Southern Blue Tarantula

Tarantulas

MOQ 20

Partners Only

13 – 15 cm legspan

Old-World venom — no urticating hairs. Medically significant: a bite causes severe local pain, swelling and muscle cramping typical of Chilobrachys. Treat with respect.

An undescribed blue-sheened Chilobrachys from southern Thailand. A heavy-bodied, web-happy fossorial species of humid lowland and evergreen forest that lines its burrow with thick silk. 0 – 600 m.

Insects and other arthropods ambushed from the silk-lined retreat. Nocturnal sit-and-wait predator.

26 – 30 °C ambient — 24 °C cool end

75 – 85 %. Keep substrate moist with a drier surface; water dish and good ventilation. Blue iridescence shows best at higher humidity.

None required (nocturnal).

Crickets, roaches and locusts. Slings every 4 – 5 days; adults every 7 – 10 days.

Fossorial/web — 12 – 18 cm of moist substrate plus a cork-bark anchor for heavy webbing. Min 25 × 25 cm footprint.

Defensive, very fast and quick to threat-pose; bolts or bites readily. Hands-off, advanced keepers only.