Welcome to part one of a series I am working on where each time I will focus on one tarantula in my collection. The photos used are of my actual tarantulas and the information I include is based on my own experiences. Please keep in mind that my experiences may differ from yours so just because I say it here does not mean that it is set in stone. I am just sharing what works for me.

Lasiodorides striatus (pronounced Lah-sigh-oh-door-eye-dees stry-ate-us), also known as the Peruvian Orange-Stripe, is a hard to find species in the hobby. In the 90’s, when I got my female, these were often sold as Goliath Orange-Stripes on pet store dealer lists. This lead to some confusion in the pet trade as they were often purchased thinking they were actually Goliath Bird-Eating Tarantulas (Theraphosa blondi at the time). I was actually looking for a blondi and the owner of the mom and pop pet store that I went to said he could get them and this is what I ended up with. Though not a blondi it is still a very interesting and easy-to-keep species.

This new world terrestrial tarantula from Peru is slightly larger than tarantulas that are more common in the trade, like Brachypelmas and Grammostolas. They can have a leg-span of almost six inches and though they are mostly brown in color their leg-striping is a beautiful peach-to-orange color, hence their more often used common name. Because of this larger size is probably where the name Goliath Orange-Stripe name came from.

They can be kept just like Brachypelmas, Aphonopelmas and Grammostolas with temperatures in the mid 70’s and about 75% humidity. A water dish will provide the necessary humidity. They are very opportunistic and seem to like living under existing structures as opposed to digging burrows.

My female has never shown any real signs of aggression but at the same time, doesn’t like to be bothered. If I use tongs to remove dead or eaten crickets it slowly moves away as if to say “leave me alone.” It tends to be slow moving but can be lightning fast when subduing prey. I have never seen her flick hairs either.

They do like to make webs but not to the extreme that Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens does. It will cover most of the substrate and eventually it does get thick but it does not create intricate tunnels and hiding places like cyaneopubescens is known for. Webs are not evident in these pictures as they were taken after rehousing the spider with fresh substrate.

The substrate I used is slightly damp Eco-Earth by Exo-Terra. This was more so to keep the dust down when pouring into the enclosure than for humidity reasons. For the most part mine will eat 1-2 large crickets a week though will slow down during the cooler winter months. I do not provide any external heat source and the enclosure is kept at room temperature. Though I have never seen her drink from her water dish, fresh water is available at all times.

Overall this is a great species to have. They are beautiful in their own right and have a decent temperament. They are one of the easiest species to keep and I am hoping that with growing interest, dealers will start breeding this species so that everyone can enjoy them.

 ~David Albaugh