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Pink-toed Tarantula

Pink-toed Tree Spider Family: Theraphosidae

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Avicularia avicularia Photo © Animal-World: Courtesy Bill Korinek

   Energetic and friendly, the Pink-toed Tarantula or Pink-toed Tree Spider is one of the most rewarding species of tarantula to keep in captivity!

   Besides being docile and easily handled, the Pink-toed Tarantula is hardy and entertaining if kept properly. They are active during the day and will build extensive web tubes in their enclosure. Though they are much more docile than their close cousin the Antilles Pink Toe Tarantula they will jump, so care should be taken when handling them.

   As with the other species of Avicularia, the Pink-toed Tarantula is a little more challenging to keep. It requires the unique combination of high humidity and plenty of ventilation. This combination can be somewhat difficult to provide in captivity.

For more Information on keeping tarantulas see:
Guide to a Happy, Healthy Invertebrate

Distribution:
   The Pink-toed Tarantula or Pink-toed Tree Spider is found in Brazil, Trinidad, Martinique, Guyana, French Guiana, Suriname, Venezuela, and throughout the Amazon Basin. Most of those available currently are imported from Guyana.
   The Avicularia genus itself is the most widespread group of spiders in the Americas and contains about 20 species. This genus was also the very first of the tarantulas to be described by science

Description:
   The Pink-toed Tarantula is a small sized tarantula with long dense hairs. The females reach about 5" (13 cm) and males are slightly smaller, reaching about 3.5" (9 cm). They are a beautiful furry species that is an overall dark black to metallic gray. They can also have an attractive coloration on their abdominal and leg hairs varying from a shiny purple or deep violet to reddish hues, sometimes highlighted by yellows. Their most distinguishing feature is a wonderful pink to pink-orange tip to each foot.
   Mature males are long-legged and often boast a fascinating black with metallic look to its hairy carapace and abdomen. Females are a bit stockier, even for an arboreal species. They mature in 2 to 3 years and are estimated to live between 4 to 8 years.

Feeding:
   The Pink-toed Tarantula or Pink-toed Tree Spider is an aggressive feeder. It will eat a variety of insect prey including adult crickets, grasshoppers, roaches, and especially flying insects such as wax moths. In nature, they will also feed on small lizards such as Anolis species, but they are not typically fed vertebrate prey in captivity.

Environment:
   In the wild all the Avicularia species are primarily arboreal, They will live in human structures or on plants rather than on the ground. The Pink-toed Tree Spider should be kept in a large, vertically oriented enclosure. A modified aquarium or tall plastic storage tub will work well. Keep the enclosure dry and spray it lightly with water every few days. The cage should be allowed to dry out in between misting.
   By keeping several live plants within the enclosure you can add to the humidity. These plants can be placed within the enclosure still in their pots or can be planted in the deep substrate. Not only do live plants provide some more humidity, they will provide excellent areas for breeding and egg-laying. Provide one or two shallow water dishes in the enclosure.

Temperature and Humidity requirements:
   This species will do best if you maintain the enclosure at 78° to 82° F with a humidity level of 65 to 75%.

Social Behaviors:
   These are fun to keep because unlike most tarantulas, they can be kept in groups if you keep them in a large enough terrarium and keep them well fed. Pink-toed Tarantulas are one of the most docile of the arboreal species. Many of the other Avicularia species are more aggressive and will race away or even bite.

Handling:
   The Pink-toed Tarantula, as an arboreal species, are very agile and active. They are quite docile if not handled roughly or pinned with their fangs near your skin. They do tend to be nervous and jittery when handled and are prone to jumping from hand to hand, hand to shoulder, or in extreme cases, from hand to floor (which can be dangerous). They will jump, so care should be taken when handling them. As with other Avicularia species, Pink Toes are also fond of shooting a small spray of fecal matter as a defense.

Breeding/Reproduction:
   As with most tarantula species, the male Pink-toed Tarantula is thinner and has long, furry legs. He is equipped with hooks on his first pair of legs. These hooks are used to grapple with the female’s fangs during courtship and mating. A female remains bulky and less spindly as she grows.
   An adult male should be carefully introduced into the female’s enclosure after he has produced a sperm web. The male can be protected with a piece of cardboard or other tool if he is to be used for further breeding attempts. Once mating occurs, the female should be fed a variety of prey on a more frequent schedule.
   The Pink-toed tarantula will breed fairly readily. They lay between 50 to 200 eggs that hatch in six to eight weeks. The spiderlings are pretty good size and can easily be raised with crickets.

Ailments:
   Tarantulas are generally quite hardy and adaptable if they are provided with the right environment. A few signs that may indicate that your pet is not acting or feeling normal are a loss of appetite, lethargy, looking overly skinny, or pacing the enclosure.
   (A tarantula on its back is probably NOT sick.  Most tarantula species flip onto their backs during molting.  Though this is a very stressful and delicate time for tarantulas, if the humidity and warmth levels are correct, they will molt their exoskeleton, roll over, harden up, and within a week or two be ready for their next meals.)

• Molting: One of the most common reasons for your pet to demonstrate unusual behavior is due to a molting period. As they outgrow their existing skin all tarantulas regularly go through an extensive molt, shedding their entire skin as well as the linings of their mouth, respiratory organs, stomach and sexual organs.
     The process starts well before the actual molt. For several weeks prior to shedding they will be growing a new skin under their old one. During this time it is not unusual for a tarantula to get quite lethargic and even stop eating. There may also be lots of web spinning activity as they prepare to molt.
     When they begin to molt, they lay on their backs with their legs up in the air looking as if they are dead. Be sure not to disturb your tarantula when you see this. The shedding process goes quickly and smoothly as long the environment has adequate humidity.
     Once they have shed, their new skin is pale and very soft. The amount of time it takes for your pet to fully recover and be back to eating well will vary from a day or so up to several weeks depending on its size. Smaller spiders recover much quicker than larger ones.
• Other Problems: Other problems are usually the result of some type of environmental stress. There may be a drop in the temperature of the enclosure, there may be parasites, or the tarantula may just not be comfortable with the depth of its hiding place. These things can be easily adjusted or changed, or you can try moving your pet to a new enclosure.

