Mexican Red-knee Tarantula

Looks how to spot one

Hairy, ground-dwelling burrowing spider

A heavy-bodied, velvety black tarantula with bold banding on the legs: each leg has rings of deep orange near the knee joints, followed by paler orange-yellow and creamy bands. The abdomen is dark with brownish hairs. The carapace is mostly black with a pinkish-brown edge, or the dark area can be broken into a starburst-like pattern. Females are noticeably larger than males.13

Personality what they are like

Known as a very docile, steady tarantula. Young spiders can be a little skittish but tend to retreat rather than stand their ground. When disturbed, adults usually flick fine hairs from the abdomen as a warning rather than biting, so it is best enjoyed as a display animal with minimal handling.12

Daily activity how busy a day looks

Low. A burrower that spends much of its life in or near its burrow, waiting for prey to pass. No exercise needed beyond a suitable enclosure.13

Grooming and care the hands-on bits

No grooming needed. Keep a full water dish for juveniles and adults, remove uneaten prey, and do not feed for about 5-10 days after an adult moults. Spot-clean as needed and otherwise leave it undisturbed.2

Home where they are happiest

A terrestrial enclosure with more floor space than height, about 3-4 times the spider's leg span across for adults, filled half to two thirds with substrate so it can dig a burrow, plus a hide. Room temperature of about 21-25 C and moderate humidity, keeping part of the substrate slightly damp with constant access to water.2

Food basics what goes in the bowl

Live insects such as crickets and roaches. Spiderlings feed twice a week, juveniles every 7-10 days and adults every 2-3 weeks (a few large crickets or one large roach). In the wild it ambushes large insects and the occasional small frog or mouse from its burrow.23

Company who they like around

Solitary and territorial. Keep one tarantula per enclosure.32

The story where it all began

The name Brachypelma smithi goes back to 1897, when Frederick Pickard-Cambridge described a red-kneed tarantula from Guerrero, Mexico. A very similar spider from further north-west was named Brachypelma hamorii by Tesmoingt, Cleton and Verdez in 1997, but for two decades the two were usually lumped together as 'the Mexican redknee', and most redknees in the pet hobby were sold as B. smithi. In 2017 Mendoza and Francke used body details and DNA barcoding to show the two are separate species, and it turned out that many of the familiar captive redknees are actually B. hamorii. Because of export pressure, red-knee tarantulas were placed on CITES Appendix II in 1985, followed by the rest of the genus in 1994. Today the species is bred successfully in captivity.14

Recognised by the official bits

Scientific description

Described as Brachypelma hamorii by Tesmoingt, Cleton and Verdez in 1997; separated clearly from B. smithi by Mendoza and Francke in 2017.1

CITES

Appendix II: Mexican red-knee tarantulas were listed in 1985 (under the name B. smithi) and all Brachypelma species were added in 1994.1

IUCN Red List (as reported by Wikipedia)

Assessed as Vulnerable.1

Popularity Long popular in the pet trade because of its calm nature and striking colours.31