What to expect
Antilles Pinktoes come from Martinique and are kept as arboreal tarantulas. Adults reach about 13–15 cm (5–6 in), with fast growth. In the UK hobby, the species is currently best described as common.
Do not expect every Antilles Pinktoe to behave identically. Appetite, retreat use, webbing and confidence in the open can vary between individuals, so use the species' normal lifestyle as a guide and adjust to the behaviour of the individual spider.
Enclosure setup
Antilles Pinktoes are arboreal, so the enclosure should provide useful height, an upright cork retreat and several places for webbing to attach. A tall empty box is not enough; the spider needs structure in the upper half of the enclosure and a retreat it can settle into.
For juveniles, scale the enclosure to the spider rather than the eventual adult size. As Caribena versicolor grows, increase the enclosure height and the room around the retreat while keeping the water dish and door easy to reach without tearing through the main web.
Temperature and room placement
A practical temperature range for Caribena versicolor is 21–26°C. Stable room conditions are more useful than chasing a precise number every hour. Check the shelf where the enclosure actually sits, especially during very warm weather and through winter.
For Caribena versicolor, keep the enclosure away from direct sunlight, radiators and electronics that create local hot spots. Do not attach a heat mat directly to the enclosure; if the room is genuinely too cold, warming the room is easier to control than creating one concentrated hot surface.
Moisture, water and ventilation
For Antilles Pinktoes, the moisture approach is straightforward. Maintain moderate moisture with excellent cross-ventilation. Never keep the enclosure stagnant or constantly wet. You do not need every part of the substrate to be equally wet, and persistent condensation or a stale smell usually means the enclosure is staying too damp.
Keep a clean water dish available for Caribena versicolor once the spider is large enough to use one safely. Smaller juvenile enclosures can dry faster than adult setups, so adjust how often you add water to the actual drying rate rather than following a fixed calendar.
Feeding
Feed Antilles Pinktoes according to their size, appetite and abdomen rather than a fixed weekly schedule. Use established feeder insects that the spider can overpower without a long struggle, and remove live prey if it is ignored.
Young spiders usually eat more regularly while they are growing. Adults can go much longer between meals. If Caribena versicolor begins refusing prey and spends more time hidden, premoult is one of the first normal explanations to consider.
Growth and moulting
Growth in Caribena versicolor is fast. Young Antilles Pinktoes generally moult more often than large juveniles and adults, and appetite often changes as a moult approaches.
During premoult in Caribena versicolor, remove live prey and keep fresh water available. After a moult, leave the spider undisturbed until the new exoskeleton has hardened and the fangs have darkened before offering food again.
Temperament and safe maintenance
Individual Antilles Pinktoes vary in how they respond to disturbance, so work around the behaviour of the spider you actually keep. Use long tools when useful and have a catch cup ready for rehousing.
Handling is unnecessary for routine care. Even a normally steady Antilles Pinktoe can react quickly to vibration or a sudden movement, and keeping the spider inside a secure enclosure is safer for both keeper and animal.
Male and female lifespan
Male Caribena versicolor are generally expected to live around 3–4 years, while females can live 10–12 years. These are broad captive ranges, not exact lifespans, and individual growth history can shift maturity earlier or later.
Female Caribena versicolor continue moulting after maturity. A mature male eventually reaches his ultimate moult and may become more active around the enclosure while feeding less often. Keep moult dates if you want a clearer picture of age, growth and sex over time.
UK availability and naming
In the UK hobby, Antilles Pinktoes are currently classed as common. Availability can change quickly between specialist stock lists, captive-produced batches and show weekends, so treat that label as a guide rather than a promise that a particular size or sex will always be easy to find.
Older hobby material may use the name Avicularia versicolor. Keep older labels in your records if they came with the animal, but use Caribena versicolor when checking current husbandry or taxonomy.
Long-term care
Long-term care for Caribena versicolor is mostly about consistency. Keep the enclosure secure, maintain fresh water, feed sensibly, respect the spider's retreat and make changes only when the setup stops working for the animal.
Rehouse an Antilles Pinktoe when the existing enclosure has genuinely become cramped or awkward to maintain, not simply because the spider touches the walls. Prepare the new enclosure completely before moving the spider so the transfer itself can be kept short and controlled.