Lasiodora parahybana (Salmon Pink Bird Eater)
Last updated: May 13, 2026
This is not a care guide. If you are interested in keeping this species, please research its husbandry thoroughly before purchasing. Tom's Big Spiders has species-specific husbandry notes that are a solid place to start.
Lasiodora parahybana, almost always called the LP in the hobby, holds a reliable spot near the top of any list of the world's largest tarantulas. Females commonly reach 8 to 10 inches in legspan, with very large specimens toward the upper end of that range. It is native to northeastern Brazil, especially Paraíba, where it is associated with burrows in warm tropical and subtropical habitats including forest-edge and drier scrubby areas.
In the hobby, the LP has been popular for a long time because it offers something genuinely rare: a spider of impressive scale that is broadly accessible, reasonably affordable, and does not require the kind of keeper experience that other large or challenging species demand.
Size in Practice
Nine inches sounds large in the abstract, but it is a different thing when you are looking at one in person. The LP has substantial body mass to match its legspan, and a fully mature female is the kind of tarantula that makes even experienced keepers pause. If you want the biggest spider in the room, this is one of the most reliable ways to get it.
The growth rate is relatively fast for such a large species. Slings grow noticeably faster than something like a Grammostola or Brachypelma, and patient keepers can get to a substantial adult in a few years with good feeding. This makes slings a practical starting point in a way that it is not with the slower-growing giants.
Temperament
For its size, the LP is generally a reasonable spider to keep. It does not have a reputation for being particularly reactive, and most individuals will go about their business without excessive drama. That said, it is a large, fast spider that kicks urticating hairs readily, and the physical reality of working around a 9-inch tarantula is different from working around a 5-inch one even if the temperament is equivalent. The sheer size demands attentiveness.
Like most spiders, individuals vary. Some LPs are placid and unbothered by routine maintenance; others are more on edge. Getting a read on your specific spider and adjusting how you work around it accordingly is the practical approach.
Is This a Good Fit for You?
The LP is the right choice if your primary goal is size. It delivers on that without requiring you to manage a genuinely challenging old world species or deal with the kind of defensive behavior that comes with something like a Pterinochilus. For keepers who want something large and impressive in their collection without the added difficulty of an ornamental arboreal or a reactive baboon spider, it hits a useful sweet spot.
Newer keepers should probably wait until they have some experience before jumping to an LP. Not because it is particularly demanding, but because a 9-inch tarantula amplifies everything: the enclosure is larger, the maintenance requires more care, and any mistake feels more consequential. A year or so of experience with smaller, calmer species first will make the whole thing more enjoyable.
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FAQs
How big does Lasiodora parahybana get?
Females commonly reach 8 to 10 inches in legspan, with very large specimens toward the upper end of that range. It is consistently one of the largest tarantula species available in the hobby and one of the largest in the world.
Is the Salmon Pink Bird Eater good for beginners?
It is more accessible than many large species, but the size alone warrants some caution. Most keepers recommend having a year or two of experience with smaller species first, not because the LP is particularly reactive or venomous, but because working around a spider this large is a different experience and the stakes of a mistake are higher.
How fast does the LP grow?
Faster than most large new world species. With good feeding, slings can grow into substantial juveniles within a year or two, and keepers who start from slings can realistically expect to have a large adult within three to five years. This is one of the practical advantages of the species over slower-growing giants like Grammostola.
Where does the name "Salmon Pink" come from?
The setae on adult specimens have a pinkish or salmon-colored tint that is visible in good lighting — coming from the hairs on the abdomen and legs, and from the hairs that line the carapace and chelicerae. The effect is subtle compared to something like the GBB, but it gives the spider a warm coloring that distinguishes it from many of the plainer large brown tarantulas. This coloration is not limited to females: it becomes particularly noticeable in mature males. The common name refers to this coloration.