Tarantula Care Guide

Tarantulas are large, hairy spiders from the family Theraphosidae, which has more than 1,000 species. The pet trade is dominated by a few calm species such as the Chilean rose and the Mexican red-knee. Care is simple but unforgiving: one fall, one deep water dish or one cricket left in during a molt can kill a spider that might otherwise live for decades. A tarantula suits someone who wants an animal to watch and maintain, not one to handle.

Care requirements

Need	What to provide
Enclosure	20 gal (75 L) or larger for a large spider, with a tight, locking screen lid. Add at least one hide and a soft, absorbent substrate such as coconut coir (University of Illinois)
Temperature	70–85°F (21–29°C) for most species. Use a ceramic heater, under-tank heater or room heat that gives off no light, and check with a thermometer (University of Illinois)
Humidity	Varies by species, so research yours: arid-region species are kept drier than tropical ones. Every tarantula needs a shallow water dish refilled daily (University of Illinois)
Lighting	No special lighting. Keep the tank in a quiet, fairly dim room, because bright light and commotion stress most tarantulas (University of Illinois)
Diet	Live, gut-loaded insects such as crickets, dubia roaches, mealworms or silkworms, offered a few times a week. Remove uneaten prey after about 10 minutes (University of Illinois)
Lifespan	Males up to about 10 years, females past 30 (University of Illinois)
Social needs	Solitary and shy. House one per enclosure, each with its own hide (University of Illinois)
Legal notes	No common restrictions; check local rules.

New World vs Old World tarantulas

	New World (the Americas)	Old World (Asia, Africa, Australia)
Main defence	Kicks off barbed urticating hairs from the abdomen	No urticating hairs. Relies on its bite
Bite	US species are harmless. Most bites are mild	Some Asian and African species give a painful bite with local swelling
Main risk to you	Hairs in the skin or eyes. Setae can migrate deep into the eye	Being bitten
Typical pet examples	Chilean rose, Mexican red-knee	Usually treated as species for experienced keepers

Sources: MSD Veterinary Manual; American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene; University of Illinois.

A 2021 review in the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene collected 22 reports of tarantula hairs injuring human eyes. One case involved a 23-year-old who felt sudden eye pain while cleaning a terrarium. The authors note that “traditionally, only New World species are thought to have urticating hairs”. They advise gloves and goggles when handling spiders or cleaning their enclosures. The MSD Veterinary Manual adds that the hairs can cause allergic reactions and, in pets’ eyes, blindness.

Molting: the high-risk window

Tarantulas grow by molting: they shed the old exoskeleton and crawl out of it. The University of Illinois describes the sequence:

• Premolt. The spider stops eating for a time. This is a “normal physiologic fast”, not illness. Don’t keep offering food.
• The molt. The spider lies on its back and doesn’t move. New owners often mistake this for death. It can take from 15 minutes to a full day. Don’t move or touch the spider.
• Afterwards. It leaves behind a complete empty exoskeleton.

The most avoidable death during this period is live prey. Never leave crickets or other insects in the tank with a premolt or freshly molted spider. The University of Illinois warns that hungry prey insects bite tarantulas. A spider that has just molted has a soft body and can’t defend itself. Wait until it is moving about normally again before offering food. If a cricket goes uneaten for 10 minutes, take it out, whatever stage the spider is at.

Setting up against falls and drowning

Two everyday items cause many injuries.

• Height and rocks. Heavy-bodied ground-dwelling tarantulas can be badly hurt by a fall. Arrange any rocks so the spider can’t fall from them and they can’t topple onto it (University of Illinois). For ground-dwelling species, keep the space between substrate and lid modest so a climbing spider can’t drop far. Tree-dwelling species need height and vertical cork bark instead.
• Water dishes. “Deep dishes can lead to drowning” (University of Illinois). Use a shallow dish and refill it daily.

Most tarantulas climb glass, so the screen lid must lock. Choose a heat source that doesn’t emit light, because tarantulas shy away from it (University of Illinois).

Gotchas

• Several crickets dropped in for the week. Uneaten prey bites the spider, especially during a molt (University of Illinois).
• “Rescuing” a spider on its back. A spider lying upside down is almost always molting. Moving it can be fatal (University of Illinois).
• Holding a tarantula to show friends. A short fall can rupture a heavy-bodied spider. Hairs flicked by New World species have caused lasting eye damage in keepers, often young ones (American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene).
• Assuming all tarantulas are mild. Several genera from tropical South America, Africa and Australia can give a bite that endangers pets, with neurotoxic effects (MSD Veterinary Manual).
• Rubbing your eyes after cleaning the tank. Urticating hairs settle on substrate and decor. Wear gloves and wash your hands (American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene).

Avoid

• Deep water dishes
• Leaving live prey in the tank for more than about 10 minutes
• Heat lamps or other heat sources that give off light, and unthermostatted heat mats that can overheat a small tank
• Unsecured rocks, tall decor and unnecessary height for ground-dwelling species
• Pesticides, flea sprays and insecticides used near the tank: tarantulas are arthropods too
• Wild-caught insects, which may carry pesticides or parasites. Use bred feeder insects
• Handling without gloves and eye protection (American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene)

Signs to see a vet

The University of Illinois lists two main reasons to take a tarantula to a vet: oral nematodes and problems during molting. Signs of oral nematodes are a reduced appetite and white material around the mouthparts. Molting problems include a spider stuck in its old exoskeleton long after a normal molt (anything beyond a full day) or with legs trapped. Fasting before a molt is normal and is not a reason to go.