Avicularia merianae
Tarapoto Pinktoe - complete care guide
Often searched as: Aviculara merianae.
Tarapoto Pinktoe
Temperature
21-28 °C
Target ambient range
Humidity
65-80 %
Substrate / enclosure RH
Adult DLS
10-13 cm
Average - varies per individual
Moult interval
Sling 3-6w - Juv 1.7-2.8mo
Adult 10-14mo
Adult cycle = mature females; males never moult again after maturity
About
A proper species from the 2017 Avicularia revision, named for the naturalist Maria Sibylla Merian and found around Tarapoto, Peru. Velvety dark body shot with champagne, pink and purple iridescence and pink toe tips - the "Shadowflame" of trade lists. Among the calmest and easiest pinktoes: 10-13 cm, sits out on its web, and regularly captive-bred in the UK. Slings are the finicky stage; adults are straightforward.
Husbandry cheat sheet
- Origin
- Peru (San Martín)
- Habitat
- Premontane rainforest
- Temperament
- Docile
- In your collection
- 0
Growth, lifespan & conservation
- Growth rate
- Medium
- Maturity
- ♀ 36mo ♂ 30mo
- Lifespan
- ♀ 12yr ♂ 5yr
- Continent
- South America
- UK availability
- Uncommon
Care Guide
Avicularia merianae
Tarapoto Pinktoe - a complete husbandry sheet. Use as a starting point and adjust to your individual specimen.
What size enclosure does a Tarapoto Pinktoe Tarantula need?
Adults
25 × 25 × 40 cm tall. Generous vertical cork and anchor points for webbing.
Slings & Juveniles
Small tall vials or arboreal sling tubs with a piece of vertical cork.
To map exact floor space and substrate safety limits for your setup, use our free interactive tarantula enclosure planner.
What temperature and humidity does a Tarapoto Pinktoe Tarantula need?
Heating
The Tarapoto Pinktoes is comfortable at 21-28 °C. Most UK homes sit in or near this range; heat the room rather than the enclosure if winter drops below 19 °C.
Humidity
65-80 % with strong cross-flow: light misting of the walls, barely damp substrate - stagnant wet is the killer, not moderate dryness.
Ventilation
The single most important husbandry factor for this species. Cross-flow (top + side mesh) is non-negotiable.
What substrate is best for a Tarapoto Pinktoe Tarantula?
Recommended Mixes
Depth
3-5 cm
Notes
Substrate is mostly a moisture buffer - keep one corner lightly damp, never wet throughout.
How do you set up a Tarapoto Pinktoe Tarantula enclosure?
Décor
The Hide
A vertical cork tube or propped bark retreat up off the floor - they build a thick silk tube home.
Water
Shallow dish on the floor - keep it full and clean.
Lighting
Ambient room light only. Avoid basking lamps.
How often should you feed a Tarapoto Pinktoe Tarantula?
Good Feeders
Long refusal worrying you? Separate premoult fasting from genuine problems with our "Is my T okay?" checker.
Is my Tarapoto Pinktoe Tarantula dying or moulting?
Pre-moult signs to look for
Refusing food for weeks is normal before a moult - a healthy Tarapoto Pinktoe Tarantula fasting is almost never an emergency in itself. Watch for slowing down and spending more time in the hide, thickening the silk hammock it sleeps in. New World species like this one often show a bald spot on the abdomen that darkens to near-black as the new skin underneath readies - a darkening bald patch is a reliable countdown, not a disease.
On its back is MOULTING, not dying
A Tarapoto Pinktoe Tarantula lying upside down or on its side with legs curled inwards is almost certainly mid-moult. Do not touch it, do not right it, do not mist it - just remove any live prey (crickets can kill a defenceless moulter) and leave the room.
How long between moults?
For this species, expect a moult roughly every 21-42 days for spiderlings, every 50-85 days for juveniles, and every 170-260 days for sub-adults, with adult females moulting around every 10 months (up to 14 months at the extreme). Males never moult again after their ultimate (mature) moult.
After the moult: fang hardening time
The new exoskeleton stays soft, with fangs that cannot grip, for roughly 7 days in this species. Offer no food and no handling for about 7 days - feeding too early is how fresh moulters get injured. The shed exuvium is also the best sexing tool there is - see our tarantula sexing guide for what to look for.
Genuinely worried about behaviour that is not moulting? Our "Is my T okay?" triage tool walks the danger signs one by one.
What ongoing care does a Tarapoto Pinktoe Tarantula need?
🪞 Moulting
Arboreals often moult suspended in a web hammock. Do not disturb, remove prey, and slightly raise humidity around the time. Wait 5-7 days post-moult before offering food. Adult intervals apply to mature females - males never moult after their ultimate moult.
🧹 Cleaning
Spot clean webbed boluses when visible, refresh the water dish weekly.
✋ Handling
Very docile but fast and jumpy - catch cup only.
What are the most common mistakes when keeping Tarapoto Pinktoe Tarantulas?
✓ What They Love
- Tall enclosure with vertical cork
- Strong cross-ventilation
- Mist one wall - let it cycle dry
- Clamping/secure lid
- Prey no bigger than the abdomen
✕ Common Mistakes
- Free handling - a jump from height kills
- Sealed, unventilated tanks
- Soaked substrate
- Worrying about sling appetite swings - young avics fast on and off
Keep exploring: related care guides
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