Defining Characteristics:

• One of the most docile tarantula species
• A very hardy animal
• Males only live for about 5 years, females can live for 15+

Name: Grammostola rosea, the Rose Hair Tarantula. Grammostola translates from the Latin as, “striped clothing,” referring to the bold lines that go along the leg segment.

Recommended Enclosure Size & Setup: Grammostola rosea is a terrestrial species. Surface area of the enclosure should be no less than 2 times the spider's diagonal leg span in one direction and 3 times the diagonal leg span in the other. We recommend against allowing your terrestrial spider more than two times their diagonal leg span as head space above their substrate as a fall from any higher could result in serious injury.

The enclosure should be tall enough to accommodate 2-3 inches of substrate for slings and 4+ inches for adults. ABG mix, coco cradle, or Dig-It are good substrate options, but our Pet Bug Team prefers ABG all the way!

Temperature (°F): This species thrives in the mid 70s to low 80s. Temperatures regularly dipping below 65 or spiking above 85° should be avoided. A reliable thermometer is strongly recommended.

Humidity: This species thrives in a dry environment, so the recommended ambient humidity should stay between 15% and 40%. Spiderlings should be kept on lightly moist substrate, and adults with mostly dry substrate. Depending on your location, you may need tools such as a humidifier to achieve this environment.

The enclosure sides and décor should be spritzed lightly around twice a week to provide your animal droplets to drink from, but do not spray your spider directly. A hygrometer is a great way to monitor the humidity for your animal and see any needed adjustments.

Size: At the time of sale, this animal will be at least 1/2 an inch. Females can grow to be up to 5 inches, and typically the males are a bit smaller. We use diagonal leg span to measure our spiders.

Age: Before making this species available to our customers, we ensure that they are well-established. This means our spiders are generally molted to a minimum of third instar and will have hatched two to three months prior to being listed for sale.

For spiders that we have not produced in house, we like to get 2 to 3 solid feedings in as well as the aforementioned minimums. They go through a 2-week minimum quarantine process to ensure the health of the animal.

For this species, the average lifespan for males is 3-4 years, and 12-15 years for females when provided an adequate environment. These individuals are between 2 and 4 months old.

Feeding: These spiders are currently eating 4-6 hydei fruit flies, once a week. As your spider grows, there are a variety of appropriate prey items that you can offer, such as roaches, waxworms, black soldier fly larvae, hornworms, and silkworms. We recommend that the prey items not be much longer than the tarantula's “head” is wide. Larvae are an exception—our larvae are harmless. Since they are very high in fat, they're not the best staple diet, however they make a great weight gain supplement. Consider feeding your prey items with our gutload formula to give your pet well-rounded nutrition.

Remove uneaten prey items after 24 hours, these may stress your animal out or endanger the spider during molting. Never attempt to feed a freshly molted tarantula less than a week after their molt to prevent injury to the spider. Depending on its age, the hardening process could take anywhere from 48 hours all the way up to a week.

Sexing: Due to age, Grammostola rosea 'RCF' sold by Josh’s Frogs are sold as unsexed.

Check out our individually listed spiders to see if we have what you’re looking for!

Color/Pattern: As adults, these spiders show brown or black hairs all over, with the darker hairs being located higher on the legs and central on the body. A light rose pink can be seen through the hairs on the cephalothorax (the part where the legs come out of). As juveniles, they are much pinker with darker hairs on the abdomen.

Social Behavior: This species of spider should not be kept communally. Attempts at cohabitation can result in cannibalism. 

Natural Range: Deserts and scrublands of northern Chile, Argentina and Bolivia.

History in the Hobby: First appearing in the pet industry back in the 90s. Rose hairs quickly became one of the most popular tarantula species available. Their availability has fallen off as wild caught collecting has slowed down on them.

Links of Interest:

• Arachnoboards.com
• TarantulaForum.com
• TheTarantulaCollective.com

Still not sure if Rose hair tarantulas from Josh's Frogs is the right pet bug for you? Read the reviews below and see what other customers are saying!