Tliltocatl vagans
Mexican Red Rump
4 active listings · Spiders
Category
Spiders
Origin
Mexico — Yucatán, Guatemala, and Belize
Lifestyle
Terrestrial
Difficulty
Beginner
Venom potency
Weak
About the species
Mexican Red Rump (Tliltocatl vagans) is a terrestrial New World tarantula, the type species of Tliltocatl. The World Spider Catalog accepts the taxon (Ausserer, 1875) and gives Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize. Mendoza and Francke (2020) transferred it from Brachypelma; the native range is the Yucatán Peninsula and neighbouring Central America, not all of Mexico. Introduced populations in Florida are not native range. Adult females usually reach about 5–6.5 cm in body length and about 12–14 cm in leg span. Red abdominal hairs and urticating setae do not make it a calm stand-in for hamorii.
Origin and distribution
Mexico — Yucatán, Guatemala, and Belize
It occurs naturally in Yucatán, Guatemala, and Belize.
Current listings
Care at a glance
Size
Females usually about 5–6.5 cm body length; leg span about 12–14 cm
Enclosure type
Horizontal, with deep substrate for a burrow, not tall
Substrate
A stable layer for digging; the surface may dry
Furnishings
Cork or a starter hide and constant fresh water
Conditions
Moderate; lower layers more humid, good ventilation
Characteristics
A burrowing Yucatán Tliltocatl; quicker and less “calm” than hamorii
Care and behaviour
Tliltocatl vagans digs and uses substrate burrows. The enclosure should be deep and secure first. Cork laid at an angle helps a start. Do not excavate the retreat without reason. Height does not replace a digging layer.
The native range covers varied microhabitats in Yucatán, Guatemala, and Belize, so do not keep the tank as a permanently wet jungle or as a desert. The surface may dry; lower layers may stay more humid. Constant water in a shallow dish matters more than frequent misting. One humidity figure does not describe three countries.
Individuals may kick urticating hairs readily and can move faster than typical Brachypelma. Do not identify the species from a “red rump” photo alone, and do not treat it as a calm first Mexican tarantula. Introduced Florida does not change husbandry or the native map.
Good to know
Tliltocatl vagans has urticating hairs; contact can irritate skin, eyes, and mucous membranes. The genus Tliltocatl is listed on CITES Appendix II (Tliltocatl spp., formerly under Brachypelma). Obligations depend on the country and transaction; this is not legal advice and does not mean automatic registration everywhere. Require legally sourced captive-bred animals.