Lightfoot’s Lesser Baboon (Harpactirella Lightfooti)

This is a South-African Tarantula and is the only Tarantula from South-Africa that you are allowed to keep in Captivity.

The are heavy webbers and will make great use of rocks, twigs and other structure to build their shelters from. If they can’t find enough structure, they will usually begin to burrow and create a tubular tunnel to a lair deeper down.

They are very skittish and quick moving baboon spiders but are actually quite tolerant of disturbance. They will bolt when disturbed or touched but won’t easily flare or throw a threat pose in defense unless really provoked, and they will indeed bite if pushed to far. Their venom is said to be quite potent to mice and must be assumed to be like any other “Old World” venom and care should be taken not to get bitten as no conclusive tests have been done on humans. Expect the usual painful bite and possible muscle spasms or cramping if you are indeed bitten.