Green Bottle Blue Tarantula, GBB (Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens) Care Sheet

Scientific Name: Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens

Common Name: Green Bottle Blue, GBB

Type: Terrestrial / Semi- Arboreal

Category: New World

Endemic Location: Northern Venezuela, Paraguana region

Body Length: 2.75” (7cm)

Diagonal Leg Span (DLS): 6.25” (16cm)

Urticating Hairs: Yes Type III and IV

Growth Rate: medium

Life Expectancy: Females 14 years / Males 4 years

Recommended Experience Level: Beginner

The Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens. Also known as the Green Bottle Blue Tarantula or the GBB. This is a New World, semi-arboreal tarantula that comes from Northern Venezuela, Paraguana region. They are considered to have a medium growth rate and reach a leg span from 4.5-6 in when full grown. Males of this species only live 3 or 4 years but the females can live up to as long as 14 years.  These T’s have mild venom and urticating hairs that they wont hesitate to kick if they feel threatened or disturbed. 

This is a wonderful tarantula, as mine stays out on display most of the time They are gorgeous, and very enjoyable to observe. Even though they usually appear docile, they can be very skittish and bolt very quickly. Mine are prone to kick hairs and then quickly dive into their burrows anytime I am spot cleaning their enclosures or adding some water to their dish. So this is not a tarantula I would suggest trying to handle. They have an amazing feeding response and quickly pounce and take down prey as soon as it is offered. Like most tarantulas, they will refuse food when in pre-molt. So if your GBB is refusing to eat for weeks or months and is spending a lot of time hiding in its burrow, don’t worry. It is probably in pre-molt and will come back out with a voracious appetite after it molts. 

This species is also a very heavy webber and will make a series of intricate tunnels and web up most of its enclosure over time. So building an enclosure with plenty of anchor points for their webbing is very important.  Technically this tarantula is an opportunistic burrower that shows semi arboreal tendencies in captivity. Semi- arboreal means they are ground dwelling but will web up slightly above the ground and SHOULD NOT be confused as meaning they are an arboreal species and should never be kept in arboreal enclosures as that can be unsafe for them. 

I keep spiderlings in the Tarantula Cribs spiderling enclosures or an enclosure similar in size. I fill the enclosure up at least half so they have plenty of substrate in which they can burrow, but I also put in some small pieces of cork bark or other decorations so they can do some webbing above ground. For juveniles, I move them into an acrylic enclosure that is about 3x their leg span horizontally and vertically at a minimum. Something like the medium slider crib or 8in tarantula cube from Tarantula Cribs.  I set up my GBB enclosures by filling the enclosure about halfway up with substrate (as I have noticed mine sometimes will burrow a little, especially as juveniles) provide a cork bark hide like I would for a terrestrial, and then I add long pieces of cork bark, or branches, and some hanging plants to give the T some anchor points for its webbing and some things it can easily climb vertically. Then when they have outgrown that enclosure, I move them into their permanent adult enclosure. A good example of the size I keep mine in would be the Tarantula Cribs 12in Cube enclosure or Large Slider enclosure which would provide plenty of room. I wouldn’t go any smaller for a tarantula this size, but you can go as big as a 10 gallon terrestrial style enclosure if you want to really give them a whole lot of room.  The Green Bottle Blue prefers an arid environment which makes their husbandry very easy. Keep the substrate dry and the water dish full and this T will thrive. Like most tarantulas, this T is fine being kept at room temperature, so if you are  reasonably comfortable, they will be comfortable.  

As far as feeding, I feed my smallest spiderlings flightless fruit flies or confused flour beetles once or twice a week. As they grow larger I feed pre-killed small crickets, though these spiderlings get large quick and will be able to take down live small crickets on their own in no time. Juveniles I will feed one or two medium crickets a week...usually a cricket about the size of the tarantulas abdomen but no larger than 2/3rds the size of the t. And as adults I base the amount and frequency on the size of their abdomen. As a rough guideline, I will plan on feeding 5-7 large crickets or a couple dubia roaches every 2-3 weeks. Personally my GBB’s rarely will eat dubia roaches, but are always quick to pounce on crickets or meal worms I drop on their webbing, but individual specimens tastes will vary, I am sure. If their abdomen is skinner than their carapace, I will feed more prey more often, but if their abdomen begins to get larger in width than the carapace, I will begin cutting back on the amount and frequency of feeding until it enters pre-molt. 

Overall, this is an amazing spider and it is no secret they are my all time favorite tarantula. They are one of the jewels of my collection and I keep them prominently displayed at all times. I highly recommend adding this species to your collection if you haven't already.