Courtesy of AlrightySpidey.

Quick note: These are instructions for cleaning and prepping a tank for a chilean rose hair (g. rosea). Different spiders need different things, so be sure to research care guidelines for your own spider’s species.

Also, there are many different ways to clean and set up a tarantula’s tank. I am just sharing what has worked for me and my baby.

*If this is your first time doing this process, set aside at least two hours because you don’t want to stop once you start. It probably won’t take that long, but you never know if you’ll have to chase down a sneaky spider! You might also want to tell any family members/roommates, etc. not to interrupt.

**Make sure you have a plan beforehand for how you’re going to remove your spider from the tank and what you’re going to keep them in. You don’t want to be figuring this out at the last minute!

1. PREPARATION

I’ve found that the easiest and tidiest way to do this is to bring the tank into the bathroom (I have Spidey in a 10 gallon, so this process is much messier and longer for me than for someone with a smaller tank). I place the tank on a towel to protect the tile and already have everything I need (mentioned in next paragraph) in the bathroom with me. Bathrooms are also great because there are less places for a T to hide if they escape. Make sure you close the door and seal it with towels! Also, make sure you have no micromanaging pets trying to “supervise” the process, like this one:

Here’s what I use for tank cleanings:

– garbage bag (for old substrate)

– kitchen gloves (not necessary but great if you don’t want to dig substrate out from under your nails later)

– scrubby brush (for cleaning the tank)

– spare mini tank (to hold the little babe until her new princess headquarters are ready)

– compressed coconut fiber substrate

2. REMOVING ALL ITEMS

If your spider has a tendency to try to climb out of the tank when the lid is off, move them to a secure container with small holes/ventilation immediately, before you do anything else (move to step 4). Since Spidey is very docile, I do this process backwards and remove her last. Take out all the toys, decorations, water dishes, etc. from the tank – they will also need to be cleaned.

3. SAVING WEBS (OPTIONAL)

Because I only feed Spidey in her mini tank and she has been in fasting/hibernation mode for 9+ months, her webs are very clean. As a courtesy to all her hard work, I save her webs and put them in a clean mini tank for her, which will become a part of her new tank. The feel of her old webs helps her feel less stressed out when she goes into her new tank. It’s important to examine any old webs for mites/bugs, food particles or spider poop if you’re saving them. Only use clean ones!

4. SPIDER EXTRACTION

Examine your spider and pay attention to their body language – are they stressed out? Rearing up? Going to make a run for it? Make sure you already have a plan for how you’re going to get your spider out of the tank. Some people use their hands and some people do it with containers – it all depends on what is comfortable and safe for you and your spider. Whatever you put your spider in should have small holes for air and give them a little room to move around.

Since Spidey is already in her old mini tank, I’m just going to put the lid on and keep her in there until her tank is ready. I love this system because she barely notices what’s going on if I move her slowly and steadily. Tank cleanings used to be very stressful for her before I implemented this system,

5. PUT YOUR SPIDER SOMEWHERE SAFE

Find a safe place to put your spider while you work. Preferably a spot that is near you so you can keep an eye on them and one where no curious pets or humans can bother them.

6. SUBSTRATE REMOVAL

Substrate removal can be messy, so I put the garbage bag and the tank in the bathtub to cut down on cleanup later.

7. CLEANING THE TANK

I use hot water, soap and a scrubby brush to clean the tank. Again, this is much easier if you have a smaller tank. A detachable shower head will also make this faster/easier.

8. CHECK ON THE BABY!

Halfway through this process you’ll want to check on your spider to make sure that they’re ok (and still in their container lol). Check to see if there is anything causing them stress. Our babies rely on us for a comfortable environment.

9. ADDING SUBSTRATE

Next, start hydrating your substrate in the clean tank. I use compressed coconut fiber substrate, but there are other options (just PLEASE don’t use bark or sand!). To break this kind of substrate apart, I fill the bottom of the tank with water and let the dehydrated bricks soak up the water for a few minutes. How many bricks you will use depends on the size of your tank. I can get away with 2 bricks in a 10 gallon tank, but it’s safer for Spidey if I use 3 bricks (I had to pick up more later!). Basically, you want to make sure your tank has enough substrate in it that your spider can’t injure themselves if they climb on the walls and fall.

When the bricks have absorbed the water, break them apart with your hands (this is where the gloves come in handy). Keep repeating the process of adding water to the dehydrated bricks and breaking them apart. This is the longest and most tedious part of the tank change.

Like I said, this is a tedious process.

Eventually, you will have a beautiful clean tank full of fresh substrate. Dry the rest of the tank off and the hardest part is over!

A word about damp substrate

The substrate inside the tank will be damp, and your rose hair will HATE that. Some people say that you can bake the substrate to dry it quickly. I personally have never tried that, but here is a quick how-to if you’re interested.

For me, I prefer to leave the substrate out for a few days, rotating the dirt around each day so it all gets exposed to air. This will only work if you have placed your spider in another tank-like container. Since Spidey loves her mini tank so much and is fasting, she has no problem staying in there for a week or so while her new substrate dries. If you can’t keep your spider in another container and don’t want to bake the substrate, it’s okay to put your spider in a tank with damp substrate – just make sure they have something dry to stand on (like a log) and you’ve taken precautions to prevent them from hurting themselves if they climb the walls – which is a popular rose hair behavior after being moved to a new tank.

*If you’re air-drying the substrate like I do, don’t leave it uncovered and unattended – a jealous pet might think it’s for them. I learned this the hard way:

(I should also mention that if you have a big unused container like this, you can dry new substrate a few days before cleaning the tank so you don’t have to keep your spider out of the tank while waiting for substrate to dry. Depends on your preference!)

10. TANK SETUP

When your substrate is dry or almost dry, you can start setting it up! This is what Spidey’s tank looks like this time (I like to switch it up).

*If you’re a first-timer, every tarantula tank should include a shallow water dish (no sponges, please!) and some sort of hide (logs are popular).

11. INTRODUCE YOUR SPIDER TO ITS NEW HOME!

Now you’re ready to add the precious spide back to the tank! This is pretty easy if you’ve been using a container – you just want to make sure they don’t try to make a run for it or display defensive behavior. It’s also smart to keep other pets locked up in case your spider wanders.

Sometimes your spider will be scared to go into the new tank…

…But a few gentle nudges will get her on her way! Just be patient and don’t rush your spider.

Congrats! Now your baby is in the clean tank! Put the lid or screen on and you’re done!

*It’s a good idea to keep an eye on the tank for the next few hours in case your spider decides to climb the walls. Injuries can be reduced/prevented by adding enough substrate and taping the lid.

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I hope you liked this little guide! Shout out to Spidey for being the best little model! If you’d like to WAY more about tarantulas and how to care about them, be sure to purchase my full tarantula guide!

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