🕷️

Tarantula

Invertebrates

The misunderstood gentle giant of the spider world, a surprisingly low-maintenance pet!

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🤓 Did you know? Tarantulas can live extraordinarily long lives. Females of some species (like the Mexican Red Knee) can live 25 to 30 years in captivity, while males typically live only 5 to 7 years. A female tarantula may outlive your dog.

🗓️ The first week

The numbers a new owner needs in the first week, each taken from the article that explains it.

Enclosure: Horizontal, wider than tall, to limit fall risk. A reasonable adult minimum is around 20x10x10 inches, roughly a 10-gallon, sized to about three times the tarantula's leg span. Keep overall height under about 12 inches.Setup guide →
Substrate: At least 3 inches of coconut fiber, peat, or organic pesticide-free soil, filling roughly half to two-thirds of the enclosure.Setup guide →
Lid: A secure lid, but never mesh, a tarantula's feet can get caught in it and cause real injury. Acrylic with drilled ventilation holes is the better choice.Setup guide →
Humidity: Sources genuinely disagree: some recommend a moderate 40 to 60% for dry-adapted species, others suggest 65 to 75%. A reliable water dish plus lightly moistened substrate is more consistent than heavy misting either way.Setup guide →
Housing: One tarantula per enclosure. Most species are solitary and cannibalistic, and cohabitation isn't workable regardless of enclosure size.Setup guide →
Feeding schedule: Slings every 2 to 3 days, juveniles roughly every week to two weeks (sources disagree on the exact number), adults every 1 to 2 weeks, sometimes far less for a slow-metabolism species.Feeding guide →
Not eating: Usually not an emergency. A plump, active spider refusing food for weeks is typically just in premolt. For juveniles specifically, refusing food for more than 6 to 8 weeks alongside weight loss or lethargy is worth a vet consult.Feeding guide →
Handling: Mostly, no. Best kept as a look, don't touch pet: a fall can rupture the abdomen and is often fatal, and a hand, shoulder, or couch cushion is enough height for that.Handling guide →
Budget: $25 to $100 for the spider (common beginner species), $70 to $300 for a complete setup, and $5 to $15 a month after that.Cost guide →
Adult size: 2 to 12 inch leg span, depending on species.
Lifespan: 15 to 20 years or more for a female Chilean rose hair, typically 4 to 7 for a male. A female is a long-term commitment, though the ongoing budget stays very small the whole time.Cost guide →
Power outage: A non-event for most tarantulas at home; they don't need supplemental heat in a typical room and can go without food far longer than most pets. The real risk in this corner of pet keeping is in a car or a shipping box, not a home outage.Emergency plan →

🚨 Emergency card

Call the vet now if you see any of these.

A shriveled, wrinkled abdomen with lethargy or legs curling tightly under the body (dehydration)
A molt that looks stuck or incomplete
A ruptured abdomen or hemolymph visibly leaking from an injury
Refusing food for more than a month, especially alongside dehydration signs

Vet care for tarantulas is limited and prevention matters more than treatment. A shallow water dish and correct humidity prevent most dehydration cases; never disturb, handle, or feed a molting tarantula.

From Common Tarantula Health Issues (Prevention Matters More Than Treatment) →

📰 Where to go next

How Much Does a Tarantula Really Cost?

$25 to $100 for the spider, $70 to $300 for setup, and why the ongoing budget stays small for decades.

Should You Handle a Tarantula? Almost Always, No

Why the answer is almost always no, the real fall risk, and New World versus Old World defenses.

Common Tarantula Health Issues (Prevention Matters More Than Treatment)

Dehydration, stuck molts, injury, and the difference between normal fasting and a real problem.

Tarantula Enclosure Setup: Shape, Substrate, and a Humidity Debate

Enclosure shape and size, substrate depth, the humidity debate, and why mesh lids are out.

Tarantula Feeding: Schedule, Diet, and Why They Stop Eating

Schedule by life stage, what's actually safe to feed, and the honest range for how long a tarantula can fast.

Tarantula Enrichment: The Spider Sat Still in Both Enclosures

What the research on enclosure complexity actually found, and what it didn't.

Are Tarantulas Legal? The Species Question Most States Never Ask

The species question most states never ask, and where a specific tarantula is restricted regardless of the genus.

🛒 What to buy

20x10x10 inch enclosure or larger, wider than tall

Coconut fiber, peat, or organic pesticide-free soil substrate

A secure acrylic lid with drilled ventilation (never mesh)

A hide (cork bark, half-log, or a broken terracotta pot)

A shallow water dish

Live feeder insects (crickets or dubia roaches)

Digital thermometer/hygrometer combo

Prices and the reasoning behind each item are in How Much Does a Tarantula Really Cost?.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a tarantula cost upfront?

The spider itself runs $25 to $100 for common beginner species, a Chilean rose hair or curly hair typically lands at $20 to $50. Add the enclosure, substrate, hide, decor, and a water dish, and most first-time setups land in the $70 to $300 range before the spider itself.

What size enclosure does a pet tarantula need?

About 20 by 10 by 10 inches for an adult, roughly a 10-gallon, sized to around three times the leg span. Keep it low, under about 12 inches tall, since a fall is a genuine danger for most tarantulas.

Can you hold a tarantula?

Mostly, no. Most tarantulas, including the Chilean rose hair, are best kept as strictly look, don't touch pets, since a fall can be fatal to the spider and its defenses can hurt you.

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