As its name suggests, the Brazilian Blue Tarantula is native to parts of Brazil.
Brazilian Blue Tarantula Taxonomy
The Brazilian Blue Tarantula belongs to the Family Theraphosidae. This essentially means that the spider is a tarantula and over 1,000 different spiders have been identified as part of the family Theraphosidae.
Theraphosidae belongs to the infraorder Mygalomorphae. While many of the other species in this infraorder are often referred to as tarantulas or ‘false tarantulas’, the species in the family Theraphosidae are considered the ‘true’ tarantulas.
Tarantulas can be found throughout the American Continent (excluding Canada), Africa, parts of Mediterranean Europe, South-East Asia and Australia.
The Brazilian Blue Tarantula belongs to the genus Pterinopelma which is a small genus of Brazilian tarantulas. As of 2020, only 3 species are recognised under this genus. It’s scientific name is Pterinopelma sazimai.
Brazilian Blue Tarantula Description
The Brazilian Blue Tarantula is a beautiful display species with its vibrant blue coloration. They also have vibrant red or orange-colored hairs on their abdomen which contrast the blues nicely.
The blue coloration on these tarantulas is most noticeable right after the spider molts. This is even more apparent when they are taken out into direct sunlight.
Natural Habitat and Distribution
As its name suggests, the Brazilian Blue Tarantula is native to Brazil. More precisely, they can be found in the Bahia and Minas Gerais regions of Eastern Brazil. The city of Salvador is within these regions while Rio de Janeiro isn’t far away.
These regions undergo a dry and a wet season. The temperature also fluctuates with the seasons. As a result, the Brazilian Blue Tarantula is quite adaptable and can handle changes in temperature and humidity.
They share some of their range with species such as the Yellow Anaconda, False Water Cobra, Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman and the Guyana Pink Toe Tarantula.
Brazilian Blue Tarantula as Pets
If you are considering purchasing a Brazilian Blue Tarantula, it is important to ensure that you buy one from a reputable breeder. For a long time, these tarantulas were smuggled to America and Europe for the pet trade.
Now, their natural habitat is under threat from deforestation and wildfires so it is important to protect what is left of the wild population. Therefore, you should always ensure you are purchasing a captive bred tarantula.
This is a very adaptable species that is easy to care for as long as you get their basic requirements right. However, they can be very skittish and defensive so are probably a better option for people who already have some experience with tarantulas.
Brazilian Blue Tarantula Feeding
A spiderling Brazilian Blue Tarantula can be fed twice a week. At this age they can be feed flightless fruit flies or pre-killed small crickets. If you are feeding large prey items, they must be pre-killed.
Any uneaten food should be removed from the enclosure within 24 hours. It is normal for a tarantula to refuse food when they are in pre-molt and you should wait for their skin to harden after a molt before offering food again.
A good rule of thumb is to offer insects that are no larger than the length of the spider’s abdomen, although you can go a bit smaller if you wish.
As the Brazilian Blue Tarantula grows, you can increase the duration between feeds. This is because their growth rate slows down so they don’t use as much energy.
A juvenile can be fed 2-3 medium crickets (depending on its size) once a week while an adult Brazilian Blue Tarantula can be fed 5 or 6 crickets every 2-3 weeks.
There is no set amount to feed a tarantula and you really have to judge it based on the condition of the spider. If they are starting to look skinny, increase the meal sizes or reduce the duration between feeds.
If they are starting to look fat, reduce meal sizes or increase the duration between feeds. You can also supplement their diet with different insects such as roaches’ mealworms, super worms and locusts.
Brazilian Blue Tarantula Housing
As the Brazilian Blue Tarantula is a terrestrial species, floor space is more important than height. In fact, it isn’t recommended to have excessive height in a terrestrial tarantula enclosure. This is because a fall from height can be fatal to these spiders.
Due to their activity level, a small enclosure measuring around 18″ x 12″ x 12″ is enough for this species as they will spend most of their time in their burrow. They will also do well in the plastic critter keeper enclosures.
As this is a burrowing species, you will want to use around 5-6 inches of substrate. This will also ensure that there isn’t too much height in the enclosure.
You can add a piece of cork bark to provide a hide on the surface if your spider chooses to use it. You should also offer a shallow water bowl, although tarantulas get most of their water from their food.
The substrate should be kept damp but not saturated as these spiders like high humidity. You will need to ensure that there is good ventilation in the enclosure to prevent stagnant conditions.
A Spiderling or Juvenile Brazilian Blue Tarantula can be setup the same way as an adult. The only major difference is the size of the enclosure. A good rule of thumb is to offer an enclosure that is around 3 times longer than the spiders leg span.
Temperature
You can keep your Brazilian Blue Tarantula at room temperature. If the temperature is comfortable for you, it will be comfortable for them. This adds to their ease of care as you don’t need any special heating equipment.
However, if you live in a cold climate, you may want to add some supplemental heat during the winter months. You typically want to keep them between a temperature range of 70F-75F but it can drop a few degrees at night.
If you need to add heat to your enclosure, an under-tank heat mat is your best option. This should be connected to a good quality thermostat to ensure the cage doesn’t get too hot.
You don’t need to provide your tarantula with any special kind of lighting such as UVB. An adequate day/night cycle is all they need.
Brazilian Blue Tarantula Handling
The Brazilian Blue Tarantula is best kept as a display animal as they can be very skittish and defensive. They are also a very fast species that will quickly try to bolt if you attempt to pick them up.
These spiders will usually look for a quick getaway if they feel threatened. However, if they feel cornered, they will show a threat pose and are willing to bite if the threat persists.
These tarantulas are also capable of flicking hairs from their abdomen. This is another defensive strategy they will use to deter a potential threat. These uricating hairs can be very irritating if they get on your skin.