Phormictopus Cancerides - Hispaniolan Giant Tarantula

Common Name: Hispaniolan Giant Tarantula, Haiti Brown Tarantula

Scientific Name: Phormictopus cancerides (Latreille, 1806)

Synonyms: Mygale cancerides, Mygale Erichsonii, Eurypelma cancerides, Schizopelma Erichsoni


The Hispaniolan Giant Tarantula (Phormictopus cancerides) is a tarantula native to the Dominican Republic, where it is called Cacata; Haiti, where it is called Araignée-crab; and Cuba, where it is rare. It occurs from the West Indies to Brazil. During the day they hide under rocks and debris and come out at night to look for prey. Their fangs are quite formidable at more than 2 centimetres long, and when they pierce the body of its victim, venom is injected which paralyses and breaks down the body tissue of the prey, allowing the tarantula to suck up the liquefied insides. Its venom is very painful to humans, however, no healthy adult has ever died after it.

Its colour makes the spider, despite the fact they can defend themselves by biting or more commonly by kicking the urticating hairs from its abdomen, an attractive pet. They can be kept easily in a terrarium that measures at least four times its leg span in length. The terrarium should be furnished with a substrate, a water dish and a hiding place, otherwise they will dig a burrow. They should be kept at temperatures of between 22 and 28 °C which can even decrease under 20 °C in the night which is uncommon in tropical tarantulas – the difference between temperature during the day and the night is important if one wants to breed this species, and a diet of four to six crickets every two weeks.

General Information

Regions Found: Dominican Republic, Haiti and Cuba. Also found in Caribbean, San Domingo, Puerto Rico

Type: New World Terrestrial Opportunistic Burrower
Lastingness: Medium to Fast Growth

Adult Size: 7-8 Inches
Temperament: Bold and Defensive

Urticating Hairs: Yes

Venom Potency: Not dangerous but very painful

Tarantula Housing: Floor space is more important than height, a deep substrate should be provided for burrowing. A good retreat is may required

Temperature: 25-28°C (76°-82°F)
Humidity: About 65-75%
Special Requirements: No special requirements
Experiences Needed: Moderate (Novice->Moderate->Advance->Expert)
Breeding Difficulty: Unknown
Egg Sac Size: Unknown
Danger to Male: Tarantula females will sometimes cannibalise the males
Diet: Slings: Pinhead Crickets or Meal worms. (Meal worms must have to cut into two)
Larger specimens: Crickets, Meal worms, Pinky, Roaches, or Other Large Insects.

Recommended Pet Supplies
- An appropriately sized Terrarium/Vivarium/Aquarium depending on sizes
- Substrate (3 to 4 inches thick of peat moss/coco peat/potting soil etc for larger specimen)
- Heating equipment e.g. heat lamps, heat mats and thermostats
- Large shallow water dish as it maybe drinks from it and it help to control the humidity (All tarantulas that have at least a 3 inches leg-span may drink from a shallow, wide water dish. Pebbles may be put for safety)
- Decorations and hiding places (e.g. drift wood, stone or ornamental features)
- Live-food (NOT for Slings/Spiderlings) as it may injured your T, Half Dead or Cut Meal worm is recommended) 

Remarks
- Simple mist the wall of the T Terrarium everyday and feed once or twice a week
- A large spider from the Caribbean islands. Once they were imported in huge quantities from Haiti and was a common spider in captivity. They are found near villages under logs and old junk, and in burrows in the rainforest. Opportunist burrower, she sits on top of the cork bark and occasionally goes under it for shelter. Place a water-dish in the cage. Adults are often for sale. A aggressive and ferocious eater - a nice species! Sometimes captive bred and the Spiderlings grow fast.

Source: Internet, Wikipedia, Wikipets