Iridopelma zorodes (Bahia Purple & Red Pinktoe Tarantula

The Bahia Purple & Red Pinktoe Tarantula, or Iridopelma zorodes, is an arboreal tarantula from the Bahia region of Brazil. Adults display a purple-blue body with a reddish abdomen, a striking combination that gives the species its common name. Spiderlings and juveniles pass through their own look first, with blue legs, a pink carapace (head), and red, black and pink striping on the abdomen that grows brighter and more vibrant with every molt, before losing most of that pattern as they shift into the purple-blue adult color. This species only grows to about 4.5 to 5 inches in diagonal leg span, with a medium to fast growth rate. As with most pink toe tarantulas, expect females to live 10 to 15 years, while males typically live only 2 to 3. This species is docile like the rest of the genus, but still quick and capable of sudden movement like most arboreals. Grab this docile new world tarantula for sale today, offered here as a spiderling.

Why do hobbyists keep the Bahia Purple & Red Pinktoe Tarantula?

• Colorful Spiderlings: Spiderlings and juveniles show blue legs, a pink carapace, and red, black and pink abdomen striping that grows brighter with every molt, a distinct early look of its own well before the adult color takes over.
• Drastic Color Change: The shift from a blue-legged, pink and striped juvenile to a purple-blue adult with a reddish abdomen, losing most of the earlier pattern along the way, is a real change by the time it is grown, so this species keeps changing well past the sling phase.
• Heavy Webber: This species is a heavy webber and builds thick retreats in the upper part of the enclosure, giving it plenty of presence even when it is tucked away.
• Docile Temperament: Iridopelma zorodes is usually docile, though still quick and capable of sudden movement like most arboreals.
• Uncommon in the Hobby: This species does not show up nearly as often as some of the other pink toe tarantulas, and it is perfect for hobbyists who love pink toes but want something a little less common.

How should Iridopelma zorodes be kept?

• Adult Size: Hatchlings start around 0.5 to 0.75 inch, and the species only grows to about 4.5 to 5 inches in diagonal leg span as an adult, so there is plenty of growing left ahead of it at every size we carry.
• Enclosure: A young Iridopelma zorodes like this one does well in an enclosure around 4 by 4 by 5 inches, with cross ventilation and vertical cork bark, foliage, and multiple anchor points for webbing. At least 1.5 inches of substrate at every stage keeps humidity steady without turning the enclosure into a swamp.
• Setup Tips: Real cork bark or wood pieces make a big difference for this species. They help it settle in faster and give it natural climbing surfaces and webbing anchor points at every size, spiderling included.
• Rehousing: From here, plan on two more moves: an 8 by 8 by 10 inch enclosure, then a 10 by 10 by 16 inch enclosure as an adult. At this species' medium to fast growth rate, each enclosure typically lasts around 8 to 14 months, with full size reached in about 2 to 4 years.
• Temperature: 75 to 85°F, the optimal range for most tropical species like this one. Cooler temperatures are survivable, but increase the odds of trouble molting and growing, so we recommend staying in this range for the best results. Most keepers do not need any extra heating to hit it.
• Humidity: Never let the substrate dry out completely. This is a tropical species and it likes things a little wetter than most terrestrials, so keep it slightly damp and top it up before it goes dry rather than after.
• Water: Provide a shallow water dish placed in an elevated position if possible. This is more natural for arboreal species and helps prevent crickets from falling in and drowning. A weekly misting is suggested as well, so the animal can drink off the side of the enclosure or its own webbing if it prefers that to the dish, as long as you are wetting surfaces rather than soaking the substrate.
• Diet: A pinhead to 3/16 inch cricket is the right size to start, offered at least once a week.
• Temperament: Iridopelma zorodes is usually docile. It can move quickly when startled, but it is not a defensive species.

Are there any additional notes or considerations for Iridopelma zorodes?

• Pink Toe Spiders? Like every tarantula, this arachnid gets called a pink toe spider in casual conversation. Tarantulas and true spiders are both arachnids, though tarantulas are the heavy bodied, long lived branch of the family, and a pink toe's habit of showing off its brightly colored feet while it walks is exactly why the nickname stuck.
• Captive Bred: All tarantulas at Exotics Unlimited are captive bred.

Looking for similar species?

• Browse our Arboreal Tarantulas and New World Tarantulas collections to explore related care profiles.

Listing Notes

• This listing is for an Iridopelma zorodes Bahia Purple & Red Pinktoe Tarantula spiderling measuring around 0.5 to 0.75 inch in diagonal leg span, which is the size given in the title, unsexed, with roughly a 50/50 chance of male or female. This is about the size the species hatches at, so it has not yet reached the pink and striped juvenile look, let alone the purple-blue adult color, both of which are still ahead of it.