Buddha Bugs
Melopoeus albostriatus, formerly Cyriopagopus albostriatus (Thai zebra earth tiger tarantula) 0.5"
Melopoeus albostriatus, formerly Cyriopagopus albostriatus (Thai zebra earth tiger tarantula) 0.5"
Before ordering: Unless marked “exact animal pictured,” photos are representative; refer to the product title or selected option for the size or sex offered. Shipped live-animal orders require a $50 cart subtotal and are normally held for pickup at an authorized FedEx Ship Center. Please review our Shipping & Live Arrival and Refund & Cancellation policies before purchasing.
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Species Overview
Melopoeus albostriatus, commonly known as the Thai zebra tarantula, Thailand zebra leg tarantula, or Thai zebra earth tiger, is a medium-to-large fossorial tarantula native to Myanmar, Thailand, and Cambodia. Adult females are robust, with a carapace that ranges from silvery gray or bronze to nearly black and may display a darker center, pale margin, and fine pale hairs along the radiating grooves. The dark legs and pedipalps may show blue or purple iridescence, contrasting with narrow, paired pale longitudinal stripes across the patellae, tibiae, and adjacent segments. The abdomen may appear nearly black and essentially unpatterned or display lighter gray, tan, pinkish, or lavender tones around a broad dark median field, branching lateral markings, and transverse bands. Coloration and pattern contrast vary with geographic origin, lighting, molt condition, age, and individual characteristics. Mature males are slimmer and proportionally longer-legged than females.
In captivity, M. albostriatus establishes a silk-lined subterranean retreat and frequently reinforces the burrow entrance with excavated substrate, webbing, and nearby debris. Individuals typically remain underground during daylight hours and become more active after dark, when they position themselves near the entrance to detect passing prey. This species is fast and may respond defensively when exposed or prevented from retreating, so it requires deliberate enclosure maintenance. Like other Old World tarantulas, M. albostriatus lacks urticating hairs and relies primarily on speed, retreat use, and defensive displays when disturbed.
- Common Name: Thai zebra tarantula; Thailand zebra leg tarantula; Thai zebra earth tiger
- Native Range: Myanmar, Thailand, and Cambodia
- Life Habit: Fossorial
- Adult Size: 5.5–6.5 inches in diagonal leg span
- Lifespan: Males 2–3 years; females 10–15+ years under optimal conditions
- Temperament: Fast and defensive when exposed
- Care Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Melopoeus albostriatus Care
Melopoeus albostriatus adapts well to captivity when maintained in a secure, well-ventilated enclosure with sufficient substrate depth to establish a permanent burrow. Substrate should be compacted enough to retain its shape during excavation, with deeper layers providing access to slightly increased moisture. A partially buried piece of cork bark, narrow starter burrow, or similar retreat can help newly introduced specimens settle more quickly. Once an established burrow is present, minimize unnecessary disturbance.
- Enclosure: 1 oz condiment cup or equivalent for spiderlings, upgraded as needed with growth; 10” x 10” x 10” or larger for adults.
- Substrate: Provide a deep layer of compactable, moisture-retentive substrate that can support a stable burrow. Coconut fiber, peat moss, topsoil, or similar substrates work well, and a small clay component can improve structural stability. Devote most of the available enclosure height to substrate.
- Temperature: 72–82°F.
- Humidity: Moderate ambient humidity is generally sufficient. Approximately 25–50% of the substrate, particularly the lower layers, should retain moisture to create a humidity gradient while keeping the remaining substrate and most of the surface drier. Avoid consistently saturated substrate, excessive condensation, and stagnant air.
- Diet: Fruit flies, crickets, cockroaches, and other appropriately sized feeder insects.
- Feeding: Spiderlings can be offered appropriately sized prey once or twice weekly. Juveniles and adults are typically fed every 7–14 days, with feeding frequency adjusted based on prey size, growth rate, and the condition of the individual animal.
- Water: Moisten part of the substrate as needed and provide water droplets on enclosure surfaces and webbing for spiderlings; larger specimens should have access to a water dish.
- Routine Maintenance: Remove uneaten prey, monitor moisture levels, and spot-clean when necessary.
