RecoveryInvertebrates
Tailless whip spider care guide
Damon / Phrynus spp.
Height first. Arboreals build tube webs against vertical bark, so give them a tall enclosure with a slab to anchor to and only a couple of inches of substrate.
Arboreal — vertical height first
Tailless whip spider enclosure size
Arboreal — vertical height first. An adult tailless whip spider should live in at least 7" L × 7" W × 15" H; we build toward 9" L × 9" W × 18" H (0.8 × 0.8 × 1.5 ft, roughly 0.6 sq ft of floor and about a 6-gallon glass equivalent).
Vertical cork slab from floor to ceiling; the web tube will be built along it.
- Spiderling / sling
- 2" L × 2" W × 6" H recommended · min 2" L × 2" W × 4" H
- Juvenile
- 5" L × 5" W × 10" H recommended · min 4" L × 4" W × 8" H
- Adult
- 9" L × 9" W × 18" H recommended · min 7" L × 7" W × 15" H
Temperature and heating
Heat the room, not the enclosure. If the room drops below 68 °F use a thermostatted space heater or a heat mat on the outside of a side wall (never under the substrate) — heat mats under a burrow cook the animal.
- Basking / warm surface
- None — no basking site, no heat lamp
- Warm side (ambient)
- 72–80 °F ambient room temperature
- Cool side (ambient)
- 70–75 °F ambient room temperature
- Night
- Room temperature; a 5–8 °F night drop is fine
Lighting and UVB
UVB: None — invertebrates need no UVB and bright light stresses them. Run lights on a Ambient room light on a normal day/night cycle; keep the enclosure out of direct sun photoperiod, on a timer, and replace UVB bulbs on the manufacturer's schedule even while they still emit visible light.
Humidity
Target 75–85% ambient. Keep the substrate evenly moist (damp, not waterlogged), overflow the water dish and mist a wall rather than the animal.
Substrate and depth
Coco fibre with leaf litter on top. Depth: 1–2 in — just enough to hold humidity.
- Ventilation: Heavy cross-ventilation — arboreals are the least tolerant of stale, wet air of anything in the hobby.
Enclosure tips and furnishing
- Full-height cork bark slab or tube
- Hanging fake foliage for web anchors
- Shallow water dish at floor level
Build list
- Tall front-opening arboreal enclosure — Top-opening tanks put your hand where the animal's retreat is — arboreals bolt upward.
- Cork bark slab / tube — The web tube is built against bark; without it the spider webs a mess in the corner.
- Digital thermometer / hygrometer — Inverts are kept at room temperature — you need to know what the room actually does, not guess.
- Long feeding tongs and a catch cup — Every interaction — feeding, water top-ups, rehousing — should happen without your hand near the animal.
Tailless whip spider FAQ
How big should an adult Tailless whip spider enclosure be?
At least 7" L × 7" W × 15" H, and we recommend building to 9" L × 9" W × 18" H — about 0.8 × 0.8 × 1.5 ft, or a 6-gallon glass equivalent. Arboreal — vertical height first.
What temperatures does a Tailless whip spider need?
Basking or warm surface None — no basking site, no heat lamp, warm side 72–80 °F ambient room temperature, cool side 70–75 °F ambient room temperature, night Room temperature; a 5–8 °F night drop is fine. Heat the room, not the enclosure. If the room drops below 68 °F use a thermostatted space heater or a heat mat on the outside of a side wall (never under the substrate) — heat mats under a burrow cook the animal.
Does a Tailless whip spider need UVB?
None — invertebrates need no UVB and bright light stresses them. Photoperiod: Ambient room light on a normal day/night cycle; keep the enclosure out of direct sun.
What humidity does a Tailless whip spider need?
75–85% ambient. Keep the substrate evenly moist (damp, not waterlogged), overflow the water dish and mist a wall rather than the animal.
What substrate is best for a Tailless whip spider?
Coco fibre with leaf litter on top, at a depth of 1–2 in — just enough to hold humidity.
How big does a Tailless whip spider enclosure need to be for a hatchling?
Spiderling / sling: 2" L × 2" W × 6" H recommended, minimum 2" L × 2" W × 4" H. Scale up to the adult footprint as the animal grows.
How much ventilation does a Tailless whip spider enclosure need?
Heavy cross-ventilation — arboreals are the least tolerant of stale, wet air of anything in the hobby.
Sources
Put this guide to work
Apply these targets to your own tailless whip spider record, then log feedings, sheds and weights against them.