Background Information
Chilean rose hair tarantulas (Grammostola Rosea) are among the most common tarantulas in the pet industry. They are cheap, relatively tame, and easy to care for. Their colour is brown to black with rose hair present on the upper body.
In nature, rose hair lives in the dry grasslands on the edge of the deserts of Chile, Argentina, and Bolivia. They are nocturnal hunters, live in cool, moist burrows, and go out for food and potential mate at night.
Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula facts
Chilean rose hair is a medium-sized tarantula. A mature female is 3 inches long, and her legs are about 5 inches long. The body of male tarantula is smaller than female, but their leg extensions remain the same.
Choosing a Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula
There are almost 800 plus species of tarantula endemic to almost every climate. Tarantulas are divided into two groups, the “Old World” and the “New World.” For most Old World species of tarantulas in the Eastern Hemisphere, spiders digging holes in the ground are generally slower and easily handled.
Rose hair tarantulas are generally docile species, so various keepers handle them without problems. These spiders are often seen as living props in movies and photography due to their gentle nature. However, the relentless handling of any animal can be frustrating. When frustrated, the rose hair tarantula poses a threat by raising its forefoot and exposing its fangs. Since they are also the species of the “new world,” their first defence is generally swift; some kicks from the back end separate their irritating hair at whatsoever they feel there is a current threat.
Chilean rose hair tarantula also has mild poison. A potentially painful but unfortunate enough handler to be at the end of the bite compared it to that of wasp and bees. However, if you or someone you know is allergic to wasp or bee stings, we recommend that you not treat tarantulas.
Water & Humidity
A small shallow water bowl is mandatory and should always be on the opposite edge of the cage hiding place. This specie didn’t require high humidity, so levels in the cage can fluctuate, but should be at least 65% must be maintained.
Avoid misting the tarantula or the cage. It is not necessary and only causes stress. Instead, you can sometimes flood water, so there will be a damp area inside the enclosure to increase the humidity when the dust rises. Distilled, Reverse Osmosis or Spring water can be used. Feel free to read our article on our recommendations for tarantula enclosures here.
Heating & Lighting
Chilean does not require artificial heating equipment or high temperatures. Room temperature and room lighting are sufficient. Temperatures should be monitored in case the temperature drops significantly at night during the cold winter months.
UVA and UVB lighting are not required as they are a nocturnal species, but it is essential that the tarantula still perceive when it’s day and night. Therefore, you can use the base light when you are in a dark place.
Handling
Be especially careful when handling pets. They are not deadly but toxic. There is no evidence of human death from a tarantula bite. People who tarantulas bite usually react in the same way as bee stings. Even if they aren’t aggressive. Although not docile and aggressive, the Chilean rose can be prompt if it’s afraid. Most keepers never get bitten.
- Bites
Your spider warns you before chewing by getting up on its hind legs and making a sound. Please sit while handling the spider. Do not rub your eyes with your hands until the spiders have been cleaned and your hands have been washed.
- Urticating Hairs
There are tiny hairs on the abdomen of the spider, which can cause skin irritation. In case of contact with eyes, see a doctor immediately. If they feel threatened, they can throw it with their hind legs.
- Common Handling Issues
Please do not hold the spider above the surface as it will crack the abdomen and be fatal in most cases when it falls. The skeleton of the spider is on the outside. When the abdomen breaks, the inside pops out and kills the spider. Another common issue results from freaking out, either as of being bitten or the spider liberating some itchy hair.
Individuals would unconsciously throw spiders at the wall and kill them. If you plan to handle your spider, you need to be very calm, very careful, and conscious of what can happen.
What do Chilean rose tarantulas eat?
Are you wondering what do Chilean rose tarantulas eat? The Chile Rose Tarantula eat various menus, including mealworms, grasshoppers, moths, crickets, beetles, and cockroaches. If you keep your tarantula as a pet, the best food you can offer to your tarantula is crickets with guts stuffed with vegetables.
In general, Chilean rose hair tarantula should be fed up to 3 foods twice a week. Tarantulas don’t like eating dead prey. It is also a good idea to sprinkle your prey with calcium and vitamin D supplements to ensure the healthy growth and development of tarantulas.
