As if being new to the tarantula hobby wasn’t confusing enough, there are all sorts of hidden terms and ethical concerns that we have to become aware of, and the sooner you know about them, the better. Being aware of the difference between wild caught and captive bred tarantulas is something that could save your collection in the short term, and protect the integrity of the tarantula hobby in the long run.

So what does wild caught and captive bred mean?

A wild caught tarantula is exactly what it sounds like – this is a tarantula that was caught in the wild and taken out of its natural habitat. Often, these spiders are imported/ smuggled into different countries illegally, without proper clearances and documentation. Unfortunately, if you buy a tarantula from a regular pet store like a Petco, it’s likely a wild caught tarantula as these stores usually don’t care to learn much about their exotic animals and where they come from. This is something I wish I’d known but learned too late, as there is a high risk that Spidey is a wild caught tarantula.

Captive bred tarantulas, on the other hand, are tarantulas that were bred and raised in captivity, usually through several generational cycles of captive breeding. When you go to a reputable tarantula breeder/seller, or an exotics shop, you will likely be getting a captive bred tarantula. When I purchased Blinky a little over a year ago, I was more knowledgeable and made sure that I purchased captive bred from a knowledgeable seller, and I found that through Ill Exotics. It feels good to be making purchasing decisions that do the tarantula hobby good, and because the store was familiar with my sling’s whole life journey, they were able to tell me far more about their past.

Which is better?

While it’s true that the tarantula hobby wouldn’t really exist without wild caught tarantulas, the consensus is that a captive bred tarantula is generally safer and more ethical. Having a wild caught tarantula introduced into your collection could make your collection vulnerable to any diseases and parasites that the wild caught tarantula may have brought in with them. This is a more rare occurrance with captive bred tarantulas as they are monitored much more closely and raised in generally safe, controlled conditions. This doesn’t necessarily mean that a wild caught tarantula will definitely have a disease, but many of us would rather not take the chance. Wild caught specimens also tend to be cheaper.

It becomes difficult in this hobby because some species are simply not available in captive bred options – particularly the more exotic species of tarantulas. It is also hard to find grown tarantulas that are captive bred – captive bred tarantulas are usually purchased during the sling phase. Rightfully so, the tarantula hobby is what it is today due to wild caught tarantulas being imported into different parts of the world, but there are definite risks. There is also the ethical standpoint that some of these tarantulas come from protected areas of the world, and taking them out of this habitat could be damaging. A tarantula’s native population could be depleted, and some species could become extinct in the wild. These are all things to consider when seeking out and purchasing a tarantula.

It’s a double edged sword in this hobby – yes, captive bred is generally a safer and more ethical choice however wild caught tarantulas are what made the tarantula hobby what it is today. What are your thoughts?