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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

15 Comments on How to Keep Spiders as Pets

  1. WingsofFire_11 // March 27, 2018 at 2:21 pm // Reply

    where do I find tarantula spiders?

    • send an email with a pic to any spider retailer, or type into google SPIDER IDENTIFICATION WEBSITE, tbey do it for free.

  2. Spiders are cool especially black widows witch I find all the time

  3. I found a spider in my bath tub so I’m putting it a little container because my sis and mom hate spiders it looks like a daddy long leg but can you jump superhigh

  4. What about an orbed weaver…. He hasn’t eaten since we brought it in from the cold about 3weeks ago. What can i feed it??

  5. Kittens r life🐱 // October 15, 2017 at 12:28 am // Reply

    We find wolf spiders in our house all the time!!!
    They’re disgusting😱

  6. That sounds cool. All spiders are venomous, only two in America can break your skin

    • I love wolf spiders!

      • False. Even orb weavers can break skin. Only two north American spiders have a venom potent enough to seriously harm humans, however, the black widow and brown recluse. Fortunately, an antivenin is easily available for both and they’re fairly skittish spiders.

    • They eat things like mosquitoes and flies, so even if they are disgusting to you, they eat things that are more gross and hazardous and should be treated with kindness. Because spiders are awesome, man.

  7. Karsin_de_Frog // October 3, 2017 at 8:55 pm // Reply

    I found spider eggs and specific care till they are older?

    • Jumping spiders need at least a foot of space to excercise or they will die earlier than they should. DO NOT keep your jumping spider in a jar. Make sure you also make sure to get a docile one as a pet (one that you can hold for more than 3 secs), otherwise they will die from stress.

  8. Lol I keep black widows.

  9. Crockerdile // August 12, 2017 at 5:10 pm // Reply

    I have two grass spiders one male one female I also have a hobo spider that is tormenting rocky (the female) rocky and the male are in separate enclosures for now so rocky doesn’t eat the 2mm
    male

  10. the niBBa man // July 13, 2017 at 1:21 am // Reply

    yo guys where do i find hobo spiders?

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