12 Differences Between Spiders And Tarantulas

To some, the differences and similarities between spiders and tarantulas are of little consequence. The only bit of information they cling to is the fear they feel when they see either. But as an avid tarantula lover and owner of four, I needed to know more.

So, what is the difference between a spider and a tarantula? All tarantulas are spiders, but not all spiders are tarantulas. Tarantulas are usually large, always covered in hairs, and they are hunters that pounce on their prey, unlike spiders that spin webs.

Being the largest spider in the world, the Goliath birdeater tarantula is the leader of the family and is only beaten for the record by the giant Huntsman spider due to its elongated legs.

If I imagine a fight between these two colossal spiders, my money would be on the Goliath birdeater as it has a weight advantage, weighing in at 170g.

Another fascinating defense mechanism tarantulas have is flicking the sharp hairs on their abdomen or legs at their enemy. Ouch! If you want to know more about the fascinating characteristics of tarantulas and true spiders, read on.

Seven Differences between True Spiders and Tarantulas

Before we have a look at the differences between spiders and tarantulas, let’s first see what they have in common.

Below is a list of the similarities between mygalomorphs – an infraorder of spiders to which tarantulas belong – and araneomorphae (true spiders).

• Eight legs
• Fangs
• Venom glands (although not all)
• Spinnerets
• Silk spinning
• Two body regions
• Male palpi

1. Tarantulas are older

Tarantulas are old-timer arachnids and have been around longer than true spiders.

2. Size

Tarantulas are larger than most other spiders. The average leg span, measured from the front leg to the rear left leg, is between 4.5 to 11 inches. They can weigh anything from 28.3 to 85 grams.

3. Temperature needs

True spiders can tolerate colder temperatures than tarantulas, which prefer warmer climates. Since they contain a type of antifreeze in their bodies, true spiders can withstand temperatures of 41° Fahrenheit; they go dormant until the weather warms up again.

• Debunking a Myth: Spiders do not go indoors when it gets cold; they are perfectly fine to stay outside all year round.

4. Their hair and what they use it for

Certain spiders will have hair, but tarantulas are always hairy. Some of these hairs, also called setae, have evolved to be used to defend themselves.

Termed urticating hairs, tarantulas kick these ‘barbed’ hairs off of their abdomen or legs, irritating the victim, and in some instances, even killing small animals.

True spiders don’t possess this defense mechanism, which is okay, they are petrifying enough without it for most people, don’t you agree?

5. Hunting style

Tarantulas don’t spin a web to catch their prey as true spiders do, but they do spin silk. Where other spiders have six spinnerets, tarantulas only have two, and one is barely visible.

But to make up for having less of these silk-exuding tubes, some tarantulas have silk-producing glands in their feet.

Tarantulas will use silk to line the walls of their burrows, spin a ‘door’ to the burrow to keep predators out or use it as a tripwire that will either alert them to unwanted visitors or that dinner has arrived.

• Interesting fact: Web-building spiders have very poor eyesight.

6. Claws and grip

Tarantulas and true spiders have two claws at the tip of each leg – except in the case of Orb Weaver members, they have three and use one as a type of thumb.

Spiders use these claws to grip surfaces and to climb their web – but tarantulas have an advantage; they have densely hairy feet that give them extra grip, something they badly need considering their size.

If you look at a tarantula foot under an electron microscope, you will see a footpad with bristles covered in hundreds of thousands of small hairs called setules.

If that is not cool enough, to scale up slippery surfaces, tarantulas will retract their claws, just like a cat, and use only these hairy feet to ascent.

7. Their fangs are different

Tarantulas have strong jaws and fangs. Their fangs are parallel and face downward – think of Dracula – meaning they can only bite top down. When not in use, tarantulas tuck their fangs under their bodies.

True spiders, on the other hand, have fangs that face each other and will swing to the side and open up when they are ready to strike. A true spider’s fangs are much more flexible.

8. Lungs

Spiders only have one book lung; tarantulas have two lungs.

9. Some spiders are vegan?!

Tarantulas are meat-eaters through and through, but some spiders prefer a plant-based diet. Shocking, I know.

10. Venom and deadliness

While most true spiders are harmless, some do have deadly bites. There are 30 spiders of the non-tarantula variety that are deadly to humans. This includes the notorious Australia’s Funnel Web spider, Brazilian Wandering spider, Widow spider, and Brown Recluse spider.

Their venom is a cocktail of peptides, proteins, sugars, and other substances and maybe a neurotoxic or cytotoxic.

A spider bite(arachnidism) that is neurotoxic affects the nervous system of prey animals and humans; cytotoxin is used to liquefy their meals, but in humans, it may cause blisters and lesions.

Lucky for us, we’re not living in the old ages anymore, and antivenin and effective medical care has reduced the number of deaths from spider bites significantly.

• Interesting fact: Neurotoxic venom kills quicker than cytotoxic venom. Black Widows and Redback Spiders are known for neurotoxic venom, and Recluse spiders have necrotizing cytotoxic venom.

Tarantulas are harmless when it comes to venom; the bite of a new world tarantula has been said to be similar to a bee sting. Old world tarantulas, however, do pack more punch, and their bites can involve swelling, pain, and even nausea.

Although there aren’t a lot of studies on the potency of tarantula venom, research is currently being done on its pharmaceutical use to treat pain and epilepsy.

• Interesting fact: Mature male tarantulas may have more potent venom since they have to travel far and wide to find females and will inevitably face large predators along the way.

Of course, it doesn’t matter how mild a true spider or tarantula’s venom is, there is always the chance of an infection or allergic reaction, so best to avoid it altogether!

11. Eyes and vision

True spiders usually have eight eyes, some can have six or less, and others may be completely blind! Tarantulas always have eight eyes, and studies have shown that arboreal tarantulas have better vision than terrestrial or fossorial tarantulas.

However, what we know about their vision is limited to light, shadows, and motion.

Of all spiders, jumping spiders have remarkable vision and are said to be able to see the craters on the moon? Say what? How is that even possible?

Well, the two large eyes in the center of their forehead pick up details and color, and thanks to specific filters, these spiders can see more colors than we can.

The second pair of eyes perceive motion, and this indicates to the spider where it should look, and the function of the third pair is yet unknown!

• Fun fact: Jumping spiders can chase a laser like cats.

12. The lifespan of Tarantulas vs The lifespan or True Spiders

If cared for properly, pet tarantulas will easily outlive your cat or dog. Female tarantulas have a longer lifespan, with some growing to be 30 years old. Sadly, most males only live for seven years.

Even though tarantulas have longer lives compared to true spiders, the oldest spider in the world was not a tarantula but a female Armored Trapdoor spider. She was 43 years old when she died in 2016. (Source)

This, however, was a particular case as spiders other than tarantulas aren’t usually kept as pets, leaving them to fend for themselves in nature and face predators of various sizes.

In general, the life expectancy of most true spiders is between two and three years, but some true spiders, like the Australian Funnel Web spider, for example, can live up to 25 years.

Females tend to live longer because they don’t have to travel around to find a mate, lessening their encounters with predators.

It’s a hard life if you’re a male spider; you search far and wide for your spidermate, face threatening situations, and after seeing your companion, there’s a high possibility you will get cannibalized. Shame man.

Best Tarantulas to Keep as Pets

With over more than 800 tarantula species, you’re spoilt for choice. But before you get yourself the most aggressive tarantula possible, for example, the ill-tempered Cobalt Blue, start with the more docile ground dwellers and burrowers mentioned below.

1. Mexican Red Knee
2. Chilean Rose
3. Costa Rican Zebra
4. Mexican Redleg
5. Honduran Curly Hair
6. Pink Zebra Beauty
7. Pink Toe
8. Brazilian Black
9. Mexican Red Rump
10. Desert Blonde

Best True Spiders to Keep as Pets

If you’re not a fan of owning a big hairy tarantula but still want a spider as a pet, you’re in for a journey of trial and error.

Although there are some basic care needs to keep spiders alive, there are subtle differences in the requirements that must be met to keep your spider happy and not just breathing.

And considering that owning spiders other than tarantulas are not common, there isn’t a lot of information on keeping such pets.

That being said, the two most common true spiders that are kept as pets are wolf spiders and jumping spiders.

Now, after reading just how remarkable jumping spiders are, I am keen to get one myself. But good grief, caring for such a small creature, must be even more nerve-wracking than looking after a Goliath birdeater.

What if Spinderella escapes from her tiniest of enclosures, I would be heartbroken!

When it comes to wolf spiders, you might be confused in thinking that this is a type of tarantula, and yes, some of the species do look a lot like tarantulas.

However, they’re from the araneomorphae infraorder, making them true spiders.

Wolf spiders are very unassuming; it will take a lot, and I mean really threatening a wolf spider for them to strike.

That makes them the ideal true spider pet, and since they are much bigger than the tiny jumping spider, you’ll have an easier time enjoying your pet, as you will actually be able to see it!

8 Awesome Tarantulas That Can Be Handled

Owners playing with their tarantulas are all over the internet, but is it safe to handle your spider?

To handle your spider or not is up to you, there are vocal components to each party. Some say that no spider should be held at all while others will tell you that their tarantula grew used to the practice.

Whether you should or not depends entirely up to you and the type of spider you purchase. Some species of tarantulas, typically beginner types, are docile enough to be held.

Then there are the species where any friendly advances will be meet with outright aggression. Read further for the type of tarantulas that adapt to handling, how to protect yourself, and how to handle your spider.

Can tarantulas be handled?

No spider is overly fond of being picked up at first. Think about how that must feel for them to be safe on the ground for so long and then just scooped up. They feel like they are being taken up by a large predator.

Tarantulas are very individualistic. Though we can provide you with several spiders that are more docile than others each one is their spider. So within docile breeds, some will be sweet and grow accustomed to being handled while others will bite you at every opportunity.

Rest easy a tarantula’s bite isn’t lethal, but man will it hurt. Hurt enough that you question whether this little monster should be in your house. It’s not their fault, they are scared that this large animal is picking them up.

Tarantulas are either new world or old world, this categorizes where they are from in the world. Old world tarantulas come from Asia, Africa, Europe, and Australia while new world ones come from the Americas.

