Eresus moravicus (Golden Face Velvet Spider)

Eresus moravicus (Golden Face Velvet Spider)

The Golden Face Velvet Spider, or Eresus moravicus, is a terrestrial true spider native to Central Europe, including the Czech Republic, often found in bushes, grass, and among rocks. Adult females stay mostly black with orange across the front of their carapace, while mature males take on their own version of the group's iconic red and black coloration, with black front legs, red hind legs, a black carapace, and a red abdomen. Spiderlings hatch out solid black, and females begin showing their adult coloration around 1 inch, about half of their 1.5 to 2 inch full size, while males stay black until they mature at their own full size of about 0.75 inch. Females live around 8 years while males live only 2 to 3. This calm, low-maintenance true spider gets everything it needs from its food and asks for almost nothing beyond feeding, making it one of the easiest invertebrates in the whole hobby to keep. Grab this true spider for sale today, not a tarantula, offered here as a spiderling or juvenile, whichever size you choose below.

Why do hobbyists keep the Golden Face Velvet Spider?

• Black And Orange Coloration: Adult females stay mostly black with orange across the front of their carapace (head), while mature males combine black front legs, red hind legs, a black carapace and a red abdomen.
• Low Maintenance Care: This is one of the easiest invertebrates to keep in the hobby. It doesn't need any added moisture at any life stage, since it gets everything it needs from its food.
• Large Adult Size: Most true spiders with this kind of build stay smaller, but this species reaches a good size for the category, about 1.5 to 2 inches for females.
• Long-Lived True Spider: Females live around 8 years, an unusually long run for a spider this size.
• Alternative to Jumping Spiders: This true spider gets larger, is easier to care for, and lives far longer than a jumping spider, making it a natural next step for anyone who started with jumpers and wants more spider for the same easy care.

How should Eresus moravicus be kept?

• Adult Size: Hatchlings start out tiny, at around 0.125 to 0.25 inch, and this species only grows to about 1.5 to 2 inches in diagonal leg span for females, with males topping out smaller at about 0.75 inch. Every size we carry is on the way to that full range.
• Enclosure: Sized in stages as this species grows toward its adult max, from a first enclosure through the rehouses. Pick a size below and that page gives the exact dimensions for that stage.
• Rehousing: Two rehouses total on the way to full size, at a medium to slow pace for this family. Each size page covers what's next from there.
• Temperature: Keep this species around 75 degrees Fahrenheit for its optimal range. Room temperature works fine too, since this species tolerates a wide range without trouble, and no extra heating is usually needed to keep it comfortable.
• Humidity: Size-gated. Smaller sizes need it mostly dry, larger juveniles can take a light misting or small dish if fed well. Each size page gives the exact wording for that stage.
• Water: Size-gated, see each size page for the exact wording at that stage.
• Diet: We recommend prey size from 1/16 up to a 3/16 inch cricket depending on the size you choose, offered at least once a week.
• Temperament: This species is calm by nature and one of the easiest true spiders to keep in the whole hobby, a good match for a keeper who wants an easier keeping experience.

Are there any additional notes or considerations for Eresus moravicus?

• Silk Tube Retreat: Like the rest of this family, this species builds a self-spun silk tube retreat, lined with webbing and camouflaged with substrate and plant material, and comes out on short hunting trips from the entrance.
• Included Habitat Vial: This species ships in a small, roughly 5 gram vial, the same housing we use for animals at this size in our own facility. It's not a complete habitat kit, just a small, effective setup that means no watering is needed while it's in there, so see Enclosure above for what to grow it into from here.
• Dwarf Species: This is a dwarf species by true spider standards, and being small is a real part of the appeal here, not a downside. It gives up nothing for its size, and a small, easy-to-house true spider is exactly what a lot of keepers are looking for.
• Temperament: Calm by nature. Like any true spider it can be unpredictable.
• We are proud to offer even captive bred true spiders along with our tarantulas.

Frequently asked questions about the Golden Face Velvet Spider

• Is the Golden Face Velvet Spider a tarantula or a true spider? It's a true spider, not a tarantula. Eresus moravicus belongs to Eresidae, a true spider family recognized by its velvet-textured coat, a completely different branch of the arachnid family tree from tarantulas, though the two get lumped together in the hobby a lot. If you came looking for a tarantula and found this instead, it is still a captive bred, easy-care invertebrate worth a look, just not a tarantula.
• Do velvet spiders drink water? Yes, velvet spiders can and will drink water, which is a common misconception because we tell keepers that small ones do not need it. The catch is how it is offered. We recommend not misting the small ones, because it is very easy to overwater them, and dampness that lingers works against a small velvet spider. A dry, well-ventilated setup is the success formula.
• Why do baby velvet spiders not need water? Babies get the moisture they need from their prey, and a small enclosure is very easy to overmist. If it does not dry out quickly, that dampness works against the animal, so with the small ones we skip the mister and let their food do the work.
• How should small velvet spiders be housed? Small velvet spiders do best in smaller containers with a little ventilation, which makes it easy to check that everything dries out. As they grow and get a little larger, move them into a larger cage with more ventilation. We do not recommend putting them in a large cage until they have some size.
• Can I mist a larger velvet spider? Yes. Once a velvet spider has some size and is in a larger cage with good ventilation, you can mist it weekly. Do not let the enclosure dry out completely, and keep the airflow up so it never stays soggy. We do not recommend misting small vials.
• Can I handle my velvet spider? Velvet spiders prefer to be left in their webs, so we recommend letting them stay there. They can be picked up, but as with any animal, there is a risk of being bitten when handling them.

Which size should I choose?

• 0.5 inch Juvenile: Your starting point with this species, and the size it's easiest to watch settle in from scratch.
• 0.75 inch Juvenile: The most established size we carry of this species, already past its delicate early stage and closer to the point where its adult coloration starts coming in.