SPECIAL NOTE: USPS forbids shipping venomous spiders or scorpions in the mail.

Because of this, we ship these animals FedEx priority overnight for a flat fee of $39.99.

Defining Characteristics:

• This spider is a sight to behold as an adult, attaining a diagonal legspan of up to 8 inches
• Defensive species known for kicking hairs, when threatened will often freeze up and stretch out in full before making a run for it
• Reclusive and skittish, the rare sight of this spider is a treat when they decide to show themselves, since they generally choose to be burrowed more often than not

Name: Megaphobema robustum is commonly known as the Colombian Giant Red Leg. Its species name has Greek and Latin roots meaning “large and fearsome” and “robust”.

Recommended Enclosure Size & Setup: This is a terrestrial species. Surface area of the enclosure should be no less than two times the spider's diagonal leg span in one direction, and three times the diagonal leg span in the other. Never allow your terrestrial spider more than two times their diagonal leg span as head space above their substrate as a fall from any higher could be catastrophic.

The enclosure should be tall enough to accommodate 2-3 inches of substrate for slings and 4+ inches for adults. ABG mix, coco cradle, or Dig-It are good substrate options, but our Pet Bug Team prefers ABG all the way!

Temperatures (°F): Ideally kept in the 76-84° range, temperatures consistently 5 or more degrees outside of this range should be avoided for the well-being of the spider.

A reliable thermometer is strongly recommended.

Humidity: 70%-85% — This can be achieved simply by making sure the substrate is always lightly moist.

A reliable hygrometer is strongly recommended to monitor humidity within the enclosure.

Size: Specimens sold by Josh's frogs will be at least 1 inch at time of sale. Adults can reach up to 8 inch diagonal leg span!

Age: M. robustum babies sold by Josh's Frogs are at least 2-3 months old. Males reach 4-5 years, with females drastically outliving them at 20+ years.

Feeding: These spiders are currently eating two to three 1/4 inch crickets, once a week. There are a variety of appropriate prey items that you can offer, such as roaches, waxworms, black soldier fly larvae, hornworms, and silkworms. Consider feeding your prey items with our gutload formula to give your pet well-rounded nutrition.

We recommend that the prey items not be much longer than the tarantula's “head” is wide. Larvae are an exception—our larvae are harmless. Since they are very high in fat, they're not the best staple diet, however they make a great weight gain supplement.

Remove uneaten prey items after 24 hours, these may stress your animal out or endanger the spider during molting. Never attempt to feed a freshly molted tarantula less than a week after their molt to prevent injury to the spider. Depending on its age, the hardening process could take anywhere from 48 hours all the way up to a week.

Sexing: Due to age, M. robustum spiderlings sold by Josh's Frogs are sold as unsexed. Specimens of 2.5-3 inch diagonal leg span will be able to start being accurately sexed.

The most accurate method is always molt sexing, the molt of a female tarantula of appropriate size will have spermatheca and a uterus externus in between the top two sets of book lungs that will appear as a "flap" that will catch and open if a pin is gently run down this section of the old exoskeleton. Males will have a much more plain slit that will not budge with attempts to manipulate it.

Coloration/Patterning: Slings already have most of their adult coloration—their carapace and abdomen are a velvety black with some reddish hairs on the abdomen, and their legs are almost brick red.

Social Behavior: Megaphobema robustum are not social creatures and any attempt to cohabitate will likely result in cannibalism.

Natural Range: Colombia