Defining Characteristics:  

• Beautiful dwarf species with a gorgeous blue coloration
• This species has a medium growth rate
• Pseudhapalopus was first described by Embrik Strand in 1907
• This species was discovered after another closely related spider was discovered in 2014 and garnered a lot of interest in tarantulas in Colombia.

Name: Pseudhapalopus sp. 'Blue' is commonly known as the Colombian Blue Bottle Tarantula. When you see a tarantula with “sp.” after the genus and then another name, that species has not been scientifically classified yet. The name after “sp.” is usually a locality where it can be found or a description of the spider.

Recommended Enclosure Size & Setup: The Colombian Blue Bottle Tarantula is a fossorial species, meaning this animal will spend a lot of time underground and may need additional substrate to burrow. 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.

The enclosure should be tall enough to accommodate 2-3 inches of substrate for slings and 5+ inches for adults. ABG mix, coco cradle, or Dig-It are good substrate options, but our Pet Bug Team prefers ABG all the way! We recommend against allowing your fossorial spider more than two times their diagonal leg span as head space above their substrate as a fall from any higher could result in serious injury.

Temperature (°F): This species thrives in the mid 70s to low 80s, so a temperature close to 80° is ideal. Temperatures regularly dipping below 65 or spiking above 85 degrees should be avoided.

Humidity: These spiders thrive in a slightly dry to slightly humid environment, so the recommended ambient humidity should stay between 40% and 60%. This can be achieved by making sure that roughly 1/4 to 1/2 of the substrate is always at least slightly moistened, with at least 1/2 of the substrate staying dry. Depending on your location, you may need tools such as a humidifier to achieve this environment.

The enclosure sides and décor should be spritzed at least lightly around twice a week to provide your animal droplets to drink from and keep humidity up, do not spray your spider directly.  

A hygrometer is a great way to monitor the humidity for your animal and see any needed adjustments. 

Size: At the time of sale, this animal will be at least 1 inch. Females can reach up to 3 inches, and typically the males are a bit smaller. We measure our spiders using diagonal leg span.

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 2 to 3 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 3-4 years in males, and 8-10 years in females when provided the adequate environment. 

These individuals that are currently for sale are around one year old.

Feeding: These spiders are currently eating two to three 1/4 inch crickets, once a week. There are a variety of appropriate prey items that you can offer, such as roaches, waxworms, black soldier fly larvae, hornworms, and silkworms. Consider feeding your prey items with our gutload formula to give your pet well-rounded nutrition.

We recommend that the prey items not be much longer than the tarantula's “head” is wide. Larvae are an exception—our larvae are harmless. Since they are very high in fat, they're not the best staple diet, however they make a great weight gain supplement.

Remove uneaten prey items after 24 hours, 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 its age, the hardening process could take anywhere from 48 hours all the way up to a week.

Sexing: Due to age, Pseudhapalopus sp. 'Blue' sold by Josh’s Frogs are sold as unsexed. Check out our individually listed animals to see if we have what you’re looking for!

Color/Pattern: As spiderlings, they have gray legs with a blueish purple sheen across the abdomen. As they mature, they develop a little yellow spot on the abdomen, where it meets the carapace. They become a shiny metallic blue very where else.

Social Behavior: Pseudhapalopus sp. 'Blue' is not a sociable animal and should be housed as an individual. Attempts at cohabitation can result in cannibalism. 

Natural Range: Pseudhapalopus sp. 'Blue' are native to Colombia. 

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 Pseudhapalopus sp. 'Blue' from Josh's Frogs is the right pet bug for you? Read the reviews below and see what other customers are saying!