Psalmopeus Victori ca 5 cm

New world, arboreal. Blir upp till 15 cm.

Origin And Natural Habitat

The Darth Maul Tarantula or Psalmopoeus victori is a New World tarantula that originates from Veracruz, Mexico. They are the first arboreal tarantula to be found in Mexico.

Though Darth maul tarantula spiderlings are burrowers, they adopt a more arboreal demeanor as they mature and prefer to stick to trees, plants, and crevices to live rather than on the ground.

Appearance And Size

The Darth maul tarantula was named ”Darth Maul” because of the striking black and red markings on their body, which are reminiscent of the facial tattoos of the infamous Star Wars character of the same name.

The dart maul tarantula is also frequently referred to as the Mexican half-and-half tarantula since they originate in Mexico and the colors of the front and back halves of their body are different. The Darth Maul Tarantula’s body is black, while the setae on the legs have two distinct tones. The majority of this tarantula’s front half, including their pedipalps, cephalothorax, and the first two pairs of legs, are all coated in dark grey setae with hints of green olive. While the last two pairs of legs and a part of the midsection has reddish-orange satae.

Darth Maul tarantulas are sexually dimorphic and are also fairly sizable, with adult females boasting a leg span of approximately 5 inches diagonally. Additionally, the males are not multi-colored like the females. Rather, their legs are the same color as their carapace. As such, only female Darth maul tarantulas possess the distinctive colors which give the specie their name. Male Darth maul tarantulas are also considerably more slender than the females.

Housing

It’s best to prioritize height rather than width when buying or building an enclosure for Darth maul tarantulas since they are arboreal. It’s also important to go for an enclosure that is at least four times the size of the tarantula (in vertical space). So 12 inches x 8 inches x 8 inches is the average size an enclosure needs to be to house an average Darth maul tarantula. A Darth maul tarantula’s enclosure must also be adequately ventilated, preferably cross-ventilated. So make sure you drill some holes on the sides rather than the top if you decide to build an enclosure for your tarantula instead of buying one.

On the other hand, Dart Maul Tarantula spiderlings should be kept in smaller enclosures like deli cups. They can also be housed in any container of similar size as long as the enclosure is adequately ventilated and has enough substrate in it. Little twigs can be broken and placed in their enclosure to make them extra comfortable since they can climb them.

Enclosure’s Decorations

It’s also advisable to place a lot of stuff in their enclosure so they can climb and use them as anchor points for their webs. These may include natural plants, artificial ones, and bits of cork bark. It’s best to also place Darth maul tarantulas in an enclosure that opens from the side rather than the top. This is because they are pretty fast and might escape when you open the enclosure, which can easily happen since they are always on the top side of their enclosure.

Substrate

The substrate in their enclosure shouldn’t be a major concern since they don’t burrow and prefer to spend their time on the plants and decorations inside the enclosure. As such, two to three inches of the substrate is more than enough for Darth maul tarantula’s enclosures. However, Darth maul tarantula spiderlings tend to burrow a lot, so the substrate in their enclosure needs to be adequate for them to do so comfortably. The substrate in their enclosure can easily be made with a mixture of peat moss, dirt, and coconut fiber combined. 

Water And Humidity

Dart maul tarantulas are accustomed to humidity levels between 70-80% So its best to replicate this range in their enclosure too. It’s also important to ensure their enclosure is never completely dry. However, this does not imply that you should always make the enclosure wet. Rather, the enclosure should never be excessively damp or dry, as extremely wet enclosures are more likely to harbor mildew and other unpleasant stuff that could harm a tarantula.

You can keep their enclosure a bit humid by lightly misting or spraying some water inside the enclosure about once a week so that the substrate will be able to absorb it. However, ensure you don’t spray the Darth maul tarantula in the process. They might try to bite you if they get startled, which isn’t exactly what you want since their nips are quite painful.

