Caribena versicolor

Antilles Pinktoe Tarantula

Its colour palette changes as the spider grows.

Reference photo, not the individual on display. Credits appear below.

Care commitment Plan for adult size

Habitat Branches & cover

Visiting Observe only

Meet your new acquaintance

Nickname Colour-changing Canopy Weaver

Arboreal; builds elevated silken retreats

Species highlights

A different palette as it grows

Blue juveniles and multicoloured adults can look like different species, but the change unfolds through development rather than an instant performance.

Moulting withdraws the spider from its old exoskeleton before the new surface expands and hardens, so appearance and stillness need their stage context.

Dated photographs and moult records can connect the stages without disturbance. The striking palette is the visible result of a body changing over time.

Feature sources:

Butterfly Pavilion · Antilles Pink-Toed Tarantula

At a glance

Caribena versicolor is native to Martinique in the Caribbean and uses trees and elevated silk retreats. Older records call it Avicularia versicolor; that former name does not make it a colour form of Avicularia avicularia.

Trees and silk retreats create connected elevated space. Sheltering may include rest, waiting or moulting rather than a paused life.

Invertebrate feeding and successive moults connect blue juveniles with multicoloured adults, alongside sex and stage differences. Avicularia versicolor is its former scientific name, connecting older accounts with the current name Caribena versicolor.

Common names Antilles Pinktoe Tarantula; Avicularia versicolor

Scientific name Caribena versicolor

Native rangeMartinique in the Caribbean

Adult sizeOften about 12–15 cm adult leg span

ActivityArboreal; builds elevated silken retreats

Diet Offer insects sized for the spider and adjust feeding to stage and abdominal condition. Remove uneaten prey around moults; support drinking and ventilation instead of constant spraying.

Habitat & care

Provide a tall enclosure, vertical supports, drinking opportunities and effective cross-ventilation without stagnant dampness.

Values guide routine care, not breeding or brumation. Dimensions are length × width × height for one adult unless stated otherwise; larger animals need more space.

TemperatureDaytime air 20–27°C Measure enclosure air; avoid direct sun and contact heaters. Remove live prey during moulting and do not use strong heat to speed growth.

HumidityWater + airflow The author does not target a fixed RH. Offer a water dish and drinking droplets; never use a sealed, persistently wet enclosure to chase high humidity.

LightingDay–night cycle Do not apply a reptile UVB setup by default; retain sheltered retreats.

Space30×30×45 cm Recommended adult starting recommendation; provide upright cork, high web anchors, cross-ventilation and accessible water.

Look a little closer

Compare colour across legs, carapace and abdomen; a juvenile reference can show the contrast with blue young. Trace silk to an elevated retreat and anchors. At emergence, watch a front foot find a branch before the body follows out.

Care note: Do not open the silk retreat to bring it out for display.

About this profile

Size ranges are reference values; sex, origin and age affect appearance.

Profile status: Reference profile · Reviewed 2026-10-20

References (5)

Photo: John · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons，resized for display · Original image, credit and licence

Behaviour notes describe the species, not a promise about every individual. These care notes introduce its needs; ask our team about the animal on display and any supervised encounters.