SpeciesGreenbottle blue tarantula
Greenbottle blue tarantula
Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens
Blue legs, orange abdomen, green carapace: The most colourful species in the hobby. It webs up half its terrarium and needs it bone dry.
- Group
- Spider
- Level
- Intermediate
- Origin
- South America
Where the species comes from
- World region
- South America
- Countries
- Northern Venezuela, Paraguaná region
- Habitat
- Dry coastal desert with thorn scrub
The app does not yet hold an origin entry for this species. The distribution given here comes from the specialist literature.
The natural habitat is the yardstick for how you furnish an enclosure. Knowing where an animal comes from is knowing why it needs heat zones, hides and a particular humidity.
Husbandry at a glance
The same details appear in the animal’s profile inside the app.
- Enclosure
- Ground dweller with extensive webbing. 30 × 30 × 30 cm.
- Temperature
- 24–30 °C, tolerates heat well.
- Humidity
- 50–60 %, dry. Dampen one corner occasionally.
- Lighting
- No lighting needed.
- Substrate
- 8 cm dry, as an anchor for the webbing.
- Furnishings
- Many anchor points: Branches, cork pieces, roots. The spider webs everything together.
- Water
- Shallow water dish.
- Feeding
- Weekly; feeds very reliably.
- Behaviour
- Nervous and fast, but rarely aggressive.
- Handling
- Do not pick up.
- Cohabitation
- Keep singly.
- Health
- Robust when kept dry. Too much moisture quickly leads to losses.
- Seasonal cycle
- No rest period needed.
- Safety
- Urticating hairs, quick movements. Mind the webbing when opening.
Legal position in Switzerland
No permit foreseen
No permit required. The species does not belong to any of the groups listed in Art. 89 of the Swiss Animal Welfare Ordinance
No certificate of competence foreseen
No proof of competence required. It is only demanded for the animals named in Art. 89 of the Ordinance
No CITES listing
Not listed in the CITES appendices: Import and transfer require no species-protection papers. Keep the proof of purchase nonetheless
Minimum enclosure dimensions
The Animal Welfare Ordinance does not apply to these animals: under Art. 1 it governs the handling of vertebrates, cephalopods and reptant decapods. There are therefore no minimum dimensions. Housing, climate and places to retreat should still match the needs of the species. The cantonal veterinary office can say whether cantonal rules apply, for example to venomous animals.
What the enclosure must provide
Escape-proof closure, humidity suited to the species, a retreat and water. Spiders are kept singly; most species eat their own kind.
Paperwork
Keep a receipt bearing the scientific name. Cantonal rules may apply to venomous animals: Check with the cantonal veterinary office before buying.
These details are a guide, not legal advice. Binding information comes from the cantonal veterinary office; the text of the ordinance is what counts. More on the legal position
