Keeper guide

Skeleton Leg Tarantula Sling Care — Ephebopus murinus

Young Ephebopus murinus need the same basic husbandry principles as adults, but in a smaller, more carefully managed enclosure. Skeleton Leg Tarantula slings dry out faster, eat smaller prey and can escape through gaps an adult could never use.

At a glance

Quick facts

World
New World
Origin
French Guiana, Suriname and Brazil
Lifestyle
Fossorial
UK hobby rarity
Uncommon
Maximum size
About 12–15 cm (4.5–6 in)
Growth rate
Moderate
Male lifespan
Around 3–4 years
Female lifespan
Often 10–15 years
Temperament
Fast, reclusive and defensive when exposed; usually retreats into the burrow
Venom
Venomous, but bites are not generally considered medically significant; urticating hairs are an important contact hazard
Temperature
22–26°C
Moisture / humidity
Moisture-dependent fossorial setup with damp lower substrate, a drying surface, water and strong cross-ventilation
CITES
Not CITES-listed

Choosing a sling enclosure

Use an enclosure that is secure and easy to inspect for a Skeleton Leg Tarantula sling. It should be large enough for a retreat and water access but small enough that prey and the spider are easy to locate.

Match the shape to the Ephebopus murinus fossorial lifestyle. Arboreal slings need usable height and anchor points, fossorial slings need digging depth, and terrestrial slings need floor space with a low fall height.

Substrate and moisture

For young Skeleton Leg Tarantulas, use moisture-dependent fossorial setup with damp lower substrate, a drying surface, water and strong cross-ventilation. Small containers change moisture faster than adult enclosures, so check the substrate rather than watering on autopilot.

Do not keep an Ephebopus murinus sling permanently waterlogged. Good airflow and a sensible moisture gradient are safer than trying to make the whole container equally damp.

Water

Provide fresh water to Ephebopus murinus as early as the enclosure allows. A very small, shallow water dish can be used for many slings; where that is impractical, keep suitable moisture available until a dish can be added safely.

Check water frequently because tiny dishes and small containers dry quickly. Do not rely on prey alone to hydrate a Skeleton Leg Tarantula sling.

Feeding slings

Feed Skeleton Leg Tarantula slings small, manageable prey. A pre-killed or disabled feeder can be useful for very small spiders that are not ready to tackle active prey.

Remove leftovers from Ephebopus murinus before they spoil, especially in a small moist enclosure. Appetite may drop sharply before a moult.

Moulting

Young Ephebopus murinus usually moult more often than adults. When a sling stops eating and becomes more secretive, premoult is a common explanation.

Remove live prey, keep water available and leave the Skeleton Leg Tarantula alone through the moult. Wait until the new exoskeleton and fangs have hardened before feeding again.

Rehousing a growing sling

Rehouse a Skeleton Leg Tarantula sling when the enclosure becomes genuinely cramped or difficult to maintain. Prepare the new setup completely before opening the old one.

Because small Skeleton Leg Tarantulas can disappear through tiny gaps, check ventilation holes, lid edges and door clearances carefully before moving Ephebopus murinus.

Simple records

Record moult dates for Ephebopus murinus if you want to follow growth. A quick note of feeding and moulting is enough; there is no need to turn sling care into a complicated daily log.

Those dates make it easier to see what is normal for the individual Skeleton Leg Tarantula, especially when feeding slows or the interval between moults begins to lengthen.