Brazilian Redhead Tarantula
Bumba horrida
1. Deep Soil & Low-Ceiling Safety Setup
2. Two Great Ways to Set Up Your Habitat
Sizing the Tank: Slings vs. Adults
Putting a fingernail-sized baby ('sling') in a giant 10-gallon tank makes it impossible for them to find dinner:
Option A: Spiderlings ('Slings' Under 1.5")
Keep in a vented sling vial or micro acrylic cube (about 3–4× their legspan wide) with 2" of soil, a piece of moss, and a clean tattoo-ink cap or bottlecap for water.
Option B: Juveniles & Adults (2" to 7"+)
A 5- to 10-gallon glass or acrylic enclosure filled halfway up with 4–6" of packed reptile/invertebrate soil and a curved cork bark starter cave.
Ground Burrowers vs. Tree Climbers
Make sure your setup matches where your spider actually lives in nature:
Option A: Ground / Burrowing (Curly Hair, Red Knee, Arizona Blonde)
Wide floor space, deep 4–6" soil for bulldozing, and low ceiling clearance so a clumsy climber can never take a big fall.
Option B: Tree-Dwelling (Pinktoes, Versicolor, Jumping Spiders)
Tall enclosure with lots of side-wall air holes (cross-ventilation!) and tall cork bark reaching near the ceiling.
To Handle or Not to Handle?
Real talk from our invert team: tarantulas don't get cuddly from being held—handling is mostly for us:
Option A: Hands-Off Display Pet (What We Recommend)
Safest for the spider! Use a soft paintbrush to gently tap their back legs and guide them into a catch-cup whenever you need to clean.
Option B: Sit Flat on the Floor (Calm Docile Species Only)
If you do let a calm Curly Hair or Red Knee walk on your open palm, sit on the floor or bed so a sudden bolt can never mean a fatal drop to the floor.
3. Feeding by 'Booty Size' & The Molting Rule
Best Bugs & Big No-Nos:
Top pick—nutritious and won't bite a spider!
Great hunters—MUST remove uneaten crickets after 24h!
Crush worm heads so they can't hide underground
Wild bugs carry lawn sprays & parasites that kill spiders
4. Four Keys to a Happy, Thriving Brazilian Redhead Tarantula
Watch Out for Wire Mesh
Heavy ground tarantulas have two tiny hooks on each foot that can get snagged in cheap woven window-screen lids. Acrylic lids with drilled air holes are way safer!
Overflow the Water Dish
Tarantulas hate being sprayed in the face with a mister! Instead, just overfill their water dish a little bit once a week so one corner of the soil stays damp.
Itchy Belly Hairs
New World tarantulas kick itchy 'urticating hairs' off their butt when annoyed. Don't rub your eyes after working in the tank, and wash your hands with soap!
Upside-Down vs. Death Curl
Flat on their back = happy molting! Right-side-up with all 8 legs curled tightly *underneath* the belly = dehydrated ('death curl')—put their mouthparts right into a shallow puddle of water!
Bring-Home Shopping Checklist
Tap items to check them off on your phone while you shop at Critter Cabana.
Enclosure & Deep Soil
Water Dish & Safe Tools
Live Feeder Bugs
Complete Reference Notes & Oregon Keeping Guide
Species: Bumba horrida (formerly Bumba cabocla) | Difficulty: 2/5 — Easy | Hardiness: 3/5 — Moderate
Critter Cabana & Gresham Pet Supply — Keeping Your Pet Healthy & Thriving
At a Glance
| Common Name | Brazilian Redhead Tarantula | |
| Species | Bumba horrida (Has also been sold under Paraphysa or Maraca) | |
| Origin | Tropical rainforests of Northern Brazil | |
| Adult Size | 4–5 inch leg span (A small-to-medium species) | |
| Lifespan | Females: 12–15 years | Males: 3–4 years |
| Diet Type | Insectivore (Crickets, Roaches, Mealworms) | |
| Activity | Nocturnal (Spends a lot of time hiding in its burrow during the day) | |
| Temperament | Very docile, but skittish. They prefer to run and hide rather than fight. | |
| Handleability | Possible, but not recommended. They are fast and easily startled, making them a drop risk. | |
| Venom | Medically insignificant (Comparable to a bee sting, unless allergic) | |
| Urticating Hairs | Yes (They can flick hairs from their abdomen if stressed) | |
| Difficulty | 2/5 — Easy (Straightforward care, though they can be shy) | |
| Hardiness | 3/5 — Moderate (Requires a balance of moisture without becoming a swamp) |
Why We Love Them: The Brazilian Redhead is one of the most stunning, high-contrast tarantulas in the hobby. They feature jet-black, velvety legs and abdomens that perfectly highlight their glowing, vibrant red/orange carapace (the "red head"). While they can be a bit shy, they are incredibly beautiful and have a very calm disposition.
Safety Information
Venom/Defense: Their venom is medically insignificant. They are generally considered very docile. If startled, their first instinct is to run into their burrow as fast as possible. If they cannot escape, they may kick a small patch of urticating hairs. Biting is incredibly rare for this species.
Handling Precautions: We do not recommend handling this species. While they are not mean, they are very skittish. If you spook them while they are on your hand, they will bolt. A fall from a human hand to a hard floor will rupture their abdomen and kill them.
Housing & Enclosure
Enclosure Type & Size
- Type: Terrestrial / Opportunistic Burrower.
- Minimum: Because they are a smaller species (only reaching 4-5 inches), a 5-gallon to 10-gallon glass aquarium or an Exo Terra Nano/Mini is perfect for an adult.
- The Height Warning: Like all terrestrial tarantulas, you must prioritize floor space over vertical height. Ensure the distance from the dirt to the ceiling is no more than 1.5x the spider's leg span to prevent fatal falls.
