Grammostola rosea, commonly known as the Chilean rose tarantula, is one of the most recognisable and widely kept species in the hobby. Calm, hardy, and slow‑growing, they’ve long been a favourite for beginners thanks to their gentle temperament and attractive pinkish sheen across the carapace. Females are impressively long‑lived, often reaching 20 years or more, while males typically live only a few years after maturity. Their bodies and legs are covered in fine bristles, including Type III urticating hairs, which they may flick if startled — though most individuals remain mild‑mannered and solitary by nature.
 
In the wild, G. rosea inhabits the high desert and scrub regions of northern Chile, Bolivia, and Argentina. These landscapes are surprisingly varied, ranging from dry grasslands to rocky, semi‑arid plains where temperatures can swing dramatically between day and night. To cope with this, the species relies on burrows — either self‑dug or repurposed from rodents or reptiles — which provide stable humidity and protection from predators such as snakes, lizards, and tarantula hawks. Burrows tend to be simple, vertical shafts with one or two chambers, and females often dig deeper retreats than males, sometimes reaching 40 cm below the surface