It’s necessary to know where you tarantula comes from, cause the old world spiders are a no-no when it comes to handling. They tend to be much more aggressive overall and their poisonous yet non-lethal bite is much worse than the new world variety.

Bites from so-called old world tarantulas are can cause prolonged pain, swelling, and cramping. Even new world tarantulas bite is painful but compares to a hornet sting.

New World tarantulas are a lot more docile and the bite isn’t as bad, but to compensate for that in the wild they have developed urticating hairs. These are tiny barbed hairs typically on the top part of the spider’s opisthosoma or abdomen.

When a tarantula feels threatened new world varieties will turn their back on the threat then use their back legs to rub their bottom in a fast motion to unleash these hairs on anyone who is around.

Urticating hairs are hard to see if you aren’t in direct light (which is bad for your tarantula), but you will certainly feel it. These hairs will cause

• Skin irritation
• Severe rash
• Severe pain and irritation to the eyes
• Breathing problems
• Throat closing

The more you come in contact with these hairs the worse the symptoms will become. So if you walk to your spider’s terrarium and they are rubbing their booty fastback away this is an admire from afar moment.

If the tarantula does this a lot they will develop a bald patch on their bottom until they molt again. Spiderlings (baby tarantulas) do not have urticating hairs, they start to develop when they start to molt.

These defense mechanisms can be dangerous for both you and your spider. Even when not molting tarantulas are incredibly fragile. Any fall they encounter will result in an injury if not death.

I’m sure that you are a good owner who is crazy careful with their spider, but what would you do if they bit you while holding them?

Experiencing a wasp sting in my life I wish I could say that I was a stoic pillar of strength that endured, instead I screamed bloody murder and cussed up a storm all while running away (also crying).

We have natural defense mechanisms such as throwing your hand about if something bites it. That equals a dead spider, not the kind of outcome you were looking for.

How does your tarantula react to you?

So does all of this mean that you can’t pick up your spider? Well, that is up in the air. Some handlers state that it is ok to handle tarantulas’ others will say that you should not handle them.

Tarantulas do not have brains, but rather a collection of nerves that help them navigate the world through instinct. They may never view you as a caretaker, but only as a predator.

Some are friendlier and will let you handle them, but they will not acclimate to handling and you will not be able to train them to do so. So the best way to know if the tarantula can be held depends on how they react to you trying to hold them.

You should not attempt to handle your tarantula when you first bring them into your home. Everything is new to them and they have no idea what is going on so they will be more defensive than usual.

If they go into a defensive position then just back away. You can tell they feel uncomfortable by:

• Rising one or two legs
• Standing on front two legs and thorax is lifted
• Turning away and rubbing legs against the abdomen
• Bringing legs in to ball up
• Hiding

When a tarantula just lifts a leg or two they are warning you that they don’t like what you are doing. It’s a request to stop your behavior. If you ignore this sign they will go to either attack or flight mode.

The tarantula could run away from you to their burrow or coverage or they can ball up tucking their legs close to their body. While you will not be harmed with this type of interaction it is sad that they feel they are about to be scooped up for dinner.

Some tarantulas a bit feistier than that and will go into coming attack mode distinguishable by the spider standing on its first two legs with their pedipalps fully extended while extending their thorax.

Any sign of this behavior and back away immediately because they are about to strike. Some spiders turn their back to you and rub the lower part of their abdomen with their legs.

They are releasing their urticating hairs. Another sign to back away completely before you breathe any hairs or get them on your skin or eyes.

If every time you try to handle your spider, regardless if it’s advertised as a docile breed, they are displaying aggression then they do not want to be handled and never will.

Accepting that and learning to love your tarantula just for their loner self will elevate a lot of stress for them.

Instead of handling these individuals learn to fall in love with observing them.

• Learn their habits
• What do they interact within their tank
• How they build their webs
• What they will eat
• How they hunt

Just because you can’t handle your tarantula doesn’t mean they are boring pets.

There are some tricks you can use to make sure they are in the mood to be handled though. Never try to pick up a spider when they are about to molt, they tend to be a lot more cantankerous during this time.

Also, a hungry spider is a mad spider. Feed them first then see how they react to you.

How to handle your tarantula

It’s a slow process to get your tarantula use to being handled, there is no equivalent of that in the wild. Safety for both you and your tarantula are the most important thing. Gentle and easy movements for your spider, tools and safety precaution for you.

It’s not a bad idea to wear a face mask for both your eyes, nose, and mouth. This is for the urticating hairs. If they don’t react badly you will be fine.

First, you need to see how defensive they are with something other than your hands like a pen or something long enough so that you are not hurt.

Gently use the instrument to touch the spider’s abdomen. What do they do? Do they immediately go for the jugular or do they slightly move away from it. If the reaction is minimal then they do not feel threatened.

Next, you will try your hand. Make sure they are feed and are not pre-molting before doing so. Put your hand in the terrarium flat on the bottom in front of your tarantula. Go slowly and keep all of your attention on your spider’s reaction.

If even one leg goes up snatch your hand right out of there.

Assuming they passed the flat hand test it’s time to see if they will step on your hand. Follow the above steps above with your palm facing up, but now you will use the pen or long object to gently guide the spider to your hand with the same motion used before.

Any sort of resistance that is displayed is an indication that you have gone too far.

After they are fully on your hand it’s ok to practice holding them above a soft surface like a pillow. If there are no issues move further to them walking back and forth from hand to hand.

Even if they appear comfortable never lose focus on your tarantula when you have them in your hands. Wash your hands in case any of their barbed hairs were dropped.

8 Tarantulas that can be handled

Certain personality types or abilities of the tarantula make it easier for them to be handled. Above we talked about old world vs new world species another thing to look for is slow-moving.

A fast-moving variety can speed out of your hand without you even realizing it. Once they are out of the cage in your living area good luck running after them.

1. Chilean rose hair

Also known as the Chilean Fire Tarantula this calm spider makes a great starter tarantula. These burrowing spiders are native to Chile enjoying warm humid environments. Chilean rose hairs are one of the most common spiders out there due to their calm nature and beautiful appearance

• Grammostola Rosea
• Female 20 years
• Male 5 years
• 5 inches
• Brown with rose-colored hair

2. Brazilian Black

A new world species of tarantula hailing from Brazil and Uruguay. The intimidating Brazilian black is slow-moving making them easier to handle. If you do get a bite their toxin is a lot less potent than other tarantulas though their fangs can do some damage.

Brazilian blacks need enough bedding to burrow.

• Grammostola Pulchra
• Female 20 years
• Male 6 years
• 7 inches
• Glossy Black

3. Mexican Redknee

Another highly popular tarantula that works well for new spider owners. Their even-tempered nature makes them easy to handle. Most spiders native to Mexico burrow and the Mexican red knees are not any different.

• Brachypelma Hamorii
• Female 30 years
• Male 10 years
• 5 inches
• Black body with red knees with red hairs on its abdomen and upper shell

4. Mexican Beauty

Also commonly known as the Mexican pink tarantula. Another burrowing spider with a docile temperament. The Mexican beauty loves humid environments that match their natural habitat in Mexico.

This is a rare breed of tarantula and it might be hard to find if you do see one for sale get it then. They will not be available later.

• Female 25 years
• Male 5 years
• 7 inches
• Black body with reddish-pink legs at the second joint and a red upper shell
• Brachypelma Klaasi

5. Mexican Redleg

Related to the Mexican red knees above, they even look like the red knees except with longer hairs giving it a fluffy appearance. They have a calm temperament and adapt easily to different environments.

They can be found in dry and tropical habitats. The Redleg is one of the rare terrestrial species that doesn’t typically burrow. Since the redleg is long-lived they can be quite expensive.

• Brachypelma emilia
• Female 30 years
• Male 5 years
• 6 inches
• Red, orange or pink legs with light upper shell dark body

6. Honduran Curly Hair

An easy-going tarantula with unusual hair. This tarantula with curly locks lives in the rain forests of Costa Rica and Honduras. They require truly little care, are slow-moving, and can be easily handled. They need a warm humid range with plenty of substrates to burrow in.

• Brachypelma Albopilosum
• Female 10 years
• Male 4 years
• 5.5 inches
• Bronze with golden curly hairs

7. Pink Zebra Beauty

Coming from Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina who does well in humid environments. The Pink Zebra is a slow-moving and docile tarantula, making them fantastic for beginners or those who like to handle their spiders. They are a burrowing species and will need enough substrate to do so.

• Eupalaestrus Campestratus
• Female 25 years
• Male 10 years
• 6 inches
• Deep brown with yellow stripes on legs

8. Antilles Pinktoe

One of the few tree-dwellers on this list the pink toe has an agreeable nature and unique coloration. They adapt well to a variety of environments making them easy for new owners to care for, but they do need height.

While the Antilles Pink toe is an easygoing spider they can be a little skittish. When acclimating them to handling keep it slow. The Antilles Pink toe rarely bites, but like most new world tarantulas they do have urticating hairs.

An added defense mechanism these spiders exhibit is a fling of their waste when threatened. Another reason to take handling slow.

• Caribena Versicolor
• Female 10 years
• Male 5 years
• 5 inches
• Black with pink or orange hairs on its legs and a green upper

Each tarantula has its own personality. Even if one is thought of as a docile species your particular tarantula might be more aggressive and standoffish than the breed information would lead you to assume.

Don’t try to force anything, let your arachnid set the pace. It doesn’t feel natural to your tarantula to be picked up, so if they don’t allow you to handle them after a few weeks it might not ever happen.

Learn to accept your spider as they are and appreciate the glimpse into the life of a completely distinct species.

The Ultimate Tarantula Humidity Guide

A quick Google search about tarantula care and you will see that humidity plays a vital role in keeping your T healthy. Of course, as with most things, there is some disagreement regarding the importance of humidity, and some hobbyists will say it’s unnecessary.

Is humidity important to tarantulas? Yes. Dehydration is the foremost killer of tarantulas, but by keeping the enclosure they live in humid, it will contribute to their overall hydration levels. Humidity also makes the process of molting easier for tarantulas.

Getting the humidity just right sometimes be a difficult task; your Ts enclosure either stays too dry or turns into a soggy mess. To help you find a balance, read on for some tips and tricks.

Why is Humidity Important?

As briefly mentioned above, dehydration is a killer, and we as T owners must do what we can to keep our pets hydrated.

