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Spice 3 · Intermediate
How the Spice System works
CB: Captive bred
Bred and hatched in captivity, not collected from the wild.
Big Z's notes
About this Fella
Socotra Island Blue Tarantula for sale from Big Z's (Monocentropus balfouri). Comes with a Spice rating and a care guide, and ships packed for the weather.
A powder-blue baboon from Socotra
Monocentropus balfouri, the Socotra Island Blue, comes from the island of Socotra off Yemen. It is a smaller Old World tarantula in powder blue and tan.
It is known for tolerating siblings better than most tarantulas, but group setups take experience and carry real risk, so start with one. It is defensive, usually retreats and has Old World venom, so it is strictly a no-handling animal. Dry, simple care.
Full care is in the care guide. It covers enclosure size, temperature, humidity, feeding, molting signs and handling limits for this species. Read the Advanced guide, or the shorter Simple guide →
- Lane
- Spice 3 · Intermediate
- Source
- CB: captive-bred.
Socotra Island Blue Tarantula (Monocentropus balfouri)
Tarantula
Keeper feedback
$59.992.5" (Juvenile) CB selectedsizes from $54.99
More Spice 3 animals
Spice 3 · Intermediate
How the Spice System works
In stock, ships from Big Z HQ
10 available right now
Ready to ship
At a glance
The quick read on this fella
- Adult size
- 4-5 in
- Leg span
- Venom
- Potent venom
- Painful bite
- Type
- Terrestrial
- Ground dweller · Old World
- Climate
- 75-82°F · 45-60%
- Dry substrate, one damp corner
- Feeding
- Slings 2x weekly
- Juveniles every 7-10 days, adults 1-2 weeks
- Lifespan
- Females 12+ yrs
From our Socotra Island Blue Tarantula care guide. Read the full guide
Live animals ship Mon to Wed
FedEx Standard Overnight $44.99 or Priority Overnight $49.99, both with the Live Arrival Guarantee; free overnight on orders $499.99 and up. FedEx 2Day $34.99 has no guarantee and needs a signed waiver. Pickup in the Phoenix area or at an expo is free (arrange with Big Z first). Weather holds are free and we message you first.
Enclosure size note
Outgrows Burrow Buddy
Burrow Buddy fits the listed juvenile size, but the animal may outgrow it at around 1.5" DLS. Plan for a larger terrestrial enclosure. Adults reach about 4 to 5" DLS. Ask Big Z if you need help choosing the next enclosure.
Live arrival support
Every order is packed for that week’s weather. Not sure if Socotra Island Blue Tarantula is your spice level? Message us and we’ll talk it through.
Big Z's here to help
Not sure if Socotra Island Blue Tarantula is your spice level? Message us and we’ll talk it through.
Care guide Shipping and Live Arrival Guarantee
About this Fella Big Z's notes
Socotra Island Blue Tarantula for sale from Big Z's (Monocentropus balfouri). Comes with a Spice rating and a care guide, and ships packed for the weather.
A powder-blue baboon from Socotra
Monocentropus balfouri, the Socotra Island Blue, comes from the island of Socotra off Yemen. It is a smaller Old World tarantula in powder blue and tan.
It is known for tolerating siblings better than most tarantulas, but group setups take experience and carry real risk, so start with one. It is defensive, usually retreats and has Old World venom, so it is strictly a no-handling animal. Dry, simple care.
Full care is in the care guide. It covers enclosure size, temperature, humidity, feeding, molting signs and handling limits for this species. Read the Advanced guide, or the shorter Simple guide →
- Lane
- Spice 3 · Intermediate
- Source
- CB: captive-bred.
What ships with this order Care + shipping
- A free care guide for this species
- A heat or cold pack when the forecast calls for it
- Tracking and an arrival window before it ships
- Message Big Z about your animal for as long as you keep it
Care guideSpice 3 · Intermediate
Matched care guide
View in Care Guides library
Socotra Island Blue Tarantula
Monocentropus balfouri · Spice 3: Intermediate. Baby Buddy: spiderlings only. Escape-proof vents, and rehouse before it gets cramped. Burrow Buddy: single juveniles, with dry substrate, web anchors and low cross vents. Custom build: adults, or a roomy communal build with lots of floor, many anchor points and equal-sized animals.
