Gooty Sapphire Ornamental Tree Spider

Origin and Habitat: Officially listed as Critically Endangered (CR) by the IUCN. It is heavily endemic to a single, staggeringly tiny (less than 100 sq km) heavily degraded forest reserve in Andhra Pradesh, India. In the wild, this magnificent arachnid is strictly arboreal, living its entire life in total darkness deep within the hollows and crevices of ancient, towering hardwood trees.

Morphology: Unquestionably heavily regarded as one of the most staggeringly beautiful tarantulas on Earth. The coloration is blindingly vibrant: the entire carapace, legs, and abdomen are drenched in a deep, glowing, metallic cobalt/sapphire blue that heavily shifts under bright light. The underside of the legs violently contrasts with sharp, striking yellow and black geometrical fractal warning patterns (aposematism). Females are heavy-bodied (6-8 inches / 15-20 cm leg span) and can live 10-12 years. Males are vastly smaller, quickly turn a faded gray/brown upon maturing, and die shortly after (3-4 years). LIKE ALL OLD WORLD ARBOREALS, THEY DO NOT POSSESS URTICATING HAIRS (they cannot kick itchy hairs at you).

Defensive Behavior: SPEED BEYOND HUMAN COMPREHENSION (Teleportation). It is profoundly photosensitive and will desperately dive into dark crevices if suddenly exposed to light. If startled, its primary defense is a blind, violent sprint that is practically invisible to the human eye. If cornered or blocked, it will violently throw its front legs up (threat posture) exposing its bright yellow warning coloration. If further provoked, it WILL strike and bite. THE VENOM IS HIGHLY MEDICALLY SIGNIFICANT: While almost never fatal to a healthy adult, a bite delivers excruciating local pain, intense nausea, elevated heart rate, and devastating, agonizing systemic muscle cramps that are notoriously known to persist for weeks or even months.

Arboreal Terrarium: Absolutely demands strict vertical space. A 12x12x18 inch (30x30x45 cm) vertical glass terrarium is the absolute gold standard for an adult female. THE CORE REQUIREMENT IS THE ARBOREAL HIDE: You MUST permanently install a tall, hollow cork bark tube (or a heavy curved bark slab leaning against a corner) vertically. The spider biologically demands a tight, completely dark vertical tunnel to survive mentally. It will heavily line the inside of this tube with blindingly white, thick silk. Massive cross-ventilation is absolutely critical; stagnant, stuffy air guarantees a lethal, sudden death in arboreal tarantulas.

Climate and Humidity: Maintain a steady, comfortable daytime baseline of 75-82°F (24-28°C) with a mild nighttime drop (68-72°F / 20-22°C). Ambient humidity should hover around 70-80%. NEVER EVER aggressively soak the substrate into a swamp/mud (this guarantees a horrific death via fungal infection and mites). Simply keep the bottom layer of the 2-inch deep coco fiber/peat substrate mildly damp by occasionally overflowing the water dish. You MUST ALWAYS provide a shallow, clean water dish glued to the side or placed on the floor (arboreal tarantulas will absolutely climb down to drink directly from standing water).

Predatory Diet: Ferociously fast, opportunistic ambush hunters. Heavily provide large live Crickets, Dubia Roaches, or Locusts 1-2 times a week. CRITICAL MOLTING WARNING: You MUST relentlessly remove all uneaten live prey by the next morning. If the tarantula begins to molt (flipping onto its back to shed its exoskeleton), it becomes completely paralyzed and helpless; a stray cricket will easily eat the molting tarantula alive.

Handling Warnings: ALL HANDLING IS CATEGORICALLY, STRICTLY PROHIBITED. This is a highly venomous, terrified, blindingly fast display animal, NOT a pet. If heavily startled while on your hand, they will violently jump (arboreals are huge leapers). If a heavy-bodied adult female falls even a few feet onto a hard floor, her abdomen will violently rupture like a water balloon, resulting in immediate, catastrophic fatal bleeding. ALL tank transfers MUST exclusively use the 'Catch Cup' method (gently trapping the spider under a plastic deli cup).