Habitat: Found in parts of Bolivia, Argentina Northern Chile. Primarily desert and Scrubland dwelling. They like to dig burrows in the ground.

Physical Characteristics: The Rose Hair Tarantula is a moderately large tarantula. A fully mature Rose Hair can reach approximately 6 inches in its total leg span. They reach full size in about 3 – 4 years. They are usually either dark brown, blackish or grey in their base color. Some Chilean rose hair tarantulas have orange/reddish hairs all over their body, while others have a tan body with pink hairs and some have copper colored hairs. Mature males have longer legs and are somewhat fuzzier in appearance. The female remains stocky and bulky throughout her life and tends to have a larger abdomen. They have eight eyes; they are very small and generally not very strong.

Diet: Any creature smaller than itself (other arachnids, reptiles, insects, or small mammals) can be a possible food source. Crickets are a convenient staple diet.

Reproduction: Spiders are oviparous, which means their babies come from eggs. If fertilized, the female will produce an egg sac in the following weeks. This species produces large egg sacs, usually containing in excess of 500 babies. Typically, the male will die in the weeks following a successful mating.

Behavior: The Rose Hair Tarantula is known for being one of the most docile of all tarantulas. However they are aggressive towards each other, even females will fight if left in the same enclosure. Female will also eventually eat the males if left too long together. Tarantulas tend to hide during the day and hunt at night. Like all New World tarantula species, these spiders can flick their hairs off their abdomens, causing an irritating reaction in an attacker. After a short display, they will beat a hasty retreat or more commonly will simply walk away. High-strung specimens will often show a dark bald patch on their abdomens from flicking away the hairs.

Fun Facts:

• As they outgrow their existing skin all tarantulas regularly go through an extensive molt, shedding their entire skin as well as the linings of their mouth, respiratory organs, stomach and sexual organs.
• They have fangs and venom. Their venom does two things. The first thing is the neurotoxins in the venom attack the nervous system of the victim and cause death by heart failure or cessation of respiratory function. The second thing that happens is hemotoxins attack the circulatory system and body tissues. The blood may thicken or even thin out, the venom will start to break down internal tissue, spiders lack digestive juices, so this pre digesting process comes in handy.
• Tarantulas can regenerate a leg is one is lost.