Common name: Arizona Blonde, Desert Blonde

Scientific name: Aphonopelma chalcodes

Experience level: Beginner. They are certainly easy to care for and quite hardy.

Appearance: Aphonopelma chalcodes tarantulas are known for their “blonde” hairs. The female is usually a uniform tan color. The males tend to have black legs, a copper-colored cephalothorax and a reddish abdomen.

Origin: Southwestern states, especially Arizona, California, and New Mexico

Type: New World, Terrestrial/Fossorial

Size: 6 inches fully grown

Growth rate: Slow

Life span: Females can live for up to 25 years. Males typically live 5-8 years, passing soon after sexual maturity.

Temperament: Arizona blonde tarantulas have a general reputation of being calm and docile, however the species also has a reputation of being defensive, skittish and unpredictable. Aphonopelma chalcodes tarantulas are reclusive, nocturnal spiders. They like to hide in their burrows, under rocks, or in abandoned holes in the daytime.

Defensive behavior: While Aphonopelma chalcodes tarantulas tend to be docile, they can be defensive and skittish. When threatened, they have been known to flick itchy urticating hair, display a threat post, or bite.

Bite danger: The bite of an Aphonopelma chalcodes tarantula is reportedly likened to a bee sting but more painful, causing pain and swelling. There has never been a recorded human death from its bite.

Handling: As with all tarantulas, it is not recommended that you hold an Arizona blonde tarantula without knowing the risks and being familiar with proper handling techniques. However, due to its tendency to be docile and calm, these tarantulas are considered more handling-friendly than others.

Diet/Nutrition: Aphonopelma chalcodes tarantulas can eat appropriately sized insects such a crickets, roaches, and worms. A small sling might eat half of a cricket where and adult might eat several large 1” crickets. The tiniest of slings can also be given pre-killed prey.

Housing:

• Substrate: Several inches of coconut fiber, peat moss, or other soil and kept damp. These species needs lots of substrate to burrow.
• Decor: An adult Arizona Blonde tarantula should be kept in a large, horizontally oriented enclosure so it has enough room to burrow but not climb. The tarantula will need a hide or somewhere to retreat. Slings can be kept in small deli cups.
• Humidity: This species thrives in a dry climate.
• Ventilation: This species needs a tank with ventilation at the top, several small holes at the top of the enclosure will be fine.
• Water: A small, shallow water dish should always be present. This species does not need any misting.

Temperature: The ideal temperature for Arizona Blonde tarantulas is 75-80 degrees Fahrenheit, however this species will do fine between a 70-85 degree range.

And as a bonus, here’s my own little Arizona blonde sling, Blinky, having its first meal at home!

I hope you found that helpful! If you’d like to WAY more about tarantulas and how to care about them, be sure to purchase my full tarantula guide!

I also have a digital tarantula magazine solely dedicated to the A. chalcodes – you can check it out here! 

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