Euathlus manicatus black
Chilean Black Flame - complete care guide
Chilean Black Flame
Temperature
20-24 °C
Target ambient range
Humidity
55-70 %
Substrate / enclosure RH
Adult DLS
8-10 cm
Average - varies per individual
Moult interval
Sling 4-9w - Juv 2.3-4mo
Adult 11-16mo
Adult cycle = mature females; males never moult again after maturity
About
The dark colour form of Euathlus manicata - Simon's 1892 species and the type of the old genus Paraphysa, folded into Euathlus in 2014 (WSC now spells it manicatus). "Black Flame" is the UK trade label for the sooty black-and-charcoal form from central Chilean scrubland; the same species also comes in gold and green forms. A docile 8-10 cm dwarf with red-setae flashes on the abdomen, famously calm and slow - genuine guinea-pig territory. Very slow-growing, with females living 15-20 years. Captive-bred slings reach the UK market periodically.
Husbandry cheat sheet
- Origin
- Chile (central)
- Habitat
- Mediterranean matorral scrubland
- Temperament
- Docile
- In your collection
- 0
Growth, lifespan & conservation
- Growth rate
- Slow
- Maturity
- ♀ 72mo ♂ 54mo
- Lifespan
- ♀ 20yr ♂ 5yr
- Continent
- South America
- UK availability
- Uncommon
Care Guide
Euathlus manicatus black
Chilean Black Flame - a complete husbandry sheet. Use as a starting point and adjust to your individual specimen.
What size enclosure does a Chilean Black Flame Tarantula need?
Adults
20 × 20 cm (8 × 8 in) is plenty for a mature adult. Floor space matters more than height.
Slings & Juveniles
House spiderlings in small, appropriately sized deli cups or sling enclosures.
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 Black Flame Tarantula need?
Heating
The Chilean Black Flames is comfortable at 20-24 °C and manage in UK homes without supplementary heat; warm the room only if it stays under 15 °C for long spells.
Humidity
55-70 %: dry substrate, full water dish, occasional corner overflow - Mediterranean scrub husbandry.
Ventilation
Cross-ventilation is essential - side-vented enclosures, never stagnant.
What substrate is best for a Chilean Black Flame Tarantula?
Recommended Mixes
Depth
5-8 cm
Notes
Keep substrate dry to barely moist - never soaking. Pack it firm for stable scrapes.
How do you set up a Chilean Black Flame Tarantula enclosure?
Décor
The Hide
A low cork bark slab or half-log - they shelter in shallow scrapes under décor rather than deep burrows.
Water
Always provide a shallow fresh water dish. Keep it full and clean it regularly.
Lighting
No special lighting needed. Ambient room light is enough.
How often should you feed a Chilean Black Flame Tarantula?
Good Feeders
Long refusal worrying you? Separate premoult fasting from genuine problems with our "Is my T okay?" checker.
Is my Chilean Black Flame Tarantula dying or moulting?
Pre-moult signs to look for
Refusing food for weeks is normal before a moult - a healthy Chilean Black 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 Black 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 70-120 days for juveniles, and every 150-240 days for sub-adults, with adult females moulting around every 11 months (up to 16 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 Black Flame Tarantula need?
🪞 Moulting
Signs: refuses food, abdomen darkens and goes glossy, becomes sluggish, often seals the hide entrance. 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 adults, 1-2 days for slings) 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. Full deep clean only every few months.
✋ Handling
Exceptionally calm and slow-moving - one of the easiest tarantulas to handle. Still keep sessions short and low to the ground.
What are the most common mistakes when keeping Chilean Black Flame Tarantulas?
✓ What They Love
- Fresh water dish at all times
- Cross-ventilation
- Cool, stable room temperature
- A low hide and firm substrate for scrapes
- Patience - very slow growth is normal
✕ Common Mistakes
- Soaking-wet substrate
- Supplementary heat above ~27 °C
- Daily misting
- Oversized enclosures for a dwarf species
Keep exploring: related care guides
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