The rose hair tarantula, more scientifically known as the Grammostola rosea, has long been thought of as a popular tarantula for beginners, despite mixed reviews.

This species of tarantula has often been praised for its docile behavior and hardiness, which make it an attractive option for people just trying to get into the tarantula hobby – however, this is changing as more tarantula owners speak out and advise against them.

The rose hair tarantula was once a tarantula that was easy to get from pretty much anywhere – they were even carried by most local pet stores for very cheap due to how common they were. However, there has been an importation ban on the rose hair tarantula, which makes them much harder (and more expensive!) to get now. So that’s one reason this species is not recommended for beginners. The other reason that the beginner recommendation is being taken away from this tarantula is because despite their docile reputation, they can be quite moody, unpredictable, and tempermental. Some can be downright mean! Would you call a rose hair tarantula like this docile?!

I think not! Now, not all rose hair tarantulas are the same, so I’ll share my own experiences with my rose hair tarantula, Spidey, and tell you why I also would not recommend this species of tarantula for beginners.

I got Spidey many years ago as my first tarantula. I purchased her from a local pet store, a mistake that most newbies make unfortunately (we all make many mistakes in the beginning!). While I can’t relate to those who have said their rose hair tarantulas are aggressive, that’s really because every tarantula is different. Spidey, for the most part, is VERY docile and calm. In fact, her regular temperament is really quite timid, shy, and scared! However, I noticed that her temperament would change drastically after a molt and when she was hungry. Usually a little slowpoke, she would become very active and pouncy whenever I moved something around in her tank or gave her water because she thought it was prey. For some tarantulas, these mood swings are completely unpredictable.

But the reported mood swings are not the only reason why I don’t believe a rose hair tarantula is appropriate for beginners. The main reason is because they will STRESS you out!!! I can’t tell you how many messages I get from new tarantula owners freaking out about their g. roseas not eating. Unfortunately, if you get a rose hair tarantula this is something you will have to learn to live with. This species is INFAMOUS for their random, long fasting periods. Spidey herself has gone WELL over a year and a half without eating once, for no reason! She wasn’t even in premolt, she just decided to randomly start starving (and was fine luckily lol). This is pretty normal for rose hair tarantulas, and Spidey periodically fasts for several months to a year. In fact, she spends like 80% of her life fasting and for a beginner, this is a lot to worry about when you are just learning. This was incredibly stressful for me and I worried every day until I finally learned to accept that she was ok and just doing weird spider stuff. However it still took several fasting cycles for me to fully relax and not think she was going to die. So if you’re not up for that kind of stress, I highly recommend getting a less moody tarantula with a more stable appetite.

All in all, I think rose hair tarantulas are a great species. I absolutely LOVE Spidey and I think G. roseas are very underrated. However, I think the amount of stress and confusion this species can cause to a beginner is inappropriate and there are much better tarantulas newbies can start off with that will be less stressful and better learning experiences.

However, if you have your heart set on a rose hair tarantula, don’t let this deter you! If you are still interested in getting a grammostola rosea, check out care requirements for this tarantula here! And if you are looking for a more appropriate beginner spider, check this article out.

Featured image is by GollyGForce on Flickr.