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Curly Hair Tarantula
Tliltocatl albopilosus
The Curly Hair Tarantula from Central America features dense, golden-bronze curly bristles. A docile terrestrial species requiring a horizontal enclosure with deep substrate to burrow.
Class:Arachnida
Order:Araneae
Family:Theraphosidae
Subfamily:Theraphosinae
Genus:Tliltocatl
Species:Tliltocatl albopilosus
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Environment
Terrestrial
Humidity
60 - 70 %
Day temperature
22 - 26 °C
Night temperature
18 - 22 °C
UVB
None
Species description
Geographical Origin and Habitat: Native to the tropical rainforests of Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Honduras. They live in deep silk-lined burrows under rotting logs or tree roots.
Taxonomy and Genetics: Belonging to the family Theraphosidae. Formerly classified in the genus Brachypelma. The wild-caught 'Nicaraguan' strain exhibits much denser golden wool than standard captive-bred lines.
Behavior and Habits: Strictly nocturnal and terrestrial. Recognized as one of the calmest tarantulas, they rarely throw threat postures or kick urticating hairs, preferring to slowly crawl away to their burrow.
Morphology: Reaches 13–15 cm in leg span. Females are stockier and live much longer (up to 20+ years). Mature males are leggy, possess tibial hooks and emboli, and have a short lifespan.
Care, breeding and tankmates
Terrarium Setup: A horizontal terrestrial enclosure (minimum 30x30x30 cm) is suitable. A deep layer (10–15 cm) of packed coco fiber and soil substrate is required to allow burrowing. Furnish with a half-log cork hide and a shallow water dish.
Lighting and Heating: Shady conditions. Maintain temperatures between 22 and 26°C. Avoid direct heat lamps or sunlight. A side-mounted heat mat controlled by a thermostat is sufficient if room temperature drops below 20°C. No UVB is required.
Humidity and Hydration: Maintain moderate humidity levels of 65–75%. Keep one side of the substrate damp while leaving the other side dry. Ensure the water dish is always filled with fresh water.
Feeding and Supplementation: Highly voracious. Feed on live insects such as crickets, Dubia roaches, and red runners. No supplements are needed. Do not feed during the premolt phase (when the abdomen turns bald and dark).
Compatibility: Strictly solitary. Never house together due to cannibalism. Avoid handling to prevent accidental drops, which are fatal to terrestrial tarantulas.
Health and Common Diseases: A ruptured abdomen from a fall is the primary cause of death. Do not include tall climbing decor or sharp rocks. Ensure good ventilation to prevent mold.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Native to the tropical rainforests of Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Honduras. They live in deep silk-lined burrows under rotting logs or tree roots.
Origin
Selective breeding and cultivarsCentral America and CaribbeanNorth America
Terrestrial invertebrate profile
- Diet
- No verified data available
- Life expectancy
- No verified data available
- Adult size
- 15 cm
- 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
The catalog's scalar value is 15 cm. The Herpeton Academy — Tliltocatl albopilosus source reports a maximum adult measurement of 15 cm for this species, recorded as diagonal leg span (DLS). The taxonomic record consulted is Tliltocatl albopilosus. These figures are not interchangeable: the first is the profile's editorial reference, whereas the second is a published maximum under a specific measurement convention; differences among sources can reflect sex, population, life stage and measuring method.
Image gallery
Licensed images linked to the species or, when marked, to the closest representative taxon.
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