Gooty sapphire ornamental tarantula (Poecilotheria metallica)

Short answers

Gooty sapphire ornamental tarantula: How big does the enclosure need to be?

30×30×40 cm (arboreal – height matters; larger is better).

Gooty sapphire ornamental tarantula: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 27–29 °C, at night 23–25 °C.

Gooty sapphire ornamental tarantula: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: No UVB needed.

Gooty sapphire ornamental tarantula: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: females up to ~12–15 years, males only a few months to ~1 year after the maturing moult.

Gooty sapphire ornamental tarantula: Is it suitable for beginners?

No – better suited to experienced keepers (difficulty: Expert).

Climate

Daytime temperature

27–29 °C

Night temperature

23–25 °C

Basking spot

—

Humidity

75–80 %

UVB

No UVB needed

Enclosure

Minimum size

30×30×40 cm (arboreal – height matters; larger is better)

Substrate

3–5 cm of humus or soil; a vertical cork tube and plenty of places to climb and hide

Feeding

Food

Insects (crickets, roaches, locusts, house crickets)

Feeding interval

adults approx. 1×/week, juveniles approx. 2×/week

Key facts

Adult size

body ~5–6 cm, leg span ~15–18 cm

Life expectancy

females up to ~12–15 years, males only a few months to ~1 year after the maturing moult

Origin

South-eastern India (Andhra Pradesh, reservoir dry forest near Nandyal / Giddalur, 500–1,000 m)

Protection status

CITES Appendix II (all Poecilotheria since 2019, CoP18) plus IUCN "Critically Endangered" → an EU certificate or proof of origin is required, and captive-bred animals are preferable

Brumation

None

Cohabitation

The standard is keeping them singly. Communal (group) keeping is documented as possible with P. metallica, but ONLY for experts with a very large, heavily structured enclosure, similarly sized animals and a generous supply of food and hides – the risk of cannibalism remains. Do not keep males with males.

Notes

A potent venom (severe pain, cramps, no antivenom) – no handling; very fast and shy. Strikingly metallic blue, and expensive. For experienced keepers.

Do you keep this species?

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Related species

• Fringed ornamental tarantula (Poecilotheria ornata) – Expert
• Mysore ornamental tarantula (Poecilotheria striata) – Expert
• Indian ornamental tarantula (Poecilotheria regalis) – Expert
• Ivory ornamental tarantula (Poecilotheria subfusca) – Expert
• Ghost ornamental tarantula (Poecilotheria vittata) – Expert
• Red slate ornamental tarantula (Poecilotheria rufilata) – Expert
• Sri Lankan ornamental tarantula (Poecilotheria fasciata) – Expert
• Amazon birdeater (Iridopelma hirsutum) – Intermediate

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Gooty sapphire ornamental tarantula (Poecilotheria metallica) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (30×30×40 cm (arboreal – height matters; larger is better)), substrate (3–5 cm of humus or soil; a vertical cork tube and plenty of places to climb and hide), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.