Spiders can fast for weeks and eat reasonably irregularly.
Health & Hygiene
Chilean rose tarantula care is relatively easy as these are not nasty pets if you provide these mini friends a suitable habitat.
If the spider tends to climb walls, behave erratically, or spend most of its time in cages, something is wrong, and it’s as simple as the humidity in the environment is too high. Keep the perfect range of humidity that is 65 to 70% by using a relative hygrometer or pressure gauge.
- Moulting
As tarantulas grow, they moult. Like snakes, it loses old skin. Moulting can be a stressful and challenging process for your spider.
First, your spider may have no appetite for several weeks. You may also notice that clear fluid is seeping out of the leg joints. Your spider can also lose hair from the abdomen and develop bald patches.
When ready to molt, the spider will lie on its back- do not worry. It’s a normal thing that your spider will look dead. There may also be spider webs around the body. Please do not disturb the spider as it can be fatal to your pet. The entire molting process can take 15 minutes to several hours.
When you remove old skin, the tarantula becomes very soft and sensitive. Therefore, please do not touch it for at least a week.
Ensure the spider has fresh water, but do not feed it for several days until the skin hardens.
- Regeneration
Surprisingly, if a spider loses a limb, it can regenerate and grow new ones during the malting process. The latest foot may be smaller than its original foot.
- Habitat cleaning
It would help if you cleaned the tarantula cage whenever you think it is necessary. The water dish should be cleaned twice a week. Deep cleansing is recommended every 4-6 months.
When cleaning the nursery, transfer the spiders to a safe container and rub the tank with a neutral disinfectant.
Purchase of Chilean Rose Tarantula
It is permissible to buy Chilean rose tarantulas from pet stores as long as you make sure this new pet is in good condition. However, breeders are usually more conscientious than retailers, so it’s wise to look for a breeder. Purchasing from a breeder also guarantees that you are not supporting an industry depleting this species in the wild.
Keep in mind that most pet stores only sell short-lived males, as long-lived females are much more expensive. At maturity, male spiders look for females to mate. If you don’t have a scalpel, it will die quickly in the first year. Male tarantulas can be identified by their enlarged pedipalps (second foot from the front). If you need a very long-lived pet, or if you want to breed it in the end, start by buying a healthy female.
Lifespan
The lifespan of male Chilean rose-haired tarantula is almost five years and almost 20 years of female tarantulas.
Chilean rose hair tarantula facts:
Here are some fun facts about Chilean rose hair tarantula:
- Chilean pink-haired tarantulas are the toughest of all tarantulas and can be easily found in human care. It has a reputation for being obedient (gentle), but it varies significantly from person to person.
- The abdominal hair has been modified to act as a defensive weapon. They have a sharp tip with a microscopic tip. When threatened, the tarantula uses its hind legs to kick the attacker a cloud of hair.
- All tarantulas have a certain amount of poison. Most people are unaffected by this species, but some can be sensitive to allergies and poisons, making them potentially dangerous animals. This is one of the reasons people should not deal with this tarantula unless they are appropriately trained.
- Tarantulas are very fragile if dropped. Their abdomens can rupture.
- As they grow beyond existing skin, all tarantulas undergo extensive moulting regularly, losing all skin, not just the lining of the mouth, respiratory tract, stomach, and genitals.
- Tarantulas can regenerate their feet if they lose their feet.
- There are more than 800 species of tarantula.
- Tarantulas are very fragile when dropped.
- Unlike most other spiders, tarantulas do not catch prey on the web, but they stalk and attack like jaguars.
- Most tarantulas can go for weeks without eating, but they need water.
Enjoy Your New Tarantula
If you choose tarantulas and offer them suitable habitat and feed, you can enjoy spiders exploring, eating, moulting, and growing for years. Contrary to popular belief, they have a personality, and everything is a little different. They may be scary to some, but to others, they are a fulfilling companion.
This article is accurate and, as far as the author knows, true. This is not a substitute for veterinarian diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, prescription, or formal personalized advice. Animals showing signs or symptoms of distress should be seen by a veterinarian immediately. For more information and recommendations feel free to contact us.