Considering that I’ve made a tiny corner in the tarantula world as someone who absolutely loves these furry little babies, it might seem obvious that the answer to “Are Tarantula Good Pets?” is going to be HELL YEAH!!! But hear me out – I want to share something that I have experienced and many tarantula owners have revealed to me in private, which may give you a different perspective on whether or not a tarantula would make a good pet for you!

Are tarantulas good pets? The obvious reasons

Let’s just say there’s a reason why the tarantula hobby is so addictive, and why it’s exploding right now. Tarantulas are fun, beautiful, and fascinating – even for people who consider themselves arachophobic. I get messages almost every week on my tarantula tumblr from people who are still scared of spiders but find themselves drawn to learning about tarantulas and want to one day own one themselves. Let me share the practical and most common reasons why tarantulas make excellent pets:

They’re cheap!

While certain exotic or rare species of tarantulas can get pricey, more common “beginner” tarantulas are pretty affordable. Once you get past the cost of the actual spider, tarantulas are some of the cheapest pets you can get. If you buy an enclosure, they are several affordable options – but you can also make your own enclosure by simply putting holes in a plastic container. Their enclosure, dirt and housing materials are cheap and usually do not have to be replaced unless the tarantula is growing and needs a bigger home. You also don’t need to spend any money on lighting like you do with lizards, and most tarantula species are usually good at room temperature so they don’t need heating equipment. Their food is also extremely piece and shouldn’t cost you any more than a few dollars a week or less.

Low maintenance!

Tarantulas are pretty much a one time investment you can have for a long time. Once you have the start-up cost of getting the tarantula, supplies and enclosure, you’re pretty much set for the tarantula’s life. Female tarantulas can live up to 20+ years, so that it ends up being a very worthwhile investment. Not only that, but you barely have to look after these guys! Tarantulas can go quite some time without food and water, so if you have to take a vacation or trip for a week or two, your tarantula will likely be fine when you get back unlike a dog or cat. Tarantulas do not eat very much, and generally only need water on a daily basis. As for cleaning, tarantulas are pretty much the lowest maintenance pet you can get. Unless you have a mold or parasite outbreak, you can probably just spot clean your tarantula’s tank for several months before having to actually clean it. Complete substrate/tank changes only need to happen about every 6 months or so if you keep up with the spot cleaning.

Low risk of injury

Many people have fear going into getting tarantulas, but bites are actually pretty rare if you know the warning signs and temperament behaviors of your tarantula. In all honest you are far more likely to be bitten by a dog or cat than your tarantula.

They’re pretty much like cats but cooler

Tarantulas have ong been considered eight-legged cats by tarantula owners. If you choose to handle them, you will notice they are soft like a cat and act like them too! They are independent creatures who like to be left alone and are happy with being worshipped from afar. Tarantulas are beautiful and have many hilarious quirks once you start observing them closely. They are a fascinating creature to learn about and look after.

Now for the big one: Are tarantulas good pets?

Hell yeah. And not just for any of the reasons I just mentioned, although those are great reasons to get a tarantula. In my experience of having Spidey, my G. rosea, and now my sling Blinky, I’ve witnessed the calming powers of these creatures.

I wrote about my struggle with anxiety and how an incident with Spidey helped me gain peace of mind in the past, but I’m not alone in this. As a naturally anxious person and someone who struggles with depression at times, I’ve really benefited from having a tarantula. My tarantulas have not only given me something really exciting to learn about, but they’ve provided a peaceful distraction without taking very much of my time, finances, or energy. For someone who struggles with mental health issues, that’s pretty important.

Several other tarantula owners have reported that getting a tarantula (and then many more lol) has helped them recover from various mental health issues, or at least manage them better. Some of these issues were depression, anxiety, addiction, or sometimes just loneliness. For many tarantula owners like myself, caring for these animals provides a calming and meditative experience – Richard Stewart from tarantula Facebook group The Tarantula Collective once referred to his tarantula feeding, watering, and caretaking responsibilities as a kind of “walking meditation” and I couldn’t agree more. Many other T lovers have said the same.

I have a beautiful cat named Eva who I love dearly and loves me back. I would do anything for this cat, and frequently give in to her constant demands for treats and cuddles. While some may think that having a pet who can love you back is far superior to having a spider who doesn’t even know you exist, I would argue that the mental peace and space I’ve gained from interacting with and caring for these creatures is equally valuable. Not to mention, all the cool people you meet along the way in tarantula groups, forums, and conventions. The tarantula hobby is generally a passionate and supportive place, and has given many people a sense of community when they had none.

As a therapist myself, I think any pet can be therapeutic for someone who is struggling with mental health issues. However one of the most effective ways to manage stress and mental wellness is by engaging in “flow states”, meditation, or calming activities and for many people, observing and looking after beautiful spiders ticks all of those boxes and provides them with balance. If you don’t believe me, literally walk into a pet store and observe how a tarantula moves or watch a video of a tarantula walking or grooming itself on YouTube – you will likely feel relaxed and fascinated in no time.

Yes, the benefits of having a low maintenance, cool pet are real (it’s massive conversation starter, by the way!). But to me at least, and many others I feel, our tarantulas have provided a space for us to drown out the noise and be fully present. For some of us, it’s the only time we can get there.

To learn more about how my tarantula has helped me live with anxiety, check out my video!

I hope this helped you! By the way, check out my new tarantula magazine for more cool spider stuff:

I’m putting out issues every 2 months! If you’d like to be a part of that, you can visit the magazine’s Patreon page to subscribe or make a submission! You can also contact me at theavenmag@gmail.com for more info!

If you want to learn more about tarantulas, feel free to check out my big tarantula guide (I talk about lots of tarantula facts and enclosure/care tips). You can also get free tarantula tips by signing up for my newsletter or subscribing to my YouTube channel! I release new tips every Tuesday for Tarantula Tuesday! And I also sell some pretty cool tarantula t-shirts, if I do say so myself 😉