Poecilotheria formosa (Salem Ornamental Tarantula)

Poecilotheria formosa (Salem Ornamental Tarantula)

One of the most purple Poecilotheria in the hobby, the Salem Ornamental is absolutely stunning and one of the hardest species to source and breed. Adults feature a gorgeous purple carapace with purple femurs and legs, set off by beautiful ivory banding that gives the animal an awesome contrast. The body is dark, the iconic Poecilotheria triangular pattern runs across the abdomen, and the legs and body are covered in amazing orange setae. Even spiderlings hatch with a really interesting banded and striped pattern, and are enjoyable to keep since they hatch larger, and readily take food. For collectors of old world arboreals, there is not much that competes with this species. Grab this Old World tarantula for sale today if you want a rare, deeply colored arboreal with display presence to match its scarcity.

Why do hobbyists keep Poecilotheria formosa?

• Stunning Coloration: Gorgeous purple carapace with purple femurs and legs, set off by ivory banding.
• Colorful Spiderling: The iconic Poecilotheria triangular pattern on the abdomen reads like tribal spearheads, a signature look shared across the genus.
• Great Feeding Response: Even spiderlings readily take larger prey and have a great feeding response.
• Large Adult Size: One of the giant arboreals, Pokies are the largest and most impressive arboreals in the hobby.
• Rare in the Hobby: One of the hardest Poecilotheria to source and breed. Captive bred availability is genuinely limited.

How should Poecilotheria formosa be kept?

• Adult Size: Reaches around 7 inches at full leg span. One of the largest and most impressive arboreals in the hobby.
• Enclosure: Provide a tall arboreal setup with about 2 times the leg span as floor space and at least 3 times the leg span as height, including vertical cork bark or hollow structures for retreat. 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. Spiderlings love space, so be generous with their cage size.
• Temperature: Maintain between 75 to 85 degrees F with stable conditions. These will do fine at 65 to 75 degrees F but they may grow slower.
• Humidity: Maintain moderate humidity with good airflow, keeping conditions slightly moist but never stagnant.
• Water: Provide a shallow water dish placed in an elevated position if possible. This is more natural for arboreal species and helps prevent crickets from falling in and drowning.
• Diet: Feed crickets, roaches, or similar prey sized appropriately to the carapace (head). This species typically feeds readily and can take larger prey than many other arboreals.
• Temperament: Fast and alert, more likely to retreat quickly than display defensive behavior. Best suited for experienced keepers.

Are there any additional notes or considerations?

• Activity Pattern: Highly active at night. May look inactive during the day but is an active hunter after dark.
• Retreat Setup: A proper vertical retreat is critical. Without a cork bark tube or similar structure this species feels exposed and behaves unpredictably.
• Pro Tip: Flat-cut cork bark stood upright in a corner with a cut lengthways creates a natural tree hollow effect. Partially visible through the glass so you can observe without disturbing.
• Captive Bred: All animals are 100% captive bred.
• Photo Credit: Photo credit to My Monsters & Tarantula Room.

Listing Notes

• This listing includes multiple size options. Animals are unsexed, there is approximately a 50/50 chance of male or female on most species.