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Spice 3 · Intermediate
How the Spice System works
WC: Wild caught
Collected from the wild and settled in at Big Z's before it ships. Many species, adults especially, are rarely bred in captivity.
Big Z's notes
About this Fella
Central American Whipspider for sale from Big Z's (Phrynus maesi). Comes with a Spice rating and a care guide, and ships packed for the weather.
Six legs walking, two legs feeling, and no venom at all
Phrynus maesi is a Central American amblypygid, a tailless whip spider that walks sideways on six legs while sweeping a pair of whip-thin antenniform front legs through the dark ahead of it. The spined raptorial pedipalps stay folded under the head until something brushes those feelers, then close on it in a fraction of a second. Flattened almost paper thin, it spends its life pressed into bark and rock crevices.
It looks like the most dangerous animal in the room and it is very nearly the safest. Amblypygids have no venom glands, spin no silk, and cannot deliver a bite of any consequence. What they are is fast and delicate, with legs that detach easily under stress, so this is an animal to watch rather than hold. Give it a tall enclosure with vertical cork to cling to, steady humidity, and small live prey. The Spice 3 reflects the setup and the fragility, not any danger to you. The care guide covers the vertical build.
Full care is in the care guide. It covers enclosure size, temperature, humidity, feeding, molting signs and handling limits for this species. Read the Advanced guide, or the shorter Simple guide →
- Lane
- Spice 3 · Intermediate
- Source
- WC: wild caught.
- Handling
- None. Forceps and a catch cup for all maintenance.
- Keeping
- Display animal. Kept in its enclosure, not handled.
Central American Whipspider (Phrynus maesi)
Arachnid
Keeper feedback
$29.991/2-7/8" body (Mixed Sizes) WC selected
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Spice 3 · Intermediate
How the Spice System works
Only 5 left
5 available right now
Ready to ship
At a glance
The quick read on this fella
- Venom
- No venom
- Spiny palps can pinch
- Type
- Arboreal
- Climber
- Climate
- Steady room temp · 70-80%
- Lightly damp base, airflow, droplets
- Feeding
- Small crickets or roaches
- Pause during molts
- Housing
- Solo only
- Water
- Droplets on a wall or cork surface
From our Central American Whipspider care guide. Read the full guide
Live animals ship Mon to Wed
FedEx Standard Overnight $44.99 or Priority Overnight $49.99, both with the Live Arrival Guarantee; free overnight on orders $499.99 and up. FedEx 2Day $34.99 has no guarantee and needs a signed waiver. Pickup in the Phoenix area or at an expo is free (arrange with Big Z first). Weather holds are free and we message you first.
Live arrival support
Every order is packed for that week’s weather. Not sure if Central American Whipspider is your spice level? Message us and we’ll talk it through.
Big Z's here to help
Not sure if Central American Whipspider is your spice level? Message us and we’ll talk it through.
Care guide Shipping and Live Arrival Guarantee
About this Fella Big Z's notes
Central American Whipspider for sale from Big Z's (Phrynus maesi). Comes with a Spice rating and a care guide, and ships packed for the weather.
Six legs walking, two legs feeling, and no venom at all
Phrynus maesi is a Central American amblypygid, a tailless whip spider that walks sideways on six legs while sweeping a pair of whip-thin antenniform front legs through the dark ahead of it. The spined raptorial pedipalps stay folded under the head until something brushes those feelers, then close on it in a fraction of a second. Flattened almost paper thin, it spends its life pressed into bark and rock crevices.
It looks like the most dangerous animal in the room and it is very nearly the safest. Amblypygids have no venom glands, spin no silk, and cannot deliver a bite of any consequence. What they are is fast and delicate, with legs that detach easily under stress, so this is an animal to watch rather than hold. Give it a tall enclosure with vertical cork to cling to, steady humidity, and small live prey. The Spice 3 reflects the setup and the fragility, not any danger to you. The care guide covers the vertical build.
Full care is in the care guide. It covers enclosure size, temperature, humidity, feeding, molting signs and handling limits for this species. Read the Advanced guide, or the shorter Simple guide →
- Lane
- Spice 3 · Intermediate
- Source
- WC: wild caught.
- Handling
- None. Forceps and a catch cup for all maintenance.
- Keeping
- Display animal. Kept in its enclosure, not handled.
What ships with this order Care + shipping
- A free care guide for this species
- A heat or cold pack when the forecast calls for it
- Tracking and an arrival window before it ships
- Message Big Z about your animal for as long as you keep it
Care guideSpice 3 · Intermediate
Matched care guide
View in Care Guides library
Central American Whipspider
Phrynus maesi · Spice 3: Intermediate. Bark Buddy: only if it has secure climbing anchors and enough clear molt space. Go to a larger custom vertical build when needed.
Phrynus maesi
Central American Whipspider
Big Z's Quick Verdict: A Nicaraguan whip spider that climbs cork and molts hanging from it. Give it secure vertical and overhead cork with clear space below, a lightly damp base with airflow, small prey, and cup transfers only.
