Gooty Sapphire Ornamental Tarantula Care Guide

Poecilotheria metallica — the Gooty Sapphire Ornamental — is an arboreal Old World species found only in a tiny patch of deciduous forest in central southern India. Its wild range is so small and so threatened that the species is listed as Critically Endangered, and all hobby stock is captive-bred — never wild-collected.

In the wild it shelters in tree hollows and crevices, flattening itself into bark with remarkable camouflage despite its colour. In captivity it is an arboreal that needs height, secure bark retreats, and humidity paired with ventilation — but its care is defined as much by safety as by husbandry.

It is arguably the most beautiful tarantula in the world: brilliant metallic blue legs overlaid with an intricate cream-and-black fractal pattern. It is also blisteringly fast, defensive, has no urticating hairs, and carries medically significant venom — strictly a spider for experienced keepers.

This is an arboreal species, so height matters more than floor space. Use a tall enclosure with cross-ventilation (vents on opposite sides or front and top) and tall anchor points for webbing. A front- or side-opening enclosure is ideal, as reaching down from above startles the spider and tears its web.

Provide a vertical cork bark slab or tube against one wall, plus fake plants, so the spider can build its tube-web off the ground. A shallow layer of substrate (2–3 in) holds light moisture and cushions any fall, but this species lives up top, not in the dirt.

Warm, humid, and well-ventilated mirrors the island canopy. Achieving humidity without stagnant air is the whole game with this species.

The Gooty Sapphire is a fast, aggressive feeder that ambushes prey from its bark retreat. It rarely refuses a meal outside of pre-moult.

Prey: Gut-loaded crickets, Dubia roaches, and other feeder insects. Keep prey no larger than the spider's abdomen.

Frequency: Spiderlings twice a week, juveniles every 5–7 days, adults every 7–10 days. Keep moisture and water consistent, as arboreals are more prone to dehydration than terrestrials.

Remove uneaten prey within 24 hours — and only ever open the enclosure with the spider located and a catch cup ready, given its speed.

The Gooty Sapphire typically moults inside its bark retreat. Spiderlings start a drab grey-blue and intensify toward the electric metallic blue of the adult with each moult. Growth is moderate, slowing to once or twice a year in adults.

Pre-moult signs: A darkened abdomen, food refusal, and increased time sealed in the web. Remove all live prey at the first signs.

Post-moult: Leave the spider completely undisturbed and wait 7–14 days before feeding so the new exoskeleton and fangs harden. Keep humidity steady throughout — fresh moults are vulnerable to drying out.

Handling is strongly discouraged for the Gooty Sapphire. As an Old World species it has no urticating hairs — its defences are blistering speed and a bite delivering medically significant venom. Documented bites from Poecilotheria can cause severe, prolonged muscle cramping, sweating, and systemic pain that may last for days. There is no safe reason to handle one.

Treat this as an observation-only species. Use long tools for all maintenance, keep a catch cup on hand, rehouse only with experience and a sealed work area, and never open the enclosure without first locating the spider. Seek medical attention promptly for any bite.