The African red baboon tarantula endemic to Cameroon is popular as pets but abundant in the wild too. Mostly found in the rain forests, the tarantula thrives in temperatures of 70° to 90°F.
Size: The abdomen is around 4 inches long (10.16 cm), and the leg span is almost 8 inches (20.32 cm).
Color: Their body color varies from dull black or gray to rusty orange or brown. They undergo a change in coloration in the pre and post molting phases, being brown before, and black later.
Other Characteristic Features: They have an oval-shaped abdomen reaching up to 4 inches (10.16 cm) in diameter, appearing larger in females than their male counterparts. The males also have a club-shaped pedipalp.
The other prominent physical features include hairy legs and parallelly arranged fang, facing downwards.
Though sexual dimorphism exists, it is not prominent till they reach 4 years of age, as males survive only till that time though females live longer.
The silken sac contains about 100 eggs, which the female guards with utmost care.
They live together for around six months before dispersing, some of them stay longer. They do not display the typical behavior of preying upon one another for food. Instead, They have been seen sharing food with their kin.
The Africa red baboon tarantula spiderlings go through about eight molts during the first year. However, it isn’t easy to spot them. Hence, not much is known about their color and appearance.
They do not spin webs but make burrow lined in silk. In fact, as per arachnologist Sam Marshall these spiders dig intricate burrows.
The spider is defensive and may bite, protecting itself if threatened. The bite might insert venom into the skin, but that is not deadly for humans, leading to mild or moderate symptoms like pain, redness, swelling, or even nausea.
| Other Names | Cameroon red baboon spider, giant baboon spider, and red baboon spider |
| Distribution | Cameroon |
| Habitat | Burrows in sub-tropical and tropical environments |
| Diet | Moths, butterflies, cockroaches, crickets, snakes, frogs, |
| Predators | Wasp ants, birds, scorpions, tarantulas, and beetles |
| Lifespan | Male: 4 years Female: Upto 10 years |
| ICUN Conservation Status | Not listed |
Image Credits: Blog.rozzerstarantulas.co.za, Mymonsters.co.za, Tarantulasforsale.co.za
The African red baboon tarantula endemic to Cameroon is popular as pets but abundant in the wild too. Mostly found in the rain forests, the tarantula thrives in temperatures of 70° to 90°F.
Size: The abdomen is around 4 inches long (10.16 cm), and the leg span is almost 8 inches (20.32 cm).
Color: Their body color varies from dull black or gray to rusty orange or brown. They undergo a change in coloration in the pre and post molting phases, being brown before, and black later.
Other Characteristic Features: They have an oval-shaped abdomen reaching up to 4 inches (10.16 cm) in diameter, appearing larger in females than their male counterparts. The males also have a club-shaped pedipalp.
The other prominent physical features include hairy legs and parallelly arranged fang, facing downwards.
Though sexual dimorphism exists, it is not prominent till they reach 4 years of age, as males survive only till that time though females live longer.
The silken sac contains about 100 eggs, which the female guards with utmost care.
They live together for around six months before dispersing, some of them stay longer. They do not display the typical behavior of preying upon one another for food. Instead, They have been seen sharing food with their kin.
The Africa red baboon tarantula spiderlings go through about eight molts during the first year. However, it isn’t easy to spot them. Hence, not much is known about their color and appearance.
They do not spin webs but make burrow lined in silk. In fact, as per arachnologist Sam Marshall these spiders dig intricate burrows.
The spider is defensive and may bite, protecting itself if threatened. The bite might insert venom into the skin, but that is not deadly for humans, leading to mild or moderate symptoms like pain, redness, swelling, or even nausea.
| Other Names | Cameroon red baboon spider, giant baboon spider, and red baboon spider |
| Distribution | Cameroon |
| Habitat | Burrows in sub-tropical and tropical environments |
| Diet | Moths, butterflies, cockroaches, crickets, snakes, frogs, |
| Predators | Wasp ants, birds, scorpions, tarantulas, and beetles |
| Lifespan | Male: 4 years Female: Upto 10 years |
| ICUN Conservation Status | Not listed |
Image Credits: Blog.rozzerstarantulas.co.za, Mymonsters.co.za, Tarantulasforsale.co.za
