Peruvian Pink Toe?

Eacpup

Arachnopeon
Joined
Apr 8, 2017
Messages
35
I went to a pet store where they had a beautiful pink toe. The employees didn't know much about it but said it was a Peruvian Pink Toe. Does anyone know anything about this species? They have it in a very hazardous cage and it's climbing on the roof so I would like to rescue it if I could. I read on a care sheet that they need temperatures from 80-90 degrees, would 75ish be okay? If not what is a safe way to heat them? I couldn't find much on the forums about them or even online.
 

Nixphat

Arachnosquire
Joined
Oct 8, 2016
Messages
62
Well it's safe to say next to all of the information on the care sheet from the pet store is absolutely incorrect. So don't base any care off of those. Also, generally speaking, without a picture there's no real way to know what species of tarantula it is. Pet stores usually mislabel tarantulas, and/or common names can describe more than one species... So if you could get some pictures, that would be great! :happy: Also, there is risk of the tarantula at the pet store being a wild caught tarantula, and you often will get much better deals buying them from another hobbyist here on the boards.. Though I can't say much, on an impulse my wife and I bought a sling from a pet store, and the other two we have that we rescued also came from a pet store (we didn't buy them, but we rescued them from someone who works at a pet store.. they were a horder, long story short, the Ts are better off now than they ever were before ;))

Edit: Unless of course this is from a specialized pet store or one that the people who work there keep Tarantulas themselves, but from the sounds of the setup at the pet store, that is not the case
 
Last edited:

cold blood

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jan 19, 2014
Messages
13,250
Peru purple is a common designation...aka sp. purple....but yeah, if they aren't 100% sure, no one will likely ever be. View media item 38818
Good eaters, one of the larger Avics, my females are both a solid 6.5".

Care sheets will kill your tarantulas, don't read them...pet stores are not much better.

Any temps over 68 night and 70 day are fine...heat lamps and pads are poor options, space heaters work best generally.

Give them room to climb, and surround the vertical wood with plants...keep the sub predominantly dry and keep a large water dish. Good ventilation is a must.

Op, how big is the specimen in question??
 

Arachnomaniac19

Arachnolord
Joined
Aug 23, 2014
Messages
652
It sounds like Avicularia sp. Peru Purple, which is unlikely, or the more common Avicularia avicularia with an uncertain morphotype. Keep it dry, but not bone dry, with a water dish. As long as your room doesn't get below 70f you're fine.

Handling isn't recommended since a fall can kill the tarantula. Since these are arboreals it isn't as likely to kill them, but a fall is still dangerous nonetheless and it increases the risk of a bite. The stress of messing with them probably isn't good for their health either.

Just remember to keep it away from any room that you use pesticides in or any type of noxious or cleaning chemical solution. This includes stuff like air freshners to the flea medication on your dog. Tarantulas are incredibly sensitive to these types of chemicals.
 

Eacpup

Arachnopeon
Joined
Apr 8, 2017
Messages
35
The pet store had its substrate wet with humidity levels between 60-70 so should I do the opposite and keep it dry? Its definitely not purple more of a blackish blue with a orangish pink abdomen. It has a leg span of around 2.5 inches. Sorry I know the pictures aren't very great the lighting was pretty bad. For aboreals how much room should they have to climb? I know that falling is dangerous for ground dwelling ones.
 

Attachments

Last edited:

Eacpup

Arachnopeon
Joined
Apr 8, 2017
Messages
35
It sounds like Avicularia sp. Peru Purple, which is unlikely, or the more common Avicularia avicularia with an uncertain morphotype. Keep it dry, but not bone dry, with a water dish. As long as your room doesn't get below 70f you're fine.

Handling isn't recommended since a fall can kill the tarantula. Since these are arboreals it isn't as likely to kill them, but a fall is still dangerous nonetheless and it increases the risk of a bite. The stress of messing with them probably isn't good for their health either.

Just remember to keep it away from any room that you use pesticides in or any type of noxious or cleaning chemical solution. This includes stuff like air freshners to the flea medication on your dog. Tarantulas are incredibly sensitive to these types of chemicals.
I never handle my tarantulas so you don't have to worry about that and I'll be sure to keep it away from harmful chemicals! Thank you!
 

Eacpup

Arachnopeon
Joined
Apr 8, 2017
Messages
35
Also the petstore said that it came in as a tiny spiderling and grew to be twice the size in the span of a month. Would this be accurate? Do some tarantulas grow that fast?
 

Eacpup

Arachnopeon
Joined
Apr 8, 2017
Messages
35
Peru purple is a common designation...aka sp. purple....but yeah, if they aren't 100% sure, no one will likely ever be. View media item 38818
Good eaters, one of the larger Avics, my females are both a solid 6.5".

Care sheets will kill your tarantulas, don't read them...pet stores are not much better.

Any temps over 68 night and 70 day are fine...heat lamps and pads are poor options, space heaters work best generally.

Give them room to climb, and surround the vertical wood with plants...keep the sub predominantly dry and keep a large water dish. Good ventilation is a must.

