The Antilles Pinktoe Tarantula is a member of the genus Avicularia that is the most widespread group of spiders in the Americas, comprising of around 20 species. These spiders are extremely popular as pets especially because of their vibrant coloration, docile temperament, and very high longevity.
Size: They are medium-sized spiders that grow around 4½ – 6 inches (11- 15 cm).
Color: The carapace turns green with adulthood, while the abdomen turns reddish and the legs begin to get green with pink tarsi, covered with purple hair that gives them their characteristic pinkish hue. Males are somewhat more brightly colored than females.
Other Characteristic Features: These tarantulas are arboreal (tree-dwelling). They spin intricate funnel webs in which they spend the majority of their lifetime.
Like most other tarantulas, the eggs are protected in an egg sac that is guarded by the female under its abdomen until the baby spiders are ready to emerge.
The spiderlings of this species spend most of the time with their mother until they are ready to separate and can independently hunt for their own food. The slings are metallic steel to bright blue with a black tree-trunk pattern on the abdomen. As they begin to age, they gradually lose their blue hue, getting their adult coloration.
Although very docile and rarely bite, they do not prefer being handled much. Even if they bite, it is not poisonous and is no worse than a plain bee sting. Also, the body hairs can be somewhat irritating and can cause some itching and redness locally.
| Other Names | Antilles Pink-toed Tarantula, Antilles Pink-toed Tree Spider, Martinique Red Tree Spider, Martinique Pinktoe |
| Lifespan | Females can live for up to 12 years, while the males have a much shorter lifetime from 2 to 3 years |
| Distribution | Native to the islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique in the Caribbean Sea, off the coast of South America |
| Habitat | High up in the trees in funnel webs |
| Common predators | Large reptiles and vertebrates including snakes, lizards, as well as some birds of prey |
| Diet | Primarily insectivorous preying on especially flying insects including grasshoppers, roaches, adult crickets, wax moths, etc., as also some vertebrates like small lizards |
Image Credits: Backwaterreptiles.com, I.pinimg.com, Kimballstock.com, I.imgur.com, Animal-world.com
The Antilles Pinktoe Tarantula is a member of the genus Avicularia that is the most widespread group of spiders in the Americas, comprising of around 20 species. These spiders are extremely popular as pets especially because of their vibrant coloration, docile temperament, and very high longevity.
Size: They are medium-sized spiders that grow around 4½ – 6 inches (11- 15 cm).
Color: The carapace turns green with adulthood, while the abdomen turns reddish and the legs begin to get green with pink tarsi, covered with purple hair that gives them their characteristic pinkish hue. Males are somewhat more brightly colored than females.
Other Characteristic Features: These tarantulas are arboreal (tree-dwelling). They spin intricate funnel webs in which they spend the majority of their lifetime.
Like most other tarantulas, the eggs are protected in an egg sac that is guarded by the female under its abdomen until the baby spiders are ready to emerge.
The spiderlings of this species spend most of the time with their mother until they are ready to separate and can independently hunt for their own food. The slings are metallic steel to bright blue with a black tree-trunk pattern on the abdomen. As they begin to age, they gradually lose their blue hue, getting their adult coloration.
Although very docile and rarely bite, they do not prefer being handled much. Even if they bite, it is not poisonous and is no worse than a plain bee sting. Also, the body hairs can be somewhat irritating and can cause some itching and redness locally.
| Other Names | Antilles Pink-toed Tarantula, Antilles Pink-toed Tree Spider, Martinique Red Tree Spider, Martinique Pinktoe |
| Lifespan | Females can live for up to 12 years, while the males have a much shorter lifetime from 2 to 3 years |
| Distribution | Native to the islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique in the Caribbean Sea, off the coast of South America |
| Habitat | High up in the trees in funnel webs |
| Common predators | Large reptiles and vertebrates including snakes, lizards, as well as some birds of prey |
| Diet | Primarily insectivorous preying on especially flying insects including grasshoppers, roaches, adult crickets, wax moths, etc., as also some vertebrates like small lizards |
Image Credits: Backwaterreptiles.com, I.pinimg.com, Kimballstock.com, I.imgur.com, Animal-world.com
