How difficult is it to keep Lesser Goa mustard tarantula?

Advanced. This is an advanced-level species. It requires specialized equipment and advanced husbandry skills with precise environmental control.

What should I feed Lesser Goa mustard tarantula?

Lesser Goa mustard tarantula feeds on: Carnivorous (live insects such as crickets and roaches). Aim for a balanced diet with appropriate feeding frequency.

What is the typical price for Lesser Goa mustard tarantula?

The price of Lesser Goa mustard tarantula varies significantly depending on morph, size, and lineage. Check our market price page for the latest pricing information.

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Lesser Goa mustard tarantula

Advanced

Thrigmopoeus truculentus

A burrowing tarantula endemic to India's Western Ghats that digs into earth banks. An Old World species without urticating setae, it defends itself by biting. Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List.

Difficulty

Advanced

Diet

Carnivorous (live insects such as crickets and roaches)

About

Thrigmopoeus truculentus Pocock, 1899, also called the Karwar large burrowing spider, belongs to a genus of only two species, both Indian. It is endemic to the Western Ghats, recorded from Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra. It digs burrows 0.5-5 m above the ground in vertical earth banks along roads and trails, mostly under canopy where direct sunlight is limited; the trumpet-shaped entrances are reinforced with wet mud and silk, sometimes with twigs and leaves. Habitat fragmentation and degradation, road widening, soil erosion and collection for the pet trade threaten it, and it is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List. Old World tarantulas lack urticating setae, are more likely to attack when disturbed, often have more potent, medically significant venom, and are faster and more nervous than New World species. It is rarely available in Japan.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Basic Info

Origin

Southwestern India (Western Ghats: Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra)

Diet

Carnivorous (live insects such as crickets and roaches)

Care Guide

Enclosure

A burrower that digs into banks in the wild. Provide deep substrate for burrowing, a hide and a water dish. Keep singly.

Temperature & Humidity

Species care data are scarce. In the wild it lives in shaded, moist banks, so keep the lower substrate slightly damp while maintaining ventilation.

Diet & Feeding

References & Sources

Edited & verified by: BreederDirect editorial team

The taxonomic, regulatory, and husbandry data on this page are compiled and verified against the authoritative primary sources below.

Primary sources

Taxonomy & Authority

Accepted name: Thrigmopoeus truculentus Pocock, 1899

Authority databases: GBIF · GBIF

Nomenclature follows global taxonomic authority databases.

Regulations & Conservation Status

Not CITES-listed

Not listed in the CITES Appendices (checked on Species+). Listed as Near Threatened (NT) on the IUCN Red List. Theraphosidae are neither designated invasive alien species nor taxa requiring an identification certificate on import in Japan (September 2026). Use a lockable enclosure to prevent escapes, and never release captive animals.

Sources: Species+ CITES query (not listed) / Ministry of the Environment: list of regulated alien species, including taxa needing an identification certificate

Regulations may change. Always verify the latest information with the relevant authorities.