Tarantulas lose water in the following ways:

• Through their leg joints where the epicuticle is thin.
• Through the inner surface of their book lungs.
• During a molt. Water acts as a lubricant between the old exoskeleton and the new one. It also dissolves important enzymes during this process.
• While eating. Yes, although most of their water needs are met through their food, the act of breaking down the food by the secretion of fluids and the fluid in the discarded food bolus does dehydrate them some.
• During defecation.
• When laying eggs.
• While spinning silk.

As you can see, there are quite a few ways your T can lose water and become dehydrated; making it essential to ensure the humidity levels are high enough.

Apart from the general hydrating effects of high humidity, there’s also the added benefit of it lessen your Ts chances of getting stuck in its old exoskeleton during the molting process.

When your tarantula sheds its old skin, fluid gets pushed into its cephalothorax (upper body) by abdominal contractions, increasing the pressure on the stretched exoskeleton.

This added force will make it easier for your tarantula to break through its old skin in areas where there are weak spots.

However, should your tarantula be dehydrated because it does not have access to water or its living conditions are too dry, then there is too little fluid in between the old and new exoskeletons to act as a lubricant. This will make it very difficult for your tarantula to shed its old skin.

Another reason why humidity is important is that it helps your tarantula breathe. Tarantulas have book lungs; it’s called this because it looks like the pages of a book.

Oxygen passes through these sections, but the surface of the lungs needs to be moist for the oxygen to be absorbed effectively. If your T’s enclosure is too dry, it is going to have a negative effect on its ability to breathe.

Okay, so you read that, and now you think the higher the humidity, the better, right? Wrong. Tarantulas don’t do well in soggy conditions, and it will cause them physiological stress.

A mushy environment is also the perfect breeding ground for unwanted visitors such as mold, mites, fungus, and bacteria.

We’re basically looking for a perfect balance.

Lasiodora parahybana

What is Good Humidity?

This is a trick question. You should know by now that your tarantula’s enclosure should be based on its species. Tarantulas are a diverse group of spiders that live anywhere from dry savannah areas and deserts to moist tropical jungles.

So, as you can imagine, this is not a one habitat fits all situation.

It’s best to do some thorough research about the tarantula you plan on getting so that you can match its environment as closely as possible to that which it would live in in the wild.

That being said, sometimes you won’t be able to find the appropriate information, especially if you’re moving past beginner-type tarantulas.

As a general guideline, a healthy humidity for Ts is anywhere from 75-85%, and the substrate should be slightly moist but not dripping wet.

What is Bad Humidity?

Bad humidity can be either too dry or too wet. Keeping your spider in bone-dry conditions or in an environment that is closer to a swamp than a jungle, you’re asking for trouble.

The humidity should never drop lower than 50%. If you find your tarantula spending a lot of time hovering over its water dish, it’s a sign that the environment is too dry, and the T is trying to moisten its book lungs.

Always consider where your tarantula comes from; is it a rainforest species, or does it come from a dry African savannah? Use this information to adjust the humidity to your Tarantula’s needs.

How Do you Measure Humidity Properly?

There are a few ways you can measure the moisture levels in your tarantula’s enclosure.

The first is by using a hygrometer; basically, a thermometer that measures moisture and not temperature. You get low-cost dial versions and then more expensive digital types.

Digital hygrometers seem to be slightly more accurate than dial-based ones, so I recommend saving up a little extra and getting yourself a good quality digital hygrometer. We recommend getting this digital hygrometer here!

Another way of monitoring the moisture in your Ts enclosure is by eyeballing it. If you see a small amount of condensation on the glass, that is a good thing, and it means the humidity is adequate.

However, if there’s a mini waterfall running down the sides of the enclosure, it’s too wet, and you will need to let things dry out a bit.

You can also look at the substrate to gauge the humidity levels; slightly moist substrate is perfect, but if visible pools of water are forming in areas, it is too moist.

It’s a good idea to spray your tarantula’s enclosure once or twice a week and then allow it to dry out in between. In nature, humidity isn’t constant, so taking this approach won’t be harmful to your T, and it has the added benefit of preventing fungi from forming.

How To Increase Humidity

Increasing the humidity is much easier than removing excess moisture, so be careful when attempting to boost humidity that you don’t go overboard.

You can try the following to get the humidity to rise:

1. Overfill a water dish to wet the substrate.

Since increasing humidity levels boils down to adding more water, this is an ideal way to get things a little wetter. But, no heavy hands! You want to add water in a controlled manner and not turn your T’s home into a swimming pool.

The substrate will absorb the water, and it will be released slowly as the water warms up.

Poecilotheria rufilata

2. Mist the enclosure.

Some tarantula hobbyists swear by misting while others say it makes no difference. My view: it can’t hurt. The only important thing to note is that you use a mister bought specifically for this purpose; you don’t want to introduce harmful chemicals into your T’s enclosure.

The water should be at room temperature, or if it is an emergency and you need to increase the humidity stat, you can use lukewarm water as this evaporates quicker and raises the humidity immediately.

Don’t spray directly onto your tarantula. You may think this will help with any dehydration, but all it will do is cause unnecessary stress. Be kind to your T.

3. Move water bowl to the warm area of the enclosure.

If you use a heating pad (another hot-button issue in the world of owning pet tarantulas), you can move the water dish to the warm side of the enclosure. This way, water will evaporate quickly, and there will be more moisture in the air.

Just make sure to check the levels of the water bowl regularly if you employ this method. You may have to fill the dish more than usual. Keeping the water dish full at all times will also keep the humidity up as the water will slowly evaporate over time.

4. Restrict ventilation

The more ventilation holes in the enclosure, the quicker it will dry out. You want to create a ‘micro-climate’ inside your T’s enclosure and to do this, there should be just enough cross ventilation and airflow to not allow the environment from becoming too dry.

Of course, you don’t want to restrict airflow too much as that will create a stuffy and dangerous environment for your tarantula.

5. Give your tarantula enough space to burrow

I know, you want to see your tarantula so only offer it a shallow depth of substrate to reduce any burrowing.

That’s totally up to you but just know that burrowing gives your tarantula the opportunity to hide if the moisture in the air is too much, to dig towards areas of the substrate that are wetter and hence offer more humidity.

Even species that don’t dig will enjoy the extra depth because the bottom levels of the substrate will remain moist as the top dries and this trapped moisture will slowly release with time, increasing humidity.

6. Use a humidifier

If you tend to use a furnace, chimney or wood stove a lot, the humidity levels in your tarantula’s enclosure can get dangerously low. And, since the above steps may not be enough to get the humidity levels high enough, you may want to consider buying a humidifier.

This will easily raise the moisture in the air.

• Tip: Keep part of the enclosure a bit drier. That way, your tarantula can choose between walking on dry or wet substrate based on its needs.

How To Decrease Humidity

Oh dear, depending on how bad of a swamp you created, things may get very messy.

If it is a case of too much condensation on the sides of the glass or the substrate got too wet in a specific part of the enclosure, no worries; don’t add any more water and just let it dry out with time.

You can also increase ventilation to help the excess water vapor escape; open any closed vents or cut extra holes for airflow.

Righto, that’s the easy scenario but what if somehow the whole enclosure is a wet mess and puddles are forming everywhere? Well, it’s time to employ extreme measures – you have to start afresh.

Take your T and place it in a temporary home (don’t forget to add a water dish). Now you can remove the soaked substrate. Thoroughly clean the cage and any décor and then allow it to dry out.

Once dry, start rebuilding your tarantula’s home. You may want to consider using a substrate that absorbs excess moisture better; coir fiber, for example, is good at sucking up extra wetness.

After you’re done, and you have placed your tarantula back in its enclosure, you have to take everything you have read up to this point and apply it to make sure that you maintain and control the moisture more carefully to avoid this from happening again.

Arguments Against Humidity

Tarantula hobbyists don’t always agree on everything and humidity is one of the issues that have been debated for years and will continue to be for years to come.

They mostly argue that most tarantula species do well in enclosures with enough cross ventilation and containing a water dish – that’s all they need.

Here are some reasons why some tarantula owners believe this whole humidity issue is totally overrated.

Tarantulas are not so fragile

Ts are very adaptable. They MUST be if you take into account the fact that they have survived millions of years of evolution and climate change. So, will a lower than ideal level of humidity really do them much harm?

Yes, there are some species that require very humid conditions that will likely kill other species, but in between these extremes, you will find a large margin for error when it comes to setting up your T’s enclosure.

Tarantulas spend most of their time in burrows

Many species of tarantula dig themselves deep into the earth. The temperature and humidity inside these burrows are much different than outside.

This suggests that we can’t actually know what the ideal humidity levels are for many of these species since we’re yet to measure inside a burrow in the wild. Knowing this, some tarantula hobbyists believe that the humidity requirements found on care sheets are basically useless.

They feel stressing over matching these numbers is completely unnecessary.

Tarantulas carry around enough water

Ts are pretty big compared to other terrestrial invertebrates, and a lot of that is water. That makes tarantulas walking water banks and mean they have access to this water should they get dehydrated and don’t need any extra moisture in the air.

Tarantulas can also lose a generous amount of this stored water and still function.

Of course, we don’t want our tarantulas to just function, we want them to be comfortable and happy too, and that’s why I’m not sure their ability to survive without water should be used as a reason to not give them adequate access to water or not meet their humidity needs.

Tarantulas can’t absorb water through their skin

As you know tarantulas have body armor called an exoskeleton. The outer layer of the exoskeleton is called the epicuticle and contains a wax-like substance that prevents the tarantula from losing water through its body wall.

But, it also prevents Ts from getting wet easily. This may mean that tarantulas are ‘humidity-proof’ and can’t absorb moisture from the air that will aid with their hydration levels.

On the other hand, the layer of wax is different from species to species. Desert-dwelling Ts will have a thicker wax-like substance over their bodies to retain as much water as possible.

Considering this, it is likely that specific species do have the ability to absorb moisture through their skins, even with the wax layer.

Okay, some tarantula hobbyists want you to dump your humidity gauges in the trash, limit the misting to your plants and stop worrying about humidity completely.

I suppose you can go that route, but does the fact that tarantulas can survive in dry-ish environments mean that they should? Especially if they originate from humid areas?

