Curly-haired Tarantula - Five Sisters Zoo

Curly-hair tarantulas have a distinctive fuzzy appearance due to the lighter colour and nature of the hair on their body. These body hairs can be thrown off when the tarantula is threatened, causing irritation and confusion for the predator. Like all spiders, they possess 8 legs and 8 eyes, though their eyesight is rather poor. They also spin silk but rather than building webs, they use the silk to line their burrows which then alerts them to movement of both prey and predator.

Facts

Diet: Carnivore. Primarily invertebrates, small reptiles and sometimes small mammals.

Weight: 90g

Length: 9cm across the body with legs an additional 13cm.

Habitat: Costa Rica and Nicaragua with a subpopulation in Honduras that may be a subspecies (currently undetermined). Broadleaf forest with high amounts of forest floor cover and lower altitudes are preferred, though some can be found at the edges of human habitation where less vegetation is present.

Lifespan: 7-10 years for males; up to 20 years for females

Adapted to Survive

  • Body hairs can be thrown at predators, causing irritation and confusion
  • Venomous bite paralyzes prey but is not dangerous to humans
  • They avoid detection inside burrows during the day and only emerge for hunting

Threats

  • Illegal wildlife and pet trade
  • More research needed to determine if additional threats are present.

IUCN Conservation Status

Least Concern

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