Natural History
Melopoeus albostriatus was originally described by Eugène Simon in 1886 as Selenocosmia albostriata. Historical type-locality information includes Chanthaburi, Thailand, and Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Reginald Innes Pocock subsequently established Melopoeus in 1895, with M. albostriatus serving as the type species of the genus. The species was later placed in Haplopelma and subsequently Cyriopagopus before Melopoeus was restored as a valid genus in 2026. Consequently, Haplopelma albostriatum and Cyriopagopus albostriatus are historical combinations for the same currently recognized species.
The currently recognized distribution includes Myanmar, Thailand, and Cambodia. Historical records from Myanmar include the Tanintharyi region, while published comparative material from Thailand includes specimens collected in Saraburi. Together with the localities associated with the original description, these records indicate a broader mainland Southeast Asian distribution than any single captive locality designation represents.
Like other fossorial members of Ornithoctoninae, M. albostriatus occupies silk-reinforced burrows that provide protection from predators, surface temperature fluctuations, and seasonal changes in moisture. Entrances may incorporate soil, leaf litter, and other nearby material, while the spider remains deeper within its retreat during unfavorable conditions. Activity occurs primarily after dark, when individuals wait near the entrance and retreat quickly if disturbed.
Captive specimens of M. albostriatus may circulate either without a locality designation or under labels associated with particular geographic lines, including ‘Tak’, ‘Ratchaburi’, ‘Nakhon Ratchasima’, and ‘Chaiyaphum’. These designations describe captive provenance or recognizable color variation rather than formally recognized separate taxa. An animal without a listed locality should not be assigned to a named line solely because its coloration resembles that of labeled specimens. Conversely, the absence of a locality designation does not establish that an animal represents mixed stock; it indicates only that a particular geographic origin has not been documented for that specimen or lineage.
This species is also frequently suggested as the main tarantula species sold for food in Cambodia. However, published research examining the Cambodian tarantula trade specifically notes that the identities of the spiders involved remain uncertain and may include multiple species. Both M. albostriatus and M. longipes have been suggested, but the available evidence does not establish that the animals sold in these markets consistently belong to either species. Reports of heavy collection and local declines raise legitimate sustainability concerns, but reliable species identification is needed to determine their direct impact on M. albostriatus.
Shipping
Shipping
Shipping method for live animal orders:
Orders containing live animals must have a subtotal of at least $50 to qualify for shipping.
For orders containing live animals, we ship throughout the continental U.S. (48 states) via FedEx Priority Overnight. Orders containing both live and non-live products may be shipped together or separately, depending on the items in the order, their sizes, and whether everything can fit safely in one shipment. When non-live products must be shipped separately by USPS, additional shipping charges will apply.
Live-animal packages are normally dropped off on Tuesdays or Wednesdays for next-day arrival. By default, packages are held for pickup at the nearest reasonably accessible FedEx Ship Center authorized to accept the shipment and must be collected in person.
Home delivery is available upon request. When a reasonably accessible authorized FedEx Ship Center is available, customer-requested home delivery is not eligible for our live arrival guarantee and is sent at the customer’s risk.
FedEx Ship Center availability varies by destination, and not every FedEx location is authorized to accept live-animal shipments. If no reasonably accessible authorized FedEx Ship Center is available, we will contact the customer and arrange home delivery. In this circumstance, home delivery remains eligible for LAG, provided all other LAG requirements are met.
Checkout shipping rates and free-shipping offers are based on FedEx Ship Center pickup. Any additional amount charged for home delivery is the customer’s responsibility and must be paid before shipment. For qualifying orders, free shipping covers standard Ship Center service but not any additional home-delivery cost. If no reasonably accessible authorized Ship Center is available and the customer declines the additional charge, the affected portion of the order—or the entire order when necessary—may be canceled without the standard cancellation fee.
We also offer expo pickup and a DFW local-meetup option. Please see our Expo Schedule for additional information.
Shipping method for non-live orders:
For shipments containing no live animals, shipping is available to all 50 states via USPS Ground Advantage or USPS Priority Mail. We will ship non-live orders directly to the address listed on the order, typically the day the order is placed or the following day.
What to expect after placing an order:
If your order contains live animals that will be shipped, we will contact you within 12 hours with a proposed delivery date and, when applicable, the FedEx Ship Center pickup location. If home delivery is requested or required, we will provide the delivery arrangements and any additional shipping charge. We will not ship the package until you confirm the arrangements and any outstanding shipping balance has been paid. Tracking information will be provided on the day of shipment.
