Cyriopagopus paganus


By Richard Blauman

The correct name is Cyriopagopus paganus, & they are being imported from Viet Nam (so much for "Thai Tiger"). In my opinion, they are one of the most attractive tarantulas in Asia. The real H. schmidti is a rare, large spider; some U.S. dealers have mistakenly listed these instead of C. paganus. Both genera are in the Ornithoctoninae, distinguished by the stridulating organs on their outer chelicerae & maxillae. Other related genera are Phormingochilus, Ornithoctonus, Lampropelma, & Citharognathus.

The set up for them is the standard Asian cage: moist, deep substrate that they can burrow in, cork slab for shelter, moderate ventilation, full water bowl, warm days & a 10 to 15 degree drop at night, as low as 60 degrees in the winter. This works well for lividum, minax, etc.

They usually take a little prodding... then explode! Be careful. Do cage transfers on a cool morning. Keep empty containers handy. Mature males look almost identical to lividum males. Egg sacs are small & are difficult to keep from going bad. Adults are available & few dealers have spiderlings in the U.S. For those with experience, these are a great deal. Don't expect prices to stay low forever.

Other Web Pages Featuring Info/Pictures of Cyriopagopus paganus

Arachnofiles: contains general info, housing, aggressiveness, and sometimes breeding notes, plus much more; open forum article

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