Pterinochilus murinus — Fact Sheet

Pterinochilus murinus · Pterinochilus murinus

📋 At a glance

🏠 Enclosure

• Adult enclosure: 45 × 45 × 30 cm (length × width × height).

Planning example for one adult up to about 15 cm in leg span. The 45 cm floor sides follow the specialist rule of thumb of roughly three leg spans; they are not a tested biological minimum. The 30 cm is total internal height, including about 15 cm of firm, burrowable substrate. Add low cork retreats and web anchors, not an empty tall climbing column. Extra height is useful only when occupied by substrate or stable structures that limit falls. Smaller spiderlings and juveniles need appropriately scaled, secure containers.

• Indoor secure enclosure only; outdoor keeping is not appropriate
• Display species; routine handling not recommended
• Keep singly; tarantulas are not social unless a species-specific breeding plan says otherwise
• Secure terrestrial/semi-arboreal enclosure with many web anchors
• Substrate: dry-to-moderate soil/coco layer that supports anchor points
• Avoid wet stagnant conditions and maintenance that tears all webbing out

🪨 Enclosure furniture

• Cork bark, angled tubes, branches, and anchor points
• Water dish
• Moderate substrate depth
• Leave established web tunnels intact where possible

💡 Lighting

• No special lighting required; normal room day-night cycle is enough
• Avoid bright basking lamps; they dry small enclosures and increase stress
• Photoperiod: roughly 10-12 h ambient room light; no night light

🌡️ Temperature

• Heat focus: 24-27 °C

• Day: 22-27 °C

• Cooler area: 20-23 °C

• Night: 20-23 °C

• Measure ambient temperature with a digital thermometer near the retreat

• Warm the room or one enclosure side if needed; avoid heat mats under the floor

• Avoid heat rocks, hot bulbs over small boxes, and overheating

💧 Humidity & water

• Fresh shallow water dish always available for juveniles and adults
• Mostly dry to moderate; water always available
• Do not mist heavily into dense webbing
• Ventilation must stay strong
• Moisten only part of the substrate when needed; never create stagnant wet air

🪳 Feeding

Feed regularly:

• Appropriately sized crickets
• Roaches
• Locusts where legal/available

In moderation:

• Mealworms or superworms as occasional variety
• Adults every 7-14 days depending on abdomen condition
• Slings every 3-5 days in small portions

Avoid:

• Wild-caught insects, vertebrate prey, oversized feeders
• Leaving prey in during premolt or molt
• Overfeeding to an extreme abdomen
• Remove uneaten prey within 24 h and immediately if a molt is expected

Supplements:

• No calcium or vitamin powders; feeder insects should be healthy and appropriately sized

🩺 Health — warning signs

• Wrinkled abdomen → dehydration or long fasting
• Weak movement → overheating, dehydration, or illness
• Persistent wall climbing → enclosure, moisture, or stress problem
• Failed molt → humidity, hydration, or disturbance issue
• Leaking fluid or fall injury → urgent specialist help
• A tarantula on its back is usually molting; do not touch it

Seek an exotic-animal vet or experienced arachnid keeper for severe injury, failed molt, or prolonged decline.