Shipping may be delayed because of weather, carrier conditions, our schedule, or if an animal has recently molted or appears likely to molt. We will notify you if a delay is necessary and arrange another suitable date.
Carrier delays can occur. Customers remain responsible for meeting the applicable pickup or receipt requirements on the day the package actually arrives, even if it arrives later than originally scheduled.
Live Arrival Guarantee (LAG):
Buddha Bugs offers a live arrival guarantee only when all of the following conditions are met:
- Freebies are not covered by LAG.
- When a reasonably accessible FedEx Ship Center authorized to accept the shipment is available, the package must be held for pickup at that location.
- If no such location is available, we will arrange home delivery. In this circumstance, home delivery remains eligible for LAG, provided all other requirements are met.
- Packages held at a FedEx Ship Center must be picked up on the day they arrive. Pickup at any time during the location’s regular opening hours is acceptable. Please bring valid identification.
- In the unlikely event of a DOA, the customer must contact us and provide clear photographic or video evidence within three hours of FedEx Ship Center pickup—or within three hours of delivery when an LAG-eligible home delivery applies.
- Shipping costs are not refunded, and replacements may not always be available.
ANY DEVIATION FROM THESE REQUIREMENTS MAY VOID THE LAG.
Home delivery is available upon request. When a reasonably accessible FedEx Ship Center authorized to accept the shipment is available, customer-requested home delivery is not eligible for LAG and is sent at the customer’s risk. When no such location is available, home delivery arranged by Buddha Bugs is eligible for LAG, provided all other requirements are met.
For animal safety, we do not ship live animals for home delivery when temperatures are 90°F or higher or 35°F or lower, regardless of whether the shipment would otherwise qualify for LAG.
FedEx does not reimburse Buddha Bugs for lost packages or the loss of live animals. We take every reasonable precaution to give each shipment the best chance of arriving safely.
Returns & Refunds
Returns & Refunds
Returns & Refunds:
We DO NOT accept returns on live animals.
You may return non-live animal products for a refund within 14 days of delivery. The product must be unused and in its original packaging. After we receive your return, we will process refunds within 5-10 business days. Refunds will not include shipping costs. We will reject used products and, when possible, ship them back to the customer.
If an animal arrives deceased, contact us within the required three-hour period and provide clear photographic or video evidence. When all live arrival guarantee requirements are met, we will provide the applicable refund or arrange a replacement when available. Multi-count products are handled according to the number of live animals received. Shipping costs and freebies are not covered. Please review our Shipping & Live Arrival Policy for complete requirements.
For online purchases with local pickup, pickup at a show, or for purchases made at a show, the customer is responsible for inspecting the purchased items and verifying that they are to their satisfaction. If they are not, they must express any dissatisfaction before the sale is completed, as all sales are final. We are not liable for damages after the customer receives their items due to issues including but not limited to the customer mishandling transport and/or overheating animals.
Cancellations:
Customer-requested cancellations are subject to an approximately 3% cancellation fee. For card payments, the fee is 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction; different payment methods may have slightly higher or lower fee amounts. This reflects the nonrecoverable payment-processing cost charged when the order is placed and not returned to us when a refund is issued. Canceling an order also creates additional labor and temporarily removes inventory from availability, so please make sure you are committed before placing an order.
If a product is unavailable because of an inventory error, we will contact the customer and offer to cancel the affected product or the complete order without a cancellation fee.
If we determine after an order is placed that no reasonably accessible FedEx Ship Center authorized to accept the shipment is available, we will contact the customer with any additional cost required for home delivery. If the customer declines that additional charge, the affected portion of the order—or the entire order when necessary—may be canceled without the standard cancellation fee.
Certain ESA-listed Poecilotheria species cannot be shipped across state lines and are clearly marked “TX SALES ONLY” in their product titles and descriptions. If a customer outside Texas purchases one of these animals, the restricted portion of the order—or the entire order when necessary—will be canceled. The approximately 3% cancellation fee will be deducted from the refund because the restriction was disclosed before purchase. Refunds will be issued to the original payment method, but the time required for the credit to appear depends on the payment provider.
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