Mexican Golden Red Rump Tarantula – Brachypelma Albiceps
Best known as the Mexican Golden Red Rump, Brachypelma Albiceps belongs to the Theraphosidae species of tarantulas. This spider is best known for its striking golden colored carapace and dark black abdomen. Unlike many other tarantulas, the abdomen of the Red Rump features red, urticating hairs. Since this color might change according to changing illumination, it can also appear grey, rose, or yellow. Another intriguing aspect of the Mexican Golden Red Rump is their relatively long lifespan. While the females live up to 15 years, the male counterparts manage to live about 5 to 6 years.
Scientific Name
Brachypelma Albiceps
Geographical distribution
The Mexican Golden Rump Spider is native to the Mexican regions.
Preferred natural habitat
The Mexican Golden Red Rump prefers having their habitat in humid and relatively tropical areas. The temperature of their preferred habitat ranges from 22 to 24 degree Celsius. In wild, they create massive underground burrows and hide under them. You can also find them along the crevices of rocks, tree barks, or the nests that have been abandoned by other animals. While the Red Rump is usually active, their activity reaches full swing post dark and during the night.
Preferred food in the wild
Red Rumps are casual eaters that thrive on a diet of crickets, beetles, earthworms, grasshoppers, and cockroaches. In certain instances, you can also find them devouring small rodents.
Personality
The Mexican Golden Rumps are usually docile creatures who won’t hurt you if left undisturbed. If you treat them well and feed them regularly, they will never kick out urticating hairs or even strike a threat pose. To put it more simply, these Golden Rumps are like pet rocks. So if you’re planning to keep one as pet, do note, that they are extremely easy to care for.
Feeding as a pet
If you’re planning to adopt a Mexican Golden Rump Spider, start out by feeding them fruit flies when they are still slings. Eventually, when they reach a size of 1/8” or more, start introducing a diet of baby crickets. You can also add some variation to the food by feeding them moths, mealworms and small mice. Regardless of the food you choose, make sure they are live as the Flame Rump is usually repelled by dead meat. You can also keep a water dish in your terrarium. But do note that the Flame Rump barely drinks. These tarantulas should be fed at least once or twice every week.
Lifespan both male and female
While the male species tend to live for only 5 to 6 years, the the female counterparts can survive up to 15 years.
Pet enclosure type
Since the Mexican Golden Red Rump love moving along undisturbed, you should get a vial that accommodates at least 3 to 4 inches of substrate. Make sure the substrate is deep enough to allow them in uninterrupted burrowing.
Pet enclosure habitat layout
Brachypelma Albiceps require more floor space than height. So you will need a substrate of at least 3 inches in your vial. Alternatively, the substrate for the terrarium should be 4 inches. You can make a concoction of peat moss, coconut fiber and dirt to create this substrate. Since these spiders are opportunistic burrowers, you can also bark to facilitate the burrowing. Once they reach their required 3 inches of the substrate, you will find these tarantulas staying out in the open. You should typically keep a temperature of 23 degrees Celsius and a humidity of 65 to 70% to ensure the spider stays in conducive environment.
Mating / reproducing
Breeding these spiders are moderately difficult as the female counterparts often end up cannibalizing the males. Owing to this factor, you should be extremely calm while mating these tarantulas. Post mating, the female lays around 900 eggs among which 500 are likely to survive. The spiderlings are usually seen to hatch after 8 to 10 weeks after the eggs are laid.
Development rate
The development rate of Brachypelma Albiceps is usually medium. When you first receive them as spider lings, you will find them taking a size of one and a half inches after the first year. Eventually, with regular feeding and consistent temperature, these tarantulas can reach a size of 3 inches in 3 years. Typically, the adult Golden Red Rump assumes a size of six to six and half inches.
