How Long Do Tarantulas Live? Tarantula Lifespan Chart

If you’re just getting into the tarantula hobby, you’re probably wondering: How long do tarantulas live? A tarantula’s lifespan in captivity depends on many factors—enclosure size, humidity, feeder insects, and other husbandry techniques. But the most important factors in determining your tarantula’s lifespan are its species and its gender.

Depending on species and gender, your tarantula’s lifespan can range anywhere from 3 to 30+ years. Males live shorter lives than females, averaging about 3 to 4 years. Females, on the other hand, average between 10 and 20 years, with some species living over 30 years!

The following chart gives you a breakdown of some of the most popular tarantula species in the hobby, how big they get on average, and around how many years they typically live.

Tarantula Lifespan Chart

Species	Place of Origin	Average Size	Female Lifespan	Male Lifespan
Honduran Curly Hair	Costa Rica	6-7 in.	22-25 years	4-5 years
Martinique Pink Toe	Caribbean	5-6 in.	11-12 years	2-3 years
Goliath Pink Toe	Brazil	7-8 in.	10-12 years	3-4 years
Brazilian Jewel (Dwarf)*	Brazil	1-1.5 in.	Unknown	Unknown
Chilean Rose	Northern Chile	6-6.5 in.	20-25 years	4-5 years
Pink Zebra Beauty	Brazil, Paraguay	4-5 in.	16-20 years	5-6 years
Green Bottle Blue	Brazil, Paraguay	5-6 in.	12-14 years	4 years
Mexican Red Knee	Mexico	6-6.3 in.	25-30 years	2-5 years
Mexican Flame Knee	Central America, Mexico	5.5-6 in.	20-25 years	4-6 years
Brazilian Black	Brazil	6-7 in.	20+ years	3-4 years
Cobalt Blue	Burma, Myanmar, Thailand	5-5.5 in.	10-12 years	3-4 years
Texas Brown Tarantula	Southern United States	4-5 in.	30+ years	7-10 years
Arizona Blond	Southwest United States	5-6 in.	25+ years	10-14 years
Brazilian Red & White	Brazil, Paraguay	6-7 in.	12-15 years	3-4 years
Brazilian White Knee	Brazil	7-8 in.	18-20 years	3-4 years
Chaco Golden Knee	Paraguay	6-7 in.	15-20 years	3-4 years
Mexican Fire Leg	Mexico	5.5-6 in.	18-22 years	6-8 years
Gooty Sapphire Ornamental	Southeast India	5.5-6 in.	12-15 years	3-4 years
Pumpkin Patch	Colombia	3.5-4 in.	8-10 years	3-4 years
Philippine Tangerine	Philippines	5.5-6 in.	11-12 years	2-4 years

*The Brazilian Jewel is a new species to the hobby. They are difficult to find and quite expensive (one sling can cost upwards of $500). They haven’t been in the hobby long enough to observe their lifespan.

Maximizing Your Tarantula’s Lifespan

When compared with other exotic pets – like Bearded Dragons, Leopard Geckos, or Chameleons – tarantulas are a fairly easy pet to keep. Most species only eat a few times per week. There’s little to no enclosure maintenance required. And humidity and temperature requirements are pretty easy to maintain.

That being said, there are a few little things you can do to maximize your tarantula’s lifespan and get the most enjoyment out of being a T-keeper.

Proper enclosure size and orientation. Tarantulas need an enclosure that’s 4x their overall size. Terrestrial tarantulas need a horizontally oriented enclosure. Arboreal and fossorial tarantulas need a vertically oriented enclosure.
Proper temperature and humidity. Since tarantulas are endemic to countries along the coffee belt, they have fairly similar heat and humidity requirements. That being said, some species are more sensitive to fluctuations in heat and humidity than others. Know the requirements of your particular tarantula species while you’re setting up its enclosure.
Proper feeding. In the wild, tarantulas are opportunistic feeders. This is not the case in captivity. Tarantulas in captivity are insectivores, and you should offer yours a variety of insects, including crickets and Dubia roaches. Check out the article “What Do Pet Tarantulas Eat” to learn more.

Nail these three things, and your T is in for a long and healthy life.

Takeaway: Your tarantula’s lifespan depends on many factors. However, the most important factors that influence your tarantula’s lifespan are your tarantula’s species and gender. When choosing your first (or 50th) T, be sure you know ahead of time the average lifespan of the species you’re interested in, that way you know exactly what to expect.

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