Chaetopelma olivaceum
Middle East Gold - complete care guide
Middle East Gold
Temperature
22-28 °C
Target ambient range
Humidity
50-65 %
Substrate / enclosure RH
Adult DLS
11-13 cm
Average - varies per individual
Moult interval
Sling 3-7w - Juv 1.8-3mo
Adult 9-14mo
Adult cycle = mature females; males never moult again after maturity
About
The Middle East Gold (long sold as the "Jerusalem tarantula") - a dusty olive-gold ground spider ranging from Cyprus and Turkey across the Levant to Egypt, famous for living in ruins, tombs and burial caves where it forms enormous natural colonies. That colonial heritage makes it one of the few tarantulas with genuine (though never guaranteed) communal potential. Fast and nervous rather than defensive, with mild venom and a habit of flashing its red mouthparts when annoyed. Hardy, cheap and an interesting "first Old World" for keepers ready for the speed.
Husbandry cheat sheet
- Origin
- Cyprus / Turkey / Levant / Egypt / Iran
- Habitat
- Mediterranean scrub - under rocks, ruins and tombs
- Temperament
- Skittish
- In your collection
- 0
Growth, lifespan & conservation
- Growth rate
- Medium
- Maturity
- ♀ 36mo ♂ 24mo
- Lifespan
- ♀ 14yr ♂ 4yr
- Continent
- Africa
- UK availability
- Uncommon
Care Guide
Chaetopelma olivaceum
Middle East Gold - a complete husbandry sheet. Use as a starting point and adjust to your individual specimen.
What size enclosure does a Middle East Gold Tarantula need?
Adults
30 × 25 cm (12 × 10 in) for a mature adult - larger with extra hides for communal attempts.
Slings & Juveniles
Small deli cups or sling tubs with a hide and firm substrate.
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 Middle East Gold Tarantula need?
Heating
The Middle East Golds is comfortable at 22-28 °C and manage in most UK homes; warm the room only if winter stays under 18 °C.
Humidity
50-65 %: dry substrate and a full water dish; overflow a corner occasionally and let it dry back.
Ventilation
Cross-ventilation is essential - side-vented enclosures, never stagnant.
What substrate is best for a Middle East Gold Tarantula?
Recommended Mixes
Depth
5-8 cm
Notes
Keep substrate dry to barely moist - never soaking. Pack firm under stone décor.
How do you set up a Middle East Gold Tarantula enclosure?
Décor
The Hide
Flat stone or cork slab hides pressed to the substrate - wild colonies shelter under rocks and in masonry crevices.
Water
Always provide a shallow fresh water dish. Keep it full and clean it regularly.
Lighting
No special lighting needed. Ambient room light is enough.
How often should you feed a Middle East Gold Tarantula?
Good Feeders
Long refusal worrying you? Separate premoult fasting from genuine problems with our "Is my T okay?" checker.
Is my Middle East Gold Tarantula dying or moulting?
Pre-moult signs to look for
Refusing food for weeks is normal before a moult - a healthy Middle East Gold Tarantula fasting is almost never an emergency in itself. Watch for slowing down and spending more time in the hide, laying a thick moult mat of web on the floor. Old World species do not flick urticating hairs, so there is no bald patch to watch - rely on fasting, lethargy and hide time instead.
On its back is MOULTING, not dying
A Middle East Gold 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 24-48 days for spiderlings, every 55-90 days for juveniles, and every 130-210 days for sub-adults, with adult females moulting around every 9.3 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 Middle East Gold Tarantula need?
🪞 Moulting
Signs: refuses food, seals into a hide, abdomen darkens and goes glossy. Do not disturb, remove prey, keep water available, and wait until the fangs are black and hard before feeding again. Adult intervals apply to mature FEMALES - a mature male never moults again.
🧹 Cleaning
Daily: check the water dish. Weekly: remove boluses and spot-clean. Full deep clean every few months.
✋ Handling
Nervous and fast rather than defensive; threat display is flashing red mouthparts. Observe rather than handle; catch cup for moves.
What are the most common mistakes when keeping Middle East Gold Tarantulas?
✓ What They Love
- Dry Mediterranean setup - rocks, hides, water dish
- Cross-ventilation
- Stable room temperature
- Multiple hides if attempting a communal
- A secure lid - it is quick
✕ Common Mistakes
- Wet substrate - Mediterranean species
- Crowding a communal without escape space and hides
- Free handling - fast with a mild but real Old World bite
- Expecting a display spider - it loves a hide
Keep exploring: related care guides
More ground-dwelling species and close relatives from our full library:
Acanthoscurria cordubensis
Argentinian Bronze Birdeater
Terrestrial - full guide →
Acanthoscurria geniculata
Brazilian Giant White Knee
Terrestrial - full guide →
Acanthoscurria musculosa
Black Velvet Rump
Terrestrial - full guide →
Acanthoscurria natalensis
Natal Brown Birdeater
Terrestrial - full guide →
⭐ Community Ratings
No ratings yet - be the first to rate this species!