Also known as pink-toed tarantula, Guyana pinktoe, South American pinktoe, or common pinktoe, this species of tarantula is native to a few South American countries. Unlike most other tarantula species, this spider is diurnal (active during the day) and arboreal, enjoying climbing in general. They are mostly seen on plants and trees, rather than on the ground.
Pink Toe Tarantula
Size: They can reach a maximum size of around 5 inches.
Pink Toe Tarantula Size
Color: Mature specimens have a solid dark to a metallic grey color body with four pairs of feet with each one bearing pink to pinkish orange toes. The hair in the abdomen and leg region often display a purplish to reddish hue.
Other Characteristic Features: The entire body is covered with dense to semi-dense, long silky hair. The fangs are folded downwards, under the body part.
Pink Toe Tarantula Habitat
The female pink toe spider makes its web soon after mating, in which it lays its 50 and 200 eggs that fertilize during the process of passing out of its body. As the eggs are laid, the mother wraps them into a ball, guarding the egg sac under its abdomen.
Pink Toe Tarantula Eggs
It takes about seven weeks for the eggs to hatch. In order to grow, the baby spiders need to pass through several molts, a process by which they shed the old exoskeleton, emerging in a fresh, larger one. During their first year, the young offspring molt five to six times during the first year.
Pink Toe Tarantula Spiderling
The pink-toed tarantulas have a pair of formidable fangs that can very easily make their way through the skin of the prey and eventually subdue them. The spiders usually do not bite humans unless they are handled.
The venom is not extremely toxic and seldom causes a systemic reaction including localized swelling and a bite mark, but never death. But the bite itself hurts and is comparable to a wasp sting due to the large size of the fangs.
In worst cases, you can get swelling due to a histamine reaction leading to excessive inflammation, respiratory distress, or anaphylactic shock.
Pink Toe Tarantula Enclosure
Guyana Pinktoe
| Lifespan | 4 to 8 years (males die within a few months from mating) |
| Distribution | In South America, starting from Costa Rica to Brazil, as well as in the southern parts of Caribbean |
| Habitat | Dense plants and trees, cavities in the barks of dead trees |
| Common predators | The most common enemy is the spider-wasp; hawks, owls, weasels, skunks, and snakes also prey on these spiders |
| Diet | A wide variety of prey like grasshoppers, crickets, roaches, flying insects, and even small lizards and frogs |
Picture of Pink Toe Tarantula
South American Pinktoe
Image Credits: Chehaw.org, Burkemuseum.org, Reptilecity.com, lh5.ggpht.com, I.imgur.com, Arachnoboards.com,
Jonathansjungleroadshow.co.uk, Thesprucepets.com, Worldnature55.com
Also known as pink-toed tarantula, Guyana pinktoe, South American pinktoe, or common pinktoe, this species of tarantula is native to a few South American countries. Unlike most other tarantula species, this spider is diurnal (active during the day) and arboreal, enjoying climbing in general. They are mostly seen on plants and trees, rather than on the ground.
Pink Toe Tarantula
Size: They can reach a maximum size of around 5 inches.
Pink Toe Tarantula Size
Color: Mature specimens have a solid dark to a metallic grey color body with four pairs of feet with each one bearing pink to pinkish orange toes. The hair in the abdomen and leg region often display a purplish to reddish hue.
Other Characteristic Features: The entire body is covered with dense to semi-dense, long silky hair. The fangs are folded downwards, under the body part.
Pink Toe Tarantula Habitat
The female pink toe spider makes its web soon after mating, in which it lays its 50 and 200 eggs that fertilize during the process of passing out of its body. As the eggs are laid, the mother wraps them into a ball, guarding the egg sac under its abdomen.
Pink Toe Tarantula Eggs
It takes about seven weeks for the eggs to hatch. In order to grow, the baby spiders need to pass through several molts, a process by which they shed the old exoskeleton, emerging in a fresh, larger one. During their first year, the young offspring molt five to six times during the first year.
Pink Toe Tarantula Spiderling
The pink-toed tarantulas have a pair of formidable fangs that can very easily make their way through the skin of the prey and eventually subdue them. The spiders usually do not bite humans unless they are handled.
The venom is not extremely toxic and seldom causes a systemic reaction including localized swelling and a bite mark, but never death. But the bite itself hurts and is comparable to a wasp sting due to the large size of the fangs.
In worst cases, you can get swelling due to a histamine reaction leading to excessive inflammation, respiratory distress, or anaphylactic shock.
Pink Toe Tarantula Enclosure
Guyana Pinktoe
| Lifespan | 4 to 8 years (males die within a few months from mating) |
| Distribution | In South America, starting from Costa Rica to Brazil, as well as in the southern parts of Caribbean |
| Habitat | Dense plants and trees, cavities in the barks of dead trees |
| Common predators | The most common enemy is the spider-wasp; hawks, owls, weasels, skunks, and snakes also prey on these spiders |
| Diet | A wide variety of prey like grasshoppers, crickets, roaches, flying insects, and even small lizards and frogs |
Picture of Pink Toe Tarantula
South American Pinktoe
Image Credits: Chehaw.org, Burkemuseum.org, Reptilecity.com, lh5.ggpht.com, I.imgur.com, Arachnoboards.com,
Jonathansjungleroadshow.co.uk, Thesprucepets.com, Worldnature55.com
