Mike's Basic Tarantula

A Basic Site for the Tarantula enthusiast

Neostenotarsus guianensis

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Common name: None

Indigenous: French Guiana

Habitat: The climate of French Guiana is tropical, with a mean annual temperature of 26.7° C (80° F). Cool, onshore breezes in the coastal zone fail to mitigate the effects of the high humidity. The dry season from June to November is succeeded by torrential rains achieving maximum intensity in April and May. The average annual rainfall at Cayenne is about 3,200 mm (about 126 in).

Temp/humidity: 78°-84°, 70-80% humidity.  I keep this species temperature at 80 degrees and the humidity at 70%. The substrate in the terrarium is kept moist, but not wet. I mist the soil once a week.

Enclosure: Use a spiderling vial that will allow at least three inches of substrate for burrowing and three inches as sub-adult-adult in a small terrarium.

Substrate: I use three inches (3") of substrate in vial and three inches (3") in small terrarium. (I use a mixture of peat moss, vermiculite, coconut fiber and dirt for firmness, as the substrate).

Retreat/Hide: This is a obligate burrower. Make a starter burrow for this species.

Food Consumption: I first fed her fruit flies, than when she reached one-half (1/2"), I introduced baby crickets. Now I give my this dwarf (2) - one-half inch B. dubia roaches or one-half inch ( 1/2") crickets weekly. After keeping this species several years, as an adult, I haven't seen it eat.

Water Requirements: I keep a water dish in the tank. I have never seen mine drink.

Growth Rate: The growth rate of this species is medium. I purchased this tarantula as a spiderling of one-eighth inch (1/8") in size. After the first year she had grown to one inch (1"). With constant feeding and with temperatures in the low to mid 80's, it reached its full size in two (2) years.

Adult Size: I read that they get three inches (3"). Mine is only two inches (2") 5cm.

Temperament: This is a docile but secluded species.

Comments: This is a rare and very secretive species. After I transferred it from a vial to its permanent enclosure, she burrowed and I have seen her only once in two years. This is truly an obligate burrowing dwarf.

One day I looked into her cage and she was out. I thought she was dead or dying, but she wasn't. She stayed out in the open for about four day and retreated to her burrow and covered the mouth of the burrow and has been there since. This is a picture I took before she bunkered under. I probably will purchase several more of this species for a breeding project.