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:

• One of the sassier members of the Brachypelma genus, these red haired beauties should be kept with the knowledge that this species has a penchant for flicking their setae or "hairs" which can cause some skin irritation or require medical intervention in some cases if breathed or embedded in the eye
• Still just as easy to care for as the other members of this genus, the arid nature of this species makes it a great candidate for a lovely desert tank with an eye catching resident
• The easy care requirements of this species, in spite of its slightly sassier nature, makes it a good candidate for beginning keepers who are ok with them being a hands-off pet

Name: The Brachypelma boehmei has a genus name with Greek roots meaning “short” and “sole of foot”. It is more commonly known as the Mexican Fire Leg Tarantula.

Enclosure Size & Setup: This is a terrestrial species. Surface area of the enclosure should be no less than 3-4 times the spider's diagonal leg span in either horizontal direction.

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! 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.

Want to spice up your enclosure with live plants? Our experts have curated kits of easy-to-care-for and SAFE plants for your tarantula. Check them out here!

Temperature (°F): Ideally kept in the mid to high 70° range with a bit of wiggle room in either direction. Temperatures consistently below 65° or above 85° should be avoided.

A thermometer is recommended to keep an eye on temperatures in the enclosure.

Humidity: 60%-70%; slings should stay on lightly moist substrate, adults should have a water dish and mostly dry substrate, it can be beneficial to overflow the water dish a bit and let the area dry out again before continuing the wet/dry cycle.

A hygrometer is a great way to monitor the humidity for your animal and see any needed adjustments.

Size: Specimens sold by Josh's frogs will be at least 2 inches at time of sale. Adults can reach up to 6 inch diagonal leg span.

Age: B. boehmei slings sold by Josh's Frogs are at least 8 months old. Males reach 4-5 years, with females drastically outliving them at 20+ years.

Feeding: These spiders are currently eating two to three 1/2 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, B. boehmei 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 are light brown, growing to a velvety black with flame orange legs and carapace.

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

Natural Range: Some parts of Central America and Mexico

Links of Interest:

• Arachnoboards: a community of spider enthusiasts that will be able to or have already answered almost any question you can think of with regards to tarantulas.

Still not sure if Brachypelma boehmei from Josh's Frogs is the right pet bug for you? Read the reviews below and see what other customers are saying!