Tliltocatl albopilosus — Fact Sheet
Tliltocatl albopilosus · Curly hair tarantula · Kraushaar-Vogelspinne
📋 At a glance
| Adult size | 12-16 cm |
| Lifespan | 5-25 years |
| Subspecies | No recognized captive-care subspecies |
| Origin | Central America |
| Activity | Nocturnal |
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| Legal | CITES: Appendix II; EU: Annex B; local rules still apply |
🏠 Enclosure
- 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
- Low terrestrial enclosure with secure lid and good ventilation
- Adult minimum: about 30 x 20 x 20 cm; large species need 35-40 cm length
- Substrate: soil/coco mix that holds shape; 10 cm or deeper for large adults
- Avoid excessive height, swampy substrate, and unstable rocks
🪨 Enclosure furniture
- Cork bark hide and open feeding area
- Deep substrate for shallow burrowing
- Water dish large enough to find easily
- Leaf litter or simple visual cover
💡 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: 22-27 °C
Day: 22-27 °C
Cooler area: 18-22 °C
Night: 18-22 °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
- Moderate humidity; do not keep the whole enclosure wet
- Let the surface dry while lower layers retain some moisture
- Water dish always present; overflow occasionally for one damp corner
- 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.