Aphonopelma hentzi (Texas Brown Tarantula) 0.5"

Aphonopelma hentzi (Texas Brown Tarantula) 0.5"

The Texas Brown Tarantula, or Aphonopelma hentzi, is a terrestrial tarantula native to Texas and much of the south-central United States, and one many hobbyists specifically seek out for that home-grown connection. Adults show a brown body coloration with a noticeably lighter carapace on top. This is a slow growing species and a long lived one too, with females living about 20 to 30 years and males living 3 to 5. Because it turns up naturally across so much of Texas, plenty of people meet one out in the open first and end up wanting to keep one on purpose. Grab this docile new world tarantula for sale today, offered here as a spiderling.

Why do hobbyists keep Aphonopelma hentzi?

• Native Species: Naturally found across Texas and much of the south-central United States, and plenty of hobbyists want this one specifically because it is home-grown wildlife rather than something shipped in from overseas.
• Docile Temperament: Calm and slow to bolt, one of the steadiest tarantulas in the genus and comfortable being kept out on display.
• Great Beginner Species: Forgiving of the small mistakes every new keeper makes with temperature, feeding or humidity, a solid beginner tarantula for a first pick.
• Great Display Species: Spends real time out in the open rather than staying buried, so there is usually something to see when you check on it.
• Captive Bred: Still commonly collected from the wild for the pet trade because of how easy it is to find across its native range. Ours are 100% captive bred, so you get the same animal without any of that wild-caught history.

How should the Texas Brown Tarantula be kept?

• Adult Size: Spiderlings start out around a third to half an inch (0.33 to 0.5 inch) in diagonal leg span, growing to an adult max of about 5 inches, a substantial tarantula that never becomes difficult to house.
• Enclosure: At this size, house in roughly a 6 by 6 by 4 inch enclosure with about 2 inches of substrate, a hide, and a shallow water dish, sized ahead of the animal rather than to its current size.
• Rehousing: Two rehouses ahead, up to roughly 12 by 12 by 8 inches and then the 15 by 15 by 10 inch adult enclosure. On a slow grower each one lasts about 18 months to 2 years, so expect 4 to 6 years to full size. Males often mature before ever needing that third cage.
• Temperature: Hold steady between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit, right in line with what this species sees naturally across its native range.
• Humidity: Water it and let it dry rather than keeping it damp. This is a semi-arid species, which in practice means substrate that dries out within about a day after you add moisture, never sitting soaking. Good ventilation is critical, with cross ventilation working best, though ample top ventilation can also work as long as the enclosure is not over-misted.
• Water: A shallow textured water dish works well, something they can grip when climbing out.
• Diet: Feeding at least once a week keeps this species growing as well as a slow grower can. At this size, prey should run about an eighth of an inch (0.125 inch).
• Temperament: Calm and slow moving, comfortable being kept out in view, and forgiving of the small husbandry mistakes every keeper makes early on.

Are there any additional notes or considerations for the Texas Brown Tarantula?

• Slow And Steady: This is a slow growing species, taking about 4 to 6 years to reach full size, which means a spiderling is a long project and an adult is worth what it costs.
• Captive Bred: All Tarantulas are 100% captive bred.

Listing Notes

• This listing is for an Aphonopelma hentzi Texas Brown Tarantula spiderling measuring around half an inch (0.5 inch) in diagonal leg span, unsexed with roughly a 50/50 chance of male or female. This is about the size the species hatches at. This is currently the only size we offer for this species.