Trinidad Dwarf Tarantula (Cyriocosmus elegans) Care Sheet

Scientific Name: Cyriocosmus elegans

Common Name: Trinidad Dwarf

Type: Terrestrial

Category: New World

Endemic Location: Trinidad, Tobago and Venezuela

Body Length: 0.8” (2cm)

Diagonal Leg Span (DLS): 2” (5cm)

Urticating Hairs: Yes

Growth Rate: Fast

Life Expectancy: Females 7 years / Males 2 years

Recommended Experience Level: Beginner

The Cyriocosmus elegans know also as the Trinidad Dwarf tarantula is a New World Terrestrial Tarantula that comes from the tropical climates of Trinidad, Tobago and Venezuela. With warm temperatures between 78-92f and average humidity levels around 85%, this tarantula lives in a veritable paradise. Being a dwarf tarantula females of this species will only grow to about 1.5-2” (4-5cm) at most with males only getting about half that size. Like most New Worlds they do have urticating hairs and are venomous, though their venom is not known to be medically significant and the bite would probably be more painful than the venom, though science is still researching the effects of tarantula venom on humans and any medical properties they have at some point in the future. So the science is still out and it is best to avoid being bit by a tarantula in any case. Also, due to being a such a small tarantula, females have an average lifespan of around 7 years while males tend to only live about 2 years. These tarantulas start out extremely tiny as slings but are fast growers and reach their adult size within a year or two. This species is so popular because of the heart shaped pattern on its abdomen that make it truly unique and recognizable. It also has a beautiful black triangle on its carapace reminiscent of the Brachypelma emilia. This tarantula is docile though a little skittish. Mine spends a lot of time walking around its enclosure exploring and moving dirt to build tunnels as well as webbing a lot. I have seen old care sheets online suggesting you keep this t anywhere from fossorially to arboreally, but I choose the middle path on their husbandry. I give mine plenty of substrate to burrow into as well as providing some branches or leaves for them to anchor their webs on. I find this set up seems to make them the most comfortable. Mine C. elegans will burrow down in the hide and make tunnels that have 2 or 3 entrances so they pop out in different areas of their enclosure and they web up extensively around those openings and even make little web tunnels about the ground. Having plenty of places to quickly retreat to safely seems to give them the confidence to spend a lot of time out in the open where they can be easily observed. Usually when i go to open their enclosure they will quickly dash into hiding as they prefer to flight over fight. I have never seen my Cyriocosmus give me a threat pose and even though they are a New World tarantula with urticating hairs, mine have never kicked any at me. But even after running for cover in their burrow, they almost always immediately turn around and poke their front legs out to see what is going on. They are inquisitive little explorers that cautiously curious. 

 I keep my spiderlngs in a small dram vile filled about ⅔ the way up with substrate and place in some sphagnum moss for them to use as a hide and to do some webbing. Like with most of my spiderlings, I keep the substrate damp, but not soggy, and drip water down the side of the enclosure and on the sphagnum moss at least once a week to keep up the humidity. I try to always drip the water on one side and let it soak into the bottom, sometime poking the dirt with a long skinny stick to help saturate the bottom layer on substrate without flooding the burrow and top level. Because these spiderlings are so small, you must be mindful about the size of the ventilation holes you use as they can easily escape through the tiniest holes. To avoid this issue, i usually use a thumb take and poke holes in the lid of the dram vile to provide a little ventilation without risking an escape. You also need to be careful anytime you are opening the enclosure as sometimes these tiny slings will crawl up the sides of the enclosure and be on the lid or in the corner of the lid and enclosure when you open it up and they may wander off without you even noticing. 

