Mexican red-rumped tarantula (Brachypelma vagans)

Origin: Mexico, Central America
Type: Tree-dwelling tarantula (tropical forests)
Body length: 6-7 cm
Wingspan: up to 20 cm
Age: up to 20 years (males die around 2 to 5 years old)
Experience: Novice spider keeper
Food: Insects (crickets, dubias and mealworms)
Adult feeding: Twice a week
Feed young: 2/3 times a week
Water bowl: Yes
Water change: At least 3 times a week

Nutrition
Like almost all other tarantula species, the Mexican red-rumped tarantula in captivity also prefers insects such as mealworms, crickets and dubias. The spider will in principle eat anything that moves and is smaller than him/her, but it seems to prefer mealworms.

Water
The spider needs a fairly high humidity. Partly by placing a water bowl in the enclosure, the humidity will also remain fairly high. The spider will also not drink from the water bowl as quickly, because he / she also gets moisture from the fed insects. Make sure that when you provide the spider with water, he/she cannot drown in it. It is best to put a very thin layer of water in the water dish of no more than 2 cm. When you moisten the enclosure, it is important that you do not spray the spider wet or spray too close to the spider nearby.
Cleaning
Since the spider is very fond of building webs, it is usually difficult to remove poo remains. It is best to empty the entire residence every 3 to 4 months and to clean everything well.

Handling
Like many other spider species, the Mexican red-rumped tarantula prefers not to be handled. They can be very defensive and unpredictable at times. In search of an escape route, the animals sometimes dare to drop or make small jumps. The spider will still bite if he/she gets irritated or shoots fire hairs. Depending on the location of the bite and the amount of venom administered, this can be a very painful experience. To date, however, there is no scientific research that confirms the strength of the poison.

Housing
Minimum size stay for this animal: 40*40*30cm
Surface: 1x body length spin
The daytime temperature should be 25 to 30 degrees Celsius
at least 18 degrees at night
Humidity: between 50 and 70%. In the rainy season, this can be increased slightly from 60 to 80%.
Ground cover: Cocopeat, humus, bark or peat litter

Design
The layout of the residence is quite simple. The spider must have the opportunity to hide somewhere, placing a hollow piece of cork or a piece of tree bark is ideal for the spider to hide in or behind. It is also useful to have a soil in the enclosure that retains moisture well, since the humidity should be around 70-80%. The spider must also have a bowl of water available at all times. You can place the container with water on the floor of the accommodation, or attach it to the wall of the accommodation.

Behaviour
Diet: Carnivore
Lifestyle: Generally found in the wild in trees and shrubs

Character
The spider can sometimes be very defensive and unpredictable. So keep a close eye on the spider if you plan to enter the terrarium with your hands.

Points of attention
The spider can escape (once active) quite easily. So keep a close eye on your spider when you open the enclosure.

Cost and Purchase
Legislation: Owning this spider does not require any CITES or transfer papers.
One-off costs: This includes the costs for accommodation, lighting, heating and decoration. This can be done for a total of one hundred euros, depending on the layout, etc. The final amount depends on the quality and size of the products.
Fixed costs: Fixed costs include the costs for the feed, which is several tens of euros per year.
Unexpected costs: Costs are incurred when your equipment breaks down.