Poecilotheria, the ornamental or tiger spiders of India and Sri Lanka, are fast, arboreal, often communal-tolerant, and carry venom that is considered medically significant. That last point is not a reason to avoid the genus. It is a reason to be deliberate about the enclosure, the routine and your own habits.
Never handle them
No handling. Not once, not calmly, not with an experienced keeper watching. A bite from a Poecilotheria can mean days of severe cramping and hospital treatment. Every interaction happens through a catch cup and a door.
Enclosure requirements
- Escape-proof by design. Every opening 3 mm or smaller, seams that close flush, no gaps at the door or lid.
- Tall. An adult female can reach an eighteen centimetre leg span and needs vertical space to match.
- Two retreats. A cork tube plus a flattened slab gives them a choice, which reduces defensive behaviour.
- Cross ventilation. They come from tree hollows in monsoon climates: damp, but constantly aired.
- A door you can open a crack. A sliding panel that locks shut on magnets is worth far more here than a large hinged front.
Routine that keeps everyone calm
Work in the evening when they are less startled by movement, keep the enclosure at or below waist height, and never reach past the spider. Feed with tongs at the tunnel entrance. If the spider is out and near the door, close it and come back later; nothing about maintenance is urgent.
Escape prevention is the whole game
Most incidents with this genus are not bites during maintenance. They are escapes discovered later. Check the lid seats fully every single time. Check that the door is locked before you turn away. A magnet you can hear click is worth more than a clip you have to remember.
If one does get out
Close the room. Turn off fans. Look up first, along picture rails, curtain tops and the tops of doors, then behind furniture near the ceiling. Use a large clear cup and a stiff card, and give yourself space to work slowly. Do not chase.