Listen, I don’t want you to stress and obsess about keeping humidity at optimal levels all the time. That is impossible. But setting up an environment for your pet tarantula that meets its needs as closely as possible is not too much to ask.

After all, you decided to get yourself a hairy eight-legged cutie as a pet, so you better take care of it the best you can, right?

Do Tarantulas Need Water? How To Hydrate Your T Correctly

If you’ve done research about setting up the perfect enclosure for your new tarantula, you’ll know that the topic of a T’s water needs is a hotly debated one. As with much in life, there’s not really a consensus; you have to gather information yourself and make up your own mind.

Do tarantulas need water? Yes, tarantulas, like other living things, need water to survive. Some desert species can go their entire lives without actually drinking water from a dish, but rather get their moisture from their food. However, most pet tarantulas will need a dish with fresh water in their enclosures.

If you’re like me, you’ve probably had a few mini heart attacks when you spot an uninvited guest in your sink or bathtub – even though I own tarantulas!

Spiders will make a quick pitstop in areas that contain water because they need it for their survival. Actually, some tarantulas can go for two years without food as long as there is water available!

That being said, a lot of hobbyists believe that it is not necessary for you to place a water dish in tarantula enclosures. Below is some important information that will help you decide if you want to give your T access to water 24/7 or not.

Tarantula Water Requirements

Most tarantulas get all the water they need from their food, but in some cases, food alone is not sufficient. It actually largely varies from tarantula to tarantula and factors like size, environment, and the T’s age play a role in how much water they need.

An example of the role the T’s environment plays in its water needs is the absence of a burrow for it to hide in. Without natural protection, tarantulas lose the water it receives from food sources faster, and without another source of hydration, your T won’t be feeling too good.

As mentioned, tarantulas can go for days or even weeks without food; the pre-molt stage is a good example of this. On the other hand, just a few days without water can lead to death, so it is crucial that they have a constant supply of water.

In the wild, spiders will drink from any water sources such as droplets on leaves, puddles in the mud, or the dew that condensed on their webs. Here is a video of how a Desert Blonde drinks water out of a plastic container.

Does My Tarantula Need A Water Bowl?

This question is like pressing a hot poker into a hornets’ nest. There are many hobbyists that don’t provide their Ts with water bowls, but there are also numerous people who strongly believe that tarantulas need water bowls in their enclosures. So, who is right?

Well, I believe the benefits of water bowls are too important to ignore; and the dangers without them too glaring.

Yes, not all tarantulas living without a water bowl will die. Ts are hardy creatures, and they’ve survived millions of years in changing and hostile environments. BUT! I, for one, am not willing to take the chance.

It is this exact fact – the many seasoned hobbyists don’t give their Ts water dishes – that keeps this subject on the fence without a definite answer.

These hobbyists opt to spray their tarantulas’ enclosures and rely on prey as a moisture delivery system – and their Ts don’t die. But, here’s another but, are these hobbyists trying to provide their captive Ts with natural conditions or conditions closest to ideal?

Tarantulas have evolved to navigate harsh temperatures, drought, flooding and have survived numerous predators. But this does not mean they wouldn’t benefit from having access to water 24/7, does it?

If, as a keeper, you are trying to keep the Ts enclosure 100% authentic – and possibly cruel – you may decide to skip the water bowl.

Giving a T the most comfortable setup possible is more my style. They’re not out in the wild, after all, so they don’t need to be subjected to unnecessarily harsh conditions.

So, although we can say water dishes aren’t 100% necessary in a scientific sense, they do provide other benefits, including making your T’s life a little easier.

And…

It helps to increase the humidity in your tarantula’s enclosure more than misting can. This helps keep your T hydrated and prevents your T from going through a bad molt and getting stuck.

Tarantulas, Water, Water Bowls, And Myths

We’ll look at hydration more a little later, first, let’s play myth-buster and debunk some falsehoods!

1. Water bowls are dangerous for spiderlings

Slings (baby spiders) are tiny, as you can imagine, and some argue that leaving slings in an enclosure with a water bowl is equivalent to leaving a baby alone in a bathtub.

Even though you may think that true, spiderlings are covered in water-repelling hairs. That, combined with their small bodies, mean they are too small and light to break the surface tension of the water.

So, although there is a tiny risk of danger, the benefits of a water bowl outweigh the danger. Slings are fragile and prone to dehydration, and that is why it is vital to do everything in your power to provide the baby tarantula with enough moisture.

2. Tarantulas have no water bowls in nature

Really? Nature is one big water bowl! Raindrops and dew gather in anything with depth, and what about streams and lakes?

In nature, there is a never-ending supply of water sources, so should you decide to skip adding a water bowl to a tarantula’s enclosure, you’re actually providing it with less water than it would have out in the wild.

3. Tarantulas don’t use water bowls

If you do a quick Internet search, you will find numerous videos and photos capturing tarantulas using water bowls. We linked to a video earlier in the article, but in case you’re still not convinced, here is some more proof to debunk this myth.

Also, even if you don’t actually see your T drink from the bowl directly, the fact that it is there at all has a lot of benefits. As we touched on earlier, water bowls contribute a lot to the overall humidity of the enclosure.

4. Tarantulas disrespect their water bowls

Some Ts dirty their water bowls within a day. Instead of seeing it as a source of hydration, they may instead use it as a bath – tarantulas are neat creatures after all.

To some, the fact that they have to clean their T’s water bowl almost daily is very frustrating, and they may swear off using water bowls altogether.

Without sounding to disapproving, maybe you should not get a pet tarantula if you’re not willing to look after it correctly. Water is a basic need, and if you don’t even want to supply your T with that, how are you going to do all the other things that form part of good animal husbandry?

Keeping a pet’s living space clean and comfortable is part of being a responsible owner, even if it comes across as if your efforts are for nothing.

Now that we’ve had a look at tarantula water bowl myths, let’s look at some important things to keep in mind about your tarantula’s water needs.

• The dish should not be too deep.
• The water dish should be large enough for the T to submerge its Chelicera and fangs.
• Provide fresh water daily.
• Avoid using sponge, paper towels, cotton or cricket gel. It can harbor harmful bacteria, gets dirty and does not provide adequate moisture.
• Lightly mist substrate and sides of the enclosure if you live in a very dry climate.
• Arboreal species prefer to drink from the walls so spray the sides when it is dry.

Warning: When it comes to misting, make sure not to create overly damp conditions. Tarantula lungs cannot handle too much moisture, and it can lead to death. Also, never spray directly on your T.

How Do Tarantulas Drink Water

Tarantulas actually sip water like other creatures! This isn’t done frequently, but it has been seen by tarantula owners more than once. Other than leaning into the water bowl and drinking, tarantulas also get water into their bodies in other ways.

Firstly, food. Crickets, roaches, mealworms and other insects contain a surprisingly large amount of water – enough to sustain a tarantula until its next meal or even longer! This is one of the main reasons why you won’t often see your tarantula drinking from its water dish.

Secondly, the humidity of their enclosure is also a source of water for tarantulas. Hobbyists say an enclosure with 60%-70% humidity is perfect for tarantulas.

Many tarantulas come from tropical regions, so the correct level of moisture in the air is essential to keep them healthy and hydrated.

Even though tarantulas’ water needs can be met in three ways, it is advisable to not only use method but draw on all the methods to ensure dehydration is not even a possibility.

Tarantulas and Humidity

I think it is important to talk a little bit more about humidity because it is so important to your T’s well-being. Keeping a tarantula in a dry enclosure is much like dropping you off in the desert with only a couple of water bottles.

Oh, and you’re expected to thrive, not just survive. How horrible will that be?

Dehydration in tarantulas can lead to various issues of which the most dreaded is a bad molting where the tarantula gets stuck while shedding its old exoskeleton. This usually leads to death.

Below are three tips to ensure your T’s enclosure has just the right humidity to keep it healthy and happy.

1. Know your species and its humidity requirements.

This is actually not limited to just humidity requirements. Remember, every tarantula comes from a specific area with a specific climate.

While some tarantulas will be more than happy in 60% humidity, others may require a consistent 80% to stay hydrated. So, the first step is to know the species of T you have and its humidity needs.

2. Use the right equipment to monitor humidity

This is not something you can or want to eyeball. Invest in a hygrometer to keep close tabs on the moisture level in your tarantula’s enclosure. The reason why monitoring humidity is important is that you don’t want the enclosure to be too dry – or too wet.

Too much humidity is also not a good thing since tarantulas have book lungs that or not equipped to separate the water from the air they breathe. This means, too much moisture in the air and your tarantula is basically drowning itself with every breath it takes.

3. Keep water bowl full and clean

We’ve already covered the perks of having a water bowl in your T’s enclosure. Humidity is just one benefit of a water bowl, but an essential one.

• Top tip: Overflow the water bowl a little to let the water soak into the substrate. This will contribute to the humidity levels.

4. Mist the substrate

This is easy and effective. Be sure to keep the substrate slightly damp so that it keeps the enclosure humid around the clock. That being said, don’t create a swamp; too much water will do more damage than good.

Signs Your Tarantula Is Dehydrated and What To Do

Dehydration is very serious and is actually one of the leading causes of death in tarantulas. By preventing dehydration, you will remove many of the associated problems your T may run into. If you follow the steps above, your tarantula won’t ever be dehydrated.

But, we all know life happens, and something may prevent you from providing your T with enough water for a while. Should this happen, you need to know how to spot the signs that your tarantula is dehydrated, as well as know what to do to try and save your T.

Symptoms of a dehydrated tarantula are:

• Lethargy and acting slow
• The abdomen appears small and shriveled
• Found in a semi-death curl position

If you see your tarantula display any of the above, it is time to act. Luckily, curing dehydration is easy if caught early. The first thing you want to do is create a makeshift ICU for your dehydrated tarantula.

Do this:

• Get a container big enough to house your tarantula and a water dish but small enough to limit excessive movement.
• Pierce some ventilation holes into the container.
• Wet some paper towels and line the bottom and sides of the container.

Next, you can do two things; you can either take your tarantula and place it directly in the ICU, or you can take things a step further and feed your T water.

I know this is not something everyone will want or be able to do, but if you’re brave enough or desperate enough, anything is doable.

