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:

• Used in traditional Mayan medicine
• An established exotic species in Florida
• Wild burrows may extend almost 45 cm (almost 18 inches!)

Name: Tliltocatl vagans, or the Red Rump tarantula. The genus translates to "short" (Brachy-), and "foot" (-pelma). The specific epithet vagans translates to “wandering”. Its common name references the spider’s characteristic red hairs on its abdomen.

Recommended Enclosure Size & Setup: The length and width should both be, at minimum, three to four times the spider's diagonal leg span. There should be no more than two times the diagonal leg span of the spider for head space, as anything higher risks injury to your spider should it climb and fall.

The enclosure should be tall enough to accommodate at least 2-3 inches of substrate for babies, with adults preferring closer to 5 inches for burrowing. ABG mix, coco cradle, and Dig-It are all good substrate options for this species, but our Pet Bug Team prefers ABG all the way!

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): 72-80°. Temperatures regularly dipping below 65 or spiking above 85° should be avoided.

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

Humidity: 65-80%. To maintain this range, 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: At the time of sale, these specimens are at least 1 inch. We use diagonal legspan to measure our spiders. Adult females top out around 6-6.5 inches, with males a bit smaller at 5-6 inches.

Age: Males live up to 8 years, while females can live up to 20 years with proper care. The male reaches sexual maturity around 4-5 years, and females do so closer to 6-7 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: These animals are sold as unsexed. To identify a male or female before it has reached sexual maturity you will need to examine its cast skin which in females will have a folded area in the abdominal region which will eventually connect to her spermatheca when she is mature. Due to their age, Red Rump tarantulas sold by Josh's Frogs are sold as unsexed animals.

Color/Pattern: Mexican red rump tarantulas are covered in fine, black, velvety hair with striking red hairs coating the abdomen. Females also don reddish-brown hairs on their legs.

Social Behavior: Tliltocatl vagans are not a sociable animal and should be housed as individuals. Attempts at cohabitation will likely result in cannibalism.

Natural Range: Mexico and other parts of Central America.

History in the Hobby: Red rumps have been established as an exotic species in Florida due to either accidental or intentional releases by pet owners. 

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 the Red Rump tarantula from Josh's Frogs is the right pet bug for you? Read the reviews below and see what other customers are saying!