Op, how big is the specimen in question??
It has a leg span of about 2.5 you can check my other reply for more information but it's definitely not purple.
 

cold blood

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jan 19, 2014
Messages
13,250
The pet store had its substrate wet with humidity levels between 60-70 so should I do the opposite and keep it dry? Its definitely not purple more of a blackish blue with a orangish pink abdomen. It has a leg span of around 2.5 inches. Sorry I know the pictures aren't very great the lighting was pretty bad. For aboreals how much room should they have to climb? I know that falling is dangerous for ground dwelling ones.
You shouldn't be measuring humidity levels....keep a water dish and keep the sub predominantly dry...by this I mean, keep it dry, but if it gets wet occasionally, its not a big deal, just let it dry.

There are other Peruvians it could be, like urticans....but judging from your pic, it almost looks like a common (or Guyana) pink toe (Avicularia avicularia), but it doesn't quite have its adult colors yet. This is two of my A. avics at about that same size.

Its possible to get a really good idea sometimes when adults, but its species should always be in question and it should therefore, not be used for breeding as we probably won't ever know or certain.. I'd ask them for them to check their invoices to see if something more specific can be gathered.

Also the petstore said that it came in as a tiny spiderling and grew to be twice the size in the span of a month. Would this be accurate? Do some tarantulas grow that fast?
Not exactly...some can grow very fast, but a 24 day molt cycle is the fastest I have ever witnessed, but avics aren't generally so brisk...doubling in size would only put it at an inch...and that is possible in one molt from 1/2", although a bit unlikely. A 2.5" avic would, in my experience (ts grow fast in my house) be a year old minimum.

These are sling colors, which they have till well over an inch.

I would house it in a 32oz deli cup...lean a piece of wood, surround the mid and/or top of the wood with plants and add a water dish. Ventilate with a few rings of holes around the top half and a couple on the lid...simple.....overcomplicating things costs a lot of avics their lives.

It can stay in this for a couple molts yet, then you can give it a larger enclosure...or even an adult enclosure.
 
Last edited:

Eacpup

Arachnopeon
Joined
Apr 8, 2017
Messages
35
You shouldn't be measuring humidity levels....keep a water dish and keep the sub predominantly dry...by this I mean, keep it dry, but if it gets wet occasionally, its not a big deal, just let it dry.

There are other Peruvians it could be, like urticans....but judging from your pic, it almost looks like a common (or Guyana) pink toe (Avicularia avicularia), but it doesn't quite have its adult colors yet. This is one of my A. avics at about that same size.

Its possible to get a really good idea sometimes when adults, but its species should always be in question and it should therefore, not be used for breeding as we probably won't ever know or certain.. I'd ask them for them to check their invoices to see if something more specific can be gathered.



Not exactly...some can grow very fast, but a 24 day molt cycle is the fastest I have ever witnessed, but avics aren't generally so brisk...doubling in size would only put it at an inch...and that is possible in one molt from 1/2", although a bit unlikely. A 2.5" avic would, in my experience (ts grow fast in my house) be a year old minimum.

These are sling colors, which they have till well over an inch.

I would house it in a 32oz deli cup...lean a piece of wood, surround the mid and/or top of the wood with plants and add a water dish. Ventilate with a few rings of holes around the top half and a couple on the lid...simple.....overcomplicating things costs a lot of avics their lives.

It can stay in this for a couple molts yet, then you can give it a larger enclosure...or even an adult enclosure.
Thank you so much for the help!

Edit: So is there any chance of it actually being an Avicularia urticans?
 

Stefan2209

Arachnodemon
Old Timer
Joined
May 7, 2005
Messages
729
It sounds like Avicularia sp. Peru Purple, which is unlikely
This got me curious. Why would this be unlikely?

Not questioning the statement as such, but the background of it. A. spec. Peru purple got imported over here (EU) in no small numbers and has been bred ever since till today. Did the situation change in the U.S. ?

So is there any chance of it actually being an Avicularia urticans?
As far as i remember, A. urticans isn't a valid species anymore. More information here:

http://arachnoboards.com/threads/avicularia-revision-published.291589/
 

Arachnomaniac19

Arachnolord
Joined
Aug 23, 2014
Messages
652
This got me curious. Why would this be unlikely?

Not questioning the statement as such, but the background of it. A. spec. Peru purple got imported over here (EU) in no small numbers and has been bred ever since till today. Did the situation change in the U.S. ?



As far as i remember, A. urticans isn't a valid species anymore. More information here:

http://arachnoboards.com/threads/avicularia-revision-published.291589/
Well I'm in Canada so I'd assume the importations would be close to the same, but I have never seen sp. Peru Purple in petstores, nor have I heard of anyone seeing them.
 

sdsnybny

Arachnogeek
Joined
Apr 29, 2015
Messages
1,330
I went to a pet store where they had a beautiful pink toe. The employees didn't know much about it but said it was a Peruvian Pink Toe. Does anyone know anything about this species? They have it in a very hazardous cage and it's climbing on the roof so I would like to rescue it if I could. I read on a care sheet that they need temperatures from 80-90 degrees, would 75ish be okay? If not what is a safe way to heat them? I couldn't find much on the forums about them or even online.
Peruvian Pink toe is the common name for Avicularia urticans. Ask the store if it was an import or bought from a breeder, if the later the id may be correct. A. urticans are quick growers but not that quick. My girl was raised from a sling and has attained a 5" leg span in two years. Even if it isn't A. urticans all Avics are beautiful in adult colors.
0.1.0 Avicularia urticans
2017-01-11 11.40.16.jpg
 
Top