Keeper guide

Mexican Black Velvet Water and Hydration Guide — Tliltocatl schroederi

Fresh water should always be part of normal care for Tliltocatl schroederi. Hydration is managed with a water dish, appropriate substrate moisture and enough ventilation to prevent the enclosure staying stale or waterlogged.

At a glance

Quick facts

World
New World
Origin
Mexico
Lifestyle
Terrestrial
UK hobby rarity
Uncommon
Maximum size
About 13–15 cm (5–6 in)
Growth rate
Slow
Male lifespan
Roughly 4–6 years
Female lifespan
Often 15–20+ years
Temperament
Usually calm to moderately defensive; may kick hairs
Venom
Venomous, but bites are not generally regarded as medically significant
Temperature
20–25°C
Moisture / humidity
Mostly dry with water always available
CITES
CITES Appendix II; UK Annex B

Water dish

Keep a clean water dish available to Mexican Black Velvets once the spider is large enough to use one safely. Place it where it can be removed and refilled without dismantling the main retreat.

If a Mexican Black Velvet fills the dish with substrate or webbing, clean it and refill it. That behaviour is common and is not a reason to remove the dish permanently.

Substrate moisture

For Tliltocatl schroederi, keep the enclosure mostly dry, with with water always available. Judge the substrate over several days instead of trying to keep every part equally wet.

Add water in controlled amounts for Mexican Black Velvets. The lower layers can remain moist longer than the surface, especially in deep or fossorial setups.

Ventilation

Moisture without enough airflow can leave a Tliltocatl schroederi enclosure stale and persistently wet. Cross-ventilation helps moisture move through the enclosure instead of collecting as constant condensation.

If a Mexican Black Velvet enclosure smells sour, remains soaked or repeatedly grows mould across the surface, reduce water, improve airflow or both.

Slings and small enclosures

Small Mexican Black Velvets enclosures dry faster because they contain less substrate and air volume. Check them more frequently without turning that into constant disturbance.

For a tiny Tliltocatl schroederi sling, use a suitably shallow water source when practical and keep the substrate appropriate for the species and life stage.

Around moulting

Keep water available when Tliltocatl schroederi is in premoult and after the moult. Do not disturb the spider to make it drink; simply make sure access is there.

After a Mexican Black Velvet moults, leave the spider to harden. Hydration support means stable water access and suitable enclosure moisture, not spraying the animal directly.

Avoiding overwatering

More water is not automatically safer for Tliltocatl schroederi. Persistently saturated substrate can create poor conditions even for species that appreciate a moisture reserve.

With Mexican Black Velvets, aim for the moisture pattern the species needs while still allowing ventilation and some normal drying. The water dish remains the constant source while substrate moisture is adjusted as required.