The Pumpkin Patch Tarantula is a species of New World Tarantula that is native to Colombia. It is a dwarf species that does not grow as large as other commonly kept tarantula species.
These tarantulas are relatively easy to care for in captivity and are typically quite docile. However, they should be considered a hands-off species as they spook easily and are quite fragile.
Some of the other commonly kept species of New World Tarantulas include the Costa Rican Zebra Tarantula, Green Bottle Blue Tarantula, Guyana Pink Toe Tarantula, Mexican Fireleg Tarantula and the Venezuelan Suntiger Tarantula.
Pumpkin Patch Tarantula Taxonomy
The Pumpkin Patch Tarantula belongs to the Family Theraphosidae. This essentially means that the spider is a tarantula and over 1,000 different spiders have been identified as part of the family Theraphosidae.
Theraphosidae belongs to the infraorder Mygalomorphae. While many of the other species in this infraorder are often referred to as tarantulas or ‘false tarantulas’, the species in the family Theraphosidae are considered the ‘true’ tarantulas.
Tarantulas can be found throughout the American Continent (excluding Canada), Africa, parts of Mediterranean Europe, South-East Asia and Australia.
The Pumpkin Patch Tarantula comes from the genus Hapalopus which loosely translates to “Simple Foot”. Its scientific name is Hapalopus sp. Colombia.
Pumpkin Patch Tarantula Description
There are two different types of Pumpkin Patch Tarantulas that are kept in captivity. These are the Gros (Large) and the Klein (Small). The main difference between these two tarantulas is their size.
The Gros typically frows to lengths of around 3″-4″ while the Klein only grows to around half this length, making it a true dwarf tarantula.
They get their name from the orange and black markings on their abdomen, which is often described as resembling a pumpkin patch.
Pumpkin Patch Tarantula as Pets
One of the appealing aspects of the Pumpkin Patch Tarantula is its striking black and orange coloration. It is a dwarf species that doesn’t grow too large which also appeals to a lot of new tarantula keepers.
A bite from one of these tarantulas is not considered to be medically significant and the fact that they are a dwarf species, it is assumed that the amount of venom injected will be less.
The uricating hairs of this species are also less irritating to most people. However, care still needs to be taken to ensure the hairs don’t go in your eyes or mouth so proper hand hygiene and precautions should be taken.
The Pumpkin Patch Tarantula is generally considered to be a very docile species but they do get quite skittish. They can be successfully kept by beginners as long as their basic care requirements are met.
Pumpkin Patch Tarantula Feeding
Spiderlings can be fed flightless fruit flies and pin head crickets. You can feed them two or three items at a time depending on the size. This should be done two or three times a week.
Any uneaten food should be removed within 24 hours. If hour spider refuses a meal just wait a few days and try again. With adults, you can wait a week before offering food again.
Juveniles can be fed once every week or so but the meal will have to be more substantial. You can feed them 2 small or medium crickets depending on the size of the spider.
An adult Pumpkin Patch Tarantula can be fed a large cricket every week. Keep an eye on your tarantulas’ weight and adjust meal size or duration between feeds accordingly.
You can supplement your tarantulas’ diet with other insects for a more balanced diet. Other food items you can offer include Dubia Roaches, Locusts and Mealworms.
A good rule of thumb is to offer insects that are no bigger than the size of the spider’s abdomen.
Pumpkin Patch Tarantula Enclosure
A spiderling Pumpkin Patch Tarantula is very small and can comfortably be housed in a small plastic container with a secure lid. Something like a fruit fly container will work well.
With spiderlings, you need to be careful with the holes in their enclosure. Spiderlings are capable of squeezing through small holes so make sure the holes aren’t too big.
Use the head of a pin to punch a few holes in the side of the container, towards the top. This will promote cross ventilation while ensuring the holes are small enough to prevent escapees.
While this is a terrestrial species, they should be kept in an enclosure that has a bit of height to it. This is because they like to burrow and this will allow for a deep layer of substrate.
You can include some cork bark in the enclosure to act as a hide on the surface as well as a small shallow water bowl.
As the spider grows, you will need to increase the size of its enclosure. A general rule of thumb is that you want to give these spiders an enclosure width of 3 times their leg span to provide them with enough space to move around.
You also want to fill the enclosure halfway with substrate to allow them to burrow, if they choose to do so. As they are a terrestrial species, you don’t want too much distance between the top of the substrate and the roof of the enclosure.
A fall from any find of height can be fatal to a Pumpkin Patch Tarantula. Aim for a height of no more than 1.5 times the spiders leg span.
This essentially means that a fully grown tarantula with a leg span of about 4 inches can comfortably be housed in an enclosure measuring 12 inches wide x 12 inches tall.
In this setup, the spider will have 3 times its leg span of floor space. If the substrate is filled half way it will have 6 inches of substrate and 6 inches of height. This is 1.5 times the spiders leg span.
Temperature
You can keep your Pumpkin Patch Tarantula at room temperature. If the temperature is comfortable for you, it will be comfortable for them. This adds to their ease of care as you don’t need any special heating equipment.
However, if you live in a cold climate, you may want to add some supplemental heat during the winter months. You typically want to keep them between a temperature range of 75F-80F.
If you need to add heat to your enclosure, an under-tank heat mat is your best option. This should be connected to a good quality thermostat to ensure the cage doesn’t get too hot.
You don’t need to provide your tarantula with any special kind of lighting such as UVB. An adequate day/night cycle is all they need.
Substrate
You will need to provide your Pumpkin Patch Tarantula with a couple of inches of substrate to allow them to burrow. The substrate should be sprayed down as these tarantulas like higher levels of humidity.
However, the substrate shouldn’t be kept wet and cross ventilation is important to keep the quality of air at an acceptable level within the enclosure.
Coco Fibre mixed with peat moss is often used for these tarantulas as it holds humidity well. However, there are a number of different substrates that will also work well.
Handling a Pumpkin Patch Tarantula
The Pumpkin Patch Tarantula is best kept as a display spider rather than a hands-on spider. While they tick a lot of boxes for an ideal tarantula to handle, they fall short in other areas.
This tarantula is usually quite docile and will rarely show aggression or flick hairs. Their venom isn’t considered to be medically significant and their uricating hairs aren’t as irritating as other species.
However, while they are docile, they are also very skittish and spook easily. They are also quite fast so it can be difficult to control these small spiders if they get spooked during a handling session.
A fall from any kind of height can be fatal to a Pumpkin Patch Tarantula so you need to exercise extreme caution if you choose to handle them, for their safety not yours.