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Chaco Golden Knee Tarantula
Grammostola pulchripes
One of the largest and most docile terrestrial tarantulas, famous for the bright golden stripes on its legs. A slow-moving and hardy species, ideal for beginners.
Class:Arachnida
Order:Araneae
Family:Theraphosidae
Subfamily:Theraphosinae
Genus:Grammostola
Species:Grammostola pulchripes
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Environment
Terrestrial
Humidity
60 - 70 %
Ambient temperature
22 - 28 °C
Day temperature
21 - 28 °C
Night temperature
18 - 20 °C
Substrate depth
>= 15 cm
UVB
None
Species description
Geographical Origin and Habitat: Native to the dry grasslands, shrublands, and plains of the Gran Chaco region in Argentina, Paraguay, and Brazil. It is a terrestrial and opportunistic burrowing spider that shelters under natural debris or inside deep retreats to survive seasonal temperature shifts and droughts.
Taxonomy and Genetics: A member of the Theraphosidae family, widely known as Grammostola pulchripes. It represents a large-bodied line of New World tarantulas celebrated for their hardiness and structural adaptation to semi-arid ecosystems.
Behavior and Habits: Remarkably docile, calm, and slow-moving. It rarely exhibits threat displays or bites. Its primary defense mechanism involves flicking urticating hairs from its abdomen. It displays burrowing activity, actively moving substrate to construct and modify its shelter.
Morphology: Females are highly robust, reaching a leg span of 20-22 cm, and are exceptionally long-lived, often exceeding 20 years. Males are smaller, slimmer, and have shorter lifespans, developing tibial hooks and emboli on their pedipalps upon reaching maturity.
Care, breeding and tankmates
Terrarium Setup: Requires a wide, low terrestrial enclosure (minimum 60x45x30 cm). The drop risk is the primary hazard; the height must be restricted, and a deep layer of dry peat moss or coconut fiber substrate should be provided. Include a curved piece of cork bark as a hide.
Lighting and Heating: Keep temperatures between 22 and 28°C. They easily tolerate standard room temperatures without supplemental heating. Avoid heating pads or lamps that can overheat the enclosure. Low ambient light is sufficient.
Humidity and Hydration: Maintain moderate humidity levels around 50-65%. Keep the substrate dry, but always provide a wide, shallow dish of fresh water for drinking.
Feeding and Supplementation: Carnivorous. Feed on large insects such as Dubia roaches, crickets, and locusts. Adult females frequently go on long fasts lasting several months before a molt. Remove any live prey if the spider seals its burrow entrance.
Compatibility: Strictly solitary. Do not house multiple specimens together, as tarantulas are highly cannibalistic. Keep individually in a dedicated enclosure.
Health and Common Diseases: Falls are highly lethal due to the risk of abdominal rupture. Handle only close to the ground, if at all. Urticating hairs cause skin irritation and can lead to severe ocular inflammation if they contact the eyes.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Native to the dry grasslands, shrublands, and plains of the Gran Chaco region in Argentina, Paraguay, and Brazil. It is a terrestrial and opportunistic burrowing spider that shelters under natural debris or inside deep retreats to survive seasonal temperature shifts and droughts.
Origin
Extra-Amazon South America
Terrestrial invertebrate profile
- Diet
- No verified data available
- Life expectancy
- No verified data available
- Adult size
- No verified data available
- Lifestyle/Microhabitat
- No verified data available
- Activity cycle
- No verified data available
- Sociality
- No verified data available
- Reproduction
- No verified data available
- Venom level
- No verified data available
- Handling tolerance
- No verified data available
- Brumation
- No verified data available
- Molting
- No verified data available
Image gallery
Licensed images linked to the species or, when marked, to the closest representative taxon.
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