Philippine Tangerine Tarantula (Selenobrachys philippinus)
Tarantula
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Spice 4 · Advanced
How the Spice System works
CB: Captive bred
Bred and hatched in captivity, not collected from the wild.
Big Z's notes
About this Fella
King Baboon Tarantula for sale from Big Z's (Pelinobius muticus). Comes with a Spice rating and a care guide, and ships packed for the weather.
East Africa's deep-digging heavyweight, starting out the size of a fingernail.
Pelinobius muticus, the King Baboon, is the classic Old World fossorial: a thick-legged, rust-orange East African tarantula that spends most of its life at the bottom of a burrow it dug itself. It is a famously slow grower, which is exactly why a 0.75 to 1 inch sling is worth starting early. These arrived at that size, unsexed.
Spice Level 4: Advanced. Defensive, quick to threat-posture, and a strict no-handling animal that is known for stridulating audibly when annoyed. What it actually wants is depth: substrate deep enough to build a real burrow, kept dry, with a starter hole to get it going. Expect to see it rarely and to respect it constantly. The Big Z's care guide has the full setup.
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 4 · Advanced
- Source
- CB: captive-bred.
- Handling
- None. Forceps and a catch cup for all maintenance.
- Keeping
- Display animal. Kept in its enclosure, not handled.
- Before it ships
- Big Z confirms every Spice 4 order with the keeper before ship day.
King Baboon Tarantula (Pelinobius muticus)
Tarantula
Keeper feedbackYour experience can help another keeper.
$42.990.75-1" (Sling) CB selected
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Spice 4 · Advanced
How the Spice System works
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At a glance
The quick read on this fella
- Adult size
- About 7-9 in
- Leg span
- Venom
- Potent Old World bite
- No urticating hairs
- Type
- Fossorial
- Burrower · Old World
- Climate
- 74-82°F · 60-75%
- Cross-vent at substrate; damp lower layer, dry top
- Feeding
- Juveniles weekly
- Adults every 2-4 weeks by condition
- Lifespan
- Females 10+ yrs
From our King Baboon Tarantula 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 is not offered for Spice 4 and 5 fellas. 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 King Baboon Tarantula is your spice level? Message us and we’ll talk it through.
Big Z's here to help
Not sure if King Baboon Tarantula is your spice level? Message us and we’ll talk it through.
Spice 4 support
Message Big Z if you want help with the enclosure and lid, or want your setup checked before you order.
Care guide Shipping and Live Arrival Guarantee
About this Fella Big Z's notes
King Baboon Tarantula for sale from Big Z's (Pelinobius muticus). Comes with a Spice rating and a care guide, and ships packed for the weather.
East Africa's deep-digging heavyweight, starting out the size of a fingernail.
Pelinobius muticus, the King Baboon, is the classic Old World fossorial: a thick-legged, rust-orange East African tarantula that spends most of its life at the bottom of a burrow it dug itself. It is a famously slow grower, which is exactly why a 0.75 to 1 inch sling is worth starting early. These arrived at that size, unsexed.
Spice Level 4: Advanced. Defensive, quick to threat-posture, and a strict no-handling animal that is known for stridulating audibly when annoyed. What it actually wants is depth: substrate deep enough to build a real burrow, kept dry, with a starter hole to get it going. Expect to see it rarely and to respect it constantly. The Big Z's care guide has the full setup.
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 4 · Advanced
- Source
- CB: captive-bred.
- Handling
- None. Forceps and a catch cup for all maintenance.
- Keeping
- Display animal. Kept in its enclosure, not handled.
- Before it ships
- Big Z confirms every Spice 4 order with the keeper before ship day.
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 4 · Advanced
Matched care guide
View in Care Guides library
King Baboon Tarantula
Pelinobius muticus · Spice 4: Advanced. Baby Buddy: very small slings only. Burrow Buddy: short juvenile grow-out. Deep custom fossorial enclosure: serious juveniles and adults.
Pelinobius muticus
King Baboon Tarantula
Big Z's Quick Verdict: A huge, defensive, slow-growing Old World burrower, best kept as a tunnel-and-ambush display animal. The setup is simple; the safety protocol is not optional.
Group: Industry StaplesDifficulty: Spice 4: AdvancedSetup: Old World deep fossorial tarantulaHandling: No handling, defensive bite risk
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 | 74-82°F |
|---|---|
| Humidity | 60-75%, cross-vent at substrate; damp lower layer, dry top |
| Setup | Old World deep fossorial tarantula |
| Substrate | Very deep packable soil/coco mix with a pre-started burrow |
| Feeding | Juveniles weekly; adults every 2-4 weeks by condition |
| Handling | No handling, defensive bite risk |
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
- Baby Buddy: very small slings only.