Gently pick your tarantula up and slowly flip them onto their back. Then you want to take an eyedropper that is filled with water and drop a tiny amount of water onto the mouth of the T. Continue doing this until the tarantula stops drinking from the dropper.

Once done, turn your T back onto its stomach and place them in the ICU. After about 10 hours, your T will most likely have made a full recovery.

Before placing it back in its enclosure, it is important to figure out why your tarantula got dehydrated in the first place and rectify it immediately.

There you have it! Yes, tarantulas need water. This water can come from many sources: water bowls, food, humidity, but is important to keep your T hydrated and healthy.

5 Signs That Your Tarantula Is Stressed And How To Help

Since tarantulas can’t talk or make sounds like other animals, figuring out if your T is stressed may seem like an impossible task. Luckily, the signs of a stressed tarantula are pretty specific and once you know them, you’ll be able to see when your T is upset and immediately fix the possible causes.

What are the signs that your tarantula is stressed?

1. Tarantula takes up a threatening pose
2. Bald spot on the abdomen due to flicking of hairs
3. Tarantula is hiding behind its legs
4. Excessive climbing, especially if you own a terrestrial T
5. Abnormally high activity levels

If you see any of the above behaviors in your T you should know you’re dealing with a pretty unhappy tarantula; and if you see your spider display all of the above, your T is close to a panic attack.

Read on to find out how to destress your pet tarantula – the big, hairy babies of the spider world who can have a full-blown anxiety attack every few seconds!

5 Signs Your Tarantula Is Stressed

Although tarantulas don’t have emotions, these neurotic loners definitely show signs of stress, and more often than you might realize.

The most obvious sign of stress is when a tarantula tries to bite, but if you can read all the warnings that come before fangs break skin, you and your tarantula will be much better off.

1. Tarantula takes up a threatening pose

When your tarantula is relaxed, it will sit on the ground with its legs bent and its abdomen level. This comfortable, relaxed state can, however, be destroyed by the slightest disturbance.

When that happens, and your tarantula is mildly annoyed that its peace was interrupted, you will see it go into a defensive stance, lifting one or two legs.

Your tarantula is already experiencing stress when it is in a defensive pose, but when it moves into a threatening stance, its stress levels are close to boiling (or is that biting) point.

In the threatening stance, your tarantula will lift its first two legs and extend its pedipalps fully into the air, basically flashing its fangs. On top of that, the T will also lift its thorax to show how big and scary it is and that it means business – one more misstep and it will strike.

This tarantula gives a clear warning!

2. Bald spot on the abdomen due to flicking of hairs

New World tarantulas have urticating hairs they use as a defense mechanism. But tarantulas don’t just flick these hairs when directly confronted by a predator; they do it when stressed. So, if you see a bald spot on your T’s abdomen, it’s time for some stress relief.

Do keep in mind that bald spots also occur when your tarantula is getting ready to molt. To tell stress apart from premolt, you will have to look for other signs that your T is nearing its molt.

This includes sporting a nice thick (sic) booty that looks like it is ready to burst, as well as refusing to eat.

3. Tarantula is hiding behind its legs

Don’t confuse this with a death curl! The main difference between a death curl and this “make me disappear” curl is that the tarantula pulls its legs over its head as if it’s trying to hide behind it.

It actually looks cute but is definitely not an “aww” moment – your tarantula is scared, and you need to figure out why and fix it.

4. Excessive climbing

If your ground-dwelling tarantula suddenly turns into an arboreal, then you know something is wrong.

Excessive climbing is usually an indication that something in your tarantula’s enclosure is not quite right and your tarantula is so stressed-out because of it, it’s trying to escape by scaling the walls.

For terrestrials, climbing is a dangerous business because a fall can be deadly, especially if the landing is anything but soft – for example, the rim of the water dish or some decorative rock.

5. Abnormally high activity levels

Tarantulas are often affectionately called ‘pet rocks’ – they don’t really move a lot, especially during the day since they are nocturnal. So, if your T suddenly turned into Dora the Explorer, something is up.

Something in the enclosure is most probably causing stress to your tarantula. It can be anything really, remember how I said Ts are actually big babies? Yip, new substrate, a new pebble, a noisy cricket, you name it, and there’s a possibility of it being a stressor to your T.

What Causes Stress In Tarantulas

Okay, we covered signs of stress and some of the things that may upset your T…but there’s more. Your T can experience various other stressors.

Shipping shock

You can imagine how it must feel for this relatively small creature (in comparison to the transportation vehicle) when traveling. It will be a constant battle to try to maintain equilibrium with all the vibration, bumping, turning and bouncing happening.

It must be very tiring and painful –with getting smashed against the container numerous times there’s no way a T will arrive at its destination unbruised. This is called shipping shock, and your T will require a lot of peace and quiet to recover.

What to do:

• Place tarantula in its new enclosure.
• Put enclosure in a quiet and dimly-lit part of your home.
• Make sure there is a hiding place inside the enclosure for the T to take shelter in.
• There should be a water dish in the enclosure.
• Don’t feed it.
• Go away, leave it alone except for a brief check once a day.

The tarantula below displayed this behavior after rehousing. As you can see, the new enclosure is not optimal at all.

Bright lights

Tarantulas are dark-dwelling creatures. Yes, you may see them outside during the day, but they will mostly avoid direct sunlight.

Evidence suggests that tarantulas do need exposure to a normal day/night lighting sequence as this helps them with their seasonal cycles but do not expose your tarantula to direct sunlight for any reason. This excessive heat will no doubt cause stress.

What NOT to do:

Do not place a bright light over your T’s cage; normal room lighting is more than sufficient.

Tarantulas should not be forced to endure constant daylight or darkness. They need a day/night structure to help them with normal functions such as molting, fasting, breeding, etc.

Do not expose your T to UV light. Tarantulas’ light sensitivity is most severe in the ultraviolet segment of the spectrum, so be kind to your tarantula and don’t force them to live under what is equivalent to a glaring spotlight.

Expressway fever

I know you want to see your tarantula all the time, and for this reason, might be inclined to put its enclosure in an area where there is a lot of traffic. But hang on a second and put yourself in your T’s claw tufts; it’s not nice when the waiter seats you near the entrance of a restaurant is it?

The constant movement and distraction can be enough to force you to go hide in the bathroom. Same can be said for your tarantula – if it hides away in its burrow all the time, it may be suffering from stress caused by all the movement.

Give your T some privacy and peace and quiet for goodness sake!

What to do:

Move your tarantula to an area of the house where there is less traffic.

Stereo effect

Tarantula’s do not have ears. They ‘hear’ through the hairs on their legs. So, if you feel the vibrations of the sound form your stereo, imagine how it must ‘sound’ to your tarantula if it is in close proximity.

That guy with the jackhammer outside your window at 7 in the morning caused you a lot of stress, didn’t he? Well, you’re doing the same to your T if your music is loud enough to feel.

What to do:

Move your tarantula away from the stereo or alternatively, don’t play your music loudly.

Starvation

This is a no-brainer; excessive hunger is a great stressor. Although tarantulas can go for long periods without food, it does not mean that they’re not experiencing stress during that time.

What to do:

Feed adult tarantulas one cricket every 10 to 14 days. Baby Ts should be fed 1 to 2 times a week. Remember, if your T refuses to eat, it may be getting ready to molt.

Dehydration

Your tarantula can get dehydrated for various reasons, including incorrect humidity levels in its enclosure. This is sure to cause physiological stress. Luckily, it is something that can easily be fixed.

What to do:

Figure out what is causing the dehydration. Does the T have access to drinking water, is the humidity in the enclosure too low, etc.? If your T is very dehydrated, implement emergency measures by placing it in ICU.

• Interesting fact: Tarantulas get most of their water from the food they eat.

Heat/cold stress

Much like humans, a tarantula’s temperature runs very close to its upper limit. That is why when things get too hot, Ts will quickly suffer physiological stress. For this reason, it’s best to ditch that heating mat the over-eager pet shop worker sold you.

A good indication of the right temperature for your tarantula is you; if you’re comfortable in your home, your tarantula will be too.

When it comes to cold, tarantulas can tolerate cooler temperatures much better than excessive heat. If the temp drops below 50°F, you can expect your tarantula to get stressed somewhat.

What to do:

• Remove the heating mat if you used one.
• If cold is the stressor, slowly raise the temperature to a heat you feel comfortable in. If you’re comfy, your T will be too.

How To Tell That Your Tarantula Is Relaxed?

If you find yourself staring at a pet rock, then you’ve nailed it – your T is ridiculously happy and so relaxed it couldn’t be bothered to move.

These big, hairy creatures are intimidating to many, but if you own one, you know that they can act like toddlers at times, throwing tantrums at the slightest.

But, if somehow you can get it right to provide them with stability and a calm environment in which all their needs are met, you won’t see them display any of the above signs. Ain’t that grand? You’ve cracked the secret spider code, and your T will live a long and totally chilled life.

If, however, you’re not that lucky yet and you wish you could just give your tarantula some Xanax to relax, don’t worry; some Ts are just born highly-strung grumps, and there’s nothing you can do but love them for the neurotic babies they are.

Do Tarantulas Sleep? Not Really!

You might have seen your tarantula in the same position for hours if not days and wondered if it is hurt, cold, unhappy or maybe sleeping? Well, one thing we know is that tarantulas don’t roll onto their sides or backs to take a quick nap, but they do rest.

Do tarantulas sleep? Tarantulas don’t sleep the same way that mammals do but they do have cycles of movement and respite. Tarantulas reduce their activity level, lowering their metabolic rate in order to conserve energy.

We really don’t know much about spiders and their sleeping patterns and there is still much for us to learn about arthropods in general, but spiders definitely go into some or other rest mode.

Considering that tarantulas don’t have eyelids and thus can’t close their eyes, it must actually be quite difficult for them to catch some z’s! Or is it?

Tarantula’s Mimic Sleep

Sleep, as we humans understand it, is not the same type of forty winks tarantulas will catch. Ts will reduce their activity level and this will lower their metabolic rate which in turn conserves energy.

This is very useful, especially for web-building spiders; they depend on food to come to them and often, the wait between meals is a long one.

Tarantulas are also referred to as pet ‘rocks’ because they do spend a lot of the daytime just chilling in one spot as a survival mechanism since birds and other predators looking for a snack are more likely to be active during the day.

