Guyruita cerrado
Brazilian Savannah Dwarf - complete care guide
Brazilian Savannah Dwarf
Temperature
22-25 °C
Target ambient range
Humidity
70-80 %
Substrate / enclosure RH
Adult DLS
7-10 cm
Average - varies per individual
Moult interval
Sling 3-5w - Juv 1.5-2.5mo
Adult 7-11mo
Adult cycle = mature females; males never moult again after maturity
About
The Brazilian Savannah Dwarf (Guyruita cerrado) - TYPE SPECIES of a genus whose name is Tupi for "to go underneath rocks", which is exactly the lifestyle: Cerrado savannah burrows under rocks and bark. Semi-dwarf, unassuming brown until the light catches it, shy but mild, and barely represented in collections. £12 slings make it one of the cheapest genuinely rare genera in the hobby. Give it a pebble and watch the genus name make sense.
Husbandry cheat sheet
- Origin
- Brazil (Cerrado savannah)
- Habitat
- Cerrado - burrows under rocks and bark
- Temperament
- Docile
- In your collection
- 0
Growth, lifespan & conservation
- Growth rate
- Medium
- Maturity
- ♀ 26mo ♂ 18mo
- Lifespan
- ♀ 10yr ♂ 3yr
- Continent
- South America
- UK availability
- Rare in the hobby
Care Guide
Guyruita cerrado
Brazilian Savannah Dwarf - a complete husbandry sheet. Use as a starting point and adjust to your individual specimen.
What size enclosure does a Brazilian Savannah Dwarf Tarantula need?
Adults
15-20 cm square with 5-6 cm of substrate and a flat stone.
Slings & Juveniles
Small tubs with 4 cm of damp substrate and a pebble.
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 Brazilian Savannah Dwarf Tarantula need?
Heating
The Brazilian Savannah Dwarfs is comfortable at 22-25 °C; most UK homes manage with little or no supplementary heat.
Humidity
70-80 %: keep the substrate consistently damp (not wet).
Ventilation
Cross-ventilation with consistent humidity.
What substrate is best for a Brazilian Savannah Dwarf Tarantula?
Recommended Mixes
Depth
5-6 cm
Notes
Moderate depth, damp-packed, holding the under-rock burrow structure.
How do you set up a Brazilian Savannah Dwarf Tarantula enclosure?
Décor
The Hide
Its own burrow under a flat stone, bark piece or pebble - the genus signature.
Water
A bottle cap or tiny dish on the surface.
Lighting
No special lighting needed.
How often should you feed a Brazilian Savannah Dwarf Tarantula?
Good Feeders
Long refusal worrying you? Separate premoult fasting from genuine problems with our "Is my T okay?" checker.
Is my Brazilian Savannah Dwarf Tarantula dying or moulting?
Pre-moult signs to look for
Refusing food for weeks is normal before a moult - a healthy Brazilian Savannah Dwarf 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 Brazilian Savannah Dwarf 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 18-36 days for spiderlings, every 45-75 days for juveniles, and every 100-160 days for sub-adults, with adult females moulting around every 7.3 months (up to 11.3 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 5 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 Brazilian Savannah Dwarf Tarantula need?
🪞 Moulting
Moults in the burrow beneath its rock. Do not lift the stone to check; keep humidity steady and prey out; wait until it reopens before feeding. Adult intervals apply to mature females - males never moult after their ultimate moult.
🧹 Cleaning
Refresh the water dish weekly; spot clean boluses near the burrow mouth.
✋ Handling
Shy and quick to retreat; observe rather than handle.
What are the most common mistakes when keeping Brazilian Savannah Dwarf Tarantulas?
✓ What They Love
- A flat pebble or stone to burrow beneath
- Consistently moist (not wet) substrate
- Small prey
- Cross-ventilation
- Patience - it is shy by nature
✕ Common Mistakes
- Large prey
- Bone-dry substrate
- Constant disturbance - it hides
- Expecting bright colours
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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