SPECIAL NOTE: USPS forbids shipping venomous spiders or scorpions in the mail.

Because of this, we ship these animals FedEx priority overnight for a flat fee of $39.99.

• These guys are true Brachypelma smithi, not to be confused with their cousins the hamorii which used to go by the same name!
• The more uncommon and more sought after red knee species, these guys look close to the hamorii but are often regarded as more beautiful.
• Great species that likes to stay in the open as adults, making a lovely and well tempered display spider.

The Brachypelma Smithi has a genus name with Greek roots meaning “short” and “sole of foot” It is more commonly known as the Mexican Giant Orange Knee

Enclosure: 

This is a terrestrial species. Surface area of the enclosure should be no less than two times the spider's diagonal leg span in one direction and three times the diagonal leg span in the other. The enclosure should be tall enough to accommodate 2"-3" of substrate for slings and 4"+ for adults. Never allow your terrestrial spider more than two times their diagonal leg span as head space above their substrate as a fall from any higher could be catastrophic.

Temperatures:

Ideally kept in the mid 70° range with a bit of wiggle room in either direction. Temperatures consistently below 65° or above 85° should be avoided.

Humidity:

60%-70%, slings should stay on lightly moist substrate, adults should have a water dish and mostly dry substrate, it can be beneficial to overflow the water dish a bit and let the area dry out again before continuing the wet/dry cycle.

Size:

Specimens sold by Josh's frogs will be at least 1" at time of sale. Adults can reach up to 7" diagonal leg span.

Age:

B smithi babies sold by Josh's Frogs are at least 2-3 months old. Males reach 4-5 years, with females drastically outliving them at 20+ years.

Feeding:

At time of sale they are eating a 1/4" cricket one time per week, food should be sized to about the size of the spider's carapace. Older spiders can eat less frequently, with adults eating every 10-14 days.

Sexing:

Due to age, B. smithi spiderlings sold by Josh's Frogs are sold as unsexed. Specimens of 2.5"-3" diagonal leg span will be able to start being accurately sexed. The most accurate method is always molt sexing, the molt of a female tarantula of appropriate size will have spermatheca and a uterus externus in between the top two sets of book lungs that will appear as a "flap" that will catch and open if a pin is gently run down this section of the old exoskeleton. Males will have a much more plain slit that will not budge with attempts to manipulate it.

Coloration/patterning:

Slings are light brown, growing to a velvety black with flame orange bands around the leg joints.

Social behavior:

Brachypelma smithi are not social creatures and any attempt to cohabitate will likely result in cannibalism.

Breeding:

Spiders for breeding purposes should remain supervised when together and should only be attempted well fed. Mature males can be put in the enclosure of a mature female for courtship/mating. Remove male promptly after insertion is observed, or immediately if female is aggressive rather than receptive.

Natural Range:

Some parts of Central America and Mexico