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How to Keep Spiders as Pets

Spiders can make fascinating pets. Here are a few steps to get you started keeping spiders.

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Step 1: Catch a spider

Spiders are all around us, indoors and out, so they’re not hard to find. Some species can bite and a few are venomous. Learn about dangerous spiders in your area before heading out. It’s easy to safely catch a spider by using a small jar. Gently coax it into the jar using the lid. Spiders will eat each other, so keep only one per jar.

Step 2: Prepare a cage

Large spiders do well in the inexpensive plastic terrariums available from pet stores. Smaller ones can be kept in jars or plastic containers if air holes are drilled into the lid or sides. Be sure the holes are small enough to prevent escape.

Potting soil makes good cover for the cage bottom. Sticks, dead leaves or artificial plants provide structure for hiding, climbing and webbing.

Step 3: Water

Depending on the size of the spider, anything from a plastic bottle cap to a small bowl can serve as a water dish. Spiders also drink water sprayed on webbing, but you should never allow the cage to become damp.

Step 4: Feeding

Offer insect prey once or twice a week. Crickets are available from pet shops, or you can collect insects outdoors if no insecticides have been sprayed in the area.

Step 5: Observing

Watch your spider and take notes on its behavior. You won’t believe what happens in the spider’s web until you’ve visited it yourself!


PREFERRED PETS

Not all spiders do well in captivity. Active hunters are usually easier to keep than web builders. Here are a few that make good pets.

Tarantulas: Some species exceed 10 inches in legspan. They’re by far the most popular pet spiders and can be bought in pet stores.

Wolf Spiders: Some can be more than three inches in legspan. Large specimens do best in terrariums with lots of floor space.

Jumping Spiders: Although small and rarely exceeding half an inch, their jumping ability is amazing. Many species are brightly colored and can easily be kept in jars.

Fishing Spiders: In captivity, these large spiders appreciate vertically arranged pieces of bark for climbing. They’re very fast, so use caution when capturing them.

Grass Spiders: These spiders build funnel-shaped webs in grass, bushes and on buildings. In captivity, they will build extensive webs inside their cage.

LEARN MORE: Click here to see photos of a spider expert’s seven favorite spiders

42 Comments on How to Keep Spiders as Pets

  1. Spider_daddy94 // October 2, 2023 at 2:28 am // Reply

    This is day one for me and I just caught 8 spiders today!! I am terrified of spiders and would hate to be bit or have one crawling on me but they are so fun to catch it’s a great challenge especially being scared of them it’s an adrenaline rush. I can’t wait to name them all tmrw!

  2. I actually have a small female spider but turns out there was a second one of the same species on a piece of bark I put in its enclosure. Now I have a male spider.😂

  3. Do spiders eat caterpillars?

  4. I like spiders but they are really scary and I can not lie.

  5. Minxy_bell 123 // April 5, 2023 at 3:05 am // Reply

    Plz send me a name it’s a brown spider with a black stripe down its back if u know the gender from that plz tell me tysm

  6. Minxy_bell 123 // April 5, 2023 at 2:54 am // Reply

    I just caurt one to day 5/4/23 I’m 9 and I don’t know what speshies it is but I made my own tiquerum and if you can plz send me top tips of how to get food and stuff like that tysm

  7. I caught a spider a week ago and fed it some crickets. I dont know type he is so help me!!!! My spider has brown legs and a brown body his abdomen is very dark brown.

    • Minxy_bell 123 // April 5, 2023 at 3:08 am // Reply

      That’s the same spider as me Google how to tel a spiders gender and discribe that and then say which spider speshies is this I hope it works for you

  8. spiders _are the best // September 9, 2022 at 8:54 pm // Reply

    i am 9 yers old i love!!!!! spiders i am going to get one wene i am older spiders!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  9. My dad caught me a spider that’s one of those small ones. I looked at this to find how to take care of it.

  10. spider are so cool and cute

  11. i love spiders so

  12. THIS ISNT ABOUT TRANSFING UR BFF TO A SPIDER!!!!!

  13. junxin guan // July 26, 2021 at 6:17 pm // Reply

    I see a spider in my backyard door

  14. spider woman // July 23, 2021 at 5:17 pm // Reply

    hey do you guys know if i can keep a money spider 1.) in A glass jar, 2.) what do i feed them?

    • Minxy_bell 123 // April 5, 2023 at 3:16 am // Reply

      Insects and get a bottle cap and put water in there and add it to it’s cage then itle get water to drink

  15. Its good to learn about spiders, just discovered they also feed on coachroaches…

  16. Would blood spiders work?

  17. Dinnerbone™ // May 25, 2021 at 7:43 am // Reply

    My mom hates spiders :))

  18. Dinnerbone™ // May 25, 2021 at 7:43 am // Reply

    My mom hates spiders 🙂

  19. tarantulasarecool // May 6, 2021 at 10:31 am // Reply

    omg i want to get a tarantula so thanks so much 0w0!!!!!!

  20. Tarantulas are my favorite. What’s your’s?

  21. Zippest Bell // April 14, 2021 at 5:55 pm // Reply

    That’s a really good idea!!!

  22. Om so in vermont we have very small spiders those do they need to eat or no cause i have like 50 others and the smallest one i had i didn’t feed it for like a week
    and it died and i caught it in the winter.

  23. I have a 2 fighting spiders, one male and one female.The female spider just lay eggs in her egg sac

  24. ILIKEARACHNIDS // December 13, 2020 at 3:56 pm // Reply

    Hi that was an awesome article that really helped me

  25. return to monke // November 5, 2020 at 10:37 am // Reply

    i have a woodlouse hunter (Dysdera Crocata) but it is still baby.

  26. i knew theyd make a goood pet cuz mine died :I

  27. Not a bad idea!

  28. This was a great artical! i’m planning on getting a spider so thanks for the help!

  29. yes, spiders r friends

  30. i,m going to cach a hobo spider they are huge.

  31. I just caught a spider in my basement very small but big enough to be Caught and. Put into a new habit great

  32. somebody cool // September 6, 2020 at 5:57 pm // Reply

    great advice

  33. I agree that’s mean !

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