Cobalt Blue Tarantula (Cyriopagopus lividus) Care Sheet
The Cobalt Blue Tarantula (Cyriopagopus lividus) is a spectacular fossorial Old World tarantula best known for the intense metallic blue colouration of its legs.
Native to Southeast Asia, this species spends much of its life inside deep, silk-lined burrows and usually emerges after dark to hunt. Although visually impressive, it is not suitable for beginners. Cobalt Blues are extremely fast, highly defensive when exposed and possess medically significant venom.
Unlike a display-oriented arboreal tarantula, much of the fascination of keeping C. lividus comes from providing sufficient substrate and watching the animal construct and maintain an elaborate underground retreat.
This is an observational species and should not be handled.
Quick Facts
Scientific name: Cyriopagopus lividus
Common name: Cobalt Blue Tarantula
Family: Theraphosidae
Origin: Southeast Asia, particularly Thailand and neighbouring areas
Lifestyle: Fossorial
Adult leg span: Approximately 12–15 cm (5–6 in)
Activity: Primarily nocturnal
Temperament: Very fast and defensive when disturbed
Experience level: Advanced
Lifespan: Females potentially 10–15+ years; males considerably shorter-lived
Social behaviour: Solitary
UVB: Not required
Moisture: Moderately moist substrate with good ventilation
Temperature: Approximately 23–27°C
Taxonomy
The Cobalt Blue Tarantula has historically appeared in the hobby under different scientific names.
Older literature and captive records may refer to it as:
Haplopelma lividum
The currently accepted placement is:
Cyriopagopus lividus
Older names may therefore still appear on enclosure labels, breeder records and historical husbandry information.
Natural Distribution
Cyriopagopus lividus occurs in tropical Southeast Asia and is particularly associated with Thailand.
It inhabits warm environments where it excavates substantial burrows into the soil.
The spider spends the majority of its life below ground rather than wandering openly across the surface.
This natural history is fundamental to its captive care.
A Cobalt Blue housed on a shallow layer of substrate with only a decorative hide is prevented from performing one of its most important natural behaviours.
Appearance
The species is famous for its remarkable blue legs.
Adult females can display:
- intense cobalt-blue legs
- darker blue or grey carapace
- darker abdomen
- metallic or iridescent appearance under suitable lighting
Colour intensity varies according to:
- sex
- age
- lighting
- time since moulting
Mature males generally become more slender and may appear considerably less intensely coloured than adult females.
Adult Size
Adults commonly attain approximately:
12–15 cm (5–6 in) diagonal leg span
Females usually develop a heavier body than mature males.
Although not among the largest tarantulas, their speed and defensive ability make them considerably more challenging to manage than size alone suggests.
Lifespan
Females may live approximately:
10–15 years or potentially longer
Males have a substantially shorter lifespan and generally survive for a relatively limited period after reaching sexual maturity.
Growth can be reasonably rapid when animals are maintained at appropriate temperatures and fed correctly.
Fossorial Behaviour
The Cobalt Blue is a true burrowing specialist.
A well-established specimen may excavate a deep tunnel and remain inside it for extended periods.
Burrows are frequently reinforced with silk.
The spider may create:
- underground chambers
- vertical tunnels
- web-lined entrances
- silk-covered substrate around the burrow entrance
Some specimens are rarely visible except during feeding or at night.
This is completely normal.
Do not repeatedly excavate a hidden spider simply to check on it.
Temperament
C. lividus has a reputation for strong defensive behaviour.
When safely inside its burrow, its preferred response to disturbance is often retreat.
Problems usually occur when the animal:
- is exposed
- cannot retreat
- is being rehoused
- has its burrow destroyed
- is physically disturbed
When cornered, it may adopt a threat posture and strike.
The species is also capable of extremely rapid movement.
Good enclosure design should therefore minimise situations in which direct interaction becomes necessary.
Old World Tarantula Considerations
The Cobalt Blue is an Old World tarantula.
