Harpactira pulchripes spiderling • 3/4″ (golden blue-leg baboon)

Description

Listed are Harpactira pulchripes spiderlings, another classic from South African. H. pulchripes is an Old World terrestrial hardly needing introduction. Nicknamed the golden blue-legged baboon, H. pulchripes in the US took off in 2014. It took several years for captive breeding to catch up with demand. One wonders why a tarantula this remarkable, described in 1901, didn’t enter the hobby sooner. Size is modest with females reaching only about 3 inches.

Spiderlings here are reasonably well-started, but still, it’s a good idea to keep them over slightly dampened substrate (1 part water + 10 parts dry substrate). Limit ventilation enough to allow some humidity to build. Over the next few molts they’ll acquire more drought tolerance. As they do, gradually decrease soil dampness and air humidity, perhaps adding a water dish as insurance against accidental dehydration.

Keep juveniles through adults on dry to semi-dry substrate.

Photos: 1-semi-adult female (ArachnoEden); 2-mother on a hammock (ArachoEden); 3-immature female (ArachnoEden)

Care highlights:

• slightly dampened substrate for spiderings
• elevated humidity +/- water dish support
• room temperature (68-72F) up to 80F
• juveniles through adults can be kept on a drier substrate
• an opportunistic burrower, consider a hide
• consider savannah litter and plantings for enrichment