Monocentropus balfouri
Socotra Island Blue Tarantula
Big Z's Quick Verdict: A fast, defensive Old World heavy-webber from Socotra with a potent, painful bite. It can live communally, but that's never risk-free: size-match the group, feed heavily and keep air moving through the web.
Group: TarantulasDifficulty: Spice 3: IntermediateSetup: Terrestrial heavy webber, lots of anchor pointsHandling: No handling, fast and defensive
Use This Guide Safely
- Confirm the exact animal. Match this guide to the species, locality, size, and life stage on your label. If the ID is uncertain, use the more conservative part of the range and ask before changing the setup.
- Change one thing at a time. Treat temperature and humidity as target zones, then watch posture, burrowing, drinking, feeding, and molt behavior before making another adjustment.
- Respect the handling boundary. If the guide says no handling, fast, defensive, or medically significant, plan transfers with catch cups, locked lids, and no bare hands. For serious bites, stings, or symptoms, seek emergency medical care.
Quick Care Snapshot
| Temp | 75-82°F |
|---|---|
| Humidity | 45-60%, dry substrate, one damp corner |
| Setup | Terrestrial heavy webber, lots of anchor points |
| Substrate | Dry soil mix with web anchor points |
| Feeding | Slings 2x weekly, juveniles every 7-10 days, adults 1-2 weeks |
| Handling | No handling, fast and defensive |
Humidity zones: Very Low under 30% - Low 30-60% - Low-Moderate 40-70% - Moderate 60-80% - Moderate-High 70-85% - High 80%+ - Very High 90%+
Recommended Big Z's Setup
- Baby Buddy: spiderlings only. Escape-proof vents, and rehouse before it gets cramped.
- Burrow Buddy: single juveniles, with dry substrate, web anchors and low cross vents.
- Custom build: adults, or a roomy communal build with lots of floor, many anchor points and equal-sized animals.
Critical Notes
- Old World bite risk: potent defensive venom and a painful bite. Fast and defensive, so no handling.
- Communal doesn't mean risk-free. Cannibalism still happens. Match sizes, feed often, and have separation tools ready.
- Slings drown in open dishes, and one drowning in a group often goes unnoticed. Keep pebbles or grit in the dish.
- Pull uneaten feeders during premolt and molts, especially in a communal setup.
- A heavy shared web traps still air. Vent low on two opposite walls or the setup fouls with boluses and waste.
Care Basics
- Give it lots of anchor points for web.
- Keep it mostly dry with a water dish and one damp corner.
- Put vents low on two opposite walls so air moves through the web.
- Keep pebbles in the water dish so slings cannot drown.
- Size-match communal groups and feed them heavily.
- Scatter-feed a group so everyone gets a share.
- Don't handle it. It's fast and defensive.
Feeding, Growth & Maintenance
- Slings 2x weekly, juveniles every 7-10 days, adults every 1-2 weeks. Keep prey smaller than the abdomen, and scatter-feed a group so everyone eats.
- Communal groups need size matching and frequent feeding. Cannibalism is still possible.
- Premolt it turns sluggish, seals into its silk-lined retreat and stops eating for days or even weeks. That's normal. Pull uneaten feeders and leave it alone.
- Wait 5-10 days after a molt before feeding again.
Current Big Z's catalog: Yes
Monocentropus balfouri
Socotra Island Blue Tarantula: Advanced Care Guide
Keeper Snapshot: A fast, defensive Old World heavy-webber from Socotra with a potent, painful bite. It can live communally, but that's never risk-free: size-match the group, feed heavily and keep air moving through the web.
Group: TarantulasDifficulty: Spice 3: IntermediateSetup: Terrestrial heavy webber, lots of anchor pointsHandling: No handling, fast and defensive
Use This Guide Safely
- Confirm the exact animal. Match this guide to the species, locality, size, and life stage on your label. If the ID is uncertain, use the more conservative part of the range and ask before changing the setup.