It does not possess the urticating abdominal hairs used defensively by many New World species.
Its defensive strategy instead relies on:
- concealment
- speed
- threat displays
- striking
- biting
This makes appropriate experience and careful management essential.
Venom and Bite Risk
Bites from Asian Old World tarantulas can produce significant symptoms.
Potential effects can include:
- severe local pain
- swelling
- muscle cramps
- muscular spasms
- nausea
- sweating
- weakness
- increased heart rate
- prolonged discomfort
The exact effects of any individual bite cannot be predicted.
Routine handling is therefore inappropriate.
Anyone experiencing significant or systemic symptoms following a bite should seek appropriate medical attention.
Handling
Do not handle Cobalt Blue Tarantulas.
There is no husbandry benefit to routine handling.
Attempting to handle this species creates unnecessary risks of:
- bites
- escapes
- falls
- injury to the spider
- injury caused while attempting recapture
Necessary transfers should be performed using secure containers and appropriately long tools.
Enclosure
Adult Cobalt Blues require a terrestrial enclosure designed around substrate depth rather than height.
An adult enclosure of approximately:
30 × 30 × 30 cm
can work well when configured appropriately.
Slightly larger enclosures are also suitable.
The critical requirement is sufficient depth for the spider to construct a substantial burrow.
Substrate Depth
Provide approximately:
15–20 cm or more of compactable substrate
where enclosure dimensions permit.
Deep substrate is one of the most important aspects of Cobalt Blue husbandry.
Suitable substrate mixtures can contain:
- pesticide-free topsoil
- coco fibre
- clay-containing soil mixtures
- specialist burrowing invertebrate substrate
The mixture should:
- retain some moisture
- hold a burrow
- remain aerated
- not collapse easily
Loose substrate incapable of supporting tunnels is unsuitable.
Starting a Burrow
A keeper can encourage burrowing by creating a starter retreat.
Suitable methods include:
- partially burying cork bark
- creating an angled starter hole
- placing a cork tube partly beneath the substrate
The spider will normally modify the retreat considerably.
Once established, avoid destroying the burrow unless absolutely necessary.
Moisture
Unlike species originating from particularly arid habitats, C. lividus should not be maintained bone-dry.
The deeper substrate should retain moderate moisture without becoming waterlogged.
A useful approach is to allow some drying at the surface while maintaining slightly greater moisture deeper within the enclosure.
Avoid extremes.
The substrate should be neither:
- permanently saturated
nor
- completely desiccated throughout its depth
Humidity
Trying to maintain an exact humidity percentage is less useful than providing the correct substrate moisture, ventilation and drinking water.
The burrow itself naturally creates a more humid microclimate.
This allows the spider to regulate its exposure by moving within the retreat.
Constantly misting the enclosure to achieve a hygrometer reading can create excessively wet and stagnant conditions.
Ventilation
Good ventilation remains essential despite the species’ preference for moderately moist substrate.
Cross-ventilation is beneficial.
Poor airflow combined with excessive moisture can encourage:
- mould
- fungal growth
- stagnant conditions
- excessive condensation
- undesirable populations of mites
The aim is moist but well ventilated, not wet and stagnant.
Water
Provide a shallow dish of fresh drinking water at all times.
Keep the dish clean and refill it as necessary.
If the spider covers the dish with substrate or webbing, clean and replace it.
Water dishes are appropriate even for tarantulas that spend most of their time underground.
Temperature
A useful captive temperature range is approximately:
23–27°C
Normal fluctuations within this range are acceptable.
Avoid excessive heat.
Where additional heating is genuinely necessary, heating the surrounding room is preferable.
Do not place a heat mat beneath a fossorial tarantula enclosure.
A burrowing spider naturally moves deeper into the substrate to escape heat and drying conditions. Heating from underneath reverses this natural gradient and can place the animal at risk.
Any supplementary heating should be thermostatically controlled.
