Choosing the perfect tarantula terrarium can be a lot of pressure for a first time tarantula owner. After all, not only do you need to learn all the ins and outs of taking care of this weird, foreign (yet very precious) creature, but you need to find a setup worthy of your new pet. There are a lot of things to consider, so let me break things down.

Tarantula Terrarium 101: What type of tarantula do you have?

There are generally 3 types of tarantulas: burrowing (the kind that like to dig and make tunnels underground), terrestrial (the land dwellers) and arboreals (the tree dwellers). You need to know which type your tarantula is for other care requirements of course, but especially for your species of tarantula. For example, an arboreal needs a vertically dominant tarantula terrarium, and should never be given a landscape design enclosure because it will not be able to exist in the natural environment it needs to thrive. Arboreals love to climb, so they need an enclosure that is more tall than wide, like this:

Terrestrials and burrowing tarantulas, on the other hand, need a terrarium that is more wide than high (in fact, tanks that are too tall are quite hazardous for them if they are not filled with substrate to avoid a nasty fall). These tarantulas do not have the climbing abilities to prevent them from falling or climbing mishaps so it’s a good idea to make sure you get them something that looks more like this:

Tarantula Terrarium 101: How big is your spider?

Depending on your spider’s age and species, they may need a bigger or larger tank? Whether you have a burrowing, terrestrial or arboreal spider, baby tarantulas (also known as slings) should not be kept in enclosures that are suitable for adults. Usually slings can be kept in little deli cups and drum vials like these:

Arboreal sling setup:

Terrestrial/burrowing sling setup:

If your tarantula is a juvenile (meaning a teenager or youngster), you can upgrade then to a tupperware that is a little bigger but not as big as you would give an adult.

You also want to know the species of your tarantula so that you can be prepared for how large your tarantula is going to get when it’s full grown. There is a wide variety of sizes that tarantulas come in and not all of them will need a 10 gallon enclosure when they’re adults – so ask around in tarantula forums and Facebook groups to see what other tarantula keepers are using for a full grown tarantula terrarium for the species you have.

Tarantula Terrarium 101: Ventilation

All tarantula enclosures, whether it’s a tiny deli cup or a large tank, need holes for ventilation. Different tarantula species have different ventilation requirements. If you have a sling, first and foremost you want to make sure that the ventilation holes aren’t large enough for your little sling to escape through (this has happened to MANY tarantula owners!). You also want to do some research on humidity requirements for your particular species. Some species require cross ventilation and more humidity than others. Generally, arboreal terrariums feature ventilation on the sides of the enclosure while terrestrial and burrowing terrariums feature ventilation on the tops of the tanks. Be sure to do your research on what your tarantula needs!

Tarantula Terrarium 101: Security

Another very important consideration is of course the security of your new tarantula terrarium. What materials is it made out of? Is the material safe, of good quality and secure? Is there a locking system? Tarantula enclosures are generally made of glass, plexiglass, or plastic. All are fine for the purposes of a tarantula terrarium – just make sure to wash it off when you first get it from the store to eliminate any sticker residue, chemicals, sprays or dust. Be aware that many of the mesh lids that are popular on tarantula tanks pose a risk to tarantulas, especially the terrestrial ones as these spiders sometimes like to climb onto the lid and can get stuck (I have a video on a helpful preventative measure here). Mesh lids have also been known to be bitten through by some strong arboreal tarantulas as well. The best type of lid you can get is a plexiglass lid, in my opinion as they tend to have the least accidents.

The other thing to consider is a locking mechanism. Do NOT put faith in your tarantula never trying to get out of its enclosure. These babies are sneaky and many tarantula owners have dealt with the horrors of an escaped tarantula. ESPECIALLY if you have children or pets in the house, you will want to put some sort of locking mechanism on your tarantula’s terrarium. Many enclosures fortunately come with these safety features.

Tarantula Terrarium 101: Safety

Of course the last part of all this is not just about the tarantula terrarium – it’s about where you’re going to put it. You want the enclosure to be somewhere safe where no one will bother it. I go more into this in greater detail in this post, so be sure to give it a read through before you get too far!