KeeprHusbandry ไทย
Library / Theraphosidae / Socotra Island Blue Baboon
M
Theraphosidae

Socotra Island Blue Baboon

Monocentropus balfouri
IntermediateHuman-verified sheet

Temperature

24–28°Ambient

One ambient band, 24–28°C. This sheet states no warm side, no cool side and no night figure, so none are shown.

Humidity

50–65%Target RH
Check your setup against this sheet
‹ All husbandry guides

The numbers

Enclosure
25 × 25 × 25 cm
Diet
Crickets, roaches, locusts; occasional superworm · Slings 2–3×/week; juveniles ~weekly; adults every 7–14 days
Temperature
24–28°C (75–82°F)
Humidity
50–65% (dry with a water dish; occasional light misting)

Identity

Order / Family
Araneae
IUCN / CITES
Not evaluated (IUCN); not CITES-listed
Difficulty
Intermediate
Commonality
Very popular – widely captive-bred; the go-to communal species
Adult size
Body ~5 cm; leg span ~11–13 cm
Lifespan
Females ~12–14 yr; males ~4–5 yr
Growth rate
Medium
Activity & niche
Fossorial burrower and heavy webber; forms silk galleries
Temperament
Relatively calm and reluctant to bite for an Old World, but fast; can bolt when startled
Venom / defense
No urticating hairs; venom less studied but still an Old World – treat as potent; experts/keen intermediates
Price (THB)
800–2,500 ฿ (indicatif)

Enclosure and conditions

Temperature
24–28°C (75–82°F)
Humidity
50–65% (dry with a water dish; occasional light misting)
Min. enclosure
Adult ~25×25×25 cm; deep substrate; larger for communals
Substrate
8–12 cm dry-ish coco fibre/topsoil with at least 3 in depth for burrowing
Hides / decor / water
Cork bark, anchor points for silk galleries, water dish

Diet

Staple food
Crickets, roaches, locusts; occasional superworm
Feeding frequency
Slings 2–3×/week; juveniles ~weekly; adults every 7–14 days
Supplements
None – gut-load feeders only

Behaviour and handling

Handling
Not recommended – calmer than most OW but still fast with potent venom
Communal
Yes – one of very few reliably communal tarantulas; raise 2+ together with ample space/food
Defense / stress signs
Bolting when startled, mild threat posture; huddling in communal groups; no hair-kicking

Reproduction

Reproduction
Oviparous; excellent mother – females tolerate and even share prey with slings; ~15–50 spiderlings per sac (smaller sacs)

Common health problems

Common health issues
SignsMold/mites if kept too wet, dehydration if bone-dry, fall/rupture, DKS from pesticides
Red flags / quarantine
SignsAlmost always CB; watch DKS, death curl; in communals remove any dead/weak promptly

Good to know

  • Colonies of hundreds have been raised harmoniously – mothers even feed their young, extraordinary among tarantulas

Others in this group

Sources