Lighting
No specialist lighting is required.
Normal ambient room lighting providing a regular day/night cycle is sufficient.
Avoid:
- direct sunlight
- intense lamps
- excessive enclosure illumination
- lighting that significantly increases enclosure temperature
UVB is not required.
Feeding
Cobalt Blues are generally enthusiastic predators, although much of their feeding behaviour may occur at the entrance to the burrow.
Suitable prey includes:
- crickets
- locusts
- appropriately sized cockroaches
- mealworms
- superworms
- other suitable captive-produced feeder insects
Adults can generally be offered:
one or two appropriately sized prey items every 7–14 days
Growing juveniles can receive smaller meals somewhat more frequently.
Feeding a Burrowing Tarantula
Prey can be placed close to the burrow entrance.
The spider may detect movement through its webbing and emerge rapidly to capture it.
Avoid dropping feeder insects deep inside the burrow.
Remove uneaten prey where practical.
If a spider seals its burrow and stops feeding, do not continually reopen the entrance and add food.
Sealed Burrows
Cobalt Blues sometimes completely close their burrow entrance with substrate and silk.
This can happen when:
- preparing to moult
- seeking security
- responding to environmental conditions
A sealed burrow should normally be left alone.
Do not excavate the animal simply because it has disappeared.
Provided the enclosure remains appropriately maintained and there are no clear signs of an emergency, allow the spider to reopen the retreat when ready.
Moulting
Before moulting, the spider may:
- refuse food
- remain underground
- seal the burrow
- reduce activity
- increase webbing
Because moulting may occur entirely underground, the keeper may not witness the process.
Never deliberately uncover a spider suspected of moulting.
After Moulting
A freshly moulted tarantula has a soft exoskeleton and vulnerable fangs.
Do not immediately resume feeding.
As a general guide, wait approximately:
5–7 days for juveniles
and
7–14 days for large adults
before offering prey.
Large specimens may require longer.
Body Condition
Avoid chronic overfeeding.
The abdomen should appear appropriately rounded without becoming excessively distended.
A very heavy abdomen is more vulnerable to injury.
Tarantulas can safely fast for extended periods.
Food refusal alone is not necessarily a sign of illness.
Enclosure Security
The enclosure must be completely escape-proof.
Check:
- ventilation openings
- lid fit
- door gaps
- cable holes
- corners
- sliding tracks
C. lividus is extremely fast.
Always know where the spider is likely to be before carrying out maintenance.
Rehousing
Rehousing a Cobalt Blue is one of the more challenging aspects of keeping the species.
The spider may remain hidden until its burrow is disturbed and then move extremely rapidly.
Before starting:
- Prepare the new enclosure completely.
- Work in a secure room.
- Close all doors and windows.
- Remove pets and unnecessary people.
- Prepare several catch cups.
- Use long tools.
- Plan the transfer before disturbing the burrow.
Where possible, move the spider using a secure catch container rather than attempting an exposed transfer.
Never attempt to grab a bolting spider with your hands.
Cleaning
Deep fossorial enclosures should not be routinely dismantled.
Maintenance usually consists of:
- cleaning the water dish
- removing feeder remains
- spot-cleaning visible waste
- dealing with significant mould if necessary
- maintaining appropriate substrate moisture
Complete substrate replacement is generally only required when there is a genuine husbandry reason.
Destroying a well-established burrow unnecessarily causes considerable disturbance.
Housing Multiple Individuals
House individually.
C. lividus is not a communal species for normal captive husbandry.
Housing specimens together risks:
- cannibalism
- injury
- competition
- death
Each animal should have its own secure enclosure.
Sexing
Examination of a suitable moult is the most reliable method of sexing immature animals.
Females possess spermathecae that can be identified in an intact exuvia.
Mature males become:
- more slender
- longer-legged
- sexually specialised around the pedipalps
Ventral sexing may provide an indication but is less reliable.
