Overview

Cyriocosmus leetzi is the Colombian Dwarf Tiger Tarantula, a small patterned species that typically reaches around 4–5 cm leg span. Its striped appearance and retreat-building behaviour make it an interesting compact display animal.

Origin

Colombia and Venezuela. It uses sheltered ground-level retreats rather than exposed tree branches.

Housing

House singly in a low enclosure. Our recommended adult size is around 15 × 15 × 15 cm with 5–8 cm of firm, burrowable substrate. Lean a small cork piece over a starter hollow and add leaf litter. Provide low web anchors but avoid a tall arboreal setup. Raise tiny specimens in appropriately smaller containers with very fine, safe ventilation holes.

Temperature & Moisture

Aim for 23–26°C. Maintain a slightly moist lower corner and a drier surface elsewhere, with reliable airflow and a small water dish. Check small containers regularly because they dry faster than adult enclosures. Do not keep the whole substrate saturated.

Feeding

Offer pinhead crickets, fruit flies or tiny roach nymphs to small specimens. Place food near the retreat entrance rather than dropping oversized prey into the burrow. A small meal every 3–4 days suits growing spiderlings; larger individuals may eat about weekly. Reduce feeding if the abdomen becomes very rounded.

Behaviour & Care

Fast to retreat and easily missed among leaves. Avoid handling or dismantling the burrow; locate the spider before lifting cork. Keep singly, even when small. Remove uneaten live prey within 24 hours and immediately if moulting is suspected. Do not disturb a spider on its back or open a sealed retreat. After a moult, wait until the fangs are dark and fully hardened before feeding; this takes longer in larger spiders.

Stock Information

S is the original supplier label. Sex and precise dimensions are not stated.

Please note

Live Animals Are Click and Collect Only. Order online for collection at Newlands Home & Garden Centre, Clondalkin. We do not ship live animals.