Help me ID! Just found a tarantula in my garden in Brazil (Belo Horizonte)

[soup_salad]

I think it might be a Brazilian Red (Nhandu carapoensis), but I want to be sure. I'm completely new to tarantulas, never thought of keeping one! But it seems very interesting. Any help or tips would be very much appreciated. Thanks in advance!

 

[soup_salad]

Pics of enclosure, if you folks have any constructive criticism. It's about 1.5 in deep coconut husk with some fine dirt mixed in.

 

[Rs50matt]

I would agree with you being a Nhandu Carapoensis. It’s juvenile so isn’t as dark as an adult will be but then it’s been in the thick of it in the wild so wouldn’t expect it to look as pristine as captive bred yet. Enclosure looks good. The advantage you have is you could use sub from your garden. It’s where it came from

 

[soup_salad]

I would agree with you being a Nhandu Carapoensis. It’s juvenile so isn’t as dark as an adult will be but then it’s been in the thick of it in the wild so wouldn’t expect it to look as pristine as captive bred yet. Enclosure looks good. The advantage you have is you could use sub from your garden. It’s where it came from

Thanks a lot! I'm so happy it's juvenile! I was worried it might be old and wouldn't last too long hahaha. Good to know about the dirt. Hopefully it's female. Guess I'll have to wait and see.

 

[Rs50matt]

This is our Carapoensis. She's in premoult now and will get a little bigger. Not as big as a chromatus but I think get to a good 6-7 inches dls (dls - diagonal leg span, tip of front leg to top of opposite back leg.)

 

[soup_salad]

Oh, it gets pretty big. That'll be fun. Yours looks great! I think it looks nicer with the darker colour.

 

[Rs50matt]

They get a decent size. Yours will look just as dark after it's next moult.

how new are you to the hobby? I know you said this is the first one but do you know anything about them? (I'm trying to word this without being pedantic lol)

 

[Rs50matt]

Without sounding pedantic I should say

 

[soup_salad]

I literally found it yesterday night. Today I've been researching a bunch, but I'm completely new to tarantulas.

 

[soup_salad]

So basically I know they can eat crickets or some worms about once a week, I watched some vids to understand what i need for the enclosure, and some basic stuff like how they molt, difference between sexes, etc.

I get a lot o grasshoppers in my garden. I think I'll feed it those. If that doesn't work out, I'll have to find a store that sells the food or think of something else.

 

[Konstantin]

Hi
Welcome in the wonderful hobby of tarantula keeping and the forum.
I will add(drill ,melt)some holes on 2 opposite sides of the enclosure for better ventilation .Obviously the slider needs to be out when you do that.
Regards Konstantin

 

[plessey]

I highly doubt the spider is Nhandu carapoensis just on the location. The Nhandu carapoensis type collection site was Carapo in Mato Grossa Do Sul and Belo Horizonte is about 1000 miles east of this. Also I would imagine the Parana river will act as a natural barrier and you are not likely to see any N. carapoensis east of there.

 

[Combat Advantage]

Soup Salad,

At the park early this morning, I saw a thick covering of web surrounding the base of the fireplace chimney in a pavilion. It was dark in there, so it was hard to see. I was curious and started pulling debris off of the web.
Then I reached and just about touched a spider. Not just any spider. It was around 20" inches across, a little bigger than a basketball, and I got a good look at the underside. The fangs were longer and as thick as my thumb! I first thought, WOW what species is this?! I had no idea these lived around here. It must eat bats and barn swallows. I was sooo happy .....What a find! Now, what can I put it in? I thought.....big rubber maid container, or maybe a garbage can. I hollered to a guy up by the road to ask if there was a store nearby. He got scared and ran away. He didn't see the spider. He was just scared of strangers not wearing masks. Then I went back to the fireplace and noticed that it looked familiar.

Soup.......it was YOUR TARANTULA!
Then I woke up.

I think that your new friend was the last thing that I saw before bed time. LOL!!!

 

[soup_salad]

Hi
Welcome in the wonderful hobby of tarantula keeping and the forum.
I will add(drill ,melt)some holes on 2 opposite sides of the enclosure for better ventilation .Obviously the slider needs to be out when you do that.
Regards Konstantin

I'll do that. Thanks for the advice

 

[soup_salad]

I highly doubt the spider is Nhandu carapoensis just on the location. The Nhandu carapoensis type collection site was Carapo in Mato Grossa Do Sul and Belo Horizonte is about 1000 miles east of this. Also I would imagine the Parana river will act as a natural barrier and you are not likely to see any N. carapoensis east of there.

Makes sense. I tried looking for info on what tarantulas are native to my region, but couldn't find anything.

It does look like a carpoensis though. Perhaps they exist on the other site of the river due to people transporting them. Maybe after it molts it'll be clearer. But I'll keep an open opinion.

 

[Casey K.]

Looks like a Lasiodora difficilis in need of a molt....however, when WC tarantulas need a molt, it's almost impossible to tell what they are if there are other species that resemble it....at least until after it molts. Here is a link for you. It may help you out. Beautiful spider, btw.

Lasiodora

 

[soup_salad]

Looks like a Lasiodora difficilis in need of a molt....however, when WC tarantulas need a molt, it's almost impossible to tell what they are if there are other species that resemble it....at least until after it molts. Here is a link for you. It may help you out. Beautiful spider, btw.

Lasiodora

Wow, those do look a lot like mine! Mine is mostly the same coulor all around, like the Lasiodora. I'll ask here again after it molts if i can't figure it out.

Mabe I should ask a teacher at my city's university. They might know what species are local.

 

[Casey K.]

Wow, those do look a lot like mine! Mine is mostly the same coulor all around, like the Lasiodora. I'll ask here again after it molts if i can't figure it out.

Mabe I should ask a teacher at my city's university. They might know what species are local.

Excellent idea!

 

[plessey]

For Brazilian theraphosidae Rogerio Bertani would be the guy to talk to. You could try emailing him at [email protected]

 

[soup_salad]

For Brazilian theraphosidae Rogerio Bertani would be the guy to talk to. You could try emailing him at [email protected]

Thanks!