Brazilian black tarantula facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Brazilian black tarantula
Scientific classification

The Grammostola pulchra is a fascinating type of tarantula that comes from Brazil. People often call it the Brazilian black tarantula because of its beautiful, solid black body. This makes it a very popular pet among tarantula lovers!

What Does the Brazilian Black Tarantula Look Like?

A Brazilian black tarantula eating a preserved insect.

Adult Brazilian black tarantulas are almost completely black. They are quite large, growing up to about 18 cm (7 in) across. Like many tarantulas from the "New World" (the Americas), they have special hairs called urticating hairs. These hairs can be kicked off if the tarantula feels scared. However, Brazilian blacks are usually very calm. They would rather run away than try to bite or kick their hairs. Their venom is also not very strong compared to other tarantulas.

These tarantulas grow slowly. It can take them up to eight years to become fully grown! Female tarantulas of this species live much longer than males, often by many years. When they are young, Brazilian black tarantulas often like to dig and hide in burrows if they have the chance. They enjoy eating small insects like mealworms, crickets, and roaches.

Why Are They Popular Pets?

A young female Brazilian black tarantula in her home.

The Brazilian black tarantula is a favorite pet for a few reasons. First, the females can live for a very long time, which is great for pet owners. Second, they are known for being very calm and gentle. This makes them easier to handle than some other tarantula species. Their striking dark color also makes them very appealing.

Another good thing about them is that they don't often kick off their urticating hairs when handled. Some other tarantulas might spread these hairs around their living space, but Brazilian blacks usually don't. Because they grow slowly and it's not allowed to export them from the wild, adult females can be quite expensive to buy from breeders.

Images for kids

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  A young Brazilian black tarantula.

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  A beautiful adult Brazilian black tarantula.