Keeper guide

Orange Baboon Tarantula Sling Care — Pterinochilus murinus

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

At a glance

Quick facts

World
Old World
Origin
Central, eastern and southern Africa across a broad accepted range
Lifestyle
Terrestrial
UK hobby rarity
Common
Maximum size
About 13–15 cm (5–6 in)
Growth rate
Fast
Male lifespan
Around 3–4 years
Female lifespan
Often 10–14 years
Temperament
Very fast and highly defensive when cornered; often prefers retreat when given space
Venom
Medically significant bite risk; systemic pain, cramping and other effects can occur
Temperature
20–26°C
Moisture / humidity
Mostly dry surface with access to water and a modest moisture gradient; avoid stagnant wet substrate
CITES
Not CITES-listed

Choosing a sling enclosure

Use an enclosure that is secure and easy to inspect for an Orange Baboon 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 Pterinochilus murinus terrestrial 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 Orange Baboon Tarantulas, keep the enclosure mostly dry, with surface with access to water and a modest moisture gradient. Avoid stagnant wet substrate. Small containers change moisture faster than adult enclosures, so check the substrate rather than watering on autopilot.

Do not keep a Pterinochilus 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 Pterinochilus 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 an Orange Baboon Tarantula sling.

Feeding slings

Feed Orange Baboon 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 Pterinochilus murinus before they spoil, especially in a small moist enclosure. Appetite may drop sharply before a moult.

Moulting

Young Pterinochilus 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 Orange Baboon Tarantula alone through the moult. Wait until the new exoskeleton and fangs have hardened before feeding again.

Rehousing a growing sling

Rehouse an Orange Baboon Tarantula sling when the enclosure becomes genuinely cramped or difficult to maintain. Prepare the new setup completely before opening the old one.

Because small Orange Baboon Tarantulas can disappear through tiny gaps, check ventilation holes, lid edges and door clearances carefully before moving Pterinochilus murinus.

Simple records

Record moult dates for Pterinochilus 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 Orange Baboon Tarantula, especially when feeding slows or the interval between moults begins to lengthen.