Putting together a first tarantula enclosure is an experience that no first-time tarantula owner will ever forget. It’s an experience that is extremely rewarding, but also teaches you quite a bit. How many of us totally screwed up our first tarantula enclosure, or made a silly beginner mistake? I know I made many my first time around, and those mistakes cost me quite a bit of time and money – not to mention, stress.

There’s a lot that goes into making a tarantula enclosure. You need to make sure you provide the right environment for your tarantula, not to mention more tricky things like humidity. It’s really easy to feel overwhelmed, so in this post I will break everything down and even give you direct links for products I’ve used so that you can save money and fast-track the process. Your tarantula will be in its new home in no time!

While you can get your supplies from a regular pet store, most stores are clueless when it comes to tarantula care and their staff is even less knowledgeable unless you go to a real exotic pet shop. I made this mistake my first time around, and I won’t do it again. I tend to favor products on Amazon now, because it tends to be cheaper and more variety (plus super convenient if you have a prime membership – you can get a free trial here).

You can watch the video below (please subscribe!) or feel free to scroll down for more descriptions and links!

Here’s what I recommend to get you started on your tarantula enclosure (NOTE: These recommendations are NOT for baby tarantulas (slings). If you have a sling, scroll way down).

Adult tarantulas (see specific requirements for terrestrial and arboreal tarantulas or scroll down for complete starter kits):

1. The tank: Terrestrial spiders will need a landscape-style tank – not too high. In general, 3 times the leg span across and 2 times the leg span for the height is good, although some tarantula owners like to give their spiders more space. The main thing with these spiders is that you don’t want a tank that is too high, because your spider may climb and fall.

Arboreal tarantulas will need a portrait-style tank so they can climb. Unlike enclosures for terrestrial spiders, these arboreal tanks commonly feature front-loading doors instead of lids, as these spiders like to web on their ceilings.

NOTE: Some spiders may require more cross ventilation, so you may need to look for holes not only on the top, but also on the sides depending on your tarantula’s needs. If holes are lacking, you can create your own small holes easily if the tank is made of Plexiglas.

2. A lid or screen for the tank: Most containers or enclosures will come with a lid already. The screen or lid must have small holes for air. NOTE: Common mesh screens for ground-dwelling tarantulas must be spider-proofed to prevent injury – I explain how to do this in my tarantula guide.

3. Substrate: Coconut fiber substrate or topsoil is great for these tarantulas. Be sure not to use anything with fertilizer or additives. If you have an arboreal that requires a lot of humidity and moisture in its environment, you can put some vermiculite below the substrate. You can also add sphagnum moss to the enclosure, as it holds onto moisture and humidity well.

4. A shallow water dish: While water dishes like this are great, many tarantula owners use things like bottle caps or shallow containers and they work just fine. You do NOT need a sponge despite what pet stores tell you – they just breed bacteria.

5. A hide: Tarantulas are nervous critters and need a place like a hollow log or similar dark space to hide in and feel safe.

6. Decor: While terrestrial tarantulas are pretty happy with just a log or something to hide in, arboreal tarantulas will need a piece of cork bark or some type of branch so they can climb. Using decorative plants is safest – you don’t want to ruin the tarantula enclosure or hurt your spider with chemicals from pesticides, parasites and pests from the outside.

7. Temperature and humidity tools and gauges: While many tarantulas will be comfortable a room temperature, some exotic tarantulas have specific temperature and humidity requirements, and you may find the tools below useful:

In the winter, it can be a challenge to keep your tarantulas at a comfortable, safe temperature – in this case, I recommend the space heater method (suggestions and explanation can be found at this link).

8. Back-up containers: I also suggest having two small additional holding tanks or containers that will make transporting your spider (for tank cleanings, rehousing or anything else) easier, as well as storing food like worms or crickets.

Complete starter kits:

If you find having to buy all the different parts stressful or expensive, you can definitely just go on Amazon and buy a complete tarantula enclosure kit like these:

Terrestrial starter kit

Arboreal starter kit

 

Recommendations for a sling tarantula enclosure:

If you have a juvenile or small tarantula, you don’t necessarily have to buy a whole tank yet. Many tarantula owners simply get a deli cup, put a bunch of small holes in it for air, and use that as a tarantula enclosure until the time comes to upgrade. This is a good cheap alternative for a growing tarantula, and you can buy a ton of these small containers if you have a lot of slings. Generally, small vials and deli cups make a good tarantula enclosure for slings.

And of course, your baby tarantula will also need a tiny water dish (many just use bottle caps or upside down legos), substrate, and a tiny place to hide/climb like a leaf or stick depending on whether or not the sling is a terrestrial or arboreal tarantula.

I hope this was helpful to all of you on your journey to make a great tarantula enclosure! I go much further into this topic and tarantula care in my big tarantula guide, so give it a look! And as always, you can get free tips by signing up for my newsletter or subscribing to my YouTube channel!

Featured image via Raul Hernandez Gonzalez / Flickr

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but all views in this article are my own and products that I believe in.