Poecilothera Page

Welcome to a page dedicated to the poecilothera tarantulas commonly known as ornamental tarantulas. These are all arboreal tarantulas that inhabit India and Sri Lanka. They are truly stunning spiders. Their coloration varies from species to species but is largely a beautiful combination of black, white, greys, yellows, oranges, and browns. This makes them very striking to look at, and they some of the most colourful in the hobby. Many of them are very large, and perhaps they are some of the largest arboreal spiders available. They are certainly among the most popular as well, and for very good reason.

One thing other than their size and beauty that attacts keepers to poecilotheria or "pokies" as they are often referred to is the fact that some of them can be kept in communal groups. This does not apply to all pokies and it is never full proof. Some communities work very well and others can lead to disaster. The keeper should think very carefully before attempting it. If it is attempted the chosen spiders should all be from the same eggsac and introduced to each other from a very early age, if not straight away. As I understand it one of the keys to success keeping pokies in groups is to not give them so much space they will not interact with each other while they are small. if this occurs they will establish separate territories and are likey to be hostile to each other when they do encounter one another.

Temperament wise I find pokies can be skittish, fast, and aggressive if provoked, this makes them unsuitable for beginners. The spiderlings in particular are very fast and when they are startled they will bolt, so best not to disturb them. When moving pokies it is best to do it in the bath tub and make sure you have a catch tub ready. Although pokies can be aggressive, they would much rather run for it that put up a fight. They will bite if they feel the need and the bite is not very pleasant with the venom being quite potent. Therefore these tarantulas need to be respected. I would suggest you do not handle them, not only could you injure or lose your pet, you could suffer a bite. These spiders are so beautiful, it is satisfying enough to simply keep and observe them in my honest opinion.

Housing requirements vary from species to species, however all require a vertically orientated enclosure that is well ventilated as well as humid. These spiders very much appreciate a tubular retreat which can be provided in the form of a hollow cork bark branch. The addition of more cork bark for climbing and plants (real or fake) makes for a very beautiful enclosure in which to keep your pokie. A shallow water dish should always be available, and some keepers like to secure this within the branches of the enclosure rather than place it on the substrate.

Pokies are without doubt very rewarding tarantulas to keep and enjoy. At the moment there are 15 pokie species that can be found in the tarantula hobby. What follows is a list and description of each.

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The Indian Ornamental - Latin name: Poecilotheria regalis

This is perhaps one of the most readily available and well known pokies in the hobby. It is a large spider with adults reaching 17-20cm legspan. They are a beautiful combination of black and white on the upperside and have wonderful yellow stripes on the underside the legs. These underneath markings are one of the things that makes the pokie threat pose so vivid.

Like all pokies the p. regalis is a challenging species to keep due to its skittish temperament, speed, and potentially potent bite. They should be housed in a large vertically orientated enclosure with cork bark retreats, and deep substrate. the humidity should be maintained at 75-85%. This can be achieved by regular misting (allowing the tank to dry out between misitings) the addition of a water bowl and if desired the addition of live plants, which will help keep the himidity up.

These spiders can be kept and often are kept communually, with a large degree of success. I myself keep my three specimens together. I have not had any problems doing so, and anticipate they will live together all their lives - however if I were to witness any aggression I would split them up rather than risk the loss of two and one fat spider. At the moment they are juveniles (bigger than shown in the given pictures) and they seem quite happy to share their web and retreat with each other.

Communal P. Regalis 1
Communal P. Regalis 2

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Salem Ornamental - Latin name: Poecilotheria formosa

This is one of the smaller pokies however it still reaches a good size at about 6-7 inches. It can be distinguished from other pokies by the purple sheen the mature females acquire. Like the P. regalis the P. formosa is fast and skittish. I would not describe this species as actively aggressive, however it will certainly deliver a bite if provoked. The venom is potent so keepers should be extremely careful.

Like the P. regalis P. formosa can be kept in communal groups. I personal am rearing five spiderlings together and they have been doing very well indeed with no problems. As with all spider communities they are somewhat experimental and a keeper should keep very close watch on the spiders and be prepared to split the specimens up should any aggression be witnessed.

As with all other pokies the enclosure should be an arboreal one with lots of places for the spider to hide and cork bark to climb on. Plants can be added to make a very attractive enclosure.

The humidity for this species is best maintained at 75-80% and the temperature should be 75-85 degrees F.

Communal P. formosa slings

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Red Sla te Ornamental - Latin name: Poecilotheria rufilata

These spiders are very large, and very beautiful and considered to be one of the prettiest pokie species. Colour wise they are a nice light brown with yellow and green hightlights and stripes with some darker markings making up the overall pattern. They also are known to be the largest of the currently described arboreal spiders.

Like the p. regalis they require a lare arboreal set up with plenty of hiding places and branches to climb on. They like the humidity to be about 75% and temperature o wise they require a slightly lower temp than other pokies and can be kept at room temperature of about 20-23 degrees C. It is said this is more like the natural temperatures they experience in their wild habitat.