Acanthoscurria theraphosoides
Giant Whitebanded - complete care guide
Giant Whitebanded
Temperature
22-27 °C
Target ambient range
Humidity
65-75 %
Substrate / enclosure RH
Adult DLS
16-20 cm
Average - varies per individual
Moult interval
Sling 3-6w - Juv 1.7-2.8mo
Adult 10-14mo
Adult cycle = mature females; males never moult again after maturity
About
The giant black-and-white Acanthoscurria described way back in 1871 - the hobby name "brocklehursti" (Giant Whitebanded) is its junior synonym. Narrow white bands at every leg joint over a black frame, an Amazonian giant at 16-20 cm legspan, and hair-flicking to match the size. Bold rather than aggressive, an eating machine. Taxonomy footnote: the huge 18-23 cm "brocklehursti" of old trade lists is now thought to be a wide-banded variant of A. geniculata.
Husbandry cheat sheet
- Origin
- Peru / Bolivia / Brazil / French Guiana
- Habitat
- Amazon rainforest
- Temperament
- Defensive
- In your collection
- 0
Growth, lifespan & conservation
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Maturity
- ♀ 48mo ♂ 30mo
- Lifespan
- ♀ 18yr ♂ 5yr
- Continent
- South America
- UK availability
- Uncommon
Care Guide
Acanthoscurria theraphosoides
Giant Whitebanded - a complete husbandry sheet. Use as a starting point and adjust to your individual specimen.
What size enclosure does a Giant Whitebanded Tarantula need?
Adults
45 × 35 cm (18 × 14 in) for a mature adult - this is one of the biggest terrestrial spiders in the hobby. Floor space matters more than height.
Slings & Juveniles
House spiderlings in small, appropriately sized deli cups or sling enclosures. Upgrade roughly every 2-3 moults - they outgrow tubs quickly.
To map exact floor space and substrate safety limits for your setup, use our free interactive tarantula enclosure planner.
What temperature and humidity does a Giant Whitebanded Tarantula need?
Heating
The Giant Whitebandeds is comfortable at 22-27 °C. Most UK homes sit below this for much of the year; heat the room rather than the enclosure if winter drops under 20 °C.
Humidity
65-75 %: overflow the water dish weekly and let it dry. Amazon floor, not Amazon swamp.
Ventilation
Cross-ventilation is essential - side-vented enclosures, never stagnant.
What substrate is best for a Giant Whitebanded Tarantula?
Recommended Mixes
Depth
8-12 cm
Notes
Keep substrate dry to barely moist - never soaking. Pack it firm enough to support décor.
How do you set up a Giant Whitebanded Tarantula enclosure?
Décor
The Hide
A cork bark half-log or leaning slab with a starter burrow; most establish under it and dig in.
Water
Always provide a large shallow water dish - an 18 cm spider drinks a lot.
Lighting
No special lighting needed. Ambient room light is enough.
How often should you feed a Giant Whitebanded Tarantula?
Good Feeders
Long refusal worrying you? Separate premoult fasting from genuine problems with our "Is my T okay?" checker.
Is my Giant Whitebanded Tarantula dying or moulting?
Pre-moult signs to look for
Refusing food for weeks is normal before a moult - a healthy Giant Whitebanded Tarantula fasting is almost never an emergency in itself. Watch for slowing down and spending more time in the hide, laying a thick moult mat of web on the floor. New World species like this one often show a bald spot on the abdomen that darkens to near-black as the new skin underneath readies - a darkening bald patch is a reliable countdown, not a disease.
On its back is MOULTING, not dying
A Giant Whitebanded Tarantula lying upside down or on its side with legs curled inwards is almost certainly mid-moult. Do not touch it, do not right it, do not mist it - just remove any live prey (crickets can kill a defenceless moulter) and leave the room.
How long between moults?
For this species, expect a moult roughly every 21-42 days for spiderlings, every 50-85 days for juveniles, and every 180-280 days for sub-adults, with adult females moulting around every 10 months (up to 14 months at the extreme). Males never moult again after their ultimate (mature) moult.
After the moult: fang hardening time
The new exoskeleton stays soft, with fangs that cannot grip, for roughly 9 days in this species. Offer no food and no handling for about 9 days - feeding too early is how fresh moulters get injured. The shed exuvium is also the best sexing tool there is - see our tarantula sexing guide for what to look for.
Genuinely worried about behaviour that is not moulting? Our "Is my T okay?" triage tool walks the danger signs one by one.
What ongoing care does a Giant Whitebanded Tarantula need?
🪞 Moulting
Signs: refuses food, abdomen darkens and goes glossy, becomes sluggish, often heavy webbing or a moult mat. During the moult: do not disturb, remove any live prey, keep water available. Wait until the fangs are black and hard (about a week for a large adult) before feeding again. Adult intervals apply to mature FEMALES - a mature male never moults again.
🧹 Cleaning
Daily: check the water dish. Weekly: remove uneaten prey boluses and spot-clean. Wear gloves - the moulted hairs remain irritating.
✋ Handling
Bold, hair-flicky and huge - a look-but-don't-handle display species. Use a catch cup for any move.
What are the most common mistakes when keeping Giant Whitebanded Tarantulas?
✓ What They Love
- Fresh water dish at all times
- Cross-ventilation
- Stable room temperature
- A proper hide and deep substrate
- Gloves and eye protection for deep cleans - the hairs are genuinely irritating
✕ Common Mistakes
- Soaking-wet substrate
- Rubbing eyes after maintenance - Type I/III hairs
- Heat mat underneath the enclosure
- Expecting the trade "brocklehursti" label to match this species exactly - ask the breeder
Keep exploring: related care guides
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