Thelyphonus sp.
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.
Vietnamese Vinegaroon: Advanced Care Guide
Keeper Snapshot: A hardy, humid vinegaroon with low venom concern, but it still deserves no-handling respect: it can spray an acidic defense.
Group: Spiders & Other InvertsDifficulty: Spice 2: BeginnerSetup: Humid terrestrial burrowerHandling: Not recommended, sprays acid; protect eyes
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 | 74-82°F |
|---|---|
| Humidity | 70-80%, evenly moist burrow layer, cross vents |
| Setup Type | Humid terrestrial burrower |
| Substrate | 4-6 in moist substrate, cork bark, leaf litter |
| Feeding | Roaches/crickets 1/4-1/2 in, every 7-10 days at dusk |
| Care Difficulty | Spice 2: Beginner |
| Handling | Not recommended, sprays acid; protect eyes |
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
- Juveniles: small humid cup with a shallow burrow.
- Adults: low terrestrial setup with deep, moist substrate.
Warnings First
- Can spray an acidic defensive liquid; keep it away from your eyes and face.
- Avoid bare-hand contact for the same reason; use a catch cup for transfers.
- Don't let the enclosure dry out fully.
- A moist burrow with no cross ventilation turns stagnant and moldy; vent low on two opposite walls to keep the burrow layer aired out.
Simple Care
- Keep the substrate evenly moist, not flooded.
- Vent low on two opposite walls, at the substrate line, so the burrow layer keeps exchanging air.
- Give it cork cover and leaf litter.
- Keep a shallow water dish with pebbles so small instars can't drown.
- Use a catch cup for transfers; it can spray an acidic defense.
Advanced Keeper Notes
Enclosure & Microclimate
- Wants a secure burrow and dark cover.
- Vent low on two opposite walls, at the substrate line, so air crosses the burrow layer without drying out the deep substrate.
- Hold 70-80% by keeping the substrate evenly moist and running a water dish, with vents flowing, rather than sealing the enclosure.
- Judge by hand, not a gauge: substrate moist enough to hold a burrow shape, no free water, no sour smell.
- Mist under the cork and into the leaf litter, not across the open surface, to keep a humid pocket without soaking everything.
Feeding, Growth & Maintenance
- Roaches or crickets no larger than its body length, about 1/4-1/2 in for this smaller species. Offer every 7-10 days in the evening.
- Several molts to maturity over a year or more; several years lifespan in captivity.
- Remove uneaten prey within 24-48 hours, keep substrate humid enough to hold a burrow, and stop feeding entirely at the first premolt signs. Never dig one out mid-molt.
Possible Origin / Range
- Likely native range: Vietnam and Southeast Asia; exact species isn't confirmed.
- Habitat translation: Warm, humid forest floor with burrows and cover.
Advanced Keeper Details
- Watch your own animal's size and behavior and adjust care from there rather than assuming.
- Heat should be measured at the animal's level, not guessed from the room or the lid.