Beginner’s Guide to Looking After Pink Toe Tarantulas

Pink toe tarantulas make excellent pets. They are peaceful creatures who spend most of their time in a relaxed state.

The pink toe tarantula (Avicularia avicularia) is a genus of arboreal spiders found in northern South America and southern Central America. They are known as becoming Linnaeus’s first tarantula genus, having been discovered in 1795. The Avicularia spiders are some of the most common pet species available and are among the most widely distributed tarantula groups worldwide.

Pink Toe tarantulas have huge, largely black bodies. They have pink tips at the end of their legs, hence the name, and are very hairy compared to other tarantulas. Although they have fangs and a venomous bite, their venom is not fatal. However, their bites can still be harmful. So, caring for a pinktoe tarantula should be taken seriously for pet owners.

Quick Facts

Common Name: Pink Toe Tarantula

Latin Name: Avicularia avicularia

Experience Level Required: Beginner

Lifespan: Up to 10 years in captivity

Size: 3 to 5 inches

Weight: 30g to 80g

Diet: Carnivorous

Average Price Range: $20 to $40 per spider

Enclosure Type and Size

Since pink toe tarantulas are arboreal creatures, the enclosure’s height is more significant than its length or width. A 12″x12″x18″ enclosure should be sufficient for an adult, whereas smaller spiders should be housed in even smaller enclosures. AMAC plastic containers are very common and are sized or customized accordingly to meet the needs of your spider.

Pink Toe tarantulas spend the bulk of their time near the top of the cage and spin their web. So, a semi-popular feature is to get a cage that opens on the lower part of one side or even on the base itself, with a large enough lid to lock in the substrate.  Opening from the base allows you enough time to respond to an attempted escape while also preserving the web the spider worked very hard to make. However, before undertaking this on your own, you can do some research and seek guidance from those who have already got this.

Enclosure Arrangement

Since the pink toe tarantula spends very little time on the ground, there is no need to place decor on the bottom of the enclosure. Indeed, the more debris on the turf, the more difficult it would be for the tarantula to capture prey and for you to extract uneaten prey. To avoid mold growth, half-eaten or otherwise dead prey objects should be discarded.

Multiple bits of cork bark can be used generously throughout your enclosure. Ideally, one of these bits would be a tunnel that the tarantula can use to conceal itself. To add additional hiding places, fake plants may be inserted or attached to your cork bark. These spiders despise being exposed so a lack of cover will stress your animal.

Humidity & Water

A water dish is required for the spider, but its location is entirely up to you. Frequently, individuals will use big bottle caps that have been partially pushed into the substrate. Another method is to glue them halfway up the cork bark.

This species of spider thrives in higher humidity levels (75-85%). You can measure the level using a hygrometer. If the humidity level is too low, the tarantula can fail to shed, which may be fatal in certain situations. Do not spray the spider directly; misting the spider will irritate it. You should apply water to the substrate’s exterior; the water can soak and evaporate, raising the substrate’s relative humidity.

Heating and Lighting

Pink toe tarantulas do not need UV lights or heat lamps. Simple lighting is more than sufficient for them. However, avoid placing the enclosure in strong sunlight. This might result in the spider being cooked within its own web.

These spiders are comfortable in temperatures ranging from 70 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit but can become more aggressive and molt faster at higher temperatures. To reach the optimum temperature, either uses heat tape or perhaps a low-wattage under-tank heater. Within your tank, a thermometer must be visible to ensure that your spider is kept at a safe temperature.

Feeding

Any tarantula’s standard diet is gut-loaded crickets. You will want to choose a scale that is suitable for your tarantula. Crickets as small as 14″ are ideal for juveniles, whereas mature crickets are favored for adult spiders. Cockroaches are another source of food you can give.

There are no records of juvenile tarantulas being overfed, so feed as much as your spider can consume. Ensure that you remove uneaten food items the next day. Additionally, avoid feeding for several days after molting. Allow your tarantula’s exoskeleton to harden completely until reintroducing food.

Adults overfeeding is not a big issue, but there is little benefit to it. If your tarantula consumes food only once a week, then feed it only once a week; otherwise, several feedings per week are appropriate.

Although tarantulas are able to go extended periods of time without any food, if your spider is not feeding, carefully monitor its wellbeing and weight loss.

Handling

The Avicularia species are better to treat than most tarantulas. They are less likely to bite and have weaker venom, but they may also be lethal if you have an allergic reaction.

However, some of these spiders, including pink toe tarantula, can jump. Tarantulas are small and fragile, and a high or repeated fall could cause an injury. So, keep a close watch on your tarantula.

Bear in mind that handling your tarantula does little to help your spider. It does not form a connection with you like other pets would, it’s more likely to fall, and you increase the chance of getting bitten if it becomes stressed.

Exercise

Physical activity is essential for animals and pets to prevent obesity and illnesses and ensure their optimum health. However, pink toe tarantulas are an exception, as they don’t require excessive exercise. Just secure an enclosure sufficient for their size, they should do well and get the right amount of physical activity they need.

