In stock Yucatan Rustrump Tarantula for sale All tarantulas for sale
Tliltocatl epicureanus
Yucatan Rustrump Tarantula: Advanced Care Guide
Keeper Snapshot: A Mexican terrestrial tarantula, formerly in Brachypelma. Care here is a careful starting point: low enclosure, firm diggable substrate, anchored cork, a moisture gradient, and feeding by body condition.
Group: TarantulasDifficulty: Spice 2: BeginnerSetup: Terrestrial, deep substrate + optional retreatHandling: Transfers only, catch cup
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 | 70-76°F |
|---|---|
| Humidity | 60-70%: dry surface, damp lower corner |
| Setup Type | Terrestrial, deep substrate + optional retreat |
| Substrate | 1/2-2/3 fill, firm diggable mix, cork retreat |
| Feeding | Slings 2x/wk, juveniles 7-10 days, adults 2-3 wks |
| Care Difficulty | Spice 2: Beginner |
| Handling | Transfers only, catch cup |
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
- Secure sling enclosure with vent gaps checked against the individual.
- Low horizontal juvenile enclosure with deep diggable substrate.
- Larger low terrestrial adult enclosure sized after the animal is measured.
Warnings First
- Handling not recommended; use tongs for maintenance and a catch cup for transfers.
- Don't assume a hair type or a fixed defensive pattern; keep loose hairs away from eyes and airway.
- Heavy-bodied terrestrial: keep the enclosure low so a fall stays short.
- Remove uneaten prey within 24 hours and any live prey once premolt is suspected.
Simple Care
- Use a low, horizontal enclosure with firm diggable substrate and an anchored cork retreat.
- Keep the surface mostly dry; add light moisture low in one corner.
- Cross-ventilate low on two opposite walls at substrate level.
- Keep a pebble-filled water dish full on the drier side, away from the retreat.
- Add moisture under the hide or in one corner, never over the animal.
- Use tongs for maintenance and stage a catch cup before transfers.
- Use plain substrate; skip fertilizer, pesticide, or other chemical treatments.
Advanced Keeper Notes
Enclosure & Microclimate
- Confirmed range is Mexico, around Chichen Itza, Yucatan; that alone does not fix rainfall, elevation, or exact moisture.
- Field-identification photos and regional dry-forest descriptions are context only, not measurements for this species.
- Fill 1/2 to 2/3 with firm substrate and anchor cork over a starter retreat; not every individual will burrow.
- Ventilation outranks a humidity number: vent low on opposing walls at substrate level, keep the surface mostly dry over one damp lower corner.
- Keep the water dish on the drier side, away from the retreat entrance; add moisture under the hide or into one corner, never over the animal.
Feeding, Growth & Maintenance
- No fixed feeding schedule exists for this species; the cadence below is a careful starting point.
- Slings: small prey twice weekly, pre-killed if larger than about 2/3 of the sling's body length.
- Juveniles: 2-3 small to medium crickets or 1 medium Dubia roach every 7-10 days.
- Adults: 4-5 large crickets or 1 large Dubia roach every 2-3 weeks; adjust by abdomen condition.
- Remove refused prey within 24 hours, and all live prey once premolt is suspected.
Possible Origin / Range
- Likely native range: Mexico. Confirmed only around Chichen Itza, Yucatan; regional dry-forest and limestone details are general context only.
- Habitat translation: A careful starting point, not a confirmed habitat match: low enclosure, firm diggable substrate, anchored cork, low cross-ventilation, a mostly dry surface over one damp lower corner, and a pebble-filled dish.
Advanced Keeper Details
- The original description reports a 40 mm male; a larger size isn't assumed from that single measurement.
- Growth, lifespan, and a fixed temperament aren't used as care facts; care follows your animal's size, condition, and behavior.
- Formerly in Brachypelma, now Tliltocatl. Listed on CITES Appendix II, so keep provenance records and check current rules before moving it internationally.
- No hair type or defensive ranking is confirmed, so handling stays cautious with catch-cup transfers only.