Cyriopagopus sp hati hati – Purple Earth Tiger Tarantula

Widely popular as the Purple Earth Tiger, the Cyriopagopus sp hati hati is a spectacular old-world tarantula with dark purplish hues along its body. This tarantula features dark, multi-coloured femurs and a striking, more light-coloured carapace. As spiderlings, they build small webbed burrows at the base of trees and rocks. Over time, they assume the full characteristics of arboreal bird spiders. Since they are old-world tarantulas, the Purple Earth Tiger might not be an ideal pet for newbie hobbyists. You can, however, pet them if you’re already experienced in handling old world bird spiders.
Scientific Name
Cyriopagopus sp hati hati
Geographical distribution
The Cyriopagopus sp hati hati is indigenous to the Western parts of Sumatra. They are also found along other semi-tropical areas of Indonesia.
Preferred natural habitat
Since these spiders are native to the Indonesian regions, they prefer staying in naturally tropical climates. While the ideal temperature should range between 25 degree to 28 degree Celsius, the humidity should be somewhere around 70% to 80%.
Preferred food in the wild
The Purple Earth Tiger is an avid eater and it usually thrives on a diet of crickets, worms, termites and parasites.
Personality
These tarantulas are usually aggressive in nature. Due to this reason, they might defensively react towards any disturbance whatsoever. Although they do not kick out urticating hair, being bird spiders, they are likely to bite you if they are threatened. While the intensity of their venom hasn’t been assessed yet, it is deemed to be high to moderately venomous.

Feeding as a pet
As pets, you can feed them a meal of crickets, earthworms, and other small insects. Unlike other bird spiders, the Purple Earth Tiger is a casual eater.
Lifespan both male and female
While the females have a lifespan of 14 to 15 years, their male counterparts only manage to live till 4 to 5 years.
Pet enclosure type
These spiders thrive best in moderate to large tanks. Typically, a terrarium of 20 x 20 x 50 should suffice. Since these spiders are comfortable living in tropical climates, try filling it partially with some moist substrate. The temperature should range between 25 to 28 degree Celsius and the humidity should be between 75% to 80%.
Pet enclosure habitat layout
The substrate should be at least 5 x the size of the adult spider living in your terrarium. In most cases, a substrate of 5 to 10 cm should work for them. Do note that while these spiders usually live in humidity, extreme temperatures might bring forth termites and other parasites. So, in order to ensure the best results, it is always better to regulate the temperature from time to time. In addition to the substrate, also try adding some vertical shelter like cork or bamboo bark. A customary water dish should also be provided for them.
Mating / reproducing
Pairing the Purple Earth Tiger might not be a smooth process. In a bid to impress the female, the male counterparts often try to reveal their presence, thereby luring the females out of their retreat. Once the female heads out of their burrow, they are likely to react aggressively. At this point, they will either look for a meal, or a way to quickly copulate. It has been observed that if the male tarantula dies after the copulation, it is indicative of the process being successful.
After these spiders mate, allow them to molt for a while. Finally, after 4 to 6 weeks, start with the breeding. If the female starts molting between the process of pairing and making the cocoon, there is a high possibility of the eggs being unfertilized. In almost every case, the females start making their cocoon from early Spring.
The ideal time for mating is in autumn when the temperature is between 22 and 23 degree Celsius. This sudden drop in temperature triggers the female in making their cocoon.
Once the eggs hatch, store them safely in a temperature of 26 degree Celsius and a humidity of 100%. You can expect 100 to 150 spider lings from one successful round of mating.
Development rate
The Purple Earth Tiger has a medium to slow development rate. As of now, their maximum recorded size is 5 to 6 centimetres.