Defining Characteristics:

• Confident, large species from South America—their willingness to stay out in the open as adults makes them a great display species
• Striking contrast between black, white & red makes for an absolutely gorgeous tarantula
• Great feeding response = never a dull feeding day
• Can be defensive and quick to flick hairs and/or go into threat posture—recommended for at least intermediate keepers

Name: Vitalius chromatus is commonly known as the  Brazilian Red and White Tarantula. They were recently renamed from Nhandu chromatus. Chromatus has Greek roots meaning "colored".

Recommended Enclosure Size & Setup: Vitalius chromatus is a terrestrial species, but displays burrowing tendencies and will appreciate deeper substrate. The surface area of the enclosure should be no less than 2 times the spider's diagonal leg span in one direction and 3 times the diagonal leg span in the other. We recommend against allowing your terrestrial spider more than 2 times their diagonal leg span as head space above their substrate, as a fall from any higher could result in serious injury.

The enclosure should be tall enough to accommodate 2-3 inches of substrate for slings and 5+ inches for adults. Arachnid BioBedding is our top pick for substrate, as it was developed specifically with the needs of tarantulas in mind! ABG Mix, coco cradle, or Dig-It are good substrate options, as well.

They will benefit from a variety of terrarium furniture as well to climb on and foliage to hide behind. Live plants can be beneficial to air quality.

Temperature (°F): This species thrives in the mid 70s to low 80s, so a temperature close to 80° is ideal. Temperatures regularly dipping below 65 or spiking above 85 degrees should be avoided. A reliable thermometer is strongly recommended.

Humidity: This species thrives in a mostly dry environment, but will appreciate a moisture gradient. The recommended ambient humidity should stay between 40 and 75%. Spiderlings should be kept on lightly moist substrate, and adults with mostly dry substrate. Just be sure not to let it get too dry, as this can cause dehydration and issues when molting. Depending on your location, you may need tools such as a humidifier or dehumidifier to maintain this environment. Another option is to occasionally overflow the water dish to keep the humidity higher in that area, while allowing the other areas of the enclosure to stay mostly dry.

The enclosure sides and décor should be spritzed at least lightly around twice a week to provide your animal droplets to drink from, but do not spray your spider directly. A hygrometer is a great way to monitor the humidity for your animal and see any needed adjustments.

Size: At the time of sale, this animal will be at least 1 inch. Females can grow to be up to 5 inches, and typically the males are a bit smaller. We use diagonal leg span to measure our spiders.

Age: Before making this species available to our customers, we ensure that they are well-established. This means our spiders are generally molted to a minimum of third instar and will have hatched 2 to 3 months prior to being listed for sale.

For spiders that we have not produced in house, we like to get 2 to 3 solid feedings in as well as the aforementioned minimums. They go through a 2-week minimum quarantine process to ensure the health of the animal. 

For this species, the average lifespan is 4 to 6 years in males, and 20+  years in females when provided an adequate environment. They are currently approximately 8 to 12 months old.

Feeding: These spiders are currently eating 3 to 4 - 1/4 inch crickets, once a week. There are a variety of appropriate prey items that you can offer, such as roaches, waxworms, black soldier fly larvae, hornworms, and silkworms. Consider feeding your prey items with our gutload formula to give your pet well-rounded nutrition.

We recommend that the prey items not be much longer than the tarantula's “head” is wide. Larvae are an exception—our larvae are harmless. Since they are very high in fat, they're not the best staple diet, however they make a great weight gain supplement.

Remove uneaten prey items after 24 hours, these may stress your animal out or endanger the spider during molting. Never attempt to feed a freshly molted tarantula less than a week after their molt to prevent injury to the spider. Depending on its age, the hardening process could take anywhere from 48 hours all the way up to a week.

Sexing: Due to age, Vitalius chromatus spiderlings sold by Josh's Frogs are sold as unsexed.

Check out our individually listed spiders to see if we have what you’re looking for!

Coloration/Patterning: As spiderlings, they are light brown. As they mature, they turn black with a white carapace, a white "skeleton" pattern down the legs and red hairs covering the abdomen.

Social Behavior: Vitalius chromatus is not a sociable animal and should be housed as an individual. Attempts at cohabitation can result in cannibalism. 

This species spends most of its time in an underground, silk lined burrow. They are known to have a short temper

Natural Range: Vitalius chromatus are native to Brazil and Paraguay.

Links of Interest:

• Arachnoboards.com
• TarantulaForum.com
• TheTarantulaCollective.com

Still not sure if Vitalius chromatus from Josh's Frogs is the right pet for you? Read the reviews below and see what other customers are saying!