Environmental Caution:

When a damp environment has too little air circulation, this can lead to an anaerobic environment. Where the typical aerobic bacteria helps keep certain types of waste from building up, they are instead replaced by anaerobic bacteria whose waste is more likely to be toxic and harmful. This is often accompanied by a strong swampy smell. 

To guard against anaerobic environments, it is important to monitor and control moisture in the environment as well as air quality. One way to maximize both is to have plentiful live plants as the byproduct of photosynthesis is oxygen and water. Springtails can help keep the substrate aerated and break down waste so that the beneficial bacteria can more easily turn it into plant food.

Defining Characteristics:

• Also known as Anantagiri's Parachute Spider
• Wessel's Tiger Ornamental Tarantula gets the tiger part of its name from the black stripes on the side of its abdomen
• This is an extremely shy species that will dart to a nearby hiding place at any disturbance

Name: Poecilotheria tigrinawesseli is commonly known as Wessel's Tiger Ornamental Tarantula. The species epithet honors the German biologist Dr. Christian Wessel who first collected the species.

Recommended Enclosure Size & Setup: Poecilotheria tigrinawesseli is an arboreal species, meaning the enclosure should be taller than it is long. The recommended enclosure height is at least 3 times the spider’s diagonal leg span, and the other dimensions should not be less than 2 times the spider’s diagonal leg span. The enclosure will need to be upgraded as the animal continues to grow. 

4-5 inches of substrate will help the terrarium retain humidity while still allowing for this species to have its high ventilation requirements. Arachnid BioBedding is our top pick for substrate, as it was developed specifically with the needs of tarantulas in mind! ABG Mix, coco cradle, or Dig-It are good substrate options, as well.

We recommend against allowing your terrestrial spider more than 2 times their diagonal leg span as head space above their substrate, as a fall from any higher could result in serious injury.

They will benefit from a variety of terrarium furniture as well to climb on and foliage to hide behind. Live plants can be beneficial to air quality. 

Temperature (°F): This species thrives in the mid 70s to low 80s, so a temperature close to 80° is ideal. Temperatures regularly dipping below 65 or spiking above 85 degrees should be avoided. A reliable thermometer is strongly recommended.

Humidity: These spiders thrive in a humid environment, so the recommended ambient humidity should stay between 60 and 75%. This can be achieved by making sure the substrate is always at least slightly moistened. Depending on your location, you may need tools such as a humidifier to maintain this environment.

The enclosure sides and décor should be spritzed at least lightly around twice a week to provide your animal droplets to drink from and keep humidity up, but do not spray your spider directly. A hygrometer is a great way to monitor the humidity for your animal and see any needed adjustments . 

Size: At the time of sale, this animal will be at least 2 inches. Females can grow to be up to 6 inches, and typically the males are a bit smaller. We use diagonal leg span to measure our spiders.

Age: Before making this species available to our customers, we ensure that they are well-established. This means our spiders are generally molted to a minimum of third instar and will have hatched two to three months prior to being listed for sale.

For spiders that we have not produced in house, we like to get 2 to 3 solid feedings in as well as the aforementioned minimums. They go through a 2-week minimum quarantine process to ensure the health of the animal. 

For this species, the average lifespan is 4 to 6 years in males, and 8 to 12  years  in females when provided an adequate environment. They are currently approximately 18 months old. 

Feeding: These spiders are currently eating 3 to 4 - 1/2 inch crickets per 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, Poecilotheria tigrinawesseli sold by Josh’s Frogs are sold as unsexed. 

Check out our individually listed spiders to see if we have what you’re looking for!

Color/Pattern: Poecilotheria tigrinawesseli’s legs have wide, high contrast black and white bands. They have a broad white stripe down the center of their gray abdomen, which has black stripes along its gray sides.      

Social Behavior: Poecilotheria tigrinawesseli is not a sociable animal and should be housed as an individual. Attempts at cohabitation can result in cannibalism. 

This species loves to hide while sleeping during the day, on the underside of an inclined piece of cork bark. They often explore their habitat at night.

These spiders are known to have medically significant venom. Symptoms of a bite could include pain, swelling, nausea, disorientations, and muscle cramps. Medical treatment may be needed for pain management.

Natural Range: In the wild, Poecilotheria tigrinawesseli is restricted to the Eastern Ghats of India, specifically within the Andhra Pradesh region. It is known from only 6 locations in this area.

History in the Hobby: This species has been in the hobby for decades, but has always been a more rare spider.

 Links of Interest:

• Arachnoboards.com
• TarantulaForum.com
• TheTarantulaCollective.com

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