Brachypelma boehmei (Mexican Fire Leg) 0.75"

The Mexican Fireleg Tarantula Brachypelma boehmei Schmidt hails from the Pacific coast of southern Mexico and is highly sought after for good reason. Mature specimens sport intense fiery red on their legs from the patella through metatarsi, which contrast sharply with gradients of gray to jet black on the femurs, tarsi, abdomen and chelicerae. If that is not enough, the carapace looks like it burns with a more subdued orange, like an ember.

B. boehmei is built like a tank and resides in dry coastal thorn forests, constructing their burrows under large rocks and through dry brush thickets. These spiders are therefore tough as nails in dry, well-aerated microhabitats. Like other Brachypelma, B. boehmei starts out life growing slowly, but after reaching approximately one inch in leg span, their growth rate increases. As inhabitants of extremely dry, desert habitats, these tarantulas are built and wired for a windfall existence. Food and water are scarce, and temperatures can fluctuate dramatically from day to night. These spiders make use of what shelter they can and B. boehmei has an exceptionally powerful feeding response to ensure they can tackle the rare prey item that comes their way in nature. In captivity, spiderlings ferociously pursue prey at feeding time, sometimes even jumping to grab insects out of tongs. 

Keeping its breezy coastal dry thorn forest habitats in mind– B. boehmei requires excellent ventilation and very dry, airy substrate after the spiderling stage. A low and wide simple terrestrial enclosure with cross ventilation (e.g. critter keeper) works well. The substrate should be coarse grained, airy and not too water-retentive. Some examples of a suitable substrate are dry cactus mix or organic wood pulp-compromised garden soil mixes with added perlite or pumice to increase porosity.

Spiderlings of Brachypelma are especially sensitive to lack of adequate ventilation and excessive moisture. Many standard rearing vials for spiderlings can be problematic as they tend to be too small, provide too little ventilation, and hold moisture too well for this species to stay healthy. Therefore, it is safest to house spiderlings in ~16oz containers with cross ventilation. For spiderlings, just mist one corner of the enclosure sparingly, keeping the substrate barely moist.

As one of the most defensive members of the genus, Brachypelma, B. boehmei is not for handling and will not hesitate to flick copious urticating hairs at a perceived threat. To add insult to injury, the urticating hairs of B. boehmei can be extremely irritating upon contact with skin, so caution is advised when moving these spiders or cleaning out their cages. If you are looking for a stunning arid land tarantula with breathtaking color, you do not want to pass up B. boehmei.

Husbandry Recommendations - 0.75"

This is a terrestrial spider, so it will require an enclosure which offers more floor space than vertical space. The rule-of-thumb for the width or length or the enclosure is 3-4x leg span minimum. We recommend this spider be housed in the Spider Haus 3x4x5". This would be a suitable enclosure for several months up to a year. Our choice of substrate is a unique blend of coco and other organic materials - Hunter's Premium Substrate. This substrate will retain humidity, allow for sturdy burrows, and resist mold or fungal growth. Next, offering a cork bark flat creates a natural aesthetic and a safe retreat for your spider. Finalize the enclosure by adding Sphagnum Moss, Mixed Leaf Litter, or Magnolia Leaves. 

While this species is very hardy, and can tolerate many environmental conditions, we still recommend maintaining some level of moisture in the substrate. Soaking a corner once a week should be sufficient. You can alternate corners. The substrate should never be fully dried out. However, we also want to avoid sopping wet substrate or standing water. 

Common tools which would be helpful in caring for this spider include tweezers. These are used for feeding, cleaning, and rearranging the enclosure if needed. Another useful tool is a Mister. This allows for controlled and purposeful watering. 

Our suggestion for feeders is small crickets. At this size, this spider will eat a cricket up to 0.5", which is about 3-4 weeks old. Other small insect feeders also work - red runners, dubia roach, mealworms (smash the heads first). 

Husbandry Recommendations - 5" Female

This is a terrestrial spider, so it will require an enclosure which offers more floor space than vertical space. The rule-of-thumb for the width or length or the enclosure is 3-4x leg span minimum. We recommend this spider be housed in the Spider Haus 2-in-1. Our choice of substrate is a unique blend of coco and other organic materials - Hunter's Premium Substrate. This substrate will retain humidity, allow for sturdy burrows, and resist mold or fungal growth. Next, offering a cork bark flat creates a natural aesthetic and a safe retreat for your spider. Finalize the enclosure by adding Sphagnum Moss, Mixed Leaf Litter, or Magnolia Leaves. 

While this species is very hardy, and can tolerate many environmental conditions, we still recommend maintaining some level of moisture in the substrate. Soaking a corner once a week should be sufficient. You can alternate corners. The substrate should never be fully dried out for extended periods of time. However, we also want to avoid sopping wet substrate or standing water. 

Common tools which would be helpful in caring for this spider include tweezers. These are used for feeding, cleaning, and rearranging the enclosure if needed. Another useful tool is a Mister. This allows for controlled and purposeful watering. 

Our suggestion for feeders is large crickets. Other larger insect feeders also work - red runners, dubia roach, mealworms (smash the heads first).