Psalmopoeus irminia (Sun tiger tarantula)

Origin: Venezuela, Northern Guyana and Northern Brazil
Type: Tree-dwelling tarantula
Body length: 5/6 cm
Wingspan: 12/14 cm
Age: Up to 12 years old (males die around 3 to 4 years old)
The Sun tiger tarantula is a very striking bird spider from Venezuela due to its color pattern and behavior. The dark orange patterns / spots between the black make her a beautiful appearance to the eye.

Grooming
Experience: Experienced spider keeper
Food: Insects (crickets, dubias and mealworms)
Feed adult: Twice a week
Feed young: 2/3 times a week
Water bowl: Yes
Change water: At least 3 times a week

Nutrition
Like almost all other tarantulas species, the Sun tiger tarantula prefers to eat insects such as mealworms, crickets and dubias in captivity. The spider will basically eat anything that moves and is smaller than him / her. Preference seems to be given to mealworms, but can differ per animal.

Water
The spider needs a fairly high humidity. Partly due to the placement of a water bowl in the accommodation, the humidity will also remain reasonably high. The spider will also not drink from the water bowl as quickly, because he / she also gets moisture from the fed insects. Make sure that when you provide the spider with water he / she cannot drown in it. It is best to put a very thin layer of water in the water bowl of no more than 2 cm. When you moisten the enclosure, it is important that you do not spray the spider wet or spray it too close to the spider.

Cleaning
Since the spider likes to build webs, it is usually difficult to remove poo debris. It is best to empty the entire stay every 3 to 4 months and to clean everything well.

Handling As with many types of spiders, the Sun tiger tarantula is a spider that prefers not to be handled. They can be very defensive and unpredictable at times. In search of an escape route, the animals sometimes dare to drop or make small jumps. The spider still wants to bite when he / she gets irritated. Depending on the location of the bite and the amount of venom delivered, this can be a very painful experience. However, to date there is no scientific research confirming the poison's potency.

Housing
Minimum enclosure size for this animal: 20 * 20 * 40
Surface: 1x spider body length
Day temperature: 25-28C
Night temperature: 21-25C
Humidity: 70-90%. This may drop to 60-70% during 4 connected baskets per year.
Ground cover: Cocopeat, humus, bark or peat litter

Design
The interior of the residence is quite simple. The spider must have the ability to hide somewhere, placing a hollow piece of cork or a piece of tree bark ideal for the spider to hide in or behind. It is also useful to have a soil in the enclosure that retains moisture well, since the humidity must be around 70-90%. The spider must also have a bowl of water at all times. You can place the container with water on the floor of the enclosure or attach it to the wall of the enclosure.

Behaviour
Diet: Carnivore
Lifestyle: 1 to 2 meters above the ground in trees and shrubs

Character
The spider can be very defensive and unpredictable at times. So keep a close eye on the spider if you plan to put your hands in the terrarium.
Points of attention
The spider can escape (once active) quite easily. So keep an eye on your spider when you open the enclosure.

Cost and Purchase
Legislation: You need CITES or transfer papers to own this spider.
One-off costs: This includes the costs for accommodation, lighting, heating and decoration. This can be ready for a total of € 100, depending on the layout, etc. The final amount depends on the quality and size of the products.
Fixed costs: Fixed costs include the costs for the feed, this is several tens of euros per year.
Unexpected costs: Costs have been incurred when your equipment breaks down.