Basic Tarantula Care and Husbandry
Dr. Jenifer Nix, BVSc, MFAS, CertAqV
Are you looking for a pet that is a little odd, maybe somewhat creepy, but super fascinating to observe and keep? A tarantula may just be the best pet invertebrate for you! Tarantulas are arthropods in the class Arachnida (arachnids). There are over 900 described species, many of which are available in the hobby (3). Tarantulas come in a variety of sizes, ranging from tiny dwarf species that may grow to a leg span of up to 3 inches or less, to very large species such as the goliath bird eater (Theraphosa blondi), which can grow to a leg span of up to 12 inches (2). Lifespans of tarantulas can also be quite long. Females of many medium to larger species may live more than 30 years in captivity, while males may live from 3 to 10 years (5). Dwarf species are typically shorter lived, with females living 7-15 years and males living 3-5 years. Habitat requirements of tarantulas can vary greatly. Some species are arboreal, meaning they naturally live in canopies of forests and rainforests, while fossorial species are found in burrows.
Dr. Jenifer Nix, BVSc, MFAS, CertAqV
Are you looking for a pet that is a little odd, maybe somewhat creepy, but super fascinating to observe and keep? A tarantula may just be the best pet invertebrate for you! Tarantulas are arthropods in the class Arachnida (arachnids). There are over 900 described species, many of which are available in the hobby (3). Tarantulas come in a variety of sizes, ranging from tiny dwarf species that may grow to a leg span of up to 3 inches or less, to very large species such as the goliath bird eater (Theraphosa blondi), which can grow to a leg span of up to 12 inches (2). Lifespans of tarantulas can also be quite long. Females of many medium to larger species may live more than 30 years in captivity, while males may live from 3 to 10 years (5). Dwarf species are typically shorter lived, with females living 7-15 years and males living 3-5 years. Habitat requirements of tarantulas can vary greatly. Some species are arboreal, meaning they naturally live in canopies of forests and rainforests, while fossorial species are found in burrows.
Neoholothele incei, Trinidad olive gold. This is a species of dwarf tarantula. Be sure to provide your spider with a water dish that is no bigger than the leg span of the animal. Photo by JL Nix, 2023.
Handling
Tarantulas are often skittish and it is not recommended to handle them. Any spider has the potential to bite, and while the venom of New World species is often not medically significant, some individuals may be sensitive. Many New World (North, Central, and South America) species also possess urticating hairs that they may release in defense, and these can cause skin and eye irritation. Many Old World (Africa, Asia) species are more defensive and more likely to bite, and their venom may be more medically significant. In addition to potential harm to people, tarantulas are delicate and can become seriously injured if they fall.
If you do decide to handle your tarantula, the best method is to pick it up between the second and third pair of legs with your thumb and forefinger in order to restrain it and prevent it from bolting away (3). It is best to pick up your spider as close to the ground as possible, as a fall can be fatal. If you are moving a tarantula to a new enclosure, the author recommends getting a small cup large enough to hold the animal and gently coaxing it into the cup using a paint brush. The spider can then be gently prodded with the paint brush into the new enclosure from just behind the abdomen.
Tarantulas are often skittish and it is not recommended to handle them. Any spider has the potential to bite, and while the venom of New World species is often not medically significant, some individuals may be sensitive. Many New World (North, Central, and South America) species also possess urticating hairs that they may release in defense, and these can cause skin and eye irritation. Many Old World (Africa, Asia) species are more defensive and more likely to bite, and their venom may be more medically significant. In addition to potential harm to people, tarantulas are delicate and can become seriously injured if they fall.
If you do decide to handle your tarantula, the best method is to pick it up between the second and third pair of legs with your thumb and forefinger in order to restrain it and prevent it from bolting away (3). It is best to pick up your spider as close to the ground as possible, as a fall can be fatal. If you are moving a tarantula to a new enclosure, the author recommends getting a small cup large enough to hold the animal and gently coaxing it into the cup using a paint brush. The spider can then be gently prodded with the paint brush into the new enclosure from just behind the abdomen.
Transferring a tarantula to a new enclosure. The author recommends coaxing the spider into a small catch cup to avoid risk of injury to the spider and handler. This is a specimen of Cyriocosmus aurei (Peruvian red legged dwarf tarantula). Photo by JL Nix, 2023.
Housing
Housing depends on the climbing and burrowing habits of the species that you keep. As a general rule, the enclosure dimensions should be at least 4 times the leg span of the tarantula, but extremely large enclosures can be overwhelming for the animals and may make it difficult for them to find food. The author keeps dwarf fossorial species with a 2 inch leg span in 8”x7”x4” acrylic enclosures with 3-4 inches of Reptisoil substrate, or similar, for burrowing. Fossorial species need deeper substrate in order to support their burrows. You will want this substrate to be at least a couple of times the length of the cephalothorax and abdomen.
