Eresus walckenaeri (Mediterranean Velvet Spider)

The Mediterranean Velvet Spider, or Eresus walckenaeri, is a terrestrial true spider native to the Mediterranean region, often found in bushes, grass, and among rocks. Adult males turn bright red with bold black dots, while females vary by locality, showing anything from a solid black abdomen to a yellow-orange or deep orange ring. 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.

Why do hobbyists keep the Mediterranean Velvet Spider?

• Red And Black Coloration: Adult males turn bright red with bold black dots, while females vary by locality, showing anything from a solid black abdomen to a yellow-orange or deep orange ring.
• 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 walckenaeri 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: A 2 by 2 by 3 inch enclosure works well at this size, with about 0.75 inch of substrate. Add a few sticks or twigs for the animal to anchor its web to, since this species builds its silk tube retreat off of climbing material like this rather than just flat substrate, and it is sized ahead of the animal so it has room to grow into before the next rehouse. Consider sizing up one notch for extra room if you would rather rehouse less often.
• Rehousing: From here, plan on one more rehouse into the next size up as this species grows. Growth runs medium to slow for this family, so expect roughly a year or more between rehouses rather than a fast turnover.
• 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: Keep the substrate mostly dry. At this size the animal gets all the moisture it needs from its food, so no misting and no water dish are necessary.
• Water: No water dish or misting is needed at this size. This species gets its moisture from its food, and any dampness in the enclosure should dry out fully within about 24 hours rather than staying wet.
• Diet: Offer prey around 1/16 inch, roughly a quarter of this animal's current leg span, 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 walckenaeri?

• 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 and is capable of biting if it feels threatened.
• We are proud to offer even captive bred true spiders along with our tarantulas.

Listing Notes

• This listing is for an Eresus walckenaeri Mediterranean Velvet Spider spiderling measuring around 0.125 to 0.25 inch in diagonal leg span, which is the size given in the title, unsexed, with roughly a 50/50 chance of male or female. This one is still solid black at this size, and that is the point: females don't begin showing their own gold and adult coloration until around 1 inch, and males stay black until they mature at about 0.75 inch, so there is real color still to come no matter which sex this turns out to be.