  Once they reach about 0.5”(1.25cm) or appear to be outgrowing their draw vile, I move them into a basic spiderling enclosure. Again I fill up the enclosure about ⅔ with substrate and provide a hide and small water dish. I keep the substrate a little damp, again saturating the bottom level while avoiding flooding the burrows and keep the top layer a little dry. I also add in little branches, leafs, or small fake plants for the t to use as anchor points for their webbing should they choose. About once every week or two i will drip some water on the sphagnum moss to help keep the humidity up a little higher than normal, but that probably isn’t a necessity so much as it just my method. Up to this size I keep them in my climate controlled spiderling nursery which remains at a constant 78f (26c). I also keep a dish of water in the nursery to help raise the humidity a little higher than the ambient humidity of the room, but as I keep mine in the basement, dry conditions are not really an issue I deal with. 

 When they are approaching their adult size and have grown over an inch...i move them into an acrylic juvenile enclosure. At most, this T really only needs an enclosure around 6x6x6 but i keep them right now in an enclosure that measures about 4x4x5. A general rule is to keep them in an enclosure 3x their leg span, so if mine get any larger I will move them into my larger juvenile enclosures around 6-8” square. I fill the enclosure between ½ - ⅔ full of substrate and again provide a hide, water dish, sphagnum moss and a fake plant or two. I still pour water down a corner of the enclosure to keep the bottom layer damp while keeping the top layer dry, this gives the t the ability to burrow down when they prefer more humid conditions and stay out on top when they want more drier ones. At this size I see my Cyriocosmus utilize both burrowing and webbing, alternating between being underground and climbing around like a semi arboreal tarantula. Their fine silk webs only add to the beauty of this tarantula and is why I find mine to be a beautiful display tarantula.

Even though they are so small, they do not disappoint when it comes time to feed, quickly taking down their prey in dramatic fashion and rarely refusing a meal unless in premolt. 

  When it comes time to feed, i give my spiderling small flightless fruitflies or flour beetles about twice a week. If they are nearing a molt or seem disinterested in eating i will but back to once a week, but that is rarely an issue. I wait about 48 hours after a spiderling molt before attempting to feed them again, giving them a couple days to harden up. Even as slings they have a voracious feeding response and quickly take down their prey. Be careful not to attempt to give them any prey that is larger than they are. You can also prekill a cricket or roach and pull off their legs and drop one in for the sling to eat. They will scavenge feed at this size, but be sure to check back up on them 24 hours later and remove any uneaten prey to avoid it molding and attracting mites. 

 For juveniles over 0.5” I will begin feeding them 1 or 2 pinhead or very small crickets once a week. I make sure not to drop in any prey larger than the tarantula and usually try to keep the prey around ½ - ⅔ the size of the T. if I don’t have any prey that size, then i will smash the head of whatever I am dropping in there so it is still twitching and moving a little but doesn’t run the risk of the prey biting and possibly hurting the tarantula. Again, i check back up on them the next day and remove any uneaten prey and never leave live feeders in an enclosure if the tarantula is nearing a molt. 

  What this tarantula lacks in size it certainly makes up for in appearance and personality. A lot of people disregard dwarf species because they are so small, opting for the big hairy tarantulas, which is understandable. But it would be a mistake to overlook these tiny beauties. With their velvety appearance, that adorable heart shaped pattern on their abdomen, the insane feeding response and general curiosity and gentleness makes this one of my favorite genus of tarantula. I don’t normally handle my tarantulas, but occasionally when feeding or rehousing, my C. elegans will calming wander out of its enclosure and onto my hand and I am always amazed at how brave this such a small t can be sometimes. I don’t recommend holding your tarantulas, and one this small it can be even more dangerous, as a fall from your hand to the ground could prove fatal. I always make sure that if I am handling my tarantula i am doing so over a table or am sitting down on the ground so any accidental fall will not be lethal. Overall their husbandry is very straight forward and like most all new world terrestrial Ts. Just provide adequate ventilation, a water dish while keeping them at room temperature and avoid misting their enclosure and stay away from heat lamps and heat pads and they will thrive. The bast thing about dwarf tarantulas is that you can keep multiple adult specimens that take up a fraction of the room one large adult specimen requires. Which is VERY attractive if your space is limited or you have a large collection.