SPECIAL NOTE: USPS forbids shipping venomous spiders or scorpions in the mail.

Because of this, we ship these animals FedEx priority overnight for a flat fee of $39.99.

• Another hobby staple, the Costa Rican Stripe knee is gaining notoriety due to its ease of care and striking monochromatic appearance.
• An obligate burrower, but does stay out in the open quite a bit in spite of that. Creates very interesting burrow structures.
• This species is known for its longevity and hardiness. Though most commonly docile, it may still kick its urticating hairs when disturbed and has been known to bolt.

Name: Aphonopelma Seemanni or “Costa Rican Stripe Knee” Aphonopelma comes from Greek roots, meaning “Silent” and “sole of foot” Seemanni seems to be a proper name, likely after a person with a history in the species.

Recommended Enclosure Size: The Aphonopelma seemanni is an obligate burrowing terrestrial, the ideal setup size should provide enough surface area to accommodate at least 4x the spider’s diagonal leg span in any direction, and should be deep enough to accommodate enough substrate to create a good system of burrows. Slings should have at least an inch or two of substrate, adults at least 4”-6”. Never give your terrestrial spiders more than twice their diagonal leg span for headspace above the substrate, as falls from above that height can be catastrophic.

Want to spice up your enclosure with live plants? Our experts have curated kits of easy-to-care-for and SAFE plants for your tarantula. Check them out here!

Temperature: This species is very forgiving temperature wise, thriving in temperatures anywhere from 70-85 degrees fahrenheit, we do not recommend that temperatures deviate from that range by more than 5 or so degrees for long periods of time.

Humidity: This species should be kept around 70% humidity, which can easily be achieved by just never letting the substrate dry out completely.

Size: Aphonopelma Seemanni sold by Josh’s Frogs are at least .25" at time of sale. This species does achieve up to a 6” leg span.

Age: At the time of purchase, Aphonopelma Seemanni sold by Josh’s Frogs are at least 2 months old. Males of this species can live up to 7 years, while females can live 20+ years with proper care.

Feeding: At the time of purchase, Aphonopelma Seemanni sold by Josh’s Frogs are eating hydei fruit flies, twice a week. As they molt and get larger, so should their prey, with their prey items always being the same size as their carapace or smaller. Slings should be fed once every 4-7 days, adults every 7-10. Never offer food to a tarantula less than a week after its last molt.

Sexing: Due to age, Aphonopelma Seemanni spiderlings sold by Josh’s Frogs are sold as unsexed. Specimens of 2.5”-3” will be able to start being accurately sexed. The most accurate method will always be molt sexing. The molt of a female tarantula, between the top set of book lungs will have a slit with spermatheca and a uterus externus, which on a smaller spider will just be a flap that moves when manipulated with a toothpick or a pin. A male tarantula will have a much more plain slit that will not budge with attempts to manipulate it.

Color/Pattern: As spiderlings, they are a medium brown color, as they age due to their range, there is some color variation amongst adults. Their base coloration can be anywhere from jet black with a blue sheen to a brown that looks almost like a sand dusted black, and their leg striping can vary from stark white to cream. The underside and spinnerets on all adults will be a peach color.

Social Behavior: This species should be housed solitarily, any attempt at cohabitation is likely to result in cannibalism.

Breeding: Males and females of sexual maturity can be put in the same enclosure briefly for the purpose of mating. Ideally both will be fairly freshly molted and well fed. The male and female should be separated fairly immediately after insertion is observed (the male will generally initiate separation on his own after he has had success) or if the spiders are acting less than receptive or aggressive towards each other.

Natural Range: Costa Rica and much of Central America.

Links of Interest:

• Arachnoboards: a community of spider enthusiasts that will be able to or have already answered almost any question you can think of with regards to tarantulas.

http://arachnoboards.com/

Still not sure if Costa Rican striped knee tarantula from Josh's Frogs is the right pet bug for you? Read the reviews below and see what other customers are saying!