African whip spider (Euphrynichus amanica)

Short answers

African whip spider: How big does the enclosure need to be?

At least 30×30×40 cm, tall with vertical climbing surfaces.

African whip spider: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 24–28 °C, at night 20–24 °C.

African whip spider: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: No.

African whip spider: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: approx. 5–10 years.

African whip spider: Is it suitable for beginners?

Partly – manageable with some prior knowledge (difficulty: Beginner to intermediate).

Climate

Daytime temperature

24–28 °C

Night temperature

20–24 °C

Basking spot

—

Humidity

70–85 %

UVB

No

Enclosure

Minimum size

at least 30×30×40 cm, tall with vertical climbing surfaces

Substrate

Coco or forest humus, permanently slightly damp

Feeding

Food

Crickets, roaches, house crickets matched to their body size

Feeding interval

1–2×/week

Key facts

Adult size

body ~2 cm, leg span up to ~12–15 cm

Life expectancy

approx. 5–10 years

Origin

East Africa — the Kenya/Tanzania border region near the coast, type locality Amani in the East Usambara Mountains; under tree bark and in rock crevices in humid locations

Protection status

—

Brumation

None

Cohabitation

Keeping them singly is the safe option, but group keeping is possible in this genus: for the closely related Euphrynichus bacillifer, keepers report groups that have been stable for years, although freshly moulted animals have been eaten there too; for E. amanica itself there are no such reports. If you try a group, you need a sufficiently large, tall enclosure, a separate vertical hiding surface for each animal and plenty of food, because crowding and food shortage encourage cannibalism. Several males may fight for rank and then have to be separated; females carrying an egg sac are best kept alone until the young have left their back. Kept singly, the animals lack nothing.

Notes

Non-venomous and harmless to humans (no venom glands). It needs high humidity and vertical cork surfaces and crevices for undisturbed shedding.

Do you keep this species?

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Related species

• West African whip spider (Euphrynichus bacillifer) – Intermediate
• Amazonian whip spider (Heterophrynus elaphus) – Intermediate
• Tailless whip scorpion (Phrynus marginemaculatus) – Intermediate
• Israeli whip spider (Charinus israelensis) – Expert
• Johnston's whip spider (Damon johnstonii) – Intermediate
• Small whip spider (Phrynus parvulus) – Intermediate
• Mexican whip spider (Acanthophrynus coronatus) – Intermediate
• East African whip spider (Damon variegatus) – Intermediate

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep African whip spider (Euphrynichus amanica) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (at least 30×30×40 cm, tall with vertical climbing surfaces), substrate (Coco or forest humus, permanently slightly damp), a heat source with a thermostat, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.