Cyriocosmus sp. Oronegro
Golden Heart Dwarf - complete care guide
Golden Heart Dwarf
Temperature
20-24 °C
Target ambient range
Humidity
70-80 %
Substrate / enclosure RH
Adult DLS
5-6 cm
Average - varies per individual
Moult interval
Sling 2-4w - Juv 0.9-1.6mo
Adult 4-6mo
Adult cycle = mature females; males never moult again after maturity
About
The Golden Heart Dwarf ("Oronegro") - jet black with a metallic gold-to-red "mirror heart" abdominal patch, an undescribed Peruvian Cyriocosmus in the hobby since 2007 and possibly the gentlest dwarf in the trade. Remarkably visible for a dwarf (sits in the open, lightly webbed), grows at ridiculous speed, and breeds readily. £35 slings that become display adults inside a year - a pocket-sized beginner gem.
Husbandry cheat sheet
- Origin
- Peru
- Habitat
- Forest floor - display burrower
- Temperament
- Docile
- In your collection
- 0
Growth, lifespan & conservation
- Growth rate
- Very fast
- Maturity
- ♀ 12mo ♂ 10mo
- Lifespan
- ♀ 7yr ♂ 2yr
- Continent
- South America
- UK availability
- Uncommon
Care Guide
Cyriocosmus sp. Oronegro
Golden Heart Dwarf - a complete husbandry sheet. Use as a starting point and adjust to your individual specimen.
What size enclosure does a Golden Heart Dwarf Tarantula need?
Adults
12-15 cm square is plenty; 4-5 cm of substrate.
Slings & Juveniles
Small sling pots on fruit flies/micro crickets - they hatch at 0.5 cm.
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 Golden Heart Dwarf Tarantula need?
Heating
The Golden Heart Dwarfs is comfortable at 20-24 °C; most UK homes manage without supplementary heat.
Humidity
70-80 %: keep the substrate consistently moist (not wet).
Ventilation
Cross-ventilation with consistent humidity - fine mesh only.
What substrate is best for a Golden Heart Dwarf Tarantula?
Recommended Mixes
Depth
4-5 cm
Notes
Shallow and consistently damp; the species displays rather than digs deep.
How do you set up a Golden Heart Dwarf Tarantula enclosure?
Décor
The Hide
A starter burrow under bark plus its own light webbing; spends much of the day in the open.
Water
A bottle cap or tiny dish; damp substrate covers most hydration.
Lighting
No special lighting needed.
How often should you feed a Golden Heart Dwarf Tarantula?
Good Feeders
Long refusal worrying you? Separate premoult fasting from genuine problems with our "Is my T okay?" checker.
Is my Golden Heart Dwarf Tarantula dying or moulting?
Pre-moult signs to look for
Refusing food for weeks is normal before a moult - a healthy Golden Heart Dwarf 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. 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 Golden Heart Dwarf 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 14-28 days for spiderlings, every 28-48 days for juveniles, and every 55-90 days for sub-adults, with adult females moulting around every 4 months (up to 6.3 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 4 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 Golden Heart Dwarf Tarantula need?
🪞 Moulting
Moults in the light webbing or burrow. Keep humidity steady and prey out; wait 3-4 days post-moult (tiny species harden fast) before feeding. Adult intervals apply to mature females - males never moult after their ultimate moult.
🧹 Cleaning
Refresh the bottle-cap water dish weekly; spot clean boluses.
✋ Handling
Gentle and remarkably docile - still a 5 cm escape artist. Observe rather than handle.
What are the most common mistakes when keeping Golden Heart Dwarf Tarantulas?
✓ What They Love
- Tiny prey - fruit flies and micro crickets
- Consistently moist (not wet) substrate
- Cross-ventilation
- A starter burrow plus open display space
- Enjoying a visible dwarf for once
✕ Common Mistakes
- Large prey - thicker than the spider is dangerous
- Letting substrate dry out - dysecdysis risk
- Coarse ventilation gaps
- Big tubs - dwarfs hunt poorly in them
Keep exploring: related care guides
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Acanthoscurria geniculata
Brazilian Giant White Knee
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Acanthoscurria musculosa
Black Velvet Rump
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Acanthoscurria natalensis
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