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Name: Chilean rose tarantula

Scientific Name: Grammostola rosea

Class: Arachnida

Lifespan: Females live round 20 years. Males live around 2-4 years. 

Size: Maxiumum of around 6 inches in length. 

Threats: Birds, reptiles, mammals

Distribution: Native to Chile

Habitat: Desert and scrub habitats 

Appearance: The overall color is brown to black with rose-hued hair on the hard-shell upper body. A tarantulas fangs fold under the body, meaning that it must strike downward to impale its prey. 

Diet & Feeding: Nocturnal predator of small arthropods. Prey is injected with venom and enzymes that begin breaking it down into ingestible fluids. 

Social Behaviour: They live solitary lives in small underground burrows.

Males and females: The female is often bigger than the male and also tends to be more aggressive.

Lifespan: 15-20 years

Number of young: The female produces large egg sacs, usually containing in excess of 500 eggs. The female will carry the egg sack under her body protecting it until the eggs have hatched.

Interesting fact: Unlike other most other spiders, tarantulas do not catch prey in webs. They stalk and attack their prey similar to a jaguar.

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