Molting

Molting is an integral part of the growth process of arthropods, such as insects, crustaceans, and arachnids. This allows spiders to grow, shed their old hard-exterior exoskeleton, and replace it with a fresher model. Different species of arachnids molt at different times.

For a few weeks before molting, a pink toe tarantula will start growing its new skin under its old one. Your pet may display lethargy and increased web-spinning and may refuse to eat, which are common signals of an upcoming molt. 

A pink toe tarantula will normally, privately molt in its hide. As your pet starts to molt, it will lay on its back with its legs up in the air. Never distract your pink toe tarantula when you see it in this position.

While the molting process lasts only a few hours, your pet may be affected for over 48 hours. Once your pet has shed, its new skin will be very soft and pale. You’ll find the old exoskeleton somewhere on the bottom’s enclosure. Otherwise, you’ll find it webbed inside your pet’s hide.

Recovery times vary greatly depending on the spider’s size, lasting about a day or up to a few weeks. Smaller pink toe tarantulas will recover pretty much faster than their larger counterparts.

Grooming

Unlike dogs who benefit from professional grooming, pink toe tarantulas don’t need any special grooming. Their primary way of grooming themselves is through the process of molting. For the molt to be successful, ensure that the tank is always at the right temperature and humidity and that there is no live prey inside the enclosure that can damage your pet’s soft, pale, vulnerable new skin.

Breeding

For breeding to happen, you must have a mature female and a mature male pink toe tarantula. You must place the male in the female’s tank. Note that mating is more of a “hostile” interaction rather than a pleasurable experience for the tarantulas, often dictating the life and death of the male.

The male will have their sperm woven into a silk ball, which they carry in their second pair of appendages called pedipalps. During mating, he will then female’s fangs using his tibial hooks and try to inject his sperm ball into the female’s spermathecae.

If the female finds the male worth, she will allow him to do so, and copulation will start. If not, the female may react by cannibalizing the male Once done mating, you must remove the male immediately. Otherwise, she might have the male as her dinner.

If the breeding becomes successful, the female pink toe tarantula will produce an egg sack wrapped in silk and containing between 50 to 200 eggs. The eggs will hatch in about six to eight weeks or the average incubation period. Once the time comes, you need to get the egg sack from the female and cut the egg sack once ready. Afterward, you must place the spiderlings separately in individual containers.

Common Health Problems

Tarantulas don’t suffer from many health issues in captivity. They are generally hardy creatures, but you should still be wary of any changes in their behavior, such as less mobility, lethargy, loss of appetite, pale appearance, and pacing in the tank.

Often, owners mistake those symptoms for molting, not knowing that there is already a potential health issue affecting their pet. If these symptoms last for longer than usual or if you notice that your pink toe tarantula is hiding all the time, has a shrunken abdomen, and is dramatically losing weight, you should consult a veterinarian who has experience in treating invertebrates or a veteran keeper right away.

Upkeep Costs

The largest chunk of the monthly upkeep costs for your pink toe tarantula will be for its food, ranging between $5 to $10 on average. You can save significant money if you raise your crickets rather than buying them at pet stores. Your next biggest expense will be for refreshing the substrate, requiring you to spend around $10 to $20 periodically. Lastly, you should keep a budget for emergency medical care and the annual veterinary checkup.

FAQs

1. Are pink toe tarantulas good to have as pets?

Pink toe tarantulas are fascinating, low-maintenance pets to keep. They generally make decent pets as these pretty creatures are quiet and not prone to biting. Just be mindful that they are not cuddly pets and are not pretty active. Thus, they won’t suit pet owners looking for much care and excitement from a pet. 

2. Do pink toe tarantulas make great pets for kids?

Pink toe tarantulas can be great pets for kids who know how to handle them properly. That means that you must adequately educate your kid first prior to letting them handle these spiders.

Be wary that pink toe tarantulas don’t quite enjoy human contact, but they will be happy to sit comfortably on human hands as long as you’re gentle and you don’t jostle them. Still, it’s best to provide adult supervision and watch your kids as they handle tarantulas.

3. Are pink toe tarantulas venomous?

Pink toe tarantulas actually have low toxic venom and only cause local reactions of swelling, redness, and pain comparable to that of a bee sting. Their bite only has enough venom to take smaller types of prey for their food. Still, allergic reactions vary per individual, so it’s still best to exercise caution and seek immediate medical attention if you do get bitten and experience severe symptoms and difficulty in breathing.

4. Do Pink Toe Tarantulas Like Living Together?

What’s great about pink toe tarantulas is that, unlike other tarantula species, they are friendly to other pink toe tarantulas and can be kept together in groups. Just ensure that you house everyone in a large enough tank, which has ample room for them to have independent space for eating and room to build webs. Pink toe tarantulas are among the most docile of all the arboreal tarantula species.

Conclusion

A pink toe tarantula is unlikely to be seen in a traditional pet shop. Therefore, you can seek out a legitimate breeder and exotic pet rescue agency instead. A nearby exotic veterinarian might well be able to point you in the right direction. When you get one, be sure to follow the above tips to give it the best enclosure and life as your pet.

 

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