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Poecilotheria subfusca

🔤 Taxonomy

Poecilotheria subfusca is the currently accepted scientific name. World Spider Catalog treats Poecilotheria bara and Poecilotheria uniformis as synonyms.

Hobby labels such as highland, lowland, bara, and subfusca have been used inconsistently. Keep locality and lineage information with the animal and avoid mixing lines just because two spiders share a similar ivory pattern.

English common names used in the hobby:

  • ivory ornamental tarantula
  • ivory ornamental
  • Sri Lankan ivory ornamental

📌 Description

Poecilotheria subfusca is a Sri Lankan arboreal Old World tarantula that needs a cooler, secure, well-ventilated vertical setup more than a hot display box.

Adults are usually about 15-20 cm legspan. Females are heavier and long-lived; mature males become much more mobile and are short-lived after maturity.

This is an expert display species. The appeal is the pale ivory contrast and vertical posture, but the practical reality is speed, medically significant venom, conservation paperwork, and a spider that must never be handled.

☠️ Venom

Treat this species as medically significant. Poecilotheria bites can cause intense pain, swelling, muscle cramps, nausea, dizziness, and prolonged discomfort.

There is no routine pet-care antivenom. Use catch cups, long tools, planned rehousing containers, and avoid direct contact. Seek medical advice after serious, spreading, allergic, respiratory, or prolonged symptoms.

🌍 Distribution

World Spider Catalog lists Poecilotheria subfusca from Sri Lanka. Published conservation profiles associate it with subtropical or tropical moist montane forest and arboreal retreats.

In captivity this means secure vertical cover, strong air exchange, clean water, and a cooler humid retreat. Do not overheat this species just because it is tropical; heat plus stale humidity is a common failure point.

Range map

⚖️ Legal status

Poecilotheria subfusca is covered by the CITES Appendix II listing for Poecilotheria spp. In the EU wildlife trade system, Poecilotheria tarantulas are treated under Annex B rules. The species is not relevant to the Bern Convention because it is not native to Europe. In the United States, Poecilotheria subfusca is also listed as Endangered under the Endangered Species Act, so interstate commerce and transfers may need specific legal review.

Keep purchase invoices, breeder details, import or transfer paperwork where relevant, and photos or records that connect the animal to a lawful source. Local rules on ownership, import, sale, transport, exhibition, breeding, and proof of legal origin may still apply.

🤌 Husbandry

House Poecilotheria subfusca alone unless a controlled breeding introduction is being supervised. It is not a communal species for routine keeping.

Spiderlings can start in small arboreal containers with bark, a water source, and enough ventilation. Adults need a tall enclosure, a tight bark retreat, and a maintenance layout that lets water and prey be managed without contact.

Known highland or lowland line information should stay with the animal. Do not breed animals with unclear or conflicting labels just to produce more stock.

Useful adult priorities:

  • tall escape-proof enclosure
  • vertical cork bark tube or slab
  • strong cross-ventilation
  • water dish or reliable water access
  • cooler humid retreat with dry surfaces nearby

💡 Lighting

No UVB or specialist basking lamp is required. Ambient room light is enough.

Avoid bright lamps above the retreat. Heat and drying at the top of a vertical enclosure can force the spider into unsafe movement or chronic hiding.

🌡 Heating and temperature

Use a cooler warm-room range: roughly 20-25°C by day, with nights around 18-21°C. Avoid hot basking zones.

If supplemental heat is needed, warm the room or one side gently under thermostat control. The spider must be able to leave the warmest area without leaving its retreat.

💧 Humidity and water

Aim for about 70-85% as a ventilated gradient. Keep water available and maintain a moisture reserve without making the enclosure sealed or wet.

Good airflow matters as much as moisture. Stale wet air, mold, and soggy bark are more dangerous than a surface that dries between waterings.

🌿 Enclosure and decoration

Use cork tubes, vertical bark slabs, and stable anchor points. The retreat should be deep enough for the spider to disappear completely.

Keep doors, vents, and water access planned around speed. Avoid mesh that catches claws and avoid layouts where the spider sits directly on the opening path.

🪳 Feeding

Feed roaches, crickets, locusts where legal, and occasional worms. Spiderlings can eat small prey more often; adults usually do well on suitable prey every 7-14 days.

Do not leave prey in a closed retreat when the spider is in premolt. Remove uneaten insects promptly and feed by body condition rather than reflexive feeding response.

🩺 Common problems

Common problems include overheating, stale humidity, dehydration before a molt, escapes during water changes, and risky rehousing.

A hidden spider is normal. Repeatedly opening or disturbing the retreat raises bite and escape risk and often makes husbandry worse.

📌 Conclusion

Poecilotheria subfusca suits experienced keepers who can manage conservation paperwork, cooler humid arboreal housing, and hands-off maintenance. It should be acquired only from traceable legal sources.

📚 Sources and further reading