Group: Spiders & Other InvertsDifficulty: Spice 3: IntermediateSetup: Vertical/overhead cork, clear molt space belowHandling: Transfers only, catch cup, never grab legs
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 Care Snapshot
| Temp | Steady room temp, no direct sun or heat |
|---|---|
| Humidity | 70-80%: lightly damp base, airflow, droplets |
| Setup | Vertical/overhead cork, clear molt space below |
| Substrate | Damp soil or coir base under anchored cork |
| Feeding | Small crickets or roaches, pause during molts |
| Handling | Transfers only, catch cup, never grab legs |
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%+
Recommended Big Z's Setup
- Bark Buddy: only if it has secure climbing anchors and enough clear molt space. Go to a larger custom vertical build when needed.
Critical Notes
- A molting whip spider needs a stable grip and clear space below. Anchor the cork firmly and never move it during a molt.
- Keep live feeders out while it molts or is still soft.
- Never pull it off the cork or grab its legs or pedipalps. Coax it into a container for transfers.
- Check lid and ventilation gaps carefully.
- House one whip spider per enclosure.
Care Basics
- House one whip spider per enclosure.
- Anchor textured vertical and overhead cork, and keep the space under the molt spot clear.
- Give a sheltered crevice and room to stretch out and move.
- Keep the base lightly damp with good ventilation.
- Lightly wet a wall or cork surface for drinking droplets, then let it dry.
- Offer small prey it can handle and remove leftovers.
- Move it with a container. Never grab its legs or pedipalps.
- Keep it at steady room temperature, away from direct sun and unregulated heat.
Feeding, Growth & Maintenance
- Offer small crickets or roaches near the climbing surface, sized so it can grasp and eat them comfortably.
- Scale portions to its body and appetite. Cut back or pause if it refuses food, and remove prey remains before they spoil.
- Pause feeding during a molt. Afterward, wait for a firm body and normal movement, since readiness varies by animal.
- Watch it eat without repeatedly opening the enclosure.
Current Big Z's catalog: Yes
Phrynus maesi
Central American Whipspider: Advanced Care Guide
Keeper Snapshot: A Nicaraguan whip spider that climbs cork and molts hanging from it. Give it secure vertical and overhead cork with clear space below, a lightly damp base with airflow, small prey, and cup transfers only.
Group: Spiders & Other InvertsDifficulty: Spice 3: IntermediateSetup: Vertical/overhead cork, clear molt space belowHandling: Transfers only, catch cup, never grab legs
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 | Steady room temp, no direct sun or heat |
|---|---|
| Humidity | 70-80%: lightly damp base, airflow, droplets |
| Setup Type | Vertical/overhead cork, clear molt space below |
| Substrate | Damp soil or coir base under anchored cork |
| Feeding | Small crickets or roaches, pause during molts |
| Care Difficulty | Spice 3: Intermediate |
| Handling | Transfers only, catch cup, never grab legs |
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
- Smaller animals: secure tall enclosure with scaled cork and clear room to hang and molt
- Larger animals: more climbing area and more clearance, sized to leg reach, not body length
Warnings First
- A molting whip spider needs a stable grip and clear space below. Anchor the cork firmly and never move it during a molt.
- Keep live feeders out while it molts or is still soft.
- Never pull it off the cork or grab its legs or pedipalps. Coax it into a container for transfers.
- Check lid and ventilation gaps carefully.
- House one whip spider per enclosure.
Simple Care
- House one whip spider per enclosure.
- Anchor textured vertical and overhead cork, and keep the space under the molt spot clear.
- Give a sheltered crevice and room to stretch out and move.
- Keep the base lightly damp with good ventilation.
- Lightly wet a wall or cork surface for drinking droplets, then let it dry.
- Offer small prey it can handle and remove leftovers.
- Move it with a container. Never grab its legs or pedipalps.
- Keep it at steady room temperature, away from direct sun and unregulated heat.
Advanced Keeper Notes
Enclosure & Microclimate
- Build vertical and overhead bark with a protected retreat and open hanging room. Secure the cork before the animal goes in.
- Pick height and width from its full leg reach and molt space, not body length alone.
- Measure temperature near the cork it actually uses, and keep the enclosure out of direct sun and away from unregulated heat.
- Keep the substrate lightly damp with airflow. Let exposed surfaces dry between wettings, and never soak the animal or seal the enclosure.
Feeding, Growth & Maintenance
- Offer small crickets or roaches near the climbing surface, sized so it can grasp and eat them comfortably.
- Scale portions to its body and appetite. Cut back or pause if it refuses food, and remove prey remains before they spoil.
- Pause feeding during a molt. Afterward, wait for a firm body and normal movement, since readiness varies by animal.
- Watch it eat without repeatedly opening the enclosure.
Possible Origin / Range
- Likely native range: Nicaragua, Central America.
- Habitat translation: Moist substrate and slanted hides, plus vertical and overhead surfaces for hanging molts, become a tall cork build with a damp base and airflow.
Advanced Keeper Details
- Phrynus maesi and Phrynus whitei are separate species, even though they are kept in similar setups.
- Its legs reach far beyond the body, so body length undersells the room it needs.
- For injury or ongoing loss of condition, get professional advice. Don't keep disturbing it to get a closer look.
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