Monocentropus balfouri “Blue Yemen tarantula”

The Monocentropus balfourialso known as the Yemen blue tarantula, is one of the most visually striking tarantulas around. It originates from the remote island of Socotra, which lies off the coast of Yemen and is known for its unique climate and endemic fauna. Due to its unusual blue-grey coloration with contrasting light legs, it is a real eye-catcher in the terrarium.

But it’s not just their appearance that makes this species so popular – their behavior is also fascinating. Because Monocentropus balfouri shows pronounced social behavior, which is rather atypical for tarantulas. In a suitable group housing, several animals can live together as long as the terrarium offers sufficient space, hiding places and food sources. This creates interesting dynamics that cannot be observed in solitary animals.

The animals like to dig and build widely branched tube systems under the ground or behind cork slabs. They use spider silk to stabilize their tunnels and create safe retreats there. The terrarium should therefore contain at least 10 cm of burrowable substrate – preferably a mixture of forest humus and loamy sand. A layer of dry leaves or small roots can provide additional structure.

As far as climatic conditions are concerned Monocentropus balfouri Temperatures between 24 and 28 °C during the day and 20-22 °C at night. Humidity should be around 60-70%, whereby good ventilation is essential. It is therefore often sufficient to spray sparingly every few days – preferably in a corner.

A terrarium measuring 30 × 30 × 30 cm is suitable for a single animal. For group keeping, at least 40 × 30 × 30 cm is recommended for two animals – you should expand accordingly for each additional animal. It is important that there are enough hiding places so that the animals can get out of each other’s way. Cork tubes, pieces of bark or larger cave structures help to avoid friction.

The animals are also particularly active, which makes them exciting objects of observation. While many tarantulas tend to live in hiding, you can see Monocentropus balfouri often sit outside the cage – especially at dusk. They are curious and occasionally even explore new structures in the terrarium.

Despite its lively nature, this species remains quite sociable. Although it is agile, it does not usually display any pronounced defensive behavior. With a little experience, it is therefore also suitable for owners who have not been keeping spiders for long but are looking for a particularly interesting animal.

If you are interested in the Monocentropus balfouri not only brings a fascinating species with an impressive appearance into the terrarium, but also a real specialty: only a few tarantula species can be successfully kept in groups.