Euathlus bronce
Chilean Bronze Flame - complete care guide
Chilean Bronze Flame
Temperature
18-24 °C
Target ambient range
Humidity
50-65 %
Substrate / enclosure RH
Adult DLS
8-10 cm
Average - varies per individual
Moult interval
Sling 4-9w - Juv 2.8-4.5mo
Adult 12-17mo
Adult cycle = mature females; males never moult again after maturity
About
The Chilean Bronze Flame (trade label "bronce", long sold as "Paraphysa sp. Bronze"; undescribed) - a warm-bronze dwarf with cream knee stripes and an orange abdominal tuft, from the same Andean scrubland as Chile's other Euathlus. Famously "puppy-dog" docile and curious; UK room temperature is its natural climate; hardy even as tiny slings. True dwarf at 8-10 cm with 20-year female potential - a long-term companion species at £50 a sling.
Husbandry cheat sheet
- Origin
- Chile (Andean scrubland)
- Habitat
- Rocky mountain scrub - under rocks
- Temperament
- Docile
- In your collection
- 0
Growth, lifespan & conservation
- Growth rate
- Slow
- Maturity
- ♀ 66mo ♂ 48mo
- Lifespan
- ♀ 20yr ♂ 4yr
- Continent
- South America
- UK availability
- Rare in the hobby
Care Guide
Euathlus bronce
Chilean Bronze Flame - a complete husbandry sheet. Use as a starting point and adjust to your individual specimen.
What size enclosure does a Chilean Bronze Flame Tarantula need?
Adults
20 × 20 cm (8 × 8 in) is plenty. Floor space matters more than height.
Slings & Juveniles
Small deli cups; feed dwarf fruit flies at first - slings hatch at 0.5 cm.
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 Chilean Bronze Flame Tarantula need?
Heating
The Chilean Bronze Flames is comfortable at 18-24 °C - genuinely happy at UK room temperature; NO supplementary heat.
Humidity
50-65 %: dry substrate and a full water dish. Andean scrub husbandry.
Ventilation
Cross-ventilation is essential - side-vented enclosures, never stagnant.
What substrate is best for a Chilean Bronze Flame Tarantula?
Recommended Mixes
Depth
5-8 cm
Notes
Keep substrate dry - never wet. Pack firm under stone décor.
How do you set up a Chilean Bronze Flame Tarantula enclosure?
Décor
The Hide
Flat stones or low cork slabs pressed to the substrate - a rock-crevice dweller by nature.
Water
Always provide a shallow fresh water dish.
Lighting
Ambient room light only.
How often should you feed a Chilean Bronze Flame Tarantula?
Good Feeders
Long refusal worrying you? Separate premoult fasting from genuine problems with our "Is my T okay?" checker.
Is my Chilean Bronze Flame Tarantula dying or moulting?
Pre-moult signs to look for
Refusing food for weeks is normal before a moult - a healthy Chilean Bronze Flame 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 Chilean Bronze Flame 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 30-60 days for spiderlings, every 85-135 days for juveniles, and every 190-300 days for sub-adults, with adult females moulting around every 11.7 months (up to 16.7 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 7 days in this species. Offer no food and no handling for about 7 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 Chilean Bronze Flame Tarantula need?
🪞 Moulting
Signs: refuses food, abdomen darkens, becomes sluggish, often seals the hide. Do not disturb; keep water available; wait for black hard fangs before feeding. Adult intervals apply to mature FEMALES - a mature male never moults again.
🧹 Cleaning
Daily: check the water dish. Weekly: remove boluses and spot-clean.
✋ Handling
Exceptionally docile and inquisitive - the classic calm handling species. Still rare and low.
What are the most common mistakes when keeping Chilean Bronze Flame Tarantulas?
✓ What They Love
- UK room temperature - no heating ever
- Dry-side substrate with a full water dish
- Cross-ventilation
- Flat rock-style hides
- Patience - very slow growth is the norm
✕ Common Mistakes
- Heating mats
- Wet substrate
- Impatience with feeding rhythm
- Expecting fast growth even as slings
Keep exploring: related care guides
More ground-dwelling species and close relatives from our full library:
Acanthoscurria cordubensis
Argentinian Bronze Birdeater
Terrestrial - full guide →
Acanthoscurria geniculata
Brazilian Giant White Knee
Terrestrial - full guide →
Acanthoscurria musculosa
Black Velvet Rump
Terrestrial - full guide →
Acanthoscurria natalensis
Natal Brown Birdeater
Terrestrial - full guide →
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