Caribena versicolor-Martinique Pink Toe

Caribena versicolor-Martinique Pink Toe

Housing

• Enclosure: A small, well-ventilated container such as a plastic vial, deli cup, or small terrarium is ideal for a sling. Caribena versicolor is an arboreal species, so as it grows it will need a taller enclosure with plenty of vertical space, cork bark, and branches to climb and web.

• Substrate: Use a thin layer (about 1–2 inches) of moisture-retaining substrate like coconut fiber or peat moss. While they don’t burrow much, the substrate helps maintain humidity.

• Humidity: Maintain a humidity level of around 70–80%. Lightly mist one side of the enclosure every few days, providing water droplets for drinking, but avoid over-misting to prevent mold. Good cross-ventilation is very important to prevent stagnant air.

• Temperature: A temperature range of 22–26°C (72–79°F) is best for Caribena versicolor. Room temperature in most homes is often adequate without extra heating, as long as it doesn’t get too cold.

Feeding

• Diet: Offer small prey such as pinhead crickets, flightless fruit flies, or tiny roaches once or twice a week for slings. As they grow, increase prey size but keep it smaller than the tarantula’s abdomen.

• Water: Slings will drink from droplets on webbing and enclosure walls. Mist lightly to provide these droplets and add a small water dish once the tarantula is large enough.

General Care

• Molting: Like all tarantulas, this species will molt several times as it grows. It may stop eating and retreat into its webbing before a molt. Increase humidity slightly during this time and do not feed until several days after the molt when the new exoskeleton has hardened.

• Handling: Not recommended. Caribena versicolor is fast and fragile, and a fall could be fatal. Use a soft brush or catch cup method if the spider must be moved.

Social Needs

• Caribena versicolor is a solitary species and should always be housed alone. Cohabitation will almost always lead to cannibalism.