Pamphobeteus spec. “Machala”

Pamphobeteus spec. “Machala” is a great example of how changeable a tarantula can be. As a juvenile spider it presents an orange and black abdomen with a diamond pattern. Depending on the sex, she then changes her appearance. The females are brown and massively built, while the males display an unusual purple colour.

The terrarium for an adult should be at least 30 × 40 × 30 cm. Juvenile spiders are best kept in escape-proof tins. From FH5 onwards you can put the juvenile spiders into their final terrarium and check the terrarium beforehand for cable slits and general offers to break out. With this species you should pay more attention to the floor space and not so much to the height, as Pamphobeteus spec. “Machala” do not climb. Actually the opposite is more the case. They like to dig burrows and therefore you should offer this species a substrate height of at least 10 cm. They like to dig their burrow under a cork bark or root, which you can offer as decoration. The substrate should be moist in one half of the terrarium and dry in the other. In other words, only moisten one side at a time to achieve a humidity of 60-70%. Plants also provide a good climate and help to avoid waterlogging.