If you’ve been a tarantula hobbyist for a while now, you will know that Ts are like computers in sleep mode; when there’s no movement for a while, the computer will postpone all activity and reduce energy.

But, as soon as you push a key, the computer will come back too life. The same happens to tarantulas; when there’s some stimulus, the T will become active quickly.

Some T owners have experienced their tarantula staying completely still when nudged a little, but after disturbing them once or twice again, they go into a slight panic without any idea what is going on – much as humans do when we are startled awake.

Since tarantulas are mostly nocturnal, we as keepers usually interact with them while they are in a rested state: we might try to feed it or move it into a container for cleaning purposes.

This will be met with inaction at first but after enough sensory input, the T will then suddenly bolt, flick hairs or lunge towards your hand.

This definitely indicates at least a period of rest, if not sleep. You can call it a stand-by state if you like and during this time, tarantulas may shut down some of its vital parts of the brain to save energy.

Judging by their quick return to reality when disturbed, it seems some selective parts of the brain stay on in order for it to ‘turn on’ immediately with the correct amount of stimuli.

Much like humans, actually, except when we sleep, our bodies go into healing mode, something which likely does not happen when a tarantula sleeps.

Tarantulas’ Brains Are Too Primitive For Sleep

Although tarantulas display behavior that looks like sleep, for example, loss of muscle tension, no movement and delayed responses to stimuli, entomologists believe that a T’s brain is too small to require actual sleep.

It’s claimed that the larger the brain, the more sleep is required to recharge it.

That being said, sleep is universal and almost all organisms require it in one form or another. Take lizards, for example, recent studies have revealed ancient roots to the human REM cycle.

Even though the electrophysiological study of sleep in small invertebrates is a complex and somewhat problematic endeavor, fruit flies have been found to sleep and any disturbance of its sleep leads to a decline in cognitive functioning.

I’m not here to compare brain sizes between tarantulas (although Ts do have quite large brains for their size) and fruit flies.

I will leave you to draw your own conclusion, but since tarantulas have some of the most condensed central nervous systems of any invertebrates, you can safely expect it to have complex neurobiological sleep patterns. Someone just needs to decide to research it!

Tarantulas And Defining Sleep

As mentioned earlier, the tarantula’s nervous system is so different from that of a mammal, we can’t really be certain if their version of sleep is the same as ours.

The first major difference would be their sleep cycle; Ts and other spiders are usually more active at night, whereas most humans go about their day and enter Lalaland at night.

But let’s look at what the experts define sleep as.

The criteria for sleep according to a recent paper on jellyfish and the sleep-like states exhibited are:

• An inactive state with reduced activity.
• Decreased responsiveness to outside stimuli.
• Reversibility of dormant/restful state

The above study did not only cover jellyfish but other inverts such as roundworm and our trusty fruit fly as mentioned above. The fact that so many animals with tiny brains ‘sleep’, shows that sleep evolved in early animals and has remained conserved in most, if not all animals.

And, when we consider how brainy tarantulas are, we can assume that they do indeed hit the hay in some manner of speaking.

Also, the fact that tarantulas have some sort of circadian rhythm (daily activity/inactivity), shows that there is a period of rest involved.

The times when they are inactive are usually characterized by withdrawing to a hiding spot or shelter and a drop in metabolic rate. No, studies have however been done to measure the period of time spent active vs inactive or what different species do during these times.

Interesting fact: Spider species (including tarantulas) that live in the desert, retreat into their burrows during the hottest part of the day. As it gets dark and cooler, the spiders will come out.

Tarantulas And Hibernation

Some of our follicle-enriched spider friends ‘overwinter’, meaning they go into hibernation. This usually happens in colder climates where the tarantula will plug up the openings of their burrows with dirt and webbing and ‘go to sleep’.

They draw their legs into their body, drop their metabolic rate and remain huddled until it warms up outside.

This ability to go dormant for such a long period of time shows that it may be part of their everyday cycle – of course just for shorter intervals. Very little is known about what exactly spiders do during this time, but if you ask me, it can be seen as a form of sleep or rest.

Okay, the most important thing that comes from knowing that your T most likely goes into periods of rest, even though we can’t really call it sleep as we humans define it, is the fact that tarantulas are nocturnal.

So, all the times during the day you’re walking over to say hi to Mr. Grumps, or lifting the lid to see if Sally is doing okay, or digging around to see if Spikey will come out, you’re actually disturbing their rest.

Put yourself in their fuzzy feet; how would you like it to be talked to in a squeaky voice, nudged or worse yet, sprayed with water while you were in dreamland? I didn’t think so!

Do Tarantulas Eat Their Molt? Is That Okay?

You wake up one morning to find there are TWO tarantulas in your T’s enclosure and freak out a little before realising it’s just an old exoskeleton! What now? Should you leave it for your T to enjoy as a snack or remove it?

Do tarantulas eat their molt? Most tarantulas do not eat their molt, however, some may end up consuming parts of it, especially the stomach and book lungs. It comes down to the individual tarantula as well as the suitability of the enclosure for the species of tarantula you own.

Tarantulas are still somewhat of a mystery as not a lot of research has been done on what makes them the fantastically creepy creatures they are. Luckily, hobbyists who’ve spent years observing their pet tarantulas are eager to share their experience and knowledge with the interwebs.

Read on for some anecdotal evidence, much speculation and a sprinkle of science about tarantulas eating or not eating their molt.

Why Would A Tarantula Want To Eat Its Old Skin?

The two main reasons why your T may munch the exoskeleton it just shed are nutrients and water.

Molting is a very intense and tiring activity for tarantulas. They have to bust out from the inside and to do this, a lot of physical exertion is needed. The tarantula’s heart rate increases to pump hemolymph (tarantula’s blood) from its abdomen to the cephalothorax.

That pressure then expands the cephalothorax causing the exoskeleton to crack.

Now comes the workout; the tarantula has to flex its muscles continuously until it is free from the old exoskeleton.

And, even after all this, a process that can take anything from a few hours to a day or more, the tarantula goes through a growth spurt while the new exoskeleton is still flexible.

No wonder your T may be craving some exoskeleton after molting, I feel tired (and hungry) just thinking about it.

What makes the old exoskeleton a little more appetizing is the fact that it is made up of layers of cuticle that contain various proteins, chitin, and some sugar – perfect to replenish the T’s lost energy.

Oh, and don’t forget moisture. If the enclosure the tarantula lives in is not humid enough for the species’ needs, the T will get dehydrated.

This can have a serious impact on your tarantula’s chances for a successful molt and can lead to your T getting stuck. But, since we’re talking about your T eating its molt, let’s assume it was hydrated enough to break free from its old exoskeleton and is just thirsty afterward.

Fun fact: A tarantula secretes molting fluid between the old exoskeleton and the new one. This fluid is then later reabsorbed by the T.

Tarantulas have a handy mouth

Another reason you may see your T ‘eating’ its molt is because it’s not actually consuming it but just compacting it to move it. Tarantulas use their fangs as hands.

Yes, they also use their pedipalps but ultimately, their fangs are their true hands – just look at them when they move substrate. So, it is easy to see how one can mistake compacting of the exoskeleton with the consumption of it.

The mouth is the only way tarantulas can compress its old skin and get it in a more manageable shape to move it out of the way.

Brachypelma boehmei

Why Don’t Most Tarantulas Eat Their Molt?

Imagine feasting on a handful of short, itchy hairs. No thanks! And that is precisely why most Ts will drag their old exoskeleton to some far corner in the enclosure rather than eat it.

Remember, tarantulas (well, the New World ones) have urticating hairs they use as a protection mechanism. They flick these hairs at predators, aiming for sensitive areas like the eyes, nose, and mouth.

I can’t imagine why a T would be desperate enough to eat the whole of its old skin, including these hairs and put itself through discomfort meant for those that pose a threat.

Another belief of hobbyists is that the soft and juicy parts of the old exoskeleton will be dried out by the time the T is ready to eat it and therefore won’t help rehydrate the tarantula after its molt.

This opinion is highly plausible as tarantulas spend quite some time recovering from molting – they don’t get up straight away to look for a snack. In fact, tarantulas have to wait for their new exoskeleton to harden somewhat before they can get up and move around.

A tasteless tarantula dispute

Are you ready for contradiction? Some tarantula enthusiasts say the old exoskeleton has no nutritional value at all. Hey, I warned you that the world of tarantulas is one filled with speculation and uncertainty.

According to some hobbyists, the proteins, chitin, and sugar contained in the cuticle of the old exoskeleton are digested by the molting fluid that is secreted between the old and developing exoskeleton.

So, what you’re left with is a substance with no nourishment and no taste, and who would want to eat that?

What To Do With Your Tarantula’s Molt?

Well, that is completely up to you and your tarantula. If you’re not sure if your tarantula will all of the sudden develop a craving for some exuviae, leave the molt in the enclosure for a day or two.

That way you will give nature time to run its course and your T can ‘decide’ if it will benefit in any way from eating its old skin or if it will make a nice decorative element in the enclosure.

If your tarantula shows no interest in the molt, it will be beneficial to remove it so grab a pair of tweezers and take it out.

Top tip: If you use your hand, make sure to wash it afterward as the urticating hairs will get stuck to it. Rubbing your eyes and getting these hairs into your eyes will be very uncomfortable!

After removing the molt from your T’s enclosure you can throw it away or do something cool with it like preserving it and putting it out on display. If you know your tarantula has no taste for the exoskeleton, you can grab the exoskeleton as soon as your T is done molting.

This way, it will still be fairly soft and pliable, making it easy for you to lay out on a soft surface to position the legs correctly. Let it dry and there you have it, a tarantula exoskeleton to add dramatic flair to your décor.

This is also a nifty way to track your tarantula’s growth and will make it easy when you want to show off your T kids to your friends like all proud tarantula parents always want to do!

Okay, so the abridged answer to the question of whether tarantulas eat their molts is: No. The old exoskeleton is not a delicacy that most tarantulas enjoy but you may get an oddball here or there that will eat their molt.

Of course, if they’re actually eating it or just compacting it to move it around is something we’ll never know.

Do Tarantulas Bite? 4 Warning Signs + How To Treat A Bite

Many people are quick to recoil at the sight of tarantulas but taking the portrayal of these big and beefy spiders in the movies into consideration, it is no wonder. Then again, most tarantulas actually make sweetie pie pets with their docile nature.

