How to Tell If a Rose-Haired Tarantula Is Male or Female

The Chilean rose, or rose-hair, is a brownish-pink tarantula commonly sold at pet stores. Retailers should only sell female Chilean roses, since males have a much shorter life span and will die within months of purchase. Unfortunately, many retailers and consumers have difficulty distinguishing between male and female tarantulas. To avoid selling or purchasing males, you should learn how to tell the sexes apart.

Things You'll Need

  • 30X microscope or larger
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Instructions

    • 1

      Pick up a tarantula and turn it over for examination with the back end facing you. Inspect the spider under a good light source, if possible.

    • 2

      Locate the triangle-shaped abdominal area of the spider, found between the last set of the legs and the large posterior section.

    • 3

      Look for the epiandrous fusillae, an extra pair of spinnerets found only on the abdomen of males. The fusillae are easy to spot on larger spiders because of the dark circle shape between them -- this dark circle is absent on females. Use a microscope to examine spiders with a 2 inch legspan or smaller.