Just one word…WOW!
My young adult A. versicolor before (left) and after (right) a recent molt.
Yesterday, I noticed that my juvenile A. versicolor was looking very picturesque sitting atop its cork bark, so I decided to snap a couple pics. As I was loading them up to resize, I couldn’t help but to look forward to her next molt. After all, this species undergoes some truly amazing and gorgeous color changes as it develops, and I couldn’t wait to see what new appearance the next molt would bring.
I didn’t have long to wait.
Today I was feeding my Ts when I noticed a discarded exuviae in the corner of my A. versicolor enclosure. I immediately took her down, unscrewed the top, and stared in awe at this beautiful specimen. Not only did this new shed bring with it stunning metallic green tones on the legs and even more on the carapace, but her abdomen was finally showing some of that beautiful adult maroon/red. She also put on a fair amount of size this time around, becoming both longer and thicker. As luck would have it, I was able to catch her in almost the exact same spot, providing for a wonderful before-and-after size comparison.
There is a reason this little arboreal beauty is recognized as one of the most stunning tarantula species!
Tom's Big Spiders 
Gorgeous. I have not seen this species before. I’d enjoy a description of the set up you have for her and the way you care for her- if its a her or a him. Do you have any personal contact with him/her etc.
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Thank you! The Avicularia versicolor (Antilles or Montinique Pink toe) is a gorgeous and docile arboreal species that is sought after for its temperament and gorgeous coloration. Although they start off as bright blue spiderlings, they morph into adults with greens, purples, and maroons (and they also look “fluffy”, which is quite cute).
As for care, I actually did a feature on her a couple months back; you can find it here. https://tomsbigspiders.wordpress.com/2014/10/19/avicularia-versicolor-antilles-or-montinique-pink-toe/
I have not handled her yet (I generally don’t handle mine due to the risk), however, she sure has calmed down as a young adult, so it’s tempting…
If you have any other questions, please don’t hesitate to ask!
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risks for you, or for hurting her?
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Mainly for my Ts. I generally don’t handle them because it can put the animal at risk from a fall or, knowing my reactions when I get hurt, getting thrown through the air if they were to bite me. I will admit, however, that I’ve been giving it a thought with this one…
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I was once instructed by ‘an expert’ to be very very gentle when touching the hairs on their back. It made me realize we should probably be pretty careful. Tell us if you decide to touch 🙂 Thanks for sharing.
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You definitely would want to be careful! They have urticating hairs on their abdomens, which can be VERY irritating. If they get scared or distressed, they can kick these hairs, which dig into your skin like little barbs. This is the main defense of “New World” tarantulas. Oh, this species also shoots feces with amazing accuracy…no joke!
I don’t judge anyone who decides to handle, as many people do and without incident. I’ve held two, but only because the little buggers tend to crawl right into my hand every time I open their enclosures. If/when I hold her, I will definitely post!
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