Breeding
Breeding should be attempted only by experienced keepers familiar with fast fossorial Old World tarantulas.
Introducing a male can be challenging because the female spends much of her time inside a deep retreat.
Courtship communication may involve:
- tapping
- vibration
- movement of the webbing
The male approaches the female and attempts sperm transfer using his pedipalps.
Females may attack or consume males.
Introductions require careful supervision.
Egg Sac and Spiderlings
Following successful mating, a female may produce an egg sac within her burrow.
Disturbance should be kept to an absolute minimum.
Spiderlings can be housed individually in small secure containers.
Provide:
- appropriate substrate depth
- a starter burrow
- suitable moisture
- ventilation
- small prey
Even small juveniles display strong burrowing behaviour and should be given enough substrate to construct retreats.
Health
Potential husbandry-related problems include:
- dehydration
- excessive moisture
- poor ventilation
- overheating
- injuries
- problematic moults
- feeder-related injury
Prevention through appropriate husbandry is considerably easier than treating a seriously compromised tarantula.
Dehydration
Possible signs include:
- shrunken abdomen
- lethargy
- abnormal posture
- impaired coordination
Ensure fresh drinking water is always available and that the deeper substrate has not become excessively dry.
The Death Curl
A tarantula whose legs are tightly curled beneath its body and which is unable to move normally may be severely compromised.
This differs from normal resting postures and the upside-down position used during moulting.
Serious concerns should be discussed with an appropriately experienced exotic or invertebrate veterinarian where such expertise is available.
Quarantine
New specimens should initially be kept separately from an established collection.
Monitor for:
- mites
- abnormal behaviour
- fungal problems
- unexplained weakness
- unexpected mortality
Use separate equipment where practical.
Captive-bred specimens from reputable sources should be preferred.
Suitability as a Pet
Advantages
- spectacular metallic blue colouration
- fascinating burrowing behaviour
- extensive silk construction
- strong feeding response
- relatively robust when correctly maintained
- long-lived females
Considerations
- spends substantial periods hidden
- extremely fast
- highly defensive when exposed
- medically significant venom
- unsuitable for handling
- deep substrate is essential
- rehousing requires considerable care
- inappropriate for inexperienced keepers
Anyone wanting a tarantula that remains constantly visible may find this species frustrating.
Its natural behaviour involves spending much of its life underground.
That behaviour should be accommodated rather than prevented.
Responsible Ownership
Before acquiring a Cobalt Blue Tarantula:
- gain experience with less demanding species
- prepare a suitable deep enclosure in advance
- check current local legislation
- purchase captive-bred stock where available
- maintain secure housing
- ensure household members understand the risks
- never deliberately handle the animal
- never release captive animals into the wild
The spectacular colouration of C. lividus makes it attractive to collectors, but appearance alone is not a sufficient reason to acquire an advanced Old World tarantula.
Summary
The Cobalt Blue Tarantula is a spectacular fossorial species whose husbandry should be designed around its natural burrowing behaviour.
Successful captive care centres on:
- deep, compactable substrate
- a secure starter retreat
- moderately moist deeper substrate
- good ventilation
- constant access to fresh water
- suitable temperatures
- appropriately sized feeder insects
- minimal disturbance
- secure individual housing
- careful rehousing procedures
- no routine handling
A properly maintained Cobalt Blue may spend much of its time invisible beneath the substrate. This is not a husbandry failure — it is a sign that the animal has been given the opportunity to behave naturally.
For experienced keepers comfortable working with fast and defensive Old World tarantulas, Cyriopagopus lividus is a fascinating species whose extraordinary blue colouration is only one part of its appeal.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
This care sheet provides general husbandry guidance and does not replace species-specific research or veterinary advice. Individual requirements may vary.
If you have concerns about an animal’s health or care, consult a suitably experienced exotic or invertebrate veterinarian.
Information correct at the date of publication.
reptilecommunity.com | Revised: August 2026