Aphonopelma seemanni (Costa Rican Stripe Knee / Zebra) Care Sheet

Aphonopelma seemanni is also known as the Costa Rican stripe knee or Costa Rican Zebra tarantula. This species is often sought by beginner keepers and is a fantastic choice for those new to the hobby, provided the specimen is over about 1 1/4″ DLS.

Pictured below is a sub-adult female showing off her white-striped knees and gorgeous structural blues. I just adore that white line across the border of the carapace/chelicerae to match the white stripes and knee bands. It gets me every time!

 

Like other Aphonopelmas is known for its longevity and hardiness. Often considered a docile species, I find they can sometimes be testy although bites are rare and not considered medically significant. The species is typically slower-moving which makes care, maintenance, rehousing and shipping much easier on the keeper.

I have seen a number of A. seemanni and find many of them exhibit some degree of blue, some more than others, some not much at all. Even in specimens with a lot of blue, it’s typically most visible fresh from a molt. Oftentimes a strong LED and proper angle is needed to appreciate the reflective color that may not be apparent upon first glance. Specimens who look like they have lost their contrast and color will often surprise after a molt.

Typically I start to see the onset of adult markings around 1 1/4-2" although it varies per specimen. Smaller slings like to burrow while larger specimens are often content to adopt a hide, and are more likely to be out in the open for viewing.

Origin: New World. Costa Rica, Nicaragua & Honduras

Difficulty: Beginner

Type: Terrestrial

Adult Size: 4.75-5.75"

Growth speed: Slow to Medium

Longevity: Males 5-6+ years, females 20-35 years

Temperament:  Known for it's docile nature if frightened or disturbed it may flee and/or flick urticating hairs. Although they can sometimes be testy, bites from this species are very rare.

Bite potency:  Mild

Urticating hairs: Yes

Ideal Temperature:  70 to 75°

Humidity: Low to Medium

Fun Fact: Many have asked me about the "brown from" and although is certainly possible, I've never come across one. I have certainly seen a lot of brown, tan or even blonde A. seemanni but they look that way because they have not molted in a long while. Many species who are normally vibrant can look horrifically drab and dull later in their cycle. This is just how tarantulas are. I'd love to see a unique, freshly-molted, natural-blonde or brunette A. semanni but in my opinion this is simply misinformation spread by those who have seen an A. semanni in desperate need of a molt. Agree? Disagree? Why? We would love to hear your thoughts and experiences in the comments below.

Enclosure: Good ventilation is a must and safety should be a top priority when choosing and designing your tarantulas enclosure. The enclosure should not be too tall as to give such a heavy species an opportunity to fall and injure itself. For spiderlings under about 1-1 1/4″ we recommend the 2.25 x 2.25 x 4.5” - Terrestrial Kit. For specimens over 1″ to about 2″ we recommend the 4x4x6” - Terrestrial Kit - Magnetic Lock or the 4x4x5 Classic Porthole.

Specimens over 2″ and to about 5” can go into an 8x8x14” Terrestrial Enclosure.Click HERE to find out how to you measure a tarantula.

Substrate: While most adults will adopt a hide, slings often prefer to burrow. Cocofiber, vermiculite, peat moss and/or potting soil (or a mix) are all excellent substrate choices. Please make sure the substrate you choose is organic and chemical/fertilizer free. Do not use sand, pebbles, rocks or wood chips or anything else that could potentially cut or injure the tarantula.

In many cases a larger specimen would rather adopt or retrofit an existing hide than create it’s own from deep substrate. Cork tubes half buried in substrate are what we use for our adult females. The specimen will excavate one side of the cork tube to it’s liking. I like to think this makes the tarantula feel “at home” while minimizing the time and effort for the spider to settle in.

Spiderlings will often desire to create their own home by excavating a burrow. A tarantula with this talent and preference for tunneling is referred to as an obligate burrower. To encourage this natural behavior we recommend semi-moist substrate at least twice, and ideally three times as deep as the tarantulas DLS. The 2.25 x 2.25 x 4.5” - Terrestrial Kit , 4x4x6” - Terrestrial Kit - Magnetic Lock and the 4x4x5 Classic Porthole Can all be all assembled up to encourage burrowing.

Water: Larger spiders 2” and over should be provided with a shallow water dish in order to drink. The water bowl should be rinsed our every time it is refilled. Being a scrubland species they will not require as frequent misting as an arboreal species however, I recommend keeping one corner of the enclosure lightly misted, especially if there is no water bowl.

Feeding: Adults will eat every 6-14 days depending on the size of the spider and it’s prey. Spiderlings should eat more often, every 5-10 days. Adults may be fed crickets, mealworms or roaches. Spiderlings under .75” can only eat food small enough for it to overpower. This includes pinhead crickets, flightless fruit flies & freshly hatched “pinhead” rusty red roaches. It is not advised to feed your tarantula wild-caught food. It could contain parasites or pesticides that could be fatal to your pet. Keep your tarantulas enclosure clean. food waste left in the enclosure will invite mold, mildew, mites, flies and other pests. It is advised to remove uneaten prey items after 3-12 hours. If using a feeder who will not “bother” a tarantula such as dubia roaches it is alright to leave them in the enclosure as long as they are not causing stress to the specimen. A more detailed feeding, misting & troubleshooting guide can be found HERE.