Brachypelma smithi (ex annitha) | Mexican Red Knee | Urban Tarantulas

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URBAN TARANTULAS

Mexican Red Knee Tarantula

Brachypelma smithi (ex annitha)

For red-knee enthusiasts, Brachypelma smithi deserves a place of its own. Dark legs, warm red-orange knee markings, and a beautifully patterned carapace give it that familiar Mexican tarantula appeal. You may remember it under the name B. annitha. Today, those animals belong to B. smithi—a distinct species from B. hamorii, with a simple terrestrial care routine and plenty to appreciate as it grows.

A familiar name, clarified

What does “ex annitha” mean? Brachypelma annitha is a former scientific name now treated as a synonym of B. smithi. The label helps connect older hobby records with the accepted name; it does not indicate a hybrid or a separate subspecies.

A free starter container for small slings is available if requested at checkout; it is not included automatically.

Visit Urban Tarantulas on YouTube for care, setup, feeding, and show-and-tell videos to see how we keep and feed our tarantulas.
🌿 A straightforward routine

Provide stable room temperatures, fresh water, ventilation, and a sheltered retreat. Keep larger specimens mostly dry at the surface with a lightly moistened corner. Slings need closer attention to moisture because small containers dry faster.

Avoid direct sunlight, heat lamps, and persistently soaked substrate. Let the spider choose between its hide and open space rather than removing cover to keep it visible.
🏠 Housing through each stage

Babies / slings
A ventilated 1–4 oz deli cup can suit small slings. Match the container to the spider and use escape-proof ventilation holes. Provide gently packed substrate for digging, with a slightly moist area and a drier area available.

Juveniles
Use a low terrestrial enclosure with diggable substrate, a cork-bark hide, and a small water dish. Increase floor space as the spider grows.

Adults
Choose a secure enclosure with roughly three leg spans of length and two of width as a starting point. Include substantial substrate depth and low clearance above it to reduce fall risk. Provide a stable hide and shallow water dish. House individually.
🍽️ Feeding & molting

Offer appropriately sized captive-bred crickets or roaches, including Dubia, Red Runners, and Lobster roaches. Tiny slings can take small feeders or freshly pre-killed prey when available insects are too large to tackle safely.

Offer slings a small meal about weekly and larger specimens food every 1–2 weeks as a starting point. Adjust to appetite and abdomen condition. Remove uneaten food within 24 hours.

Food refusal can accompany premolt or a normal fast. Remove live feeders when premolt is suspected, leave molting spiders undisturbed, and wait until the fangs have hardened before feeding again.
Your smithi at a glance
🕷️ Scientific name Brachypelma smithi
(F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1897)
Former synonym: Brachypelma annitha.
📛 Common names Mexican Red Knee; True Mexican Red Knee. Also sold under the hobby name Mexican Giant Red Knee.
🌡️ Temperature Approximately 70–78°F (21–26°C). Stable room conditions are a practical captive starting point.
💧 Humidity Low to moderate ambient humidity. Prioritize mostly dry surface substrate, a lightly moistened area, ventilation, and drinking water over a fixed percentage. Keep slings from drying out completely.
📍 Locale Guerrero, Mexico, along the Pacific region. Associated with seasonally dry tropical forest and sheltered burrows.
🏷️ Category New World terrestrial / burrowing species. Generally light visible webbing, with silk around retreats and molt sites.
📏 Adult size — DLS Female: approximately 5–6 inches (13–15 cm), a broad hobby estimate.
Male: more slender at maturity; reliable separate male DLS estimates are limited.
DLS means diagonal leg span. The hobby name “Giant Red Knee” does not guarantee an unusually large individual.
🪶 Urticating hairs Yes—if disturbed, they can flick urticating hairs as a natural defense. Individual responses vary.
⏳ Growth rate Slow. Growth and molt intervals vary with age, feeding, and conditions.
🧭 Lifespan Female: approximately 20–30 years.
Male: approximately 5–10 years.
Broad red-knee keeper estimates of total lifespan. Historical confusion with B. hamorii limits species-specific certainty.
🎯 Recommended level Beginner-friendly with the right setup, and especially appealing to Brachypelma lovers who enjoy the differences between Mexican red-knee species. Simple care and slow growth make it a rewarding long-term project.
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Safety disclaimer
Tarantulas can bite, and this species has hairs that can irritate skin and eyes. Enjoy observing it and use a catch cup for transfers. Keep your face away during maintenance and protect the spider from falls. Seek medical advice after a bite or significant hair exposure, especially to the eyes. Handling is at your own risk. Always prioritize your safety and the tarantula’s well-being.