Thrixopelma ockerti
Peruvian Flame Rump Tarantula: Advanced Care Guide
Keeper Snapshot: A dark Peruvian tarantula with a flame-red rump and a quick hair-kick. Slings dig; adults like to sit off the floor, so give some height, a hide and a full dish.
Group: TarantulasDifficulty: Spice 3: IntermediateSetup: Terrestrial sling, semi-arboreal adultHandling: Not recommended, flicky and kicks hairs
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 | 70-80°F |
|---|---|
| Humidity | 50-65%: damp for slings, drier adults, full dish |
| Setup Type | Terrestrial sling, semi-arboreal adult |
| Substrate | 3-4 in soil/coco, cork hide plus climbing cork |
| Feeding | Slings weekly, adults every 1-2 weeks |
| Care Difficulty | Spice 3: Intermediate |
| Handling | Not recommended, flicky and kicks hairs |
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
- Slings and small juveniles (about 3/4-1 in): Baby Buddy with soil and a starter hole.
- Juveniles: terrestrial setup with a hide and some cork to climb.
- Adults: custom build with floor hide plus mid-height cork.
Warnings First
- Kicks urticating hairs readily. Face back, wash up after maintenance.
- Quick and flicky. Open the lid slowly with a catch cup ready.
- Adults climb. Keep the lid secure and drops from the top short.
Simple Care
- House it alone.
- Soil and a hide for slings; add vertical cork as it grows.
- Damp lower layer for slings, drier for adults.
- Full pebble-filled water dish.
- Good cross ventilation.
Advanced Keeper Notes
Enclosure & Microclimate
- Keepers report slings burrow while adults spend time off the ground at mid-height.
- A lightly webbing species; it won't fill the enclosure with silk.
- Give adults a cork slab they can sit on, plus a floor hide.
Feeding, Growth & Maintenance
- Keepers call it a good eater and a decent grower.
- Prey up to abdomen size. Slings weekly, adults every 1-2 weeks.
- Pull leftovers within a day; skip feeding around a molt.
Possible Origin / Range
- Likely native range: Peru, reported from Huánuco.
- Habitat translation: Peruvian forest-to-mountain country becomes a moderate setup: soil with a hide for slings, then added cork height for adults, good airflow and a full dish.
Advanced Keeper Details
- Lifespan figures come from secondary sources; treat them as a rough guide.