Pinktoe Tarantula

South American Pinktoe Tarantula
Avicularia avicularia (Araneae: Theraphosidae)

Pinktoe Tarantulas are docile, fast moving arboreal tarantulas. They are native to tropical South America: Brazil, Trinidad, Guyana, French Guyana, Surinam, Venezuela, and the Amazon Basin (Fouskaris 2001), and therefore require high humidity. Avicularia avicularia is one of the few tarantula species that can be kept in groups, particularly when they are young (though cannibalism may very well occur). Because Avicularia species tend to climb up, a vertical cage is a must.

Housing:	Upright cage, taller than wide
Communal:	Somewhat
Diet:	Crickets, cockroaches, or flying insects
Substrate:	Soil, peat moss, or vermiculite
Decor:	Cork bark upright against side of cage, water dish
Temperature:	23.9 to 29.4° C (75 to 85° F)
Humidity:	High
Temperament:	Docile and fast, jumps
Considerations:	Good for beginners

Litee died in March of 2002.

Litee (pronounced "lie-tee") is a Pinktoe Tarantula. I got him in December 2000. He was only like 6 cm or so when I got him. He molted in February 2001 and after he molted I could tell he was a male. Before that I didn't know. I saved his shed skin but it got broken into a bunch of little pieces. Oh well. "Kun" means boy-type in Japanese which is why I put that after his name. I got the idea from an anime series, hehe. He is bigger than he was when I got him, but he is still just a little guy, barely reaching 9 cm from the tips of his front legs to the tips of his back. This is to be expected, since male spiders don't get nearly as large as their female counterparts. Litee is very friendly, docile, well-mannered, and non-threatening. In fact, he is probably the tamest tarantula I have ever met, but he can move very fast if startled or when being handled. He is an arboreal tarantula which means in the wild he would live in trees. I have his cage tipped on the side and set up so he can climb. He climbs the vertical lid to his cage and likes to hang out on his piece of corkbark. He is the coolest spider I have ever met. He can also jump. One time he surprised me when I was holding him. I was sitting there looking at him and all of the sudden he jumped onto my face!

Avicue is my second pinktoe. I got him on April 10, 2002, shortly after Litee died. He pretty much has the same temperament as Litee, friendly but speedy. He molted into a mature male on or around September 23rd. 2002. Originally I kept him in Litee's cage, a "Kritter Keeper" modified to stand on end to accommodate this arboreal species. Now he is in a larger upright glass terrarium.


May 2002: Avi as a juvenile		Hello!	Photo by Camille Hawbaker, Sept. 02


Nov. 17, 2002	On the prowl!	Colors on Avicue	Dec. 9, 2002

I bought Tin-Tee as a graduation present to myself in May 2003. She occupies Avicue's cage and molted shortly after I got her. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that she doesn't surprise me with another molt to a male. She is docile but does not like to leave her web.

In June of 2004 I came home from shopping one day to find a paper bag of animals that someone had anonymously left by the door to the room! (Later I found out who left it.) In one container was a sub-adult pinktoe. The spider was missing one leg and a pedipalp, so I named him Stub. The appendages are growing back. I have given Stub to a friend of mine.

Lizzy, so named by his former 5-year old owner, is an adult male that I received from another hobbyist. I attempted to breed him to my adult female (Tin-Tee), but unfortunately Lizzy died in Jan. 2006 and then Tin-Tee molted. The two spiders cohabited for about six months or so.


Feb. 26, 2001


Mar. 25, 2001


May 24, 2003: Tin-Tee in her web


Mar. 6, 2004


Aug. 10, 2005


May 24, 2005	Aug. 10, 2005