Greenbottle blue tarantula, Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens

Do Greenbottle blue tarantulas make good pets?

Greenbottle blue tarantulas, commonly referred to as GBBs are arguably one of the most beautiful tarantula species that are readily available in the hobby. They are characterised by a dark blue/green carapace and legs, with a striking orange patterned abdomen. GBBs are a semi-arboreal, heavy webbing species that are almost always out on display, making them a great tarantula species to keep as a pet.

All of our Greenbottle blue tarantulas are captive bred in the UK, with minimal impact on the environment. Whilst GBBs are one of the less aggressive tarantula species, handling is not recommended as they can be quite unpredictable and are also very delicate, so even if handling does not lead to a bite or hair flick, it may lead to injury for the tarantula itself. This species should also always be kept individually, as pairs are likely to fight, with one always coming out worse than the other.

What size enclosure does a Greenbottle blue tarantula need?

As GBBs are semi-arboreal, we recommend giving them a little height in their enclosure to allow them to utilise the space in as natural a way as possible. For this, we recommend a minimum enclosure size of 45 x 45 x 45cm (18 x 18 x 18”). Depending on your budget and ideas for the set-up, the Exo Terra Glass Terrarium 45x45x45cm is a great option, alternatively, a plastic or acrylic reptile box of similar size is suitable, although this will make less of a display.

Do Greenbottle blue tarantulas need to be heated?

Greenbottle blue tarantulas do best within a temperature range of 21-25°C (70-78°F), so in most homes no additional heating equipment is required. In fact, keeping this species at the cooler end of the scale will actually prolong their lifespan by slowing down their metabolism. Tarantulas kept in warmer temperatures tend to mature faster and in turn, die faster. If you do need to provide some supplementary heat to your GBB, a small heat mat hooked up to an on/off thermostat stuck either up the back or side of the enclosure will do the job.

What humidity should a Greenbottle blue tarantula need?

Greenbottle blue tarantulas are an arid species so should be kept in well-ventilated, low humidity environments with the ideal humidity range sitting around 50-60%, which is around the average room humidity in the UK. This means little needs to be done to maintain the correct humidity level, rather you should be conscious not to let this rise too high as this species is very sensitive to excess moisture in the air.

To help keep humidity levels within a safe range, you should use a dry, arid substrate such as Arcadia EarthMix Arid and a small water dish. Spraying the enclosure as a whole should be avoided, but you can gently pour some water into one corner of the substrate or on the webbing from time to time to provide further hydration.

How do I decorate a Greenbottle blue tarantula terrarium?

As GBBs are heavy webbers, the decor within their enclosure should provide them with plenty of anchor points high and low from which to web from, and they will quickly colonise this and create their own environment. Due to this, the actual aesthetics of the decor don’t need to be given too much consideration, as eventually, you will hardly see it.

Anchor points can be created with various pieces of decor from branches or vines to artificial plants and natural reptile decor, your Greenbottle blue really won’t mind as long as they can attach a web to it.

What do Greenbottle blue tarantulas eat?

Greenbottle blue tarantulas are insectivorous and can be fed a varied diet of livefoods including crickets, locusts, mealworms, cockroaches and so on. They are generally quite voracious feeders, so you do not need to do much more than select a suitable sized food option and throw it into the enclosure. It is important if any livefood is left uneaten, not to leave this in the enclosure as many feeders can injure a tarantula, particularly if said tarantula is freshly moulted.

How do I buy a Greenbottle blue tarantula?

If you would like to purchase one of the our UK captive bred Greenbottle blue tarantulas, please pop down to our superstore and see us with some images of your set-up ready for the spider to go into. We will take a look at your images and ask a few quick questions to ensure our livestock only goes to the best homes possible. We reserve the right to refuse adoption to anyone we feel is unprepared to adopt.