The P. rufilata is tied with P. ornata for largest legspan among the Pokies. 10-almost 11″ is not fiction; it is fact. And shudder to think how much of that heart-stopping venom they have at that size; I do. A 10″ p. rufilata I used to care for still haunts my nightmares 16 years later, and not in that oddly pleasant way an ex sometimes does. Red, grey, green, yellow, all that on an 8 legged living canvas. Add the display appeal, the ease of care (72-84 and 70% humidity) and again that scary size, and arboreal aficionados need these. Now for the bad news, their temperament is unpredictable and their venom is brutal. So admire from afar, K? K.

Photo taken by and courtesy of Exoskeleton Invertebrates.