You can also increase the humidity level in the enclosure by gently pouring a tiny amount of water onto the substrate. Some of the water will be absorbed by the substrate, while some will evaporate due to the warmth of the cage, which will, in turn, raise the humidity level.

It’s essential to also give Darth maul tarantulas access to water so they can have a drink whenever they want to and not get dehydrated.This can be achieved by placing a water bowl in their enclosure or misting it regularly. For the best results, affix the water bowl to one of the decorations in the enclosure, since they tend to spend most of their time at the higher levels in the enclosure and may not notice the bowl placed on the ground. However, spiderlings should not be given water bowls since they are too small to use them. Instead, mist their enclosure sparingly so they can drink the water droplets on the walls.

Don’t forget to get yourself a digital thermometer and hygrometer if you’ve got some extra money to spend on the upkeep of your tarantula. With these two devices, keeping an eye on the temperatures and humidity levels of your tarantula’s enclosure will be easier than ever before.

Heating And Temperature

The optimum temperature for Darth maul tarantulas is between 71°-82° F (22°-28° C). So ensure the temperature of their enclosure doesn’t go higher or below this range. The best way to keep the temperature within this range is by using a heating mat and a thermostat. Using a heat mat isn’t difficult. All you have to do to use it efficiently is position the heat mat at one end of the enclosure to create a heat gradient. Doing this makes one part of the enclosure slightly warmer than the other, which invariably enables the Darth maul tarantula to pick the area of the enclosure that they prefer at any given time.

Diet And Nutrition

Adult Darth maul tarantulas should be fed at least two big insects twice a week. However, they don’t need to eat all that much and can go for long periods without food. On the other hand, juveniles should be fed at least one medium-to-large feeder at least once a week, while spiderlings should be fed a little pre-killed feeder insect at least twice each week.

The amount of food you feed a Darth maul tarantula should also be reduced or increased based on their weight. Ensure you increase or decrease the amount of food you feed them once you notice they are thin or fat, respectively.

Additionally, make sure whatever feeder you feed your tarantula is small enough to be easily subdued and eaten. It’s not a good idea to feed Darth maul tarantulas a feeder insect or worm that is bigger than they are. This is especially important for spiderlings since they are tiny.

It’s also important to remove any feeders from their enclosure at least 24 hours after dropping them off, irrespective of whether the feeder is dead or alive. Live feeders can hurt Darth maul tarantula, while dead ones can introduce bacteria, mold, and parasites into the enclosure once they decompose.

Social

Darth maul tarantulas are solitary animals and, as such, should be kept alone in an enclosure. Keeping two of them together might end in cannibalism.

Behavior And Temperament

Darth Maul tarantulas are solitary creatures who prefer to live alone in the wild and in captivity. They are known for being incredibly fast and aggressive, particularly when they feel threatened. They do not have urticating hairs to flick at predators or threats, unlike some other tarantulas. Instead, they have a venomous bite that can be quite nasty. While the venom of the Darth Maul Tarantula is potent, it is not lethal to humans. However, it can still cause significant pain.

Handling

Darth Maul Tarantulas are known for their swiftness and aggressiveness, as well as their particularly potent venom. They can be pretty aggressive and do not hesitate to bite if they feel threatened or if something gets too close to them. They are not recommended for beginners, as handling them requires a high level of expertise and knowledge in tarantula care.

Health And Lifespan

Ensure you keep Darth maul tarantula’s enclosures clean and mold-free if you want them to live as long as possible. Fortunately, maintaining and cleaning their enclosure is relatively simple. All you have to do is regularly change the substrate in their enclosure if you detect any foul odors, provide a water tray to keep the tank moist, and mist it with a spray. Additionally, it’s crucial to feed these tarantulas only store-bought feeders and maintain the proper temperature and humidity levels in their enclosure.

The average lifespan of Darth maul tarantulas is 2 to 3 years for males and 10-12 years for females. So you’ll have them for a long time if you keep them healthy.