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Tliltocatl vagans
Mexican Redrump Tarantula: Advanced Care Guide
Keeper Snapshot: A sturdy New World terrestrial that needs real digging room: deep packed substrate, a starter burrow under cork, dry surface over moist lower layers, and a full water dish. Can bolt or kick hairs when disturbed; use tools and a catch cup.
Group: TarantulasDifficulty: Spice 2: BeginnerSetup: Terrestrial burrower, packable substrateHandling: Not recommended, kicks hairs when disturbed
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 | 60-75%: damp below, dry top, full dish |
| Setup Type | Terrestrial burrower, packable substrate |
| Substrate | 1/2-2/3 fill, packable soil, firm for a burrow, dry top |
| Feeding | Slings 2x/wk, juveniles every 7-10 days, adults 2-3 wks |
| Care Difficulty | Spice 2: Beginner |
| Handling | Not recommended, kicks hairs when disturbed |
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
- Spiderling: compact enclosure, openings too narrow to pass through, filled about 2/3 with substrate.
- Juvenile: horizontal enclosure filled 1/2 to 2/3 with substrate.
- Adult: horizontal enclosure at least 3x the spider's leg span, filled 1/2 to 2/3 with substrate.
Warnings First
- Behavior varies: this species can bolt or kick urticating hairs when disturbed.
- Keep moves low and use a catch cup and tools; a heavy-bodied terrestrial can be injured in a fall.
- Ventilation matters more than a humidity number; judge the substrate gradient by hand.
- Keep pebbles in the water dish so the waterline stays below the rim; this reduces risk but doesn't make a dish risk-free.
- Remove uneaten live prey after 24 hours and before a molt.
Simple Care
- Fill 1/2 to 2/3 of a horizontal enclosure with deep, firmly packed substrate; start a burrow under anchored cork.
- Keep the surface dry with light moisture in the lower layers; add water at one corner, not over the whole surface.
- Cross-ventilate low on two opposite walls at substrate level.
- Keep a pebble-filled water dish full, away from the burrow entrance.
- Feed by life stage and abdomen condition; remove uneaten prey after 24 hours.
- Stage a catch cup before maintenance and work with tongs.
Advanced Keeper Notes
Enclosure & Microclimate
- Fill 1/2 to 2/3 of the enclosure with substrate at each life stage, with a horizontal footprint and a secure hide; keep it packed and moist below.
- Wild T. vagans burrow in clay soil; captive substrate does not need to match, but must pack firmly enough to hold a tunnel.
- Vent at substrate level; place the water dish away from the burrow mouth so a spill does not run down the shaft.
- Keep the enclosure horizontal with limited open height; adult footprint at least 3x leg span, ideally 4-5x.
Feeding, Growth & Maintenance
- Spiderlings: small prey twice weekly, pre-killed if larger than about 2/3 of the sling's size.
- 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 every 2-3 weeks; adjust by abdomen condition.
- Remove uneaten prey after 24 hours. After a molt, wait 24-48 hrs (slings), 3-7 days (juveniles), or 5-10 days (adults) before feeding again.
Possible Origin / Range
- Likely native range: Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize. This range does not imply a specific locality for your individual animal.
- Habitat translation: A ground-dwelling burrow setup: deep firmly packed substrate, a secure cork hide over a starter burrow, dry surface over moist lower layers, low cross-ventilation, and a pebble-filled dish away from the entrance.
Advanced Keeper Details
- The accepted name is Tliltocatl vagans; range is Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize.
- Burrow use is documented in both mainland and introduced populations; that doesn't fix this individual's locality, sex, or temperament.
- Temperament reports vary from quick and skittish to docile with occasional hair-kicking. Handling advice follows the shared risk either way.
- Moisture is judged by substrate feel, not a numeric target; that's the actionable measure for this species.