- Change one thing at a time. Treat temperature and humidity as target zones, then watch posture, burrowing, drinking, feeding, and molt behavior before making another adjustment.
- Respect the handling boundary. If the guide says no handling, fast, defensive, or medically significant, plan transfers with catch cups, locked lids, and no bare hands. For serious bites, stings, or symptoms, seek emergency medical care.
Quick Snapshot
| Temperature | 75-82°F |
|---|---|
| Humidity | 45-60%, dry substrate, one damp corner |
| Setup Type | Terrestrial heavy webber, lots of anchor points |
| Substrate | Dry soil mix with web anchor points |
| Feeding | Slings 2x weekly, juveniles every 7-10 days, adults 1-2 weeks |
| Care Difficulty | Spice 3: Intermediate |
| Handling | No handling, fast and defensive |
Humidity zones: Very Low under 30% - Low 30-60% - Low-Moderate 40-70% - Moderate 60-80% - Moderate-High 70-85% - High 80%+ - Very High 90%+
Enclosure Format / Size Class
- Sling: compact secure enclosure with a pebble-filled dish
- Single juvenile: semi-arid, heavily webbed terrestrial setup
- Adult (4-5 in leg span): larger floor-space terrestrial build, or a custom communal setup for a group
Warnings First
- Old World bite risk: potent defensive venom and a painful bite. Fast and defensive, so no handling.
- Communal doesn't mean risk-free. Cannibalism still happens. Match sizes, feed often, and have separation tools ready.
- Slings drown in open dishes, and one drowning in a group often goes unnoticed. Keep pebbles or grit in the dish.
- Pull uneaten feeders during premolt and molts, especially in a communal setup.
- A heavy shared web traps still air. Vent low on two opposite walls or the setup fouls with boluses and waste.
Simple Care
- Give it lots of anchor points for web.
- Keep it mostly dry with a water dish and one damp corner.
- Put vents low on two opposite walls so air moves through the web.
- Keep pebbles in the water dish so slings cannot drown.
- Size-match communal groups and feed them heavily.
- Scatter-feed a group so everyone gets a share.
- Don't handle it. It's fast and defensive.
Advanced Keeper Notes
Enclosure & Microclimate
- It webs heavily and often builds a shared web matrix. Anchor points matter as much as substrate.
- Singles do well in a dry, secure terrestrial setup with cork and web anchors.
- Dense silk stops air from a lid vent at the top of the web. Vents low on two opposite walls push air through the matrix and keep boluses and waste from fouling a group.
- Judge by hand. Open substrate dry, the damp corner lightly moist and drying back over several days, webbing never clammy. Damp that lingers in the web means more air.
- Let the dish overflow into one corner, or mist that corner under an anchor point, instead of misting the web.
Feeding, Growth & Maintenance
- Slings 2x weekly, juveniles every 7-10 days, adults every 1-2 weeks. Keep prey smaller than the abdomen, and scatter-feed a group so everyone eats.
- Communal groups need size matching and frequent feeding. Cannibalism is still possible.
- Premolt it turns sluggish, seals into its silk-lined retreat and stops eating for days or even weeks. That's normal. Pull uneaten feeders and leave it alone.
- Wait 5-10 days after a molt before feeding again.
Possible Origin / Range
- Likely native range: Socotra Island, Yemen, in arid island scrub and rock habitat.
- Habitat translation: Arid island scrub and rock with deep webbed retreats becomes a dry build: lots of web anchors, a dry surface, a water dish and one damp corner.
Advanced Keeper Details
- Adults reach about 4-5 in leg span with medium growth. Females live 12+ yrs.
- Potent defensive venom. Bites are reported as painful.
- Communal is possible, not automatic. Give multiple retreats and feeding points and keep separation tools on hand. It can still fail, even for experienced keepers.
- Keep slings small and secure. Prevent dehydration with a damp corner and dish, not constant humidity.
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