Davus fasciatus

🔤 Taxonomy

Davus fasciatus is the currently accepted scientific name. The name still appears in older hobby material as Cyclosternum fasciatum or Cyclosternum fasciatus.

Older names and combinations associated with the species include:

• Cyclosternum fasciatum
• Cyclosternum fasciatus

English common names used in the hobby:

• Costa Rican tiger rump tarantula
• Tiger rump tarantula

Trade labels for small tiger-rump tarantulas are often messy. Do not assume that an animal sold simply as “tiger rump” is this Costa Rican species; Davus pentaloris and locality-labeled forms are commonly confused.

📌 Description

Davus fasciatus is a small terrestrial New World tarantula from Costa Rica. It is valued for its contrasting abdominal pattern, compact size, and busy ground-level behavior.

Adult size is usually around 8-10 cm legspan. Females are heavier and longer-lived than mature males, but this is still a small tarantula compared with large Brachypelma, Grammostola, or Lasiodora species.

This species is best kept for observation. It is not medically significant in the way Old World arboreal tarantulas are, but it can move quickly, kick urticating hairs, and disappear easily during maintenance.

Its smaller size does not make it a handling animal. A quick retreat can become an escape if the lid is fully removed, and abdominal injury remains possible after a fall. Plan every opening around containment: close room doors and windows, clear the work area, and keep a catch cup and soft brush within reach.

🌍 Distribution

Davus fasciatus is native to Costa Rica. It is associated with warm Central American habitats where it can use leaf litter, soil pockets, and shallow retreats at ground level.

A practical captive setup should provide:

• a low terrestrial enclosure
• enough substrate for digging and retreat shaping
• a hide or starter burrow
• a moisture gradient rather than a wet enclosure
• fresh water and good ventilation
• limited fall height

🌡 Climate across the native range

Monthly climate normals from reviewed GBIF occurrence locations:

Weather data by WorldClim v2.1 · Monthly normals queried by Herpeton Academy from raster values; relative humidity is derived from vapor pressure and mean temperature.

Location references use GBIF.org occurrence data where available; original occurrence records retain their source dataset licenses.

⚖️ Legal status

Davus fasciatus is not currently listed in the CITES Appendices. No specific current listing for this species is typically applied in Annexes A-D of the EU wildlife trade regulations.

The species is not relevant to the Bern Convention because it is not native to Europe. Local rules on import, sale, transport, exhibition, and breeding may still apply.

Because this species is easily confused with other tiger-rump tarantulas, keep seller details, advertised identification, locality information if provided, and breeding records.

🤌 Husbandry

House Davus fasciatus alone in a secure terrestrial enclosure.

Spiderlings need small containers where prey and hydration can be monitored. Adults do not need a large enclosure, but the space must be usable: substrate, retreat, ventilation, and a shallow water dish matter more than decorative height.

An adult enclosure around 20 x 20 x 20 cm is usually workable when much of its height is filled with substrate. Use finer ventilation holes and tighter door gaps than for a large tarantula; check corners, cable ports, and sliding-door overlap before introducing the spider. For slings, the container should be only large enough to provide a burrow, moisture choice, water, and a short hunting distance.

Useful adult priorities:

• Firm substrate
• Starter hide or burrow
• Good ventilation
• Shallow water dish
• Secure lid
• Low fall risk

Avoid over-cleaning the retreat area. Light webbing, leaf litter, and a burrow entrance are part of the animal’s security.

When a new specimen arrives, give it a prepared starter retreat and several quiet days to settle before feeding. Keep it separate from the established collection and use dedicated tools while watching for mites, unexplained weakness, and feeding or molt problems. Record the seller’s identification and locality claim because similar tiger-rump species are easily mixed in the trade.

💡 Lighting

Ambient room lighting is enough. UVB and basking lamps are unnecessary.

🌡 Heating and temperature

Aim for warm stable room temperatures:

• Daytime: around 23-26°C
• Night: slight drop acceptable

Avoid placing heat under deep substrate. A burrowing tarantula may dig downward, and bottom heat can remove the safe cool retreat.

If the room drops below the target for long periods, warm the room or use gentle thermostatically controlled heat on the side of the shelf with space for the spider to move away. Never place a small cup directly against an uncontrolled mat. Reduced feeding in cooler conditions is a reason to check measurements and body condition, not to create a hot spot.

💧 Humidity and water

Keep the enclosure moderately dry on the surface with a slightly moister area below or near one side. Slings and premolt juveniles should not be kept bone dry.

Practical rules:

• keep fresh water available
• dampen part of the substrate when needed
• allow the top layer to dry
• keep ventilation open
• avoid a sealed wet cup

Good husbandry is a moisture gradient, not constant spraying.

Water a corner or lightly overflow the dish so moisture reaches the lower substrate, then let the surface dry. A hygrometer can reveal trends but cannot show whether the burrow wall is safely moist. Condensation, persistent fungus, a sour smell, or substrate that never dries indicates too much water or too little airflow. Small slings require more frequent checks because their limited body reserve makes dehydration develop faster.

🌿 Enclosure and decoration

Use coco fiber, unfertilized soil, or a mixed terrestrial substrate that holds a shallow burrow. Cork bark, leaf litter, and small anchor points help the spider settle.

Keep heavy decor stable and low. The enclosure should be escape-proof because this is a small spider that can use surprisingly small gaps.

Provide roughly 7-10 cm of compacted substrate for an adult and proportionally deep substrate for juveniles. Angle a piece of cork into one corner to make a starter tunnel, but leave the water dish and part of the front clear for servicing. Coarse mesh and exposed adhesive should be avoided; claws can snag in mesh and loose sticky surfaces can contact the spider.

🪳 Feeding

Davus fasciatus is insectivorous. Suitable prey includes:

• small crickets
• roach nymphs
• small locusts where available
• mealworms only in moderation

Spiderlings can take small prey every few days. Adults usually do well on suitable prey every 7-10 days, adjusted to abdomen size and molt cycle.

Remove uneaten prey quickly, especially in small containers or when the spider is hidden in premolt.

Choose prey no larger than the abdomen. Pre-killed pieces are useful for the smallest slings, while worms that burrow should be offered in a smooth dish or have the head crushed. Reduce food when the abdomen becomes very broad. After a molt, wait until the fangs are fully dark—several days for juveniles and longer for adults—before feeding again.

🩺 Common problems

Common problems include dehydration in tiny slings, stale damp substrate, oversized prey, escapes, and failed molts after poor moisture management.

If a specimen seals itself in a retreat but remains rounded, it may be settling or preparing to molt. If it becomes thin, weak, or unable to right itself, check water access, lower substrate moisture, temperature, and prey disturbance immediately.

Do not open a sealed retreat merely to check on the spider. Intervene when there is a concrete hazard such as flooding, a feeder trapped inside, collapse under heavy decor, or a strong odor suggesting contamination. A tight death curl, leaking hemolymph, severe molt failure, or continuing loss of coordination warrants advice from an exotics veterinarian familiar with invertebrates rather than untested home treatment.

📌 Conclusion

Davus fasciatus suits keepers who enjoy small terrestrial tarantulas and careful observation. The main requirement is a secure, well-ventilated terrestrial setup with usable substrate and a modest moisture gradient.

📚 Sources and further reading

• World Spider Catalog: genus Davus and D. fasciatus
• GBIF species backbone: Davus fasciatus
• The Tarantula Collective: Davus pentaloris care guide, used only as comparative Davus husbandry context
• CITES Appendices, checked 2026-06-02
• EU wildlife trade regulations overview, checked 2026-06-02