Defining Characteristics:

• Very slow growth rate, and grows to be 4-5 inches of bright orange and dark black
• This species is known to be fairly docile and spends a lot of time out of its hides
• Females of this species can live 20-25 years!

Name: Aphonopelma bicoloratum, commonly known as the Mexican Blood Leg Tarantula.

Recommended Enclosure Size & Setup: Aphonopelma bicoloratum is a terrestrial species. The surface area of the enclosure should be no less than two times the spider's diagonal leg span in one direction, and three times the diagonal leg span in the other. Heights that are more than two or three times the diagonal leg span should be avoided, as a fall from any higher could result in serious injury.

The enclosure should be tall enough to accommodate 2-3 inches of substrate for slings and 4+ inches for adults. ABG mix, coco cradle, and Dig-It are all good substrate options for this species, but our Pet Bug Team prefers ABG all the way!

They will benefit from a variety of terrarium furniture (cork bark, manzanita wood, etc.) as well foliage (live or artificial) to climb on and to hide behind. Live plants can be beneficial to air quality.

Temperature (°F): This species thrives in the mid 70s to mid 80s, so a temperature of 75 degrees is ideal. Temperatures regularly dipping below 65 degrees, or spiking above 90 degrees should be avoided. A thermometer is recommended to keep an eye on temperatures in the enclosure.

Humidity: These spiders thrive in an arid environment, so the recommended ambient humidity should stay between 30% and 50%. This can be achieved by making sure the substrate is always mostly dry.

The enclosure sides and décor should be spritzed lightly around 2 times a week to provide your spiderling droplets to drink from, but do not spray your spider directly. A hygrometer is recommended to monitor humidity within the enclosure.

Size: At the time of sale, this animal will be at least 1 inch . Females can grow to be up to 5 inches, and typically the males are a bit smaller.

We use diagonal leg span to measure our spiders.

Age: Before making this species available to our customers, we ensure that they are well-established. This means our spiders are generally molted to a minimum of third instar and will have hatched two to three months prior to being listed for sale.

For spiders that we have not produced in house, we like to get two to three solid feedings in as well as the aforementioned minimums. They go through a 2 week minimum quarantine process to ensure the health of the animal.

For this species, the average lifespan is 5-7 years in males, and 20-25 years in females when provided an adequate environment and diet.

Feeding: At the time of sale, this animal is eating hydei fruit flies or smaller 1/4 inch crickets once a week. Prey items should be no larger than the size of the spider’s abdomen, and grow in size as the animal does. 

Remove uneaten prey items after 24 hours as these may stress your animal out or endanger the spider during molting.

Never attempt to feed a freshly molted tarantula less than a week after their molt to prevent injury to the spider. Depending on the spider's age, the hardening process could take 48 hours to 1 week.

Sexing: Due to age, Aphonopelma bicoloratum sold by Josh’s Frogs are unsexed.

Coloration/Patterning: As spiderlings, Aphonopelma bicoloratum have a dark abdomen with red to orange legs and a carapace that fades from dark to orange as it grows. As they start to mature, their abdomen and first leg segments from the body will become jet black. The abdomen and the rest of the legs will become a beautiful autumn orange with the carapace having a prominent ocular mound.

Social Behavior: Aphonopelma bicoloratum are not a sociable animal and should be housed as individuals. Attempts at cohabitation will likely result in cannibalism.

Natural Range: Aphonopelma bicoloratum are native to South Western Mexico.

History in the Hobby: This species was first described by Ronny Struchen, D. Brändle and Gunter Schmidt in 1996.

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.

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