Buddha Bugs
Poecilotheria tigrinawesseli (Wessel's tiger ornamental tarantula) 1"
Poecilotheria tigrinawesseli (Wessel's tiger ornamental tarantula) 1"
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
Poecilotheria tigrinawesseli, commonly known as Wessel’s tiger ornamental tarantula or Anantagiri’s parachute spider, is a large arboreal tarantula native to eastern and central India. Females and immature specimens have a high-contrast dorsal pattern combining smoky gray to slate blue-gray, charcoal-black, ivory, and cream. The carapace bears a dark central field framed by pale radiating bands. Freshly molted individuals can display conspicuous violet-purple to indigo iridescence across the carapace, chelicerae, and legs under directional lighting, although these areas may appear predominantly gray or nearly black under diffuse light. The abdomen displays a broad, irregular ivory-to-cream median marking bordered by dark areas and smaller paired pale spots, while the legs are dark with prominent pale bands and narrow longitudinal markings. Mature males are slimmer and proportionally longer-legged, with muted lavender-gray to olive-brown coloration, reduced leg banding, and a narrow pale abdominal line or series of connected spots.
In captivity, P. tigrinawesseli grows quickly and thrives in a secure arboreal setup with a narrow vertical retreat. It generally remains concealed during the day, emerging after dark to hunt or rest on exposed bark and enclosure walls. Silk is concentrated within and around the retreat, with additional webbing produced before molts and during egg-sac construction. Like other members of Poecilotheria, this species lacks urticating hairs and relies primarily on speed, retreat use, and defensive displays when disturbed. It usually withdraws when given a clear escape route, but a cornered specimen may stand its ground.
- Common Name: Wessel’s tiger ornamental tarantula; Anantagiri’s parachute spider
- Native Range: Eastern and central India
- Life Habit: Arboreal
- Adult Size: 5.25–7.25 inches in diagonal leg span
- Lifespan: Males 2–3 years; females 10–15+ years under optimal conditions
- Temperament: Fast and retreat-oriented; may become defensive when cornered
- Care Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Poecilotheria tigrinawesseli Care
Poecilotheria tigrinawesseli adapts well to captivity when provided with a secure, well-ventilated vertical enclosure and a narrow elevated retreat. A cork bark tube or slab extending nearly to the top of the enclosure allows the spider to remain concealed while also providing climbing surfaces and web anchors. Because this species can move very quickly and flatten itself into narrow gaps, approach routine maintenance deliberately, with long tools and a catch cup available. Rehousing and other invasive work are best performed within a larger secondary container.
- Enclosure: 25-dram vial or equivalent for spiderlings, upgraded as needed with growth; 10” x 10” x 15” or larger for adults
- Substrate: Coconut fiber, peat moss, topsoil, or another moisture-retentive substrate. Provide vertically oriented cork bark or another secure climbing structure that forms a dark, narrow retreat.
- Temperature: 72–82°F
- Humidity: Moderate humidity with good ventilation; maintain a moisture gradient by keeping approximately 25–50% of the substrate slightly moist and the remainder drier. Avoid saturated substrate, persistent condensation, and stagnant air.
- Diet: Crickets, cockroaches, and other appropriately sized feeder insects
- Feeding: Spiderlings can be offered appropriately sized prey 1–2× 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: Lightly moisten part of the substrate as needed and provide water droplets on enclosure surfaces for spiderlings; larger specimens should have access to a water dish.
- Routine Maintenance: Remove uneaten prey, monitor moisture and ventilation, and spot-clean when necessary.
Natural History
Poecilotheria tigrinawesseli was described in 2006 from a female collected in a remnant forest between Anantagiri and Araku and a paratype female from Paderu in the northern Eastern Ghats. The original account also cited records from Visakhapatnam, Jeypore, Rayagada, and Jagdalpur, indicating a broader eastern Indian distribution than the Anantagiri type locality alone. Much of this range consists of seasonally dry deciduous forest. Like other members of the genus, this species uses hollow trunks, loose bark, and other narrow elevated cavities as silk-lined daytime retreats before emerging after dark to ambush passing prey.
In 2014, Poecilotheria chaojii was described from a mature male collected at Semadoh in Maharashtra’s Satpura Hills at an elevation of 523 meters. The specimen was encountered on the wall of a resort at 9:30 p.m. during the monsoon season, beside tropical dry deciduous forest contiguous with Melghat Tiger Reserve. A 2019 taxonomic review placed P. chaojii in synonymy with P. tigrinawesseli, and a 2024 reexamination of the holotype provided further morphological support for that conclusion. Under the currently accepted synonymy, the species’ known distribution therefore extends westward into Maharashtra, making descriptions of it as endemic to Andhra Pradesh incomplete.
Poecilotheria tigrinawesseli belongs to a distinct four-species lineage within the genus together with P. formosa, P. miranda, and P. metallica. It is generally regarded as the sister species of P. formosa, while P. miranda and P. metallica constitute the other sister-species pair. Together, the two pairs are more closely related to one another than to any other Poecilotheria. These four species are also unique within the genus in passing through an additional developmental instar before reaching the independently feeding spiderling stage.
This close relationship and the morphological similarity among these species complicate identification and the preservation of captive lineages. P. tigrinawesseli is frequently confused with P. formosa and P. miranda, and mislabeled or hybrid animals derived from crosses among two or all three species are increasingly appearing within hobby stock. Some hybrid females and immature specimens display recognizable intermediate characteristics, but mature males from even first-generation crosses can be extremely difficult to distinguish from species-pure animals. This is particularly problematic in P. tigrinawesseli × P. formosa crosses, in which the naturally reduced coloration and patterning of mature males may not reliably reveal their hybrid ancestry. Backcrossing and later-generation crosses can further obscure ancestry, sometimes producing animals that closely resemble one of the pure species. Animals of uncertain ancestry should not be bred or represented as pure stock; maintaining verified parentage, accurate records, and strict separation of questionable lineages is essential to preserving species-pure captive populations.
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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Solid seller!
Arrived just as expected, fast communication, great purchase
Everything was great and well packed
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Solid seller!
Arrived just as expected, fast communication, great purchase
Everything was great and well packed