Description
Scientific Name: Psalmopoeus irminia
Common Names: Venezuelan Sun Tiger | Suntiger
Not for beginners. This is a very attractive new world tarantula, absolutely eye-catching with it’s beautiful black sheen and orange accents, it always a beauty to see. Even though this is a new world species, it’s more like an old world species in that it has no urticating bristles and packs a nasty venom. Regardless, the Venezuelan Sun Tiger is a fantastic spider to own and watch, they have a hearty appetite and explosive feeding responses. They are also very very quick, from sling to adult, they can move with blinding speed. They really do bring the term “exotic” to your collection.
This bird spider makes beautiful webbed structures for it’s hide, which is usually at the base of a hollow vertical hide, like bamboo or a curved piece of cork bark. It’s temperament is generally manageable, it’s only during feeding, cleaning or maintenance that one should take care because Psalmopoeus irminia is known to be unpredictable and skittish, turning to defensive and even aggressive if they are constantly provoked or feel trapped in a corner. Their hide is their home. Don’t trespass unless you really have to.
The Sun Tiger will also jump if it thinks that’s the way out, so be extra careful. If they do happen to jump, Psalmopoeus irminia tends to spread it’s legs like a star when falling, acting like a parachute they actually fall quite well. Sun Tigers are also suspected to have medically significant venom for humans and a badly placed bite could cause serious pain and discomfort. One might consider hospitalisation depending on the severity and reaction to a bite. These are truly beautiful and amazing to own, but must be treated with respect and preferably by slightly more experienced keepers.
Sun Tiger pair mating – by MyMonsters.co.za
Breeding Report
Environment in enclosure: 26-28 degrees Celsius, 75%-85% humidity.
19-08-2018 – First Mating
24-08-2018 – Second Mating. Fed female on turkistan and dubia roaches twice a week until she stopped taking food. She started to plump up within a week or two.
03-10-2018 – Female created an egg sac.
03-11-2018 – Pulled sac away from female. Placed in incubator at 28 degrees Celsius, 80% humidty.
06-11-2018 – Opened the sac, all nymphs at 2nd instar already.
14-11-2018 – All slings molted through to 3rd instar
23-11-2018 – All slings molted through to fully developed slings
Total Sling count: 131
Losses: 2 died while molting to 3rd instar. That’s it.
05-01-2019 – 2nd Egg sac produced from same mating. P. irminia are known for this.
All eggs left with mom until hatched.
20-02-2019 – Removed 127 large healthy slings (they grow better when feeding from mom)
5 slings died from molting issues, but no further losses.
The end.
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