This is a specific care sheet for Pinktoes (Avicularia avicularia), for more in this genus see Category:Avicularia.
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The Pinktoe Tarantula, Avicularia avicularia (Avic avic), is a species of tarantula native to South America, ranging form Costa Rica to Brazil, and the southern Caribbean. This species is also known as the Guyana pinktoe, the Common pinktoe or the South American pinktoe. This is a very docile species of tarantula. Just like the rest of the Avic‘s they are an arboreal species meaning they live and hunt high up in trees and other plants. Because of this they require a tall enclosure and a good deal of flora to climb on. Avic avic’s produce an amazing tube web.
| Tarantula Information (for a more detailed Tarantula care review see Tarantula Care Sheets | |
| Regions Found: | Amazon, Brazil, French Guyana, Surinam, Trinidad and Venezuela |
| Class: | Arboreal |
| Longevity: | Medium growth |
| Adult Size: | 11 to 13cm |
| Temperament: | Calm and docile. Will run fast if startled. |
| Urticating Hairs: | Yes, will also shoot excrement |
| Venom Potency: | |
| Avicularia avicularia Housing Requirements | |
| Tarantula Housing: | Height is much more important than floor space, a substrate should be provided with a variety of plants and branches. Ensure branches are in a stable position and will not fall if the tarantula climbs onto it |
| Temperature: | 24-30°C (75.2-86°F) |
| Humidity: | 80% |
| Special Requirements: | |
| Breeding Avicularia avicularia Tarantulas | |
| Breeding Difficulty: | Moderate |
| Egg sac size: | |
| Danger to Male: | Low but still possible sexual cannibalism |
| Avicularia avicularia Diet | |
| Livefood insects such as crickets, locust, butter worms, meal worms, superworms, housefliesand cockroaches. | |
| Recommended Pet Supplies for Avicularia avicularia | |
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Habitat
Avicularia Housing
Enclosure
A. avicularia requires a habitat of atleast 5 gallons in volume, and being an arboreal species, height is much more important than floor space. You should provide an arrangement of climbing obstacles for your pet, and try to incorporate a few different shelters and levels for them to explore. Atleast one area of the enclosure should be portioned off and kept away from any direct sources of light, so as to provide a dark area for your spider to retreat.
Although this species is sometimes rumoured to be suited for a communal lifestyle, housing more than one in the same enclosure will often lead to cannibalism in the long run.
Substrate
You should cover the bottom of the enclosure with 2-3 inches of peat moss, potting soil or vermiculite.
Enclosure
Adult Avicularia can be kept in containers that are atleast 3 gallons in size and provided with plenty of ventilation. A small converted aquarium will do perfect if there is enough climbing space for the tarantula.
Spiderlings can be kept in small containers such as pill tubs and waxworm tubs.
Provide some flora for your Pinktoe to inhabit and build its web. If you want to make your pet’s home more attractive you may choose to further decorate the enclosure. Avoid sharp edges and rough textures.
Heating
Ensure that you adhere to the specific needs of the Avicularia you are housing. Bear in mind that the warmer you keep your tarantula, the higher its metabolic rate will be. Therefore it will want to eat more often and will grow faster. At night temperatures reduce naturally so ensure a temperature drop of at least 5°C, to give the tarantula a sense of time.
To ensure the temperatures are being provided you should monitor them by using accurate thermometers in a few locations within the enclosure.
Humidity
Humidity can be provided by moist substrates and a misting bottle. Misting can cause Avicularia to lose their grip of smooth surfaces, so be careful not to squirt it off its perch. The best way to keep the tank humid is to provide a large shallow water bowl and keep the substrate moist.
To successfully maintain the desired humidity conditions for your Pinktoe you are going to need a hygrometer. A hygrometer is a device used to measure relative humidity within the enclosure.
Feeding
Just like other tarantulas, Avicularia eat insects, reptiles and small rodents up to their own size. Suitable insects include crickets, moths, beetle larvae (meal worms and superworms), houseflies and cockroaches. Although they may take on rodents and reptiles in the wild it is not recommended you feed them in captivity, for complications may arise such as a fatal bite by the food item itself.
When feeding livefoods, although it may be fun, try not to over challenge your Pinktoe by giving it food items that are too large. Stick with something about half the size of the tarantula and remove uneaten food items so they do not cause harm or stress the tarantula.
Avicularia Feeding
Spiders usually eat massive amounts post-moult until they are full, this is called power feeding. They will refuse food pre-molt or when ready to lay an egg sac. It usually takes about 1 week to 1 month for Avicularia to accept food after a moult, because of the skin and fang hardening process. You can’t really overfeed a tarantula, but this doesn’t mean you should overdo it by giving it 50 crickets after a moult; the tarantula will probably end up killing them all and leaving dead ones uneaten. If this is the case then they should be removed to prevent bacteria and mould growth. The other factor is that a plump abdomen is more prone to rupture if this arboreal species falls from a height.
Avicularia are sometimes troublesome to feed as food items will explore terrestrially and go unnoticed. To encourage feeding try to drop the food items near to the tarantula and so that it lands on the web. You will find that a hungry Avicularia will pounce on any meal that falls nearby.
Breeding
Breeding of this genus is pretty straight forward since they can be kept communally, it is however difficult to get them “in the mood”.
Gallery of Avicularia
 Avicularia avicularia |
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