Hapalopus formosus (Pumpkin Patch Tarantula) 0.25" FREE AFTER $200 SPENT
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Description
Hapalopus formosus (Pumpkin Patch Tarantula)
The Pumpkin Patch Tarantula, or Hapalopus formosus (ex Hapalopus sp. Colombia large), is a dwarf terrestrial tarantula from Colombia and one of the most popular dwarf tarantulas in the hobby. Adults of this species have orange legs, a stunning black carapace (head) with reflective orange markings, and an orange abdomen with black markings that create a row of orange dots, leading to its pumpkin patch name. Spiderlings are already colorful, looking like miniature versions of the adults, while the species only grows to about 3.5 inches in diagonal leg span. Dwarf tarantulas are popular among many keepers who want a small tarantula that feels less intimidating than a larger species, and this is a long lived dwarf on top of that, with females reaching about 8 to 10 years while males live 1.5 to 2 years. This species is docile but fast, and one we recommend for keepers who want a small colorful spider that stays out where they can see it. This one is available free with a qualifying invertebrate purchase. Grab this docile new world tarantula for sale today, offered here as a spiderling.
Why do hobbyists keep Hapalopus formosus?
- Stunning Coloration: Orange legs set against a black carapace and abdomen marked with bold orange patterning, a high contrast look that stays vivid rather than washing out with age.
- Colorful Spiderlings: Even from hatchling, this species has a stunning orange and black coloration that intensifies as it ages, so many keepers love raising one from the very start.
- Heavy Webber: Builds dense sheets of webbing across the enclosure, often covering substrate and decor completely, which makes for a genuinely different looking setup.
- Popular Dwarf Species: One of the most popular dwarf tarantulas in the hobby. A small tarantula that feels far less intimidating than a larger species, without giving up any of the color for it.
- Seasonal Favorite: A longtime favorite around Halloween thanks to the jack-o-lantern patterning, which is where the common name comes from. Plenty of people go looking for it as the pumpkin tarantula in October.
How should the Pumpkin Patch Tarantula be kept?
- Adult Size: These hatch out around a third to half an inch (0.33 to 0.5 inch) and reach a max size of about 3.5 inches at full leg span, which is a true dwarf and part of the appeal. That is two enclosure upsizes to plan for across a fast first couple of years.
- Enclosure: This size's spiderling housing is a 4 by 4 by 3 inch enclosure with about 1.25 inches of substrate, a hide such as a piece of cork bark, and anchor points for webbing. On dwarf terrestrials we build to roughly 3 times the leg span for footprint and 2 times for height, and we size for where the animal is headed rather than where it sits today, so this is built for a 1.2 inch spider. Consider sizing up one notch to 5 by 5 by 3 inches for extra room.
- Rehousing: Three enclosures for life, two rehouses total. Next is an 8 by 8 by 5 inch setup with about 2.5 inches of substrate once it passes roughly 1.2 inches, then a 12 by 12 by 8 inch adult enclosure with 3.5 inches of substrate around 2.3 inches. This is a fast growing species, 1 to 2 years to full size, so expect roughly 6 to 8 months out of each enclosure. Males mature much faster than females and often never need the third one.
- Temperature: Keep between 65 and 75 degrees F.
- Humidity: These are moisture sensitive, so keep the substrate damp but not saturated, about the texture and color of coffee grounds. Organic coconut fiber works well because it resists mold and holds that moisture steadily. At this size the substrate drying out completely is the one thing to stay ahead of, so check it rather than trusting a schedule. Good ventilation is critical. Cross ventilation works best, but ample top ventilation can also be effective as long as the enclosure is not over-misted.
- Water: A shallow textured water dish works well, something they can grip when climbing out.
- Diet: Prey length runs about a quarter of the leg span, which is roughly the width of the carapace (head). At a quarter inch that is about a 0.06 inch prey item, which in practice is a pinhead cricket or a springtail sized feeder. Crickets, roaches or mealworms all work, and these have a strong feeding response that makes them easy to read. Feed at least once a week.
- Temperament: Docile but fast. These are not a species that sits tucked away, they are out and moving, and that speed is most of why they feel bigger than they are. Work slowly at the enclosure door and they are an easy animal to keep.
Are there any additional notes or considerations for the Pumpkin Patch Tarantula?
- Name Change: This species spent years in the hobby as Hapalopus sp. Colombia large, and plenty of keepers still know it by that name. Hapalopus formosus is the newer name for the same animal, so if you have been looking for a Colombia large, this is it.
- Heavy Webbing: Leave the webbing alone. It is not mess, it is the animal using the enclosure, and clearing it out means they spend the next week rebuilding instead of eating.
- Moisture Sensitive: Consistent damp substrate is the whole formula with this species, and it matters most at spiderling size. Coconut fiber, a water dish, and checking the substrate rather than trusting a schedule covers it.
- Solitary Species: House individually. Attempts at cohabitation can end in cannibalism, so one animal per enclosure.
- Lifespan: Females reach about 8 to 10 years while males live 1.5 to 2 years, which is a long run for a dwarf and worth knowing before you pick a sexed animal.
- Captive Bred: All Tarantulas are 100% captive bred.
Listing Notes
- This listing is for a Hapalopus formosus Pumpkin Patch spiderling measuring around a quarter of an inch (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 available free with a qualifying purchase of invertebrates, which includes tarantulas, spiders, centipedes and scorpions. Our invertebrate freebies are only valid on invertebrate purchases and do not include reptiles, dry goods or merch. This is about the size the species hatches at, which is normally your cheapest way to collect it, and here it costs nothing at all. Even at this size the orange and black is already there, so it looks like the species from day one, which is not something most people expect from a baby tarantula.