Do pet tarantulas bite? Pet tarantula bites are very rare since tarantulas are hesitant biters; when given a choice between attacking or retreating, most tarantulas draw back and find a place to hide. Tarantulas are actually some of the least aggressive and dangerous spiders out there.

Tarantulas are fascinating creatures, but to those unfamiliar with having these hairy spiders as pets, it’s easy to believe that Ts are dangerous and best left crawling around in the jungle. Although that assumption seems reasonable, the reality is very different.

Tarantulas Are Docile

The words skittish and docile are often used to describe tarantulas by those in the know. These timid creatures, despite their frightening reputation, are more likely to run and hide than attack you.

Think about it, if you were confronted by a giant predator, and I am talking huge – 100 times or more your size – would you be crazy enough to attack it? Nope, didn’t think so.

You will most probably run as fast as you can and find a place to squeeze yourself in where it can’t get to you. It’s a case of choosing your battles.

Of course, when you’re cornered with nowhere to run or hide, that is when you’ll put up a fight. Same goes for tarantulas; it may show some hostile behavior at times but attacking is the absolute last resort.

One of the biggest misconceptions is that spiders willy-nilly bite whatever gets in its way. False. Spiders and I am not just talking about tarantulas here, in general, never bite humans unless, as mentioned above, the spider is protecting itself.

Can you blame the little guy for taking a bite when it gets stuck on the inside of your shoe under your foot?

When it comes to tarantulas, it’s best to look and not interact. I know this is a hot-button topic as a lot of people who get Ts as pets want to show off how courageous they are for letting such a creepy creature walk over them.

But, too many bad things can happen when you handle your tarantula and it biting you is the least of your worries.

Remember up there where I said the words skittish and tarantula go hand in hand? Well, a nervous and panicky T is more likely to bite. In fact, most bites occur when a T got spooked while being handled, bolted and the owner frantically tries to catch or pick up the edgy tarantula.

Fundamentally, tarantulas are solitary animals without any desire to socialize – with their own kind and especially not with humans – so it is my belief that leaving them be will keep them calm and prevent any opportunities for bites.

This Tarantula shows a clear warning

How To Avoid Getting Bitten By Your Tarantula

Tarantulas are basically houseplants with legs – until they aren’t. They usually don’t do much unless they’re exploring their enclosure, feeding or molting, but should you mistreat them, their fangs will come out (although they’re never put away to begin with, but you get what I’m saying).

Building on the previous section, the easiest way to avoid getting bitten by tarantula is by staying out of biting range of a tarantula’s fangs.

Tarantulas don’t gain anything from being handled; they don’t form a bond or feel affection for their keepers and thus won’t want to curl up and cuddle. This hands-off policy lessens your chance of getting bitten drastically.

When it comes to feeding, moving things in the enclosure or filling the water bowl, use equipment like long tongs to make sure you don’t get too close to biting distance.

Basically, the best way to never get bitten is to not out yourself in that position in the first place.

So:

• Don’t use your bare hands. Use tongs during enclosure maintenance, and if you have to use your hands, gloves may be a good idea. This will not only help prevent punctures when bitten but will also make sure that loose urticating hairs don’t get stuck to your flesh, causing irritation.
• Don’t handle your tarantula. They’re like hairy fish with legs – there to be looked at but not touched.
• Use enclosures with a big enough opening to get your tools and hand in without the possibility of getting stuck when you have to take it out quickly.
• Learn to read tarantula body language. If you see your tarantula is agitated or stressed, don’t go poking around. That is just asking for trouble. Rather wait until the T calms down.
• Make sure you know where your tarantula is before opening and working in the enclosure. You don’t want to startle it.

Signs that your tarantula is getting ready to strike

As mentioned above, reading a tarantula’s body language will help you know when it is safe to get close (if you have to). When your tarantula is relaxed, you’ll be able to do some maintenance on the enclosure without it sticking its fangs into you.

1. A relaxed state

When your T is chilled, you will find it on the ground with its legs slightly bent. Your tarantula may even be catching some z’s when you see it in this position.

But be warned, even the slightest ruckus may startle your T, and what do we know about tarantulas that are in a state of shock? They tend to go into defence mode.

2. First warning position

If your tarantula is mildly annoyed because you just interrupted its laid-back vibe, it will tense and raise one or two legs. This passive defensive stance can be considered as a first warning.

Now is the time to rethink if you really need to remove the gunk in the corner of the enclosure that’s been bugging you for days.

3. Agitated much?

If your tarantula raises its first two legs, extends its pedipalps fully in the air and lifts its thorax, it means business. This threatening stance is usually a precursor to a bite.

If I were you, I would get my hand as far away from its fangs as possible because if you were to continue approaching, you’re likely to feel a sting.

• Interesting fact: Old World tarantulas are more likely to bite than New World tarantulas. This is because the oldies from Africa and Asia do not have urticating hairs to use as a defense mechanism.

4. Shooting time

When your T directs its back legs at you and proceeds to rub it against his abdomen, things are about to get itchy. New World tarantulas have urticating hairs they use as a means of defense.

These hairs are meant to enter the eyes, nose and mouth of a predator and cause a stinging sensation. It won’t do much more than cause some itching and a slight rash on your hand, but should you rub your face and get it into your eyes, the irritation can be severe.

Here is a cool video that shows what signs to look out for to see if your tarantula is about to attack.

Are Tarantulas Venomous?

Yeah, their bites are venomous but can typically be compared to that of a bee sting’s toxicity. The bite of most species will cause a local reaction such as swelling, stiffness, redness and some pain.

Although there is not even one verified case of human death by tarantula bite, some species do have stronger venom that can make you ill.

And, if you’re quick to put two and two together, you’ll be able to predict which are the more dangerous types of tarantula. Yip, you’ve guessed it, the venom of Old World tarantulas are more potent.

Since most tarantulas from Africa and India do not have those nasty hairs to flick at predators, they have to rely on their venom, and that is why it packs more of a punch.

Luckily, most of these species are only available from reputable importers or hobbyists, and they will make sure to tell you that you’re dealing with the big boys now.

• Warning: If you have an allergic or anaphylactic reaction to a tarantula bite, seek medical treatment immediately. Just like with a bee sting, the venom has the potential to be fatal in some cases.

Also keep in mind that although New World tarantula venom may have a mild effect on humans, there’s no telling what effect it will have on other pets like dogs, cats, rabbits, rats and so on.

Scientists have actually only scratched the surface of the properties – even medial uses – of tarantula venom. Let’s hope they get to it quickly!

• Interesting fact: The Fringed Ornamental Tarantula (Poecilotheria) is alleged to have an extremely painful bite.

To read more about the effects of the bites of specific species of tarantulas, here is a bite report from hobbyists that are oddly specific and at times entertaining.

What To Do If Your Tarantula Bites You

Oops, you made your T mad and got rewarded with a fangy kiss. What now?

First things first, stay calm; you’re not going to die. Unless you’re allergic, you won’t experience anything worse than some swelling, itching and mild pain.

Now, follow these steps:

1. Place your tarantula back in its enclosure

This is the first and most important step. If your tarantula bit you, its most likely not in the best frame of mind at the moment and may bolt towards a dark corner somewhere to hide. Trying to find a missing tarantula will be much more nerve-wracking than your bite.

And for goodness sake, don’t panic and throw your T to the floor! That can seriously harm your tarantula and can even lead to death.

2. Treat the bite wound

You want to clean it to prevent infection. Wash the part that got bitten with a disinfectant soap and water and let dry. Apply some antibacterial medicine like Bactine or Neosporin ointment.

If the bite wound really hurts, use some topical treatment that contains pain reliever. Keep the wound clean until it closes.

3. Take some anti-inflammatory medication

There’s no doubt that the venom in the spider’s bite will cause pain and swelling. To help combat this, drink some aspirin or ibuprofen. If the swelling increases and the area around the bite turns red, it’s time to make an appointment with your doctor to check for infection.

Of course, if your tongue immediately starts swelling and your throat closes, and you have difficulty breathing, skip steps one to three and get emergency care right away! Alternatively, use an EpiPen if you have one!

Have a look at the video below on how to treat a tarantula bite.

Can You Train Your Tarantula To Stop Biting You?

Tarantulas are wild animals that can’t be trained or tamed. They also don’t have any desire to please humans. Ts act on instinct, and if you’ve learned anything from what you’ve read so far, if a tarantula bites you, it is feeling threatened.

So, to stop it from biting you, keep it away from your soft fleshy bits.

Throughout this article, I’ve mentioned that tarantulas are best kept as ‘look but don’t touch’ pets.

This is something you have to consider before entering the captivating world of owning tarantulas as pets – if you’re looking for a pet you can train and touch without the fear of it biting you, maybe rather get a dog. Or a rat; I hear they’re trainable!

The main thing is, you can’t train or tame a T. They are too wild and just don’t have the cognitive ability to understand when you tell it to roll over.

The more docile species, you may say, already come ‘trained’ not to bite. If you’re hellbent on handling your T, get yourself a New World passive-type T that will really have to be pushed into a corner before it strikes.

It’s best to leave the more aggressive species to hobbyists who have no intention of trying to cuddle with a tarantula.

2 Reasons Why Your Tarantula Is Losing Hair

When your once beautifully hairy tarantula all of the sudden starts losing its hairs, you won’t be blamed for switching to panic mode. But before you give yourself sleepless nights, grab a cup of tea and read on to find out why you don’t have to be concerned.

Why is my tarantula losing hair? There are two reasons why your tarantula is losing its hair – it is getting ready to molt or these urticating hairs were kicked off at some point in time as a defense mechanism because your T felt threatened or stressed. A bald spot on your tarantula is completely natural and nothing to worry about.

When you pay close attention to your tarantula’s behavior it will make it easier to spot if your tarantula is entering the pre-molt phase or if something in its environment stressed it, causing this unsightly baldness.

Below you will learn more about tarantulas and molting, as well as the fascinating ways they use hair to protect themselves.

1. Tarantula Losing Hairs Due To Molting

As your T grows, it will molt. This process is where they shed off their old exoskeleton and it can be very exhausting to your pet – not to mention shocking to you as the owner if you were unaware of this marvel.

