Harpactira pulchripes (Golden Blue Leg Baboon) Care Sheet

Harpactira pulchripes is also known as the Golden Blue Leg Baboon, Blue and Gold Baboon, 24K Gold Baboon etc. This stunning South African native is well-known and sought in the hobby for its shimming gold and metallic blue coloring. The color of the above photo has not been altered in any way. An LED and flash really made the color of this juvenile female to POP! I just can't help but get sooo excited for this species!

Not only are they stunningly gorgeous, I think they are fairly easy to keep. They're hardy, good eaters, excellent burrowers & tube web creators. It's no wonder this one's a hobby favorite!

Origin: Old World. Native South Africa

Difficulty: Intermediate to Advanced (Due to speed and bite potency) although we find they are more "easy going" than most OW species which makes them a common first OW species for the intermediate keeper.

Type: Terrestrial

Adult Size: Males average 3.5-4.25" while Females average 4.5-6"

Growth speed: Medium

Longevity: Males 4+ years, females 10-15 or more years

Temperament:  Skittish and often defensive. If agitated they are typically more likely to flee but they can be defensive and bite if they feel threatened.

Bite potency:  Strong

Urticating hairs: No

Ideal Temperature:  70 to 75°

Humidity: Medium

Interesting Fact: Although not known in the hobby as communal I have had some limited success keeping them communally, but clearly more research is needed!

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.