How our rewards and freebies work
How does the Exotics Unlimited rewards program work?
Our rewards program has three parts and they work together instead of cancelling each other out. Subscribe to our email list for free and you get 10% off invertebrate orders as an ONYX member, climbing to GOLD at 13% once your lifetime spend passes $1,000 and PLATINUM at 15% past $3,000. Any single pet invertebrate order over $1,200 takes 20% off on its own, whatever tier you are. The one exception is items already marked down for a weekly deal or an event special. Those say so in the title, and the discount is already built into the price. If your total after that discount reaches $300, shipping to a FedEx facility for pickup is free. And your freebie credit is built from that same total, so you are choosing free animals on top of both. Feeders and supplies get a flat 5% for subscribers, separate from the invertebrate discount.
A $340 invertebrate order is the clearest way to see it. Your 10% brings it to $306, that clears the $300 mark so facility pickup is free, and that same $306 is your freebie credit to spend on animals you pick yourself. One order, all three benefits. Full tier breakdown on our VIP program page.
What is a freebie tarantula and how do I get one?
Exotics Unlimited gives away free tarantulas, true spiders, scorpions, and centipedes with qualifying invertebrate orders. Most shops call this a free gift with purchase. Ours works differently because you choose the animal instead of us picking one for you.
Every freebie says so right in its title, like FREE AFTER $150 SPENT. That line is what makes something a freebie, so if a product does not carry it, it is not one. Older freebie listings stay up around the site after they sell out, so the Freebies page is the one to shop. It is where the current lineup lives.
Your freebie credit equals your pet invertebrate subtotal after discounts and before shipping. Dry goods, feeders, supplies, and enclosures do not count towards your credit.
How much do I have to spend to get a free tarantula?
Freebies start at just $25. Free tarantulas and other invertebrates start at $50. Every freebie shows its cost in the title: FREE AFTER $150 SPENT means you need $150 in credit. Thresholds range from $25 up to $800 for rare species. Not looking for another animal? We also offer freebie merchandise like stickers, so there is always something to claim.
Can I get multiple free tarantulas in one order?
Yes. There is no cap on how many you take, only on what they add up to. Mix and match anything you want, including multiples of the same species, as long as their combined cost fits your freebie credit. With $350 in credit you could take one $350 species, two $150s plus a $50, or seven $50 spiderlings. Freebie programs across the hobby often limit you to one per species or one per spend tier. Ours does not work that way. If your credit covers it, take as many as you would like.
What makes your rewards program different from other tarantula shops?
Most rewards programs make you pick one: take the discount or take free shipping. Ours run together, and freebies sit on top of both. That is the part people notice first.
The rest of it: subscribing is free and gets you 10% off invertebrates for as long as you stay subscribed rather than a one-time welcome code, and it climbs to 13% and 15% as your lifetime spend passes $1,000 and $3,000. You choose your own freebies instead of receiving whatever a shop decides to send. And there is no cap on how many you take, only on what they add up to, where most reward and loyalty programs limit you to one free item per order or one per spend tier.
Freebie thresholds start at $25 and free animals start at $50, so the program is doing something on nearly every order rather than only on big ones.
Do I really get 10% off just for subscribing to the email list?
Yes. Subscribing is free and it takes 10% off every pet invertebrate we sell, tarantulas, true spiders, scorpions and centipedes included. It stays active for as long as you are subscribed. Most shops hand you a one-time welcome code. This one keeps working.
From there it climbs with your lifetime spend, 13% past $1,000 and 15% past $3,000, and any single order over $1,200 takes 20% regardless of tier, with nothing to claim or remember. It applies itself at checkout and you do not need to be logged in for it to work. Subscribers also get 5% off feeders and supplies. That one is a flat 5% for every subscriber and does not climb with your tier, but it applies for as long as you stay subscribed just like the rest. Items already marked down for a weekly deal or an event special are the one exception. The discount is built into the price on those, so a subscriber discount does not come off on top. You will always know which ones they are because it says so right in the title, the same way freebies do.
Does my VIP discount change my freebie credit?
Your discount comes off first, and the total after it is what builds your freebie credit. So a $340 invertebrate order at 10% leaves $306, and that $306 is both your freebie credit and enough to clear the $300 free shipping mark.
That is worth knowing when you are close to a threshold, because the number that counts is the one after your discount. You never have to work it out yourself though. The calculator on the Freebies page always shows your real credit.
Why does it say I don't qualify for my freebies?
You can add any freebies you want to your cart, but you will need enough freebie credit to cover all of them. If you are short, the calculator on the Freebies page shows exactly how much more to add in pet invertebrates.
Freebies will still show as $0.00 in your cart either way. That is just how they are priced. What matters is whether your credit covers their total cost before you check out. If it does not, we will reach out to sort it before your order ships.
What happens if I check out with more freebies than I qualify for?
Do not worry, we will reach out as soon as possible to help you get your freebies sorted before your order ships. We will work with you to either adjust your selection or add to your order to cover them. We never remove or swap your freebies without letting you know first.
To avoid the back-and-forth, check your freebie credit in your cart before checking out. We will always show you exactly where you stand.
What happens if my free tarantula arrives DOA?
Freebies are covered exactly like paid animals. There are two reporting windows and they buy different things.
Report within 2 hours of delivery and we reship. That is the full guarantee. A fast report tells us the problem came from transit, and it gives us the best shot at making it right properly.
Report within 24 hours and we replace it on your next order. You are still covered, the replacement just travels with your next shipment rather than going out on its own.
The 2 hour window is for FedEx facility pickup. Home delivery is 30 minutes, because by then the package has spent longer on a truck that is not temperature controlled. Either way, tell us the moment you see a problem rather than waiting.