How to choose a tarantula or spider enclosure

Tarantulas and other spiders don't need huge enclosures, but they do need the right shape. The most important questions are how your spider lives (on the ground, in the trees or underground) and how big it is now. This guide helps you choose.

1. Know how your spider lives

  • Terrestrial (ground-dwelling) spiders need floor space more than height. Choose a wide (TW) or cube (T) enclosure.
  • Arboreal (tree-dwelling) spiders need height, with room for a cork bark or branch to climb and web on. Choose a tall (TT) enclosure.
  • Fossorial (burrowing) spiders need deep substrate so they can dig. Choose an enclosure tall enough to hold several centimetres of substrate, such as a deeper cube.

2. Size by leg span

As a general guide, terrestrial spiders need a floor length of roughly 2 to 3 times their leg span. Keep the height low enough to limit falls, since a fall from height can seriously injure a heavy-bodied tarantula. Arboreal spiders need more height than floor space.

Slings (baby spiders) do better in small enclosures where they can find their food easily. Move them up a size as they grow, rather than starting a sling in an adult enclosure.

3. Ventilation and access

Good airflow helps prevent mould and stale air, especially in humid setups. Our Reptile Resort spider enclosures are all-glass, in 3mm glass, with acrylic vents, a glass-braced lid and a polystyrene base. Glass lets you see your spider clearly and is easy to clean.

Reptile Resort spider enclosure sizes

All sizes are length x width x height.

Before you buy a spider in South Africa

Some indigenous species, including some baboon spiders, may need a permit from your provincial conservation authority. Check the rules for your province and species before you buy.

Find your enclosure

See every size in Spider Enclosures, or visit one of our three Gauteng stores for advice in person.

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