Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens

Greenbottle Blue Tarantula

Blue legs, a green carapace and an orange abdomen make a vivid combination.

Reference photo, not the individual on display. Credits appear below.

Care commitment Specialist setup

Habitat Ground & cover

Visiting Observe only

Meet your new acquaintance

Nickname Silk Architect

Uses ground and low vegetation; builds conspicuous webs

Species highlights

A landscape connected by silk

Webbing connects supports into a usable space, joining ground, retreat and movement surfaces. Silk is construction material as well as a setting for action.

It can transmit vibrations, and tarantula silk use need not resemble an aerial orb web catching flying insects. One word does not describe every spider’s architecture.

Trace a branch anchor toward the ground and retreat entrance: apparent tangles become spatial relationships as the animal moves through them.

Feature sources:

At a glance

Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens is native to northern Venezuela. Research links most records to xeric scrub, with some in neighbouring dry forest; vivid colour does not imply a permanently wet rainforest requirement.

Silk connects low plants, ground and retreat entrances into continuous usable space. Vivid colour does not turn a dry-habitat species into a permanently wet rainforest animal.

Adult and juvenile appearances differ across moults. Invertebrate hunting, retreat maintenance and waiting explain a life not measured by constant movement. Follow the web’s use of the environment, then the body’s use of the web.

Common names Greenbottle Blue Tarantula; GBB

Scientific name Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens

Native rangeNorthern Venezuela

Adult sizeOften about 12–15 cm adult leg span

ActivityUses ground and low vegetation; builds conspicuous webs

Diet Feed appropriately sized insects according to abdominal condition and actual intake. Remove prey around moults, avoid overfeeding and do not repeatedly destroy the main retreat during routine cleaning.

Habitat & care

Provide ventilation, web supports, a dry surface and clean drinking water. Avoid repeatedly soaking the enclosure.

Values guide routine care, not breeding or brumation. Dimensions are length × width × height for one adult unless stated otherwise; larger animals need more space.

TemperatureDaytime air 22–27°C Measure enclosure air; avoid direct sun and contact heaters. Remove live prey during moulting and do not use strong heat to speed growth.

HumidityDry + water The cited keeper uses ventilated dry substrate without a fixed RH target. Locally drip water for slings rather than frequently soaking the whole enclosure.

LightingDay–night cycle Do not apply a reptile UVB setup by default; retain sheltered retreats.

Space45×45×30 cm Recommended adult starting recommendation; check floor dimensions against at least 3× actual leg span, add web anchors and limit fall height.

Look a little closer

Compare blue legs, the green sheen of the carapace and orange abdominal hairs. Trace one silk line to substrate, branch or retreat entrance. During movement, watch whether feet use silk or bare ground and how the web connects those spaces.

Care note: Balance web-building opportunities, water and air exchange.

About this profile

Size ranges are reference values; sex, origin and age affect appearance.

Profile status: Reference profile · Reviewed 2026-10-20

References (4)

Photo: Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:(MHNT)_Chromatopelma_cyaneopubescens_-_Venezuela_-_Female.jpg CC BY-SA 4.0 · Original image, credit and licence

Behaviour notes describe the species, not a promise about every individual. These care notes introduce its needs; ask our team about the animal on display and any supervised encounters.