For arboreal species, such as Antilles pink toes (Caribena versicolor), the height of the enclosure is more important than the width, as these animals need to climb (1). Ventilation is also very important. A suggested enclosure would be a tall acrylic box designed for an arboreal tarantula species with dimensions dependent on the size and age of the spider (the height should be at least 4 times the length of the leg span). Ventilation holes should be drilled in a couple of rows on the lid and on at least 2 of the lateral facing sides of the enclosure near the top for cross-ventilation (1). Substrate depth should be at least one-third of the volume of the enclosure to cushion in case the spider accidentally falls. Arboreal species require dense foliage near the top of the enclosure in which to build their webs, and a piece of cork bark propped up against the side of the enclosure at an angle so that the spider can climb. You can attach plants and vines to the sides of the enclosure with hot glue.
Tarantulas benefit from places to hide. Some suggestions include cork bark and plants (either real, non-toxic plants that can thrive in a terrarium or you can use plastic or fabric plants without sharp edges). Flower pots and PVC tubes can work for larger species as well.
All tarantulas should have a water dish in their enclosure unless they are small slings kept in Deli cups. The size of the dish should not be more than the leg span of the tarantula. The author will overfill the dish with water once or twice per week in order to help moisten the substrate. In addition, the habitat should be lightly misted on one side once or twice per week to keep up the humidity. For slings kept in Deli cups, the author will mist one side of the cup every 3-4 days. Note that when your tarantula is molting, you may want to mist an extra time during the week to keep up hydration. Please read up on your particular species for humidity requirements. Some species may be more arid and only overfilling the water dish once per week may be sufficient.
Temperature and Humidity Requirements
Tarantulas typically come from warmer climates of the world and suitable temperatures are usually between 20-30℃ (70-85℉) (4). For most species, as long as the substrate temperature is at room temperature, a heater is seldom needed. However, if a heater is required, this should be a stick-on heater placed on the side of the terrarium rather than at the bottom (4). Heat lamps should be avoided as they will dry the substrate, and most tarantulas are aversive to light (4). Substrate temperatures should be determined using an infrared temperature gun.
Humidity is largely dependent on the species and region in which it comes from. For more arid species and those from temperate areas, the humidity should be between 40-60% (5). For more tropical species, a higher humidity of 75-80% is important (5). Humidity is extremely important for tarantulas as inappropriate humidity can lead to problems with molting.
Feeding
Dietary requirements for different species of tarantula are similar. For adults, live insect prey is preferred. Crickets, dubia roaches, locusts, and occasionally meal worms or hornworms are good options depending on the size of your spider. You should not feed a prey item that is bigger than the carapace length of the spider. Adults of larger species should be fed the equivalent of 2-3 medium to large crickets every 1-2 weeks, depending on the spider’s abdomen size and whether it is getting ready to molt (very large species, such as Goliath bird eaters, may need to eat more). Smaller species can be fed 1-2 small crickets every 1-2 weeks. Slings will often scavenge dead prey, which can be advantageous since a molting sling is vulnerable to predation by prey items. The author will feed very small slings one-half to one whole small dead cricket weekly.
It is common for tarantulas to fast for long periods of time, sometimes taking weeks or months to come out and feed again. If a tarantula is about to molt, one of the tell tale signs will be that it goes off food for a period of time. If you leave food in the enclosure overnight and it is not eaten by the next morning, it should be removed to prevent injury to your spider. A recently molted tarantula is vulnerable to predation by prey items and should not be fed for at least 7-10 days after the molt.
Reliable Vendors to Get Tarantulas:
The following are a number of breeders and places where the author has had experience purchasing healthy tarantulas. Some are available locally in Chicago, while many can be bought online. Always do your research when searching for a new pet and speak with other hobbyists. There are a number of good husbandry groups on Facebook where you can obtain further husbandry advice and find reliable sources for animals.
Feel free to call us with any questions at 847-329-8709
One Love Tarantulas: https://www.onelovetarantulas.com/
US Invertebrates, LLC: https://usinvertebratellc.com/
Fear Not Tarantulas: https://fearnottarantulas.com/
References
Housing depends on the climbing and burrowing habits of the species that you keep. As a general rule, the enclosure dimensions should be at least 4 times the leg span of the tarantula, but extremely large enclosures can be overwhelming for the animals and may make it difficult for them to find food. The author keeps dwarf fossorial species with a 2 inch leg span in 8”x7”x4” acrylic enclosures with 3-4 inches of Reptisoil substrate, or similar, for burrowing. Fossorial species need deeper substrate in order to support their burrows. You will want this substrate to be at least a couple of times the length of the cephalothorax and abdomen.
