Last updated on February 1st, 2023 at 09:54 am
Like most mygalomorphs, Curly Hair Tarantulas live a long time. There’s a big gap between how long males and females live, though. Keep reading to learn more…
Curly Hair Tarantulas live as long as 20 years. In general, males live around 9 or 10 years, and females often get close to 20 before they die. The shorter male lifespan is typical in tarantulas, and any male tarantula that gets to 8 years old would be considered “old”.
Curly hair spiders are among the species of tarantula that are native to countries like Nicaragua, Honduras and Costa Rica. They are mostly terrestrial, but also like burrowing.
These tarantulas are covered in bristles that get curled and give these spiders a really interesting and unique look. This is the reason they are called curly hair spiders.
Let’s look at more facts about the curly hair spiders and how long they live. This article will especially be helpful for people who are considering to buy a curly hair spider as their new pet.
Curly Hair Tarantula lifespan
Spiders are one the most scary looking species, but they have their own unique characteristics too. If you think the lifespan of curly hair spiders does not depend on their gender, then you are wrong.
The fact is that the male curly hair spiders live for around 10 years. The female curly hair spiders, on the other hand, live for nearly 20 years.
Therefore, female tarantulas live roughly a decade longer than their male counterparts.
How big do curly hair tarantulas get?
The curly hair spiders are generally very calm and docile spiders that enjoy being cared for and handled well. Interestingly, the curly hair spiders grow up to around 2.8 inches in length.
The span of their legs is around 5.8 inches, which is double their body size. Their body and legs are a must-watch sight.
They get covered with a dark shade of brown bristly hair and some long golden hair. These spiders do not really scare away people, but they have their own charm that attracts people, especially the spider pet parents.
Curly hair tarantula tank setup
Curly hair spiders have their own natural and man-made requirement in the context of their housing and tank setup.
For the curly hair spiders, the width of their tank should be around three times the leg span of the curly hair spiders. On the other hand, the length of their tank should also be around three times the leg span of the spider.
For the height of their tank, consider around a foot. These spiders like burrowing just like many of their spider family members.
Also, one must keep the tank’s temperature between 75 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. For this, you can use a heating pad that can be placed below the tank itself.
Any uneaten prey of the spiders should be removed from their area within 24 hours. Therefore, the entire enclosure should be kept neat and clean.
Needless to say, keep checking the tank every once in a while.
Curly hair tarantula male vs female
The curly hair spiders are usually calm and docile spiders, but they do need good handling. They do not bite or cause harm.
Mentioned below are some really interesting differences between the male and the female tarantulas.
- The male curly hair spiders live for around 10 years, while the female tarantulas live for almost two decades, i.e., for 20 years.
- The male spiders are much lighter in color than their female counterparts.
- There are some more subtle differences like the female tarantulas are a little more bulky and heavy than the male spiders.
Curly hair tarantula tank size
As stated in one of the questions above, the width of the tanks of the curly hair spiders should be nearly three times the leg span of the curly hair spiders.
Whereas, the length of the spider should also be around three times the leg span of the spider. For the height of their tank, consider around a foot.
The tanks of the curly hair spiders should be cleaned regularly and hygiene should be maintained properly. You can also customize the tank size according to the personal requirements of the tarantulas.
Curly hair tarantula growth rate
The curly hair spiders are quite an interesting species. They have some amazing characteristic features.
These spiders may often appear scary to many people. However, they do have a good demand to be kept as pets owing to their docile and composed behavior and calm temperament.
The curly hair spiders grow very fast. They are quite the fastest growing species of spiders, The spiderlings reach about 3 inches in a year.
Therefore, if you are a curly hair spider pet parent then you must keep a good check on their growth rate and also feed them accordingly. Hence, care must be taken at every stage.
While different spiders may have their own defined growth rates, these tarantulas have a fast growth rate. To learn more about curly hair spiders, watch the video below.
Full grown curly hair tarantula
Curly hair spiders are usually very calm and easy to care type of spiders. They are, therefore, ideal for all those who want to raise spiders as their pets.
Curly hair spiders, irrespective of their gender, grow around 2.8 inches in length. Their hairy body makes them look somewhat heavy and big.
The dark color of their body also gives a serious, mature tone to their bodies.
Do curly hair tarantulas make webs?
Making webs is in fact a fundamental behavior for spiders. Similar is the case of the curly hair spiders. These tarantulas are mostly quite solitary and like to stay in hideouts that they line with a layer of web.
These curly hair spiders are capable of spinning their webs and they do make some amazing webs too. However, they use the material of their webs to line their burrows.
So, we can say that these curly hair spiders do make webs but they don’t make webs like other spiders, or use them to catch prey. For tarantulas, webs are more a tool for reinforcing their burrows and as tripwires to alert them to approaching threats or food.
Tarantulas generally use web for the following purposes:
- lining and strengthening burrows
- making the floor of a hiding spot more comfortable
- as tripwires to alert them of approaching predators/prey
- to make an egg case
- during mating
FAQ relating to how long Curly Hair Tarantulas live
The curly hair spiders are sometimes also called the ‘wooly’ tarantulas. In general, these spiders are pretty low-maintenance pets.
They require some regular feeding along with some cleaning of their tanks. Here are some frequently asked questions about curly hair spiders.
How long do curly hair tarantulas live in captivity?
From above, we are already aware that male tarantulas live for nearly ten years, while female curly hair spiders live for twenty years. These spiders need good, fresh, and airy spaces to live and thrive, where they can enjoy making their webs and burrowing. The best way to keep them alive in captivity is to provide good ventilation, humidity and food.
Do curly hair tarantulas bite?
The curly hair spiders do have venom in them and they can also bite you if at they feel scared or threatened. Even if a spider bites you, then the pain may just be similar to that of a bee sting. People who are allergic to bees should take extra care when handling curly hair spiders. Overall, they don’t bite often, and are considered one of the more docile tarantula species available.
Are curly hair tarantulas good for beginners?
The curly hair spiders are native spiders of Central America. Many of these spiders are kept in captivity and are bred in captivity too.
Owing to their calm temperament and docile nature, these spiders are easy to care for. Therefore, these characteristics make them ideal to be kept as pets, especially for new pet parents who are raising the spider for the first time.
However, one should also keep in mind to handle these spiders well and ensure that they do not fall and injure themselves.
How long can a curly hair tarantula go without eating?
The curly hair spiders have a slow metabolism. They can easily live for months without eating. This also includes months when they are dormant.
For the curly hair spiders that are in captivity, they should be fed around 8-10 large crickets a month during the warm summer months and about 2 crickets a month in the colder temperatures, if they’ll take them.
If you are considering becoming a curly hair spider’s pet parent, then you must first equip yourself with much knowledge and information from their food to their tanks.
