Grammostola pulchra (Brazilian Black Tarantula)

Grammostola pulchra (Brazilian Black Tarantula)

The Brazilian Black Tarantula, or Grammostola pulchra (G. pulchra), is a terrestrial tarantula from Brazil. Adults have velvety jet black legs, carapace (head) and abdomen, one solid color from end to end, which is where the Brazilian Black name comes from. Spiderlings start out with reddish brown legs and carapace set against a black abdomen, darkening with every molt until that jet black comes in around two and a half inches, while the species only grows to about 6 inches in diagonal leg span. Like others in the genus, this species is very long lived, with females reaching about 20 to 30 years and males 3 to 5. This species is also very calm and slow moving, known in the hobby as the Black Lab of tarantulas, and one we recommend for beginner keepers or anyone who wants an easier keeping experience. Grab this docile new world tarantula for sale today, offered here in sizes from spiderling to adult female.

Why do hobbyists keep Grammostola pulchra?

• Stunning Coloration: A solid velvety jet black from the legs through the carapace to the abdomen, holding that single color across the whole animal.
• Great Beginner Species: Forgiving enough that a slip in temperature, feeding or humidity is unlikely to cost you the animal, which is exactly what you want while you are still learning how to keep spiderlings and tarantulas.
• Docile Temperament: Very calm and slow moving, deliberate rather than quick to bolt, which is how it earned the Black Lab nickname in the first place.
• Great Display Species: Constantly rearranges its own enclosure, shifting decor and even the water dish around with its fangs until the setup suits it, so there is usually something to see.
• Long Lived: Females reach about 20 to 30 years and males 3 to 5, so both sexes run long for a tarantula rather than just the females.

How should the Brazilian Black Tarantula be kept?

• Adult Size: Spiderlings start out around half to three quarters of an inch (0.5 to 0.75 inch) in diagonal leg span, growing to an adult max of about 6 inches, a genuinely substantial tarantula that never becomes difficult to house.
• Enclosure: We size to our standard Three Cage System for a terrestrial species, sized ahead of the animal rather than to its current size, with a hide and substrate deep enough to let it make a shallow burrow. Cage 1 runs around 6 by 6 by 4 inches, cage 2 around 12 by 12 by 8 inches, and cage 3 around 18 by 18 by 12 inches at full adult size. Pick the size above for that tier's exact setup.
• Rehousing: Two rehouses total across this species' slow growth rate, with each enclosure lasting roughly 18 months to 2 years and full adult size taking about 4 to 6 years. Males often mature before ever needing that third cage. Pick the size above to see where a given animal sits on that path.
• Temperature: Hold steady between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. This species sees a genuinely cold season in the wild, so the cooler end of that range is comfortable rather than just tolerable, which makes it easy to keep in a normal room without heating equipment.
• 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. Tropical species can stay damp much longer than this one will thank you for. Good ventilation is critical. Cross ventilation works best, but ample top ventilation can also be effective 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: Prey length should run about a quarter of the leg span, roughly the width of the carapace. Feed at least once a week at every stage. Pick the size above for that tier's exact prey measurement.
• Temperament: Very docile and slow moving, deliberate rather than quick to bolt or dart for cover, and forgiving of the small husbandry mistakes every keeper makes early on.

Which size should I choose?

Pick the size you want above. Each size still has its own care guidance and its own price behind it, so what you see for that size is exactly what ships.

• 0.5-0.75" (Spiderling): right at the size the species hatches at, your cheapest way to collect this species.
• 0.75-1" (Spiderling): a well-started spiderling, already past the size the species hatches at.
• 0.75-1" FREE WITH QUALIFYING PURCHASE OF $500 (Spiderling): the same well-started spiderling, added free to a qualifying invertebrate order.
• 1-1.5" (Juvenile): past the spiderling stage and a little easier to feed and house day to day.
• 2-2.5" (Juvenile): right around where that jet black starts taking over.
• 2.5-3" FEMALE (Juvenile Female): already fully jet black, and confirmed female so the sex is known.
• MALE 4" (Sub-Adult Male): confirmed male, at or near the size this sex typically stops growing.
• FEMALE 4-4.5" (Sub-Adult Female): a large confirmed female, years of growing already done for you.
• ADULT FEMALE 5.5-6" (Adult Female): fully grown, jet black, and set up to live for decades.

Are there any additional notes or considerations for the Brazilian Black Tarantula?

• Sling Coloration: Spiderlings have reddish brown legs and a reddish brown carapace against a black abdomen, and they darken with every molt until the whole animal is jet black at around 2.5 inches.
• Enclosure Rearranging: We have watched these constantly rearrange their enclosures, moving heavy decor and even water dishes around with their fangs until the setup suits them, a behavior we see in their close relatives too.
• 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 female is worth what it costs.
• Captive Bred: All Tarantulas are 100% captive bred.

Listing Notes

• This is the Species Hub for the Grammostola pulchra Brazilian Black Tarantula, the page that links every size we have of it. Each size we carry has its own listing with its own enclosure guidance, prey size and price, so pick the size below and that page will tell you exactly what the animal in front of you needs.