One of the signs tarantula hobbyists look out for to see if a T is going to molt in the next few days or weeks is the loss of hairs on its abdomen.

When a tarantula is about to shed its old skin, it will spin a hammock-like mat that is called a ‘molt mat’ and New World tarantulas will flick these urticating hairs onto this mat as a trap for potential predators looking for an easy snack.

Tarantulas are easily hurt and completely defenseless when they molt.

• Interesting fact: Old World tarantulas do not have urticating hairs.

When the molt draws near, the bald spot will grow increasingly darker and become shiny as the flesh around the area stretches.

Your T’s abdomen will also look bigger than usual – much like a grape ready to pop. Soon, your tarantula will flop onto its back on its molt mat and start the molting process, which can take anything from fifteen minutes to a few hours.

Since molting is a regenerative process, your T will emerge with a full abdomen of hair, looking all lush until its next molt – or until something (or someone) stresses it out.

2. Tarantula Losing Hairs Due To Stress

If your tarantula feels threatened and stressed, they will flick or kick the hairs off the abdomen in an attempt to harm whatever they perceive as being a danger to them – causing a bald spot.

A lot of the times, this will take place when moving a tarantula you just got to its new enclosure; since it is already stressed by the transport and whatnot, it won’t think twice about kicking up some (hairy) dust.

Urticating hairs are worse in some species than others and their inclination to flick these hairs depend not only on the species but the individual tarantula’s temperament.

That means, although species that are recommended for beginners are fairly docile, you may get your hands on a grumpy individual, so you should learn what your T will tolerate and what stresses it out.

Tips to avoid your T flicking you with hairs

To dodge a ‘hair today, gone tomorrow’ scenario, here are a few things you can do to keep your tarantula from flicking its hairs and looking like a bald abomination.

• Make sure your tarantula has a hiding spot. Tarantulas are more likely to run and hide than stand and fight – but if it doesn’t have the option to hide, you can count on it protecting itself.
• The enclosure should be set up correctly for the specific tarantula you have, or it will cause your T stress, and just like with humans, stress tends to put you on the back foot.
• Slow movements are best when you are cleaning the water dish or other parts of the enclosure. Also, avoid bumping the enclosure and breathing onto the tarantula; they are sensitive to vibrations and may get a fright.

If something does go wrong and your T flicks its hairs, just put the lid back on the enclosure and leave it for a while. This will give the hairs time to settle and avoid any getting on you causing discomfort.

As for the bald spot your T now sports, unfortunately, a combover is not a possibility and you will just have to wait for it to magically reappear after your tarantula’s next molt.

Are tarantula hairs bad for my health?

I could hear this running through your mind as you read words like a defense mechanism, predator and protect… It’s almost as if the worry caused by your balding tarantula has taken a back seat and you’re contemplating buying a hazmat suit for the next time you have to open the enclosure.

Save your money; the chances of something really bad happening to you when you come into contact with tarantula hairs are slim. You would basically have to stick your face pretty deep into the enclosure for it to even get to areas that may cause noticeable discomfort.

These urticating hairs are most effective within a few inches and are meant to go into the eyes, mouth, and nose of a predator that is getting too close to the T.

Basically, if you get tarantula hairs on your skin, you might experience an itchy sensation followed by a rash that will go away in no time.

Of course, cleaning out a tarantula enclosure and rubbing any area of your face without washing your hands is a rookie mistake – one you won’t be making again since getting urticating hairs in your eyes is not a pleasurable experience.

If you inhale the hairs, your throat may feel itchy and you’ll probably cough for a while. The worst-case scenario is if you’re allergic and, in that case, it is best to get to your doctor for treatment.

There you have it, the two reasons why your tarantula is losing hair.

Just a side note on the issue of stress. If you’re new to owning a tarantula, don’t for one moment think they are weak creatures. Tarantulas have been around for a long, long time and that would not be the case if they were fragile and up and died at the slightest ‘boo’.

But, ultimately, you want your tarantula to live a chilled and happy life, so it is important, as mentioned before, that you get to know your T and figure out what its stressors are.

That way, you can avoid having to explain to your friends why your tarantula looks like it has mange while it’s actually just a case of PTSD.

To cut a long story short, a tarantula losing hair is completely normal and is nothing to worry about.

5 Reasons Why Your Tarantula Is So Active

Tarantulas are usually described as pet ‘rocks’, and for good reason – they don’t move a lot! Being nocturnal in nature, Ts will be more active at night time but within limits.

That is why some tarantula owners get a little worried when their Ts start scaling the walls all hours of the night and day.

So what might be the reason for this activity?

1. It’s mating season, and your male T is looking for a mate.
2. You moved it to a new enclosure, and it is exploring its new home.
3. Your T is hungry.
4. Something is wrong in its environment; it’s too hot, too dry, too humid or dehydrated
5. Parasites

So, basically, an overly active tarantula is usually not a good thing and figuring out why exactly your T is uncharacteristically energetic is easier said than done. Luckily, through a process of elimination, you can quickly figure out what is wrong and fix it.

After all, no one wants an unhappy pet tarantula!

Tarantula Goes From Pet Rock To Spider Monkey

Okay, in the beginning, this new-found activity may be welcomed by tarantula hobbyists, especially newbies. Yes, watching a tarantula may at times be compared to watching paint dry.

They really aren’t very lively creatures. So, when all of a sudden they start walking all over, it is exciting! Until reality sinks in and you realize something must be wrong.

Now comes the hard task of figuring out what exactly is causing this excessive movement.

1. It’s a male tarantula

Most animals have a mating season. For tarantulas, this will be in the fall during the months of September and October. During this time, male Ts in the wild will go out in search of females to mate with. They do this by zoning in on the pheromones that receptive females release.

Just because your male tarantula is living in captivity, it doesn’t mean that their urge to mate disappears. These creatures run on instinct and nothing is stronger than the drive to reproduce.

The only problem is it may drive a pet tarantula a little crazy. Think about it, your whole being has one singular goal – procreation – but that can’t come to fruition because, uh, you’re in a glass enclosure.

Of course, your T doesn’t know this, and as soon as its instinct to mate takes over, round and round and up and down, it will go in search of a female it will never find.

2. You moved it to a new enclosure

If you’ve ever brought a T back home from the pet shop in a tiny plastic container and placed it in a nice new enclosure, you know that they usually immediately start exploring. Who wouldn’t? It’s like going from living in a small bedroom to living in a penthouse.

Tarantulas will travel around the enclosure to get to know their new environment not just because of all the interesting new smells and textures, but for survival. They want to figure out where the water source is and where they can hide should a big predator approach.

That being said, there is some stress involved with rehoming your tarantula and that in itself can also cause extreme activity.

But, if you’ve just put your T into a new enclosure, you can be close to 100% sure that is why there is so much movement, eliminating all the other possible reasons. Just give it a few hours or days, and your tarantula will reclaim its pet rock status. If it doesn’t, maybe it’s time to feed it.

3. It’s hungry

Tarantulas are hunters. They’re not like other spiders that use webbing to catch their prey; they actively look for food.

This is why it may be a good idea for you to keep a tarantula food journal so you can see exactly how long ago you fed your T and if this disproportionate hustle and bustle is due to hunger pangs or something else.

4. Something is wrong in the tarantula’s environment

And with something, I mean anything from the temperature to the wetness of the substrate to niggly mites gnawing away at your T’s mouth.

So, after figuring out that your tarantula is now extra active due to points 1 to 3, it’s now time to look at its enclosure and the tarantula itself – with a magnifying glass.

Humidity

Let’s start with the humidity of your T’s enclosure. This is important; too dry and your tarantula will shrivel up and die, too wet and your T is basically drowning with every breath it takes.

You can see why that may lead to a stressed tarantula that is frantically looking for a way out of its enclosure.

The ideal humidity for most species of tarantulas are between 50% and 70%, but it is important that you do your research and set up your T’s environment as close to the one it hails from.

Heat

This is a contentious issue. Most seasoned hobbyists will quickly tell you to ditch the heating mat you were told to get when you got your first T.

Unfortunately, uneducated pet shop owners still believe that it’s necessary to place part of your tarantula’s enclosure on a heating mat to simulate the temperature of the regions most Ts come from.

You don’t need a heating mat. In fact, you will most probably fry your tarantula from the inside out if you use one when you don’t live in Antarctica. Tarantulas can more than survive in temperatures we humans maintain indoors.

The ideal rage is between 21-24°C – not as warm as you expected, right?

Dehydration

The number one killer of tarantulas is dehydration. Tarantulas need water to survive, and although most of their water needs are met through food, there are times when that is not enough.

For example, when there is not a burrow for your tarantula to take refuge in. You might be wondering what a burrow has to do with dehydration, well, Ts that stay out in the open 24/7, lose moisture easily, especially if the enclosure is already dry to begin with.

Luckily, this is easy to fix. A water dish, some misting of the substrate, and Bob is your tarantula’s uncle!

5. Worms and Mites

Time to get your magnifying glass. You’re looking for a white (sometimes squirmy) substance in your tarantula’s mouth region. If you spot it, your T has nematode worms, and it’s no wonder that it has been restless.

These worms penetrate through a small opening, usually the T’s book lungs or anus, and spread throughout the entire tarantula. They finally emerge through the mouth. Unfortunately, once the symptoms are noticed, it is usually too late.

One good thing, however, is that nematode worms are fairly rare.

When it comes to mites, the environment that tarantulas thrive in is regrettably also the perfect environment for mites to multiply and live happily ever after.

Usually, mites can be seen in the substrate, but in some cases, they do attach themselves to the tarantula. Now, it doesn’t matter if the mites are crawling around in the substrate or on the spider, they are hella annoying to tarantulas.

It makes sense why the tarantula is walking up and down 7 million times – imagine you were surrounded by millions of tiny ants. I would run, nevermind walk!

Naturally, this wouldn’t be an article about tarantulas without mentioning that these creatures are at times finicky and may just not like the brand of substrate you bought for their enclosure, or, maybe they don’t like your decorating skills.

So, I suggest you eliminate all the possibilities we covered and if your T continues to walk a solo 5km park run daily, just make peace with it.

At least now when your friends come over, they won’t mistake the decorative rock in the corner of the enclosure for your tarantula, they’ll actually be able to see it move!