Substrate
- Recommended: Coconut fiber (Eco Earth), peat moss, or organic topsoil.
- Depth: Provide 3 to 4 inches of substrate. They are opportunistic burrowers and will spend a significant amount of time digging out a home under their hide.
Décor & Enrichment
- Hides (CRITICAL): Provide a curved cork bark hide or half-log. Because they are a shy species, having a dark, secure place to hide is essential to keep them stress-free.
- Water Dish: Provide a small, shallow water dish. Keep it filled with fresh water at all times.
Temperature
| Zone | Temperature |
|---|---|
| Ambient | 75–85°F (24–29°C) |
- Heating: They thrive in slightly warmer temperatures. Room temperature is usually fine, but if your house drops below 70°F, use a small heat pad mounted on the SIDE of the tank, never underneath.
Humidity
- Target Range: 65–75% (Moderate-High).
- How to Maintain: They require moderate moisture, but they hate stagnant, swampy air. The easiest way to maintain perfect humidity is to overflow their water dish once a week. This keeps the lower layers of the soil slightly damp while allowing the top layer to dry out. Ensure the enclosure has good cross-ventilation.
Diet & Nutrition
Primary Diet
- Live crickets, dubia roaches, or mealworms. Ensure the prey is smaller than the spider's abdomen.
Feeding Schedule
| Life Stage | Frequency | Prey Size |
|---|---|---|
| Spiderling (Sling) | Every 4–5 days | Pinhead crickets or small mealworms |
| Juvenile | Every 5–7 days | Small/Medium crickets |
| Adult | Every 7–10 days | 1-2 Large crickets or 1 Medium Roach |
Pre-Molt Fasting
- If they seal the entrance to their burrow with webbing and dirt, and refuse food, they are in pre-molt. Do not disturb them or dig them up.
Molting
During the Molt
- DO NOT disturb the spider. It will molt safely inside its burrow.
- Remove any live crickets from the enclosure immediately. A live cricket will eat a molting tarantula alive.
Post-Molt Care
- Wait at least 7–10 days before offering food so their new fangs have time to harden.
What We Stock & Use in Our Stores
These are products we carry and recommend for this species. Ask any associate for help finding them in-store.
| Category | Product | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Enclosure | Aqueon 5-Gallon or 10-Gallon Tank | Perfect size for a small-medium terrestrial |
| Substrate | Zoo Med Eco Earth (Coco Fiber) | Minimum 3-4 inches deep |
| Hides | Zoo Med Natural Cork Bark (Curved) | The perfect starting roof for their burrow |
| Tools | Zoo Med 10-inch Feeding Tongs | Highly recommended for safe maintenance |
| Water Dish | Exo Terra Shallow Water Dish (Small) | Overflow this once a week to keep the bottom soil damp |
Care sheet compiled by Critter Cabana & Gresham Pet Supply. For questions, ask any livestock specialist in-store.
Last updated: 2026-08-04
How We Keep Them at Critter Cabana & Gresham Pet Supply
- Oregon Winter Furnace Air vs. Molting Humidity: When Pacific Northwest furnaces kick on from October through April, indoor room humidity drops fast and dries out small enclosures from the top down. Rather than misting the spider or invert directly (which stresses terrestrial species and invites stagnant mold), we keep Brazilian Redhead Tarantula at
65-75% (Moderate-High)by using a deep moisture-retaining substrate bed (ReptiSoil + Coco Fiber + Sphagnum Moss), overflowing the water dish slightly into one corner, and maintaining cross-ventilation. - Safe Room Heating in the Willamette Valley: If your house drops below 65°F on winter nights, never stick a heat pad on the bottom of a burrowing invertebrate tank—they dig down to escape heat and will cook themselves. Use a low-wattage side-mounted heat mat on a digital thermostat or warm the room ambiently to
species-appropriate warm zone. - Stocked at Newberg & Gresham: At Critter Cabana (Newberg) and Gresham Pet Supply, we stock acrylic and glass invertebrate enclosures, cork bark flats and tubes, bioactive substrates, flightless fruit flies (D. melanogaster and D. hydei), pinhead to adult crickets, dubia roaches, and live Temperate White Springtail and Isopod cultures.
Common Questions (FAQ)
How do I keep my Brazilian Redhead Tarantula warm and humid enough during an Oregon winter?
Target species-appropriate warm zone and 65-75% (Moderate-High). When Oregon winter furnaces dry out the air, use a deep 3–5 inch substrate mix of Zoo Med ReptiSoil and coco fiber, keep a shallow water dish filled, and dampen one corner of the substrate rather than misting the animal directly. Never put a heat mat underneath a burrowing invertebrate enclosure.
What size enclosure does a Brazilian Redhead Tarantula need?
An adult Brazilian Redhead Tarantula thrives in 5 to 10-Gallon Tank with secure ventilation. For terrestrial tarantulas and scorpions, floor space and deep substrate matter most (keep open fall height low so heavy-bodied species cannot rupture their abdomen); for arboreal species, prioritize vertical cork bark tubes and cross-ventilation.
Can I put isopods in a Brazilian Redhead Tarantula bioactive enclosure?
Around molting tarantulas and scorpions, skip protein-hungry large isopods and stick to Temperate White Springtails (or gentle Dwarf White isopods in humid detritivore setups) so a soft, newly molted animal is never nibbled.
Where can I find Brazilian Redhead Tarantula, cork bark, and feeder insects in Oregon?
We stock live invertebrates, tarantulas, jumping spiders, cork bark flats and tubes, bioactive substrates, and gut-loaded feeder insects at our two exotic animal stores: Critter Cabana in Newberg (514 E First St, 503-537-2887) and Gresham Pet Supply (2185 NW Burnside Rd, 503-665-7606).
