Trinidad Chevron Tarantula Care Guide

Psalmopoeus cambridgei — the Trinidad Chevron — is a large arboreal species native to the island of Trinidad. It anchors heavy tube-webs in trees, rock faces, and tall cover, and younger spiders will readily burrow and web at ground level before taking to the heights as they mature.

Unlike the docile pinktoes, the Chevron belongs to a genus with no urticating hairs and a more potent venom than typical New World terrestrials. It is fast, can be defensive, and is a notorious escape artist that will exploit the smallest gap — which is why it is best suited to keepers with some experience rather than first-timers.

Adults are a muted olive-brown with rich orange flashes on the legs and a row of pale chevron (V-shaped) markings down the abdomen. Striking, fast-growing, and hardy, it is a rewarding step up for keepers ready to respect its speed and venom.

This is an arboreal species, so height matters more than floor space. Use a tall enclosure with cross-ventilation (vents on opposite sides or front and top) and tall anchor points for webbing. A front- or side-opening enclosure is ideal, as reaching down from above startles the spider and tears its web.

Provide a vertical cork bark slab or tube against one wall, plus fake plants, so the spider can build its tube-web off the ground. A shallow layer of substrate (2–3 in) holds light moisture and cushions any fall, but this species lives up top, not in the dirt.

Warm, humid, and well-ventilated mirrors the island canopy. Achieving humidity without stagnant air is the whole game with this species.

The Trinidad Chevron is a fast, aggressive feeder that ambushes prey from its web with startling speed. It is one of the most reliable eaters in the hobby and rarely refuses a meal outside of pre-moult.

Prey: Gut-loaded crickets and flying insects, plus small Dubia roaches. Keep prey no larger than the spider's abdomen. Flying prey suits this aerial hunter well.

Frequency: Spiderlings twice a week, juveniles every 5–7 days, adults every 7–10 days. Arboreals are more prone to dehydration than terrestrials, so keep moisture and water consistent.

Remove uneaten prey within 24 hours so it cannot disturb the spider in its web retreat.

The Chevron typically moults inside its tube-web. Growth is relatively fast for a tarantula, with juveniles moulting often before slowing to once or twice a year as adults. Each moult sharpens the orange leg flashes and abdominal chevrons.

Pre-moult signs: A darkened abdomen, food refusal, and increased time sealed in the web. Remove all live prey at the first signs.

Post-moult: Leave the spider completely undisturbed and wait 7–14 days before feeding so the new exoskeleton and fangs harden. Keep humidity steady throughout — fresh moults are vulnerable to drying out.

Handling is not recommended for the Trinidad Chevron. It is very fast, can be defensive, and carries a more potent venom than typical New World terrestrials — bites are reported as painful with localised effects such as swelling and cramping, and individual reactions vary. There is no safe upside to handling a spider this quick.

As a member of genus Psalmopoeus, this species has no urticating hairs — its defence is speed and, if cornered, a bite. Interact with the enclosure, not the spider: use long tools for maintenance, keep a catch cup on hand, and rehouse over a contained surface in a closed room. Seek medical attention for any bite that produces severe or spreading symptoms.