Tarantulas are quiet, clean, and amazingly low-maintenance — a fascinating pet for older kids and careful keepers who love to observe. They're a "look, don't cuddle" pet and an expert-level choice, but they ask very little of you.
Is a tarantula a good pet for kids?
Quick answer: Tarantulas are best for older kids with an adult helping. Tarantulas are quiet, clean, and amazingly low-maintenance — a fascinating pet for older kids and careful keepers who love to observe.
- 👍 Best for: extremely low-maintenance and quiet, cheap to feed (a few insects a week)
- 👀 Keep in mind: a "watch, don't handle" pet
- ⏳ Lifespan: 5–20+ years (females live longest)
- 💲 Ongoing cost: about $8–$20/mo (setup & vet extra)
📋 Tarantula at a glance
Is a tarantula right for you?
💚 Why you'll love a tarantula
- Extremely low-maintenance and quiet
- No fur — allergy-friendly
- Cheap to feed (a few insects a week)
- Long-lived and fascinating to watch
⚠️ Things to know
- A "watch, don't handle" pet
- Best for older kids and careful keepers
- Can flick irritating hairs or bite if stressed
- Some people are scared of spiders
How to care for your Tarantula
Tarantula care in depth
A "look, don't hold" pet — and why that's fine
Tarantulas are observation pets, not handling pets. Handling stresses them and, more importantly, a fall from even a short height can rupture their abdomen and kill them — so the safest approach for both of you is to admire them in their enclosure. If threatened, many New World species flick tiny irritating hairs that itch and can hurt eyes, and all can bite (venom is generally mild, like a bee sting, but painful). None of this makes them dangerous — it just means they're for careful, hands-off keepers.
Choosing a beginner species and enclosure
Great beginner tarantulas are docile, ground-dwelling New World species like the Chilean rose hair or a curly hair. Avoid fast, defensive Old World species (no irritating hairs, but stronger venom and worse tempers) until you're experienced. Match the enclosure to the type: terrestrial species need floor space and a few inches of substrate to burrow, while arboreal species need height and something to climb. A secure lid and a shallow water dish round it out.
Feeding, molting, and a long life
Tarantulas eat a few appropriately sized insects a week (crickets, roaches) and can fast for surprisingly long stretches — remove uneaten prey so it can't harm the spider. The big thing to understand is molting: your tarantula will flip onto its back and shed its whole exoskeleton to grow. Never disturb or feed a molting tarantula — it's fragile and vulnerable — and wait several days after a molt before offering food. With good care, females can live an astonishing 15–20+ years.
Tarantulas are quiet, low-cost, and fascinating to watch — but they're a 'look, don't cuddle' pet. Many live a surprisingly long time (females can reach 10–20+ years).
✅ Before you bring a tarantula home
🗓️ Your routine — easy chores to remember
- Quick look to check they're okay
- Make sure the water dish isn't dry
- Feed an appropriately sized insect (young spiders eat more often than adults)
- Remove uneaten prey and droppings
- Check humidity
- Refresh substrate as needed
- Watch for molting (don't disturb them then!)
- Deep-clean the enclosure occasionally
💰 Monthly cost: Low: a small tank and a few insects a week — one of the cheapest pets to keep.
🤩 Fun facts about your Tarantula
Some female tarantulas live more than 20 years — longer than most dogs.
❓ Common questions about tarantulas
How much does a tarantula cost per month?
Plan on roughly $8–$20 per month for food and supplies. Low: a small tank and a few insects a week — one of the cheapest pets to keep.
Are tarantulas good pets for kids?
Tarantulas rate 2/5 for kid-friendliness — they're often more of a watch-and-learn pet for younger children. Observe, don't hold. Handling stresses them and risks a fall (which can hurt them) or a bite.
How long do tarantulas live?
Tarantulas typically live 5–20+ years (females live longest). Make sure your family is ready for that commitment before bringing one home.
Are tarantulas allergy-friendly?
No fur or dander, so allergy-friendly — but some species flick tiny irritating hairs, so they're hands-off.
Are tarantulas good pets for beginners?
Yes, for the right keeper. A docile New World species like the Chilean rose hair is calm, quiet, cheap, and very low-maintenance. Tarantulas are a hands-off, observe-don't-hold pet best suited to older kids and careful adults, not young children.
Can you hold a pet tarantula?
It's best not to. Handling stresses the tarantula, and a fall from even a small height can fatally rupture its abdomen. Many species also flick irritating hairs when threatened. Enjoy a tarantula by watching it in its enclosure.
What do pet tarantulas eat?
A few appropriately sized insects such as crickets or roaches each week, with fresh water in a shallow dish. Tarantulas can go a long time between meals, and you should never feed one that is preparing to molt.
How long do tarantulas live?
It depends on sex — females of many species live 15 to 20 or more years, while males usually live only a couple of years after maturity. A female tarantula can be a surprisingly long-term pet.
🎬 Tarantula care video
A beginner care guide from YouTube. (Community video — always double-check with a vet.)
