🐾 LandCare difficulty: BeginnerLegal complexity: Low
Brazilian black tarantula
Grammostola pulchra · also called Black tarantula, Brazilian black
An all-black, velvety New World terrestrial tarantula prized for its calm temperament and longevity. It is one of the best beginner species, though it grows slowly and can be pricey.
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Quick facts
| Size | Medium-large; leg span about 6-7 in (15-18 cm), robust heavy body. |
| Lifespan | 8–30 years |
| Social needs | solo |
| Native region | Southern Brazil and Uruguay (grassland and Pampas regions) |
| Origin | New World |
| Climate | ⛅ Subtropical |
| Family | Theraphosidae |
| Genus | Grammostola |
Part of the Tarantulas
Theraphosid spiders kept as low-maintenance display invertebrates. New World species are generally docile with mild venom but bear irritating urticating hairs, while Old World species lack those hairs but tend to be fast, defensive, and have more potent (though rarely life-threatening) venom.
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Habitat & space requirements
From the minimum an animal needs to be kept humanely, up to the ideal setup. Bigger is almost always better — minimums are floors, not targets.
Life & growth stages
How this animal changes through its life — each stage often has its own care, diet and space needs.
Habitat & enclosure
House one spider alone in a terrestrial enclosure at least 3x the leg span wide (a 10-gallon / 30x30 cm footprint suits an adult). Floor space matters more than height; keep climbing distance low to prevent falls. Provide a cork-bark hide and a shallow water dish. Keep at 70-80F (21-27C). This is a fairly dry-tolerant species: keep most of the substrate dry with one slightly damp corner; a full water dish provides all the ambient humidity it needs. No UVB or special lighting is required.
Substrate
Use 3-5 in (8-12 cm) of a coco-fiber and topsoil mix, optionally blended with a little sphagnum or peat. Provide enough depth for shallow burrowing. Keep it mostly dry with one lightly moistened area; spot-clean boluses and feces to prevent mold.
Equipment & setup
No heat source is needed if your room stays around 70-78F; if supplemental heat is required, use a thermostat-controlled heat mat on the side of the enclosure, never underneath. No UVB needed. A simple ventilated terrarium, cork-bark hide, and shallow water dish complete the setup. A hygrometer is optional given the dry-tolerant care.
Diet
An opportunistic insectivore. Feed appropriately sized feeders (no larger than the spider's body length): crickets, dubia roaches, mealworms, and the occasional superworm. Slings eat 2-3x weekly; juveniles weekly; adults every 1-2 weeks. Remove uneaten prey within 24 hours, and never feed while the spider is in premolt (it will refuse food and the abdomen darkens). Always provide fresh water.
Behavior & temperament
A docile, slow-moving New World species and a classic first tarantula. It rarely shows defensiveness; when stressed it is more likely to flee or flick urticating hairs from its abdomen than to bite. Venom is medically insignificant, comparable to a bee sting. Handling is best minimized for the spider's safety (a fall can rupture the abdomen) rather than the keeper's, but if handled it is among the most tolerant species.
Health
Hardy and long-lived; females can exceed 20-30 years while mature males live only a year or two after their final molt. Watch for dehydration (curled legs, lethargy) and keep a water dish full. Bald patches on the abdomen from hair-flicking are normal and regrow at the next molt. Avoid falls, overly damp stagnant substrate (risk of mold and mites), and handling during molt. A spider on its back is molting, not dying; do not disturb it.
Tips, DIY & hacks
Expect slow growth, especially as a sling, so buy a juvenile or sub-adult if you want size sooner. Keep handling to a minimum and stay low to the ground if you do. Do not dig the spider up during premolt or molt. Its calm nature makes it ideal for nervous first-time keepers.