Availability:
   The Pink-toed Tarantula was at one time the most abundant pet spider in the hobby. It has a large range and was imported by reptile dealers in large numbers for many years in the 1980s and 1990s. As importation has declined, it is now not commonly seen as an import but luckily is being bred in some numbers by hobbyists in the United States and Europe and is often available as captive-bred spiderlings.

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Latest Comments
I absolutely love tarantulas! Iris 2009-05-21
I absolutely love the Avicularia genus and am planning on getting about 15 Avic slings (spiderlings) pretty soon. Even non-tarantula lovers would be charmed by a a sling of this genus! I love raising any T from a sling, as you get to observe the different changes of coloration they go through! Very excited, I can't wait unitl I get my shipment! Warren Bautista 2008-12-18
I got a Pink toe about 4 Weeks ago, she is massive, she loves her tank, She loves building webs. I have to open the slide door, she has the entire ceiling webbed, she is now working building a web in the lower corner of her tree. After a few days I grew concerned. I had no idea where she was in the tank, until I peeled the plant gently away from the corner. To my surprise it lifted the whole substrate, slowly, and there she was, cowering away in the corner. She had moulted. I was surprised because I could not find her Exo skeleton, which I then found hanging in a web on the tree. She looks big cowering, I can't wait until her new Exo-Skeleton hardens and I can see how big she has grown or if she had changed colour :D Barry 2008-12-12
I have a new, to me, pink toe; about 3 years old, I’m told. She is in a 25 gallon tank with a large piece of drift wood for her to get up high (4 holes in it are large enough for her to hide in). A medium size heat pad is on the outside of the bottom, closer to one side allowing for both hot and cool zones. Being a tree spider she has 4 possible hiding places up off the ground, with 1 on the ground just in case. Terra fiber is the substrate I am using (advice from other owners) at a 1”-2” depth, with some rocks and a small water dish. She is beautiful and very docile so far, although I have only handled her once to clean and reset up the tank. Mike 2008-12-11
Hello, I have recently purchased a Pink toe tarantula. I am alittle nervous to hold her(?). I have not been able to figure out if it is a male or female. I was wondering how long it takes for them to settle into there new habitat and if low activity is normal. Any information on this will be greatly appreciated. Theoren 2008-10-30
Some of the coolest comments:
The humidity of the Pink Toe tarantula should be between 78-82% not as low as 65% and allowing the cage to dry out between spraying can also cause problems for this animal as they need to have high humidity and temperature. One thing that can make this a difficult pet to have in captivity is that they need to have ventiliation in the cage making it more difficult to keep humidity. We learnt the hard way and now have success with the pink toes and have a breeding pair. Lenette 2009-03-03
Comments Dr Jungle REALLY Likes to Hear!
Hi, me (Glen) and the Mrs (Emily) bought our stunning Pink Toed Tarantula about 3 weeks ago. She is our 1st ever Tarantula and has taken some getting use too. She was only small when we purchased her but amazingly quick!. She seems to be eating and growing well and enjoying living in her Terarium. I think that she is getting ready to shed her skin because she has built an amazing web inside her log and has dug right down through her substrate to her heat mat that is placed in her terarium. (Any Help or info about making her life easy whilst molting would be very much appreciated). OW AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT AS A 1ST TIMER THIS SITE AND THERE INFO HAS BEEN ABSOLUTELY AMAZINGLY HELPFUL AND DETAILED. I did alot of research about tarantulas and which 1 would be best for us and the sites we visited dont have half the info that this site has. Glen & Emily 2008-11-04
I just got my pink toe a few days ago and handled him for the first time yesterday.I was nervous because I thought he would jump off and land on the floor and die, but he didn't and I'm much more comfortable with him, lol. Although he seems to like to poop on me, even when hes not scared, and my teacher thinks its hillarious. But I mean he's not jumpy and loves to be held, so I hold him every chance I get because I love him. He likes his new house and has started building a web in it and I'm so happy for him. I love him, he's an amazing addition. It's cool because my science teacher is letting me keep him in the classroom so that everyone can enjoy him and hopefully become less afraid of the "terrifying" turantulas. Thanks for all the info. ~Kaitlin Kaitlin 2008-09-17
I just got a pink toed tarantula as a birthday gift from a friend two days ago. Never having owned a tarantula (or any insect for that matter) made me skeptical. I still am a little nervous about it, actually I just took her out of her tank/cage thing for the first time a few minutes ago. To my surprise she jumped on my head! It freaked me out so much that I screamed! She's sneaky, she'll be walking around all slow and then go into hyper speed in a second! I immediately tried to find out about it and now that I've read this I realize it's normal. But I am worried that I might hurt her by accident if she jumps or runs around all crazy all the time. She's so pretty though, and I'm learning how to handle it, even if I am still a little scared of her. I mean the poop spray? ahhh. :O I can only hope that never happens. Thanks for the info on this site...very helpful! ^_^ nervous tarantula owner. 2008-08-16

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Author: Russ Gurley
Additional Information: Clarice Brough, CRS
Edited by Animal-World.