape.
- Vent low on two opposite walls, right at the substrate line, so the burrow column stays connected to fresh air.
- Judge moisture by feel: damp at depth without weeping water when squeezed, drier on top.
- Keep a water dish with pebbles so the waterline sits below the rim.
- Water down one side of the enclosure or at the burrow entrance, not over the surface.
Feeding, Growth & Maintenance
- Strong, fast feeder. Drop prey near the burrow entrance and remove it if ignored within a day.
- Tools and a catch cup for every interaction here, never hands.
- Molting: it goes sluggish, seals into its burrow, and stops eating for days or weeks. Pull uneaten feeders, leave it alone, and wait 5-10 days after the molt before feeding again.
Possible Origin / Range
- Likely native range: Malaysia, including Borneo.
- Habitat translation: Humid forest floor burrows with stable lower moisture.
Advanced Keeper Details
- Measure temperature at the animal's level, not just the room or the lid.