- Burrow Buddy: short juvenile grow-out.
- Deep custom fossorial enclosure: serious juveniles and adults.
Critical Notes
- Old World tarantula: no urticating hairs, defensive bite risk instead.
- Never excavate the burrow or rehouse casually; plan any transfer first.
- Deep substrate is mandatory, and vents belong low on two opposite walls at the substrate line, since you won't get a second chance to fix it.
- Long-lived and slow to mature.
Care Basics
- Build the burrow before the spider arrives.
- Keep a damp lower layer and a dry-to-moderate surface.
- Cross ventilation low on two opposite walls, at the substrate line, so the burrow can breathe.
- Water dish with pebbles so slings can't drown.
- Open only with tools, a catch cup, and a plan.
Feeding, Growth & Maintenance
- Drop prey near the burrow entrance and let the spider decide; remove uneaten prey promptly.
- Molting: sealed burrow plus fasting means hands off. Don't excavate to check. Wait until it reopens and hardens before feeding.
- Adults don't need heavy feeding. A lean, settled king baboon is safer than an obese one in a cramped tunnel.
Current Big Z's catalog: No
Pelinobius muticus
King Baboon Tarantula: Advanced Care Guide
Keeper Snapshot: A huge, defensive, slow-growing Old World burrower, best kept as a tunnel-and-ambush display animal. The setup is simple; the safety protocol is not optional.
Group: Industry StaplesDifficulty: Spice 4: AdvancedSetup: Old World deep fossorial tarantulaHandling: No handling, defensive bite risk
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 | 60-75%, cross-vent at substrate; damp lower layer, dry top |
| Setup Type | Old World deep fossorial tarantula |
| Substrate | Very deep packable soil/coco mix with a pre-started burrow |
| Feeding | Juveniles weekly; adults every 2-4 weeks by condition |
| Care Difficulty | Spice 4: Advanced |
| Handling | No handling, defensive bite risk |
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
- Sling: small secure setup.
- Juvenile: temporary burrow grow-out.
- Adult: deep enclosure with 8-12 in of packable substrate.
Warnings First
- Old World tarantula: no urticating hairs, defensive bite risk instead.
- Never excavate the burrow or rehouse casually; plan any transfer first.
- Deep substrate is mandatory, and vents belong low on two opposite walls at the substrate line, since you won't get a second chance to fix it.
- Long-lived and slow to mature.
Simple Care
- Build the burrow before the spider arrives.
- Keep a damp lower layer and a dry-to-moderate surface.
- Cross ventilation low on two opposite walls, at the substrate line, so the burrow can breathe.
- Water dish with pebbles so slings can't drown.
- Open only with tools, a catch cup, and a plan.
Advanced Keeper Notes
Enclosure & Microclimate
- Build the enclosure deep first, pretty second. Start a tunnel against the side or under cork so you can monitor without digging.
- Packable substrate matters: loose, fluffy substrate collapses and turns a fossorial setup into a stress box.
- Vents go low on two opposite walls, at the substrate line, so the tunnel stays fresh while the open surface stays dry.
- Judge by the substrate, not a gauge: it should pack firmly, feel damp at depth without weeping water, and read dry at the surface. A wet, moldy surface means too little airflow.
- Hydrate down one side of the enclosure, or at the tunnel started against the glass, rather than misting the surface.
Feeding, Growth & Maintenance
- Drop prey near the burrow entrance and let the spider decide; remove uneaten prey promptly.
- Molting: sealed burrow plus fasting means hands off. Don't excavate to check. Wait until it reopens and hardens before feeding.
- Adults don't need heavy feeding. A lean, settled king baboon is safer than an obese one in a cramped tunnel.
Possible Origin / Range
- Likely native range: East African savanna and dry woodland regions, especially Kenya and Tanzania.
- Habitat translation: Deep warm fossorial setup with stable tunnel humidity, a dry surface option, and minimal disturbance.
Advanced Keeper Details
- Formerly sold in the hobby as Citharischius crawshayi; older labels may still use that name.
- This species can stridulate and threat-pose readily. Respect the warning instead of testing it.
- Females can live well over a decade. Plan the adult enclosure early: rehousing a large king baboon is where mistakes happen.
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