Poecilotheria tigrinawesseli (Tiger Ornamental Tarantula) 2-3"

Poecilotheria tigrinawesseli (Tiger Ornamental Tarantula)

The Tiger Ornamental Tarantula, or Poecilotheria tigrinawesseli, is argued by many keepers to be the most purple animal in the whole Poecilotheria line. Adults have a purple base across the femurs and carapace (head), similar to P. formosa but with less of the ivory and orange coloration, legs that run more white and black with the black patches taking on a purple sheen in the right light, and a dark abdomen with the ivory and cream patterning that is iconic across Poecilotheria. It grows at a medium to fast pace and the purple only strengthens with every molt. P. tigrinawesseli reaches a max diagonal leg span of about 7 to 8 inches, and females live 12 to 15 years while males live 2 to 3. This is a fast and defensive species that would far rather bolt into its tube than stand its ground, and it stretches out on bark more readily than most, which suits keepers who want to actually see the animal. Grab one of the larger old world arboreal tarantulas for sale today. This confident old world pokie has cleared its riskiest early days and the color is already showing, offered here as a juvenile.

Why do hobbyists keep the Tiger Ornamental Tarantula?

• Deep Purple Coloration: Argued by many keepers to be the most purple Poecilotheria there is, with a deep purple base across the femurs and carapace, legs that run white and black with a purple sheen on the black patches, and a dark abdomen with iconic ivory and cream patterning. The purple only gets richer with every molt. That purple is the same iconic pokie coloration Poecilotheria is known for, and there is nothing quite like it.
• Large Arboreal Species: Poecilotheria is known for having some of the largest arboreal tarantulas in the hobby, and tigrinawesseli does not disappoint. Adults reach seven to eight inches, impressive for a species that spends its whole life off the ground.
• Confident and Visible: Tigrinawesseli hunts actively after dark, but with enough space it will not just hide in its tube during the day. It tends to be stubborn and confident, and noticeably less flighty than a lot of other Asian arboreals.
• Easy To Raise: Hardly any Asian arboreals rival how forgiving Poecilotheria is. Pokies come from a climate with an extreme wet season and an extreme dry season, and that harsh swing is a big part of why tigrinawesseli is more forgiving of a new keeper's mistakes than a lot of other Asian arboreal spiderlings. It also hatches larger than most and feeds with real enthusiasm, even observed taking down small lizards and other vertebrate prey in the wild, and that combination makes it a great species once you are comfortable with Asian arboreals.
• Genuinely Rare in the Hobby: This is a rare species in the hobby, and it stays highly sought after because of it. Poecilotheria already runs smaller egg sacs and longer gestation periods than a lot of other tarantulas, and this species sits toward the harder end even within that, so very few captive-bred tigrinawesseli reach the market in a given year.

How should this Poecilotheria be kept?

• Adult Size: This species hatches at around 0.75 to 1 inch and grows toward its adult max from there. Adults reach a max diagonal leg span of about 7 to 8 inches.
• Enclosure: A 12 by 12 by 16 inch enclosure with one to two inches of substrate and a piece of cork bark set on an angle or a cork tube for it to climb into, plus a few silk or artificial plant anchors so early webbing has somewhere to start, sized ahead of the animal so it is not due for a move any time soon.
• Setup Tips: Real cork bark or driftwood pieces make a real difference for tigrinawesseli, giving it natural climbing surfaces and webbing anchor points that help it settle in faster, at every size from spiderling on up.
• Rehousing: One more move to a final 16 by 16 by 24 inch enclosure as an adult, typically another twelve to sixteen months out at this growth rate.
• Temperature: Keep this species between 75 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit for its optimal range, matching the warm tropical range it comes from. Room temperature works fine too and most animals do just fine there, but it can also lead to slower growth or molting issues, so we want every keeper aware of that and matching the native range when they can, which helps the animal thrive.
• Humidity: Keep humidity high with good, ideally cross, ventilation. That combination matters far more than hitting any single humidity number.
• Water: In the wild, arboreal tarantulas get most of their water from rainfall, drinking droplets off leaves, webbing, and enclosure walls rather than standing water. Misting the enclosure once a week is required, not optional, since it's this species' primary water source. A shallow water dish placed up on a piece of cork rather than on the floor is still worth keeping as a backup, and keeps crickets from drowning before they get eaten, but it should never replace regular misting.
• Diet: Feed crickets sized around 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch, roughly the size of the carapace, at least once a week, every stage including this one.
• Temperament: Fast and defensive when it feels truly threatened, bolting into its tube rather than standing its ground. Given real space, though, Tiger does not just hide: it is confident enough to be out and visible during the day as well as after dark, stubborn rather than skittish, and noticeably calmer than a lot of other Asian arboreals.

Are there any additional notes or considerations for the Tiger Ornamental Tarantula?

• Medically Significant Venom: Tiger Ornamental Tarantula carries medically significant venom, but it is not deadly to humans. Just something to consider before you purchase.
• Loves to Stretch Out: Like every Poecilotheria, tigrinawesseli spends most of its life vertically oriented on bark, and it loves to stretch out flat with its legs in that same iconic vertical position to blend right in, whether that is on bark or any other surface in the enclosure. That is part of why generous space on all sides matters so much, not just for Poecilotheria but for Asian arboreals in general: give it room and you get to see the whole leg span and pattern stretched out at once.
• More Forgiving Than the Reputation: Every Poecilotheria comes from rugged, sometimes unforgiving parts of India and Sri Lanka, and tigrinawesseli carries that same toughness into captivity. Poecilotheria tolerates real-world humidity and temperature swings better than its reputation suggests, with more margin for error day to day than most keepers expect from an old world arboreal.
• Not Eating? If this tarantula ever skips a meal, try prekilling the prey item and placing it up high in the enclosure rather than leaving live prey to wander. Dehydration is one of the most common reasons any tarantula, arboreal species especially, will refuse food, so keeping up with misting and a full water dish is usually the fastest way to get it back on track.

Looking for similar species?

• Browse our Old World Tarantulas and Arboreal Tarantulas collections to explore related care profiles and species groupings.

Frequently asked questions about the Tiger Ornamental Tarantula?

• What do I do when I first get my tarantula? As soon as it arrives, mist the enclosure so there is clear moisture on the webbing, substrate, or enclosure wall, and keep an eye on it until you actually see it take a drink. Shipping is dehydrating, and an arboreal especially will not settle in or start eating until it has rehydrated properly, so this is the one step worth not skipping on day one. Once you have seen it drink, let it settle in undisturbed for a few days before offering its first meal.

Listing Notes

• This listing is for a Poecilotheria tigrinawesseli Tiger Ornamental juvenile measuring around two inches to three inches (2 to 3 inches) in diagonal leg span, which is the size given in the title, unsexed, with roughly a 50/50 chance of male or female. This size is past the delicate early stage with plenty of growing left, and color already showing.
• Looking for other sizes? This species is also available as a 0.75-1" Juvenile, 1-1.5" Juvenile, or 1.5-2" Juvenile.