The numbers
Enclosure
25 × 25 × 40 cm
Diet
Crickets, roaches, locusts; flying prey readily taken · Slings 2–3×/week; juveniles ~weekly; adults every 7–14 days
Temperature
24–28°C (75–82°F)
Humidity
70–80%
Identity
Order / Family
Araneae
IUCN / CITES
IUCN Near Threatened; CITES Appendix II (all Poecilotheria, 2019)
Difficulty
Advanced (experts only)
Commonality
Very common – the gateway 'pokie', widely captive-bred in SEA
Adult size
Body ~6–7 cm; leg span ~15–18 cm
Lifespan
Females ~12 yr; males ~3–4 yr
Growth rate
Medium–fast
Activity & niche
Arboreal; lives in tree hollows/vertical retreats; nocturnal
Temperament
Fast and skittish; prefers to flee/teleport but will bite if trapped
Venom / defense
No urticating hairs; potent, medically significant venom (severe pain, cramping, sweating) – experts only
Price (THB)
500–1,500 ฿ (indicatif)
Enclosure and conditions
Temperature
24–28°C (75–82°F)
Humidity
70–80%
Min. enclosure
Adult tall enclosure ~25×25×40 cm (height > floor); arboreal
Substrate
5–8 cm coco fibre to hold humidity; main life is vertical
Hides / decor / water
Vertical cork-bark tube/slab, branches, foliage, water dish
Diet
Staple food
Crickets, roaches, locusts; flying prey readily taken
Feeding frequency
Slings 2–3×/week; juveniles ~weekly; adults every 7–14 days
Supplements
None – gut-load feeders only
Behaviour and handling
Handling
Not recommended – one of the faster hobby species; bites are medically significant
Communal
Occasionally reared communally by experts (risky, needs space/food); default No
Defense / stress signs
Rapid teleport-bolting around the enclosure, threat posture, hissing/stridulation; no hair-kicking
Reproduction
Reproduction
Oviparous; arboreal egg sac in tube-web, ~80–150 spiderlings; slings can be raised in small groups briefly
Common health problems
Common health issues
SignsFall/abdomen rupture (arboreal), dehydration, poor molt if too dry, DKS from pesticides
Red flags / quarantine
SignsPrefer CB; watch DKS, death curl, prolonged fasting with shrunken abdomen; secure lid (fast escaper)
Good to know
- Its grey-and-cream lichen camouflage plus a bright yellow leg-band warning underside make it look completely different at rest vs. running
Others in this group
Orange Baboon Tarantula (OBT / 'Orange Bitey Thing')Pterinochilus murinusCurly Hair TarantulaTliltocatl albopilosus (ex Brachypelma)Mexican Red KneeBrachypelma hamorii (ex smithi)Green Bottle Blue (GBB)Chromatopelma cyaneopubescensThai Zebra Leg TarantulaCyriopagopus albostriatus (ex Haplopelma albostriatum)Cobalt Blue TarantulaCyriopagopus lividus (ex Haplopelma lividum)Gooty Sapphire Ornamental TarantulaPoecilotheria metallicaSocotra Island Blue BaboonMonocentropus balfouri