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Nhandu coloratovillosus

🔤 Taxonomy

Nhandu coloratovillosus is the currently accepted scientific name. Older literature and some hobby labels use Brazilopelma coloratovillosum, the name under which the species was first described.

World Spider Catalog treats the species as accepted and lists Brazil as the distribution. Do not merge it casually with other black-and-white tarantulas; Acanthoscurria geniculata and Nhandu chromatus are different care and record subjects.

Older names and combinations associated with the species include:

  • Brazilopelma coloratovillosum

English common names used in the hobby:

  • Brazilian black and white tarantula
  • Brazilian black-and-white
  • bombardier tarantula

📌 Description

Nhandu coloratovillosus is a large, heavy-bodied New World terrestrial tarantula with bold black-and-white leg patterning and long reddish to orange hairs on the abdomen.

Adult females can reach about 16-18 cm legspan and are much heavier than mature males. It is a strong feeder and often visible, but it is not a calm handling species.

The main risks are defensive hair flicking, sudden short-distance bursts, and fall injury. Use a low enclosure, long tools, and slow maintenance rather than trying to test temperament.

🌍 Distribution

Current WSC distribution places Nhandu coloratovillosus in Brazil. Husbandry should be based on a seasonal terrestrial spider that needs dry surface choices, a water dish, and enough substrate to dig or reshape a retreat.

A uniformly wet rainforest-style enclosure is a common mistake. The spider should have water and some moisture access, but the walking surface and hide entrance should be able to dry.

Range map

⚖️ Legal status

As checked against the current CITES Checklist, CITES Appendices, and EU wildlife-trade references on 2026-06-03, no current CITES listing or specific EU Annex listing was found for Nhandu coloratovillosus. The species is not relevant to the Bern Convention because it is not native to Europe.

Local and national rules on collection, export, import, sale, transport, exhibition, breeding, and proof of legal origin may still apply. Keep invoices, breeder details, import or transfer paperwork where relevant, and avoid animals with unclear wild-collection stories.

🤌 Husbandry

Keep this species singly in a secure terrestrial enclosure. It is large enough to injure itself in a fall and strong enough to push against weak lids or loose decor.

Raise juveniles in staged enclosures so prey can be found easily. Adults need more floor area than height, deep firm substrate, a hide, and a water dish that cannot tip easily.

Build the setup around:

  • large low enclosure
  • 12-18 cm of firm substrate
  • wide cork bark hide
  • shallow stable water dish
  • open feeding area with no sharp decor

💡 Lighting

No UVB or specialist basking lamp is required. A normal room day-night rhythm is enough, and any display light should stay weak enough that it does not overheat or dry the retreat.

🌡 Heating and temperature

Keep daytime temperatures around 22-27°C, with a modest night drop around 20-23°C. Stable room warmth is safer than a lamp aimed at a small enclosure.

Avoid temperature spikes. Tarantulas often tolerate a cool night better than a hot, dry enclosure, and small containers can overheat quickly on racks, windowsills, or shelves near radiators.

💧 Humidity and water

Use moderate humidity rather than a wet tank. Keep a water dish available, overflow a corner when needed, and let much of the surface remain dry between maintenance days.

During molts, a slightly higher moisture option helps, but the whole enclosure should not become stagnant. Ventilation and a dry retreat edge are as important as humidity.

🌿 Enclosure and decoration

Use soil mix or coco-based substrate that compacts enough for a heavy spider. A cork bark hide partly buried into the substrate gives security without forcing a tall climbing route.

Avoid tall branches, stacked rock, and heavy decoration that can shift. A fall of even a short distance can rupture the abdomen of a large terrestrial tarantula.

🪳 Feeding

Adults usually do well on appropriately sized roaches, crickets, or locusts where legal every 7-14 days. Juveniles can be fed smaller prey more often while growth is active.

Do not overfeed just because the species has a strong response. A very swollen abdomen increases fall-injury risk and can make molts harder.

🩺 Common problems

Common problems include over-wet substrate, fall injuries, hair irritation, obesity from overfeeding, and stress from repeated enclosure rearrangement.

A defensive posture or hair flicking is a management signal. Close the enclosure, slow down, and plan the next maintenance with tools and a catch cup instead of escalating contact.

📌 Conclusion

Nhandu coloratovillosus is best for keepers who want a large dramatic display spider and can provide low, secure housing. Its care is not technically complex, but its size and defensive behavior demand respect.

📚 Sources and further reading