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Aphonopelma bicoloratum

🔤 Taxonomy

Aphonopelma bicoloratum is the currently accepted scientific name. It should not be confused with the orange-legged Mexican Brachypelma species that also appear in the pet trade. Correct identification matters because Mexican tarantula trade includes both listed and non-listed species, and hybrids or mislabelled animals can circulate.

English common names used in the hobby:

  • Mexican blood leg tarantula
  • Mexican bloodleg

📌 Description

Aphonopelma bicoloratum is a terrestrial New World tarantula from Mexico, known for a dark body and rich reddish-orange legs. It is slower and calmer than many display tarantulas, but it is still a tarantula for observation rather than handling.

Adults commonly reach about 13-15 cm legspan. Females are stockier and much longer lived than mature males. Growth is usually slow to moderate, so small juveniles from traceable breeding lines may take years to become large display animals.

The species is often attractive to newer keepers because it combines striking color with a generally manageable temperament. The main failure points are not aggression but poor sourcing, excessive moisture, too much enclosure height, and impatience during long fasting or premolt periods.

Like other New World theraphosids, it can use urticating hairs when stressed. Those hairs can irritate skin, eyes, and airways, so routine handling is still a bad idea even when the individual appears calm.

🌍 Distribution

The World Spider Catalog lists Aphonopelma bicoloratum from Mexico. Hobby sources describe it from dry to seasonally humid scrub and savanna-like areas in southwestern Mexico, where the spiders use burrows and sheltered ground retreats.

For captive care, the useful habitat cues are:

  • a low terrestrial enclosure
  • enough substrate for burrowing or reshaping a hide
  • dry to moderately dry surface conditions
  • fresh water at all times
  • a small moisture zone rather than a wet enclosure
  • stable warmth and calm disturbance levels

Native range of Aphonopelma bicoloratum

⚖️ Legal status

As checked against current official CITES and EU wildlife-trade references on 2026-06-04, no current CITES listing or specific EU Annex listing was found for Aphonopelma bicoloratum. The species is not relevant to the Bern Convention because it is not native to Europe.

This legal summary should not be read as permission to collect or import animals casually. Mexican wildlife, export, and local collection rules may still apply, and some other Mexican tarantulas are CITES-listed. Keep invoices, breeder details, and any import or transfer paperwork. Captive-bred animals from traceable lines are strongly preferred.

🤌 Husbandry

House Aphonopelma bicoloratum alone. It is not a communal species.

Spiderlings should start in small secure containers with enough substrate to dig a starter burrow. Keep one corner lightly moist, but avoid wet stagnant substrate. A small sling in a large adult enclosure can miss prey and be difficult to monitor.

Adults do well in a low terrestrial enclosure around 30 x 30 x 30 cm, adjusted for the animal’s size. Floor space and substrate depth matter more than height. A heavy-bodied terrestrial spider can be seriously injured by a short fall onto hard decor.

A dependable setup includes:

  • 10-15 cm of shape-holding substrate
  • a partially buried cork hide or starter burrow
  • a shallow water dish
  • good ventilation
  • limited climbing height
  • no unstable rocks or heavy decor

Allow the spider to modify the hide. A closed burrow is often normal behavior, especially around premolt or seasonal slowdowns.

💡 Lighting

No UVB or specialist lighting is required. Normal room light and a regular day-night rhythm are enough. Display lights should not overheat or dry the enclosure.

🌡 Heating and temperature

A practical range is about 21-27°C during the day, with a mild night drop to about 18-22°C. Avoid direct heat lamps on small enclosures. If the room is cool, warm the room or shelf rather than one side of the spider’s burrow.

This species tolerates normal household variation better than many tropical tarantulas, but sudden extremes are still risky. Stable warmth and a dry retreat are better than chasing a high basking number.

💧 Humidity and water

Aim for about 50-65% humidity, with a slightly more humid zone during molt. Keep fresh water available at all times. The surface can dry between light waterings, while the lower burrow area remains a little more buffered.

Do not keep the whole enclosure damp. Constant wetness encourages mold, mites, and stress. Overflow the water dish occasionally or moisten one corner, then allow airflow to dry the surface again.

🌿 Enclosure and decoration

Use a low enclosure with deep substrate and a simple hide. Compact coco fiber, unfertilized soil, clay-soil blends, or other tarantula-safe substrate can work if it holds a burrow shape.

Avoid high branches, heavy stones, mesh surfaces that catch claws, and decor that blocks maintenance. This species does not need a complicated planted display to do well.

🪳 Feeding

Feed roaches, crickets, locusts where legal, and occasional mealworms or superworms. Juveniles may feed once or twice a week. Adults commonly do well on one suitable meal every 7-14 days, with longer pauses before molts or during seasonal slowdowns.

Feed according to body condition. A rounded abdomen is fine; an overfed tarantula is more vulnerable to fall injury and molt problems. Remove uneaten prey promptly, especially when the spider is sealed in its burrow or preparing to molt.

🩺 Common problems

Common problems include overly wet substrate, falls from tall enclosures, urticating hair exposure, mislabelled animals, long fasting misread as illness, and prey left in during molt.

A spider that refuses food but remains heavy and sealed away may simply be in premolt. Check water and temperature, then leave it alone. A thin abdomen, weak posture, injury, or a bad molt requires immediate review of hydration, temperature, and recent stress. For serious injury or persistent decline, contact an experienced exotics veterinarian where possible.

📌 Conclusion

Aphonopelma bicoloratum is a beautiful, slow, mostly calm terrestrial tarantula for keepers who can provide dry-to-moderate housing and patient routines. It can be manageable for a careful newer keeper, but it should still be treated as a display animal with legal sourcing, low fall risk, and no routine handling.

📚 Sources and further reading