Pink Toed Tarantula Facts

Pink-toed tarantulas, which grow to about the size of an adult person's palm, are known for their docile nature and ease of care. They are considered an ideal beginner spider for those interested in keeping tarantulas because of their temperament and their minimal care requirements.

  1. Not Necessarily Cannibalistic

    • The vast majority of spiders are cannibalistic, meaning they cannot be housed together. However, pink-toed tarantulas, while not social animals, will tolerate roommates. They require a large tank with more horizontal than vertical space and plenty of places for them to hide from each other. Place only pink-toed tarantulas of similar size in a communal tank to ensure that a larger spider does not see a smaller one as prey.

    Trees Dwellers

    • In their natural habitat in South America, pink-toed tarantulas live in trees. They are an arboreal species which generally prefer to be up in the air rather than on the ground. To replicate this environment, keep several fake branches with leaves on them in their tank to give the spiders a place to climb and hide. Live plants may serve this purpose while also helping to keep the humidity up.

    Active

    • While some spiders are very sedentary and still, the pink-toed tarantula is active. It explores its enclosure on a regular basis and will climb all over someone holding it. But even with regular handling, the spider remains slightly nervous when it is out of its normal environment. They may make short jumps, so be ready to catch them if they try to jump off you. Handle the spider gently, and avoid pinning it with its fangs to your skin.

    Carnivorous

    • Pink-toed tarantulas hunt their prey down and kill it. When they are small, they may be fed small insects like pinhead crickets and mealworms, while as adults, they can chase down moths and large crickets. Large pink-toed tarantulas may also eat tiny lizards and pinkie mice. They are aggressive feeders with good appetites.