So, earlier this week I was a bit disappointed when one of my Monocentropus balfouri young adults molted into a mature male. Although the little guy is gorgeous with his metallic blue carapace and legs, it means he won’t be with me all that much longer.

Well, yesterday I was delighted to discover that one of my others molted, and it’s a girl! The little beauty was stretching out on the surface, so I took the opportunity to get some photos and this quick husbandry video.

If I were to make a list of best entry-level Old World tarantulas, the M. balfouri would likely be right at the top. This fossorial species is very simple to keep, needing only deep, dry substrate and a water dish to thrive. Mine do well in temperatures in the 70s, although higher temps would lead to faster metabolisms and growth.

Temperament-wise, they are quite calm compared to some of my other baboon species. I’ve found these guys to be more skittish than defensive, and to date I’ve only received one threat posture from any of them. When startled, they will usually just bolt to their dens and hide. That said, temperament can vary from specimen to specimen, and this species is quite fast and can pack a wallop of a bite, so caution is always advised.

Even better, of all of my fossorial species, my balfouris are usually quite visible, venturing out at night to hunt and sometimes just hanging out on the surface. This isn’t your standard “pet hole”, which is great as they’re just too darned pretty to spend all of their time hidden.

Although I feel like I tend to ramble a bit in all of my videos, this one might be even worse do the impromptu nature of it. I was basically snapping photos of this little girl when it dawned on me that I should get a video before she retreated to her den again. So, with little preparation, I set to it. You’ve been warned!