Tarantula Species Guide
Species profiles for commonly kept tarantulas: what they're actually like, who they're a good fit for, and current prices from vendors across the hobby. These are not care guides, but rather they're meant to help you decide whether a species is right for you before you buy.
Orange Baboon Tarantula (OBT)
Pterinochilus murinus
Fast, defensive, and visually striking. One of the most talked-about tarantulas in the hobby for good reason. Not for beginners, but deeply rewarding for keepers who are ready for it.
Mexican Red Knee
Brachypelma hamorii
The most recognizable tarantula in the world. Calm, long-lived (25-30 years for females), and CITES-listed, meaning international trade is regulated; most legally sold hobby specimens are captive-bred.
Curly Hair Tarantula
Tliltocatl albopilosus
A Central American species with distinctive wavy setae. Hardy, calm, and consistently near the top of honest beginner recommendation lists.
Mexican Red Rump
Tliltocatl vagans
A classic new world terrestrial with a velvet-black body and deep red abdomen. Slightly more attitude than your average beginner species, but still very manageable.
Chilean Rose Hair
Grammostola rosea
One of the classic rose hair tarantulas of the pet trade, though historic imports were often confused with or sold alongside Grammostola porteri. Docile, long-lived, and famously prone to extended fasting periods that alarm new keepers but are perfectly normal.
Pink Toed Tarantula
Avicularia avicularia
A gentle South American arboreal with a velvet black body and pink toe tips. The go-to first arboreal for many keepers, though ventilation requirements differ from terrestrial species.
Trinidad Olive
Neoholothele incei
A tiny, active dwarf species from Trinidad. Prolific webber that is almost always visible and doing something. Available in olive and gold color forms.
Brazilian Blue Tarantula
Lasiocyano sazimai
One of the most vividly colored tarantulas available in the hobby. Adults are a striking cobalt blue. The color develops over time, so patience is part of the experience.
Haitian Brown
Phormictopus cancerides
A large, fast-growing new world tarantula from Hispaniola with an underappreciated iridescent sheen. More defensive than a typical beginner species, great for intermediate keepers.
Rear-Horned Baboon
Ceratogyrus darlingi
A Southern African old world species with a distinctive foveal horn on its carapace. Defensive and fast, but one of the more interesting and unusual keepers available.
Arizona Blonde Tarantula
Aphonopelma chalcodes
A native North American species from the Sonoran Desert. Docile, very long-lived, and the only tarantula on this list you might encounter in the wild if you live in Arizona.
Green Bottle Blue
Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens
One of the most visually striking tarantulas available. Vivid teal legs, orange abdomen, and green carapace. A prolific webber that is often visible and active in its enclosure.
Chaco Golden Knee
Grammostola pulchripes
A large, beautiful, and extremely calm species from the Gran Chaco region. One of the best beginner choices in the hobby, with a lifespan that can exceed 20 years for females.
Brazilian White Knee
Acanthoscurria geniculata
A large new world species with jet black coloring and sharply contrasting white knee bands. More reactive than the typical beginner species, but a great intermediate choice.
Salmon Pink Bird Eater
Lasiodora parahybana
One of the largest tarantulas in the world, regularly reaching 9 to 10 inches in legspan. Grows faster than most large species and is broadly accessible for intermediate keepers.
Mexican Fireleg
Brachypelma boehmei
Deep vivid orange legs against a jet black body. More visually dramatic than the Mexican Red Knee and a small step up in temperament. CITES-listed, so legal international trade is regulated; most specimens in the hobby are captive-bred.
Gooty Sapphire Ornamental
Poecilotheria metallica
Widely considered the most visually stunning tarantula in the hobby. Metallic cobalt blue with intricate patterning. Fast, defensive, old world, and critically endangered in the wild. For experienced keepers.