Tarantulas of the World

The Pinktoe Tarantula also known as the South American Pinktoe is also a very common spider across the US. Originally from South America these tarantulas love climbing. In the wild they live high up in trees and spin a lot of webbing. As with the Chilean Rosehair Tarantula, the pinktoe is also a very common arachnid to find in pet stores. It is very docile and a crowd favorite due to its magnificent pink toes (hence the name). This would be ideal for the intermediate tarantula lover. The reason we would say this wouldn’t be best for a beginner is due to its speed. Pinktoes are very quick and are known as jumpers and you might drop one if not handled appropriately. Other than their speed they are quit docile and can be the perfect pet. They usually live between 4 to 8 years with females growing to about 5 inches in length and males slightly shorter about 3.5 inches.

Habitat:

We would recommend a tall enclosure for these guys. Though fully grown they are smaller in size than most species of tarantulas these guys love climbing and having a birds eye view. I personally like the tall exo-terra terrariums as I feel its perfect for these guys. They are small so you would not need anything bigger then maybe a square foot in surface area and a foot and a half in height. Make sure you have plenty of plants for it to climb on as well as round cork bark. These animals are very active at times and you might see the enclosure covered in extensive web tubes within days. These tarantulas can also be kept in groups (communally) though we do not recommend it. You can indeed have multiple at a time in your enclosure but please note they do tend to cannibalize each other should they feel overcrowded. The pinktoe tarantula loves damp and breezy environments, they come from the wet and windy forests of Costa Rica, Venezuela and Brazil so make sure your terrarium has a humidity level between 78% to 85%. Normal room temperature should be enough for these guys but do not let it drop lower then 75 degrees. A water dish should always be available.

Feeding:

In the wild the Pinktoe tarantula typically eat insects and other arthropods but in captivity crickets do the trick just fine. They are not picky eaters but their feeding approach is quite different. They remain in a frozen state not moving for hours at a time until their food of choice comes up towards them in which they will strike in the blink of an eye. Your pinktoe does not have a limit as too how much it eats. Mine ate a cricket a day for three whole weeks once. The more you feed it the faster and bigger it grows.

Attitude:

This species is not known to being aggressive at all. When threatened most pinktoes will either jump and run away not wanting to fight at all. On occasion they will launch a stream of excrement (poo) when they feel threatened. Adults have great aim and have a range of up to 4 feet away. This can surely ruin that nice shirt you decided to wear. Their bite though venomous to insects is nothing more then a bee sting to humans.  They rarely get provoked to attack in such manner but always test and see if your tarantula is in the mood to be handled before taking it out.

All in all the Pinktoe Tarantula is a great tarantula to have as a pet. They are not aggressive what so ever and are very active. Though you should handle with care due to its speed and leaps. This is more of a tarantula for someone that has already had a tarantula before.

The Chilean Rose Tarantula is probably the most frequent species obtained in the United States and Europe. This mostly due to the fact that its easily found in pet stores everywhere! These wonderful arachnids originate from Chile, where they live in forests underground. In captivity these rose hairs tend to not burrow underground but spend most of there time just sitting still as the world passes by. What makes these tarantulas great as pets is the fact that they are extremely docile require very low maintenance and  are pretty much very inexpensive.

Habitat:

We recommend a terrarium of about 5 gallons for these guys. Being that they are from Chile they love very dry and warm places. Just by overfilling their water dish should be plenty to give this animal enough humidity in its tank. We have seen many people post online to make the substrate/soil damp/wet for the rose hair, please do not and please keep it as dry as possible. While it will cause the humidity levels to go up in your tank for the tarantula when your substrate is wet, you will find that your tarantula will start crawling up the sides of your tank/enclosure trying to get away from the “wetness”. As for substrate I would personally recommend eco earth, the stuff comes ready to use and my G. Rosea seems to love it.  We also recommend you keep the temperatures warm between 75 to 82 degrees. Remember they come from a very warm place and so love the heat.

Feeding:

The Chilean Rose Tarantula usually feast on a variety of insects such as crickets, mealworms, beetles, cockroaches, moths and even grasshoppers. I usually feed mine crickets as it is the most common food to find for them. Tarantulas usually get their protein and nutrients through these insects by biting down on them and sucking them dry. So to make sure your rosie gets all the nutrients it needs to live long and healthy feed your insects products that will make them a healthy meal for your tarantula. You can find these in powder form or as a type of jelly substance at your local pet store. Once you fatten up your insects with this, let your tarantula feast on them.

Chilean Rose Tarantula can be picky eaters at times maybe only eating one or two crickets a week. This is completely normal and you should not be alarmed. My rosie has gone weeks eating 10 crickets a week to certain weeks not wanting to eat at all.

Attitude:

While the Chilean Rose Tarantula might be docile and can get easily startled, it still sometimes can give you a bit of an attitude. Though rare they sometimes don’t want to be bothered. Some signs of you to give your tarantula some space is the raising of their front legs while showing fangs. This is a defensive stance which should indicate for you to back off. These animals are very reluctant to bite. Their bite feels like a bee/wasp sting and though not lethal to humans can cause allergic reactions to some people. The only other weapon in their defense is the tiny spine like hairs on their abdomens called urticatig hairs. They kick off and release these tiny hairs when threatened. These can cause rashes but can also be a danger if inhaled or they become lodged in your eyes. If you see your rosehair not having the best of day simply give it its space and leave it in its enclosure.

Following these simple steps will surely help you in your quest as a  beginner tarantula owner. For more detailed help feel free to ask by commenting on this post and please share this with your friends!