The African Horned Tarantula, also known as the African Baboon Tarantula, is a large, aggressive spider native to Mozambique and Zimbabwe.

Living in burrows during the day and hunting insects and small vertebrates at night, the African Horned Spider is a very aggressive species that is not recommended for the inexperienced owner. The spider should not be handled as they will bite, and a bite from the African Horned Spider is very painful. Pocock first described the African Horned Spider in 1896. They live in the dryer parts of Southern Africa and make deep burrows to protect them from the sun. They prefer humidity levels above 75%. In captivity, it is important that their air not become stagnant, as that is a likely cause of death.

East African Horned Tarantulas have a hump or horn-like projection on the top of their carapace. This horn is on top of the fovea, a dimple in the center. They are a fawn-gray color and have darker markings. With a life expectancy of 1.5 to 2 years, East African Horned Tarantulas have one of the shortest life cycles of all known tarantulas.

Like other African Tarantulas, the East African Horned Tarantula is happiest with humidity levels about 75%. However, stagnant air is one of the likely causes of death in captivity and should be avoided. The tarantulas should be kept in a large (12x12x12") tank. They should have at least four inches of peat moss for burrowing. They must have an open water dish and regular misting with a water bottle. In captivity, they can feed on pre-killed pinkies or invertebrates.

There is currently no special breeding information in our databases for this animal. To submit breeding / propagation information that is specific to this animal please click here.