For arboreal species, such as Antilles pink toes (Caribena versicolor), the height of the enclosure is more important than the width, as these animals need to climb (1). Ventilation is also very important. A suggested enclosure would be a tall acrylic box designed for an arboreal tarantula species with dimensions dependent on the size and age of the spider (the height should be at least 4 times the length of the leg span). Ventilation holes should be drilled in a couple of rows on the lid and on at least 2 of the lateral facing sides of the enclosure near the top for cross-ventilation (1). Substrate depth should be at least one-third of the volume of the enclosure to cushion in case the spider accidentally falls. Arboreal species require dense foliage near the top of the enclosure in which to build their webs, and a piece of cork bark propped up against the side of the enclosure at an angle so that the spider can climb. You can attach plants and vines to the sides of the enclosure with hot glue.
Tarantulas benefit from places to hide. Some suggestions include cork bark and plants (either real, non-toxic plants that can thrive in a terrarium or you can use plastic or fabric plants without sharp edges). Flower pots and PVC tubes can work for larger species as well.
All tarantulas should have a water dish in their enclosure unless they are small slings kept in Deli cups. The size of the dish should not be more than the leg span of the tarantula. The author will overfill the dish with water once or twice per week in order to help moisten the substrate. In addition, the habitat should be lightly misted on one side once or twice per week to keep up the humidity. For slings kept in Deli cups, the author will mist one side of the cup every 3-4 days. Note that when your tarantula is molting, you may want to mist an extra time during the week to keep up hydration. Please read up on your particular species for humidity requirements. Some species may be more arid and only overfilling the water dish once per week may be sufficient.
Temperature and Humidity Requirements
Tarantulas typically come from warmer climates of the world and suitable temperatures are usually between 20-30℃ (70-85℉) (4). For most species, as long as the substrate temperature is at room temperature, a heater is seldom needed. However, if a heater is required, this should be a stick-on heater placed on the side of the terrarium rather than at the bottom (4). Heat lamps should be avoided as they will dry the substrate, and most tarantulas are aversive to light (4). Substrate temperatures should be determined using an infrared temperature gun.
Humidity is largely dependent on the species and region in which it comes from. For more arid species and those from temperate areas, the humidity should be between 40-60% (5). For more tropical species, a higher humidity of 75-80% is important (5). Humidity is extremely important for tarantulas as inappropriate humidity can lead to problems with molting.
Feeding
Dietary requirements for different species of tarantula are similar. For adults, live insect prey is preferred. Crickets, dubia roaches, locusts, and occasionally meal worms or hornworms are good options depending on the size of your spider. You should not feed a prey item that is bigger than the carapace length of the spider. Adults of larger species should be fed the equivalent of 2-3 medium to large crickets every 1-2 weeks, depending on the spider’s abdomen size and whether it is getting ready to molt (very large species, such as Goliath bird eaters, may need to eat more). Smaller species can be fed 1-2 small crickets every 1-2 weeks. Slings will often scavenge dead prey, which can be advantageous since a molting sling is vulnerable to predation by prey items. The author will feed very small slings one-half to one whole small dead cricket weekly.
It is common for tarantulas to fast for long periods of time, sometimes taking weeks or months to come out and feed again. If a tarantula is about to molt, one of the tell tale signs will be that it goes off food for a period of time. If you leave food in the enclosure overnight and it is not eaten by the next morning, it should be removed to prevent injury to your spider. A recently molted tarantula is vulnerable to predation by prey items and should not be fed for at least 7-10 days after the molt.
Reliable Vendors to Get Tarantulas:
The following are a number of breeders and places where the author has had experience purchasing healthy tarantulas. Some are available locally in Chicago, while many can be bought online. Always do your research when searching for a new pet and speak with other hobbyists. There are a number of good husbandry groups on Facebook where you can obtain further husbandry advice and find reliable sources for animals.
Feel free to call us with any questions at 847-329-8709
One Love Tarantulas: https://www.onelovetarantulas.com/
US Invertebrates, LLC: https://usinvertebratellc.com/
Fear Not Tarantulas: https://fearnottarantulas.com/
References
- Bennie M, Loaring C, Trim S. 2011. Laboratory husbandry of arboreal tarantulas (Theraphosidae) and evaluation of environmental enrichment. Animal Technology and Welfare. 163-169.
- Goliath Bird Eater- King of spiders- Largest spider in the world? 2023. The Reptarium [Website]. Accessed 6 December, 2023. https://thereptarium.com/pages/goliath-bird-eater-burgundy
- Handling. 2023. Tarantula Guide [Website]. Accessed 6 December, 2023. https://www.tarantulaguide.com/handling-pet-tarantulas/
- Pellett S, Bushell M, Trim SA. 2015. Tarantula husbandry and critical care. Companion Animal. 20(2): 54-60.
- Phipps G. 2005. Husbandry Manual for Exotic Tarantulas. Sydney Institute of TAFE.
