TARANTULAS HANDBOOK: The Practical Guide to Tarantula Species, Enclosure Setup, Feeding, Behavior, Molting, Health Care, Breeding, and Lifelong Ownership

Discover the fascinating world of tarantulas and learn how to provide responsible, species-appropriate care with practical guidance covering species selection, enclosure setup, feeding, behavior, molting, health, breeding, safety, and lifelong ownership.
TARANTULAS HANDBOOK is a practical resource for beginners, experienced arachnid keepers, breeders, educators, and enthusiasts who want to better understand these extraordinary spiders. Raphael Hartley combines essential tarantula biology with clear husbandry principles to help readers create appropriate environments, recognize normal behavior, prevent common mistakes, and manage tarantulas responsibly throughout their lives.
With hundreds of species displaying different sizes, colors, temperaments, lifestyles, and environmental requirements, tarantula keeping is never truly one-size-fits-all. Understanding whether a species is terrestrial, fossorial, or arboreal—and researching its natural ecology—is essential before designing an enclosure or establishing a care routine.
Inside this handbook, you’ll discover:
• Tarantula anatomy, natural history, senses, life cycle, and behavior
• How to research and select species appropriate for your experience level
• Understanding New World and Old World species and important behavioral differences
• Choosing healthy captive-bred specimens from responsible sources
• Planning secure enclosures for terrestrial, burrowing, and arboreal species
• Selecting appropriate substrates, hides, climbing structures, anchor points, and furnishings
• Managing temperature, humidity, ventilation, and moisture without creating unhealthy conditions
• Choosing suitable live prey and developing practical feeding schedules
• Hydration, water provision, prey management, and avoiding overfeeding
• Understanding burrowing, webbing, hunting, defensive behavior, and activity patterns
• Recognizing premolt behavior and preparing for a safe molt
• Why feeding and unnecessary disturbance should be avoided during vulnerable molting periods
• Understanding post-molt recovery and when normal feeding can resume
• Monitoring body condition, appetite, movement, limbs, abdomen, and general appearance
• Preventing falls, dehydration, escape, and other common husbandry problems
• Maintaining enclosure hygiene while avoiding unnecessary disruption
• Understanding urticating hairs, defensive postures, venom, speed, and bite prevention
• Why direct handling is generally unnecessary and may endanger both keeper and tarantula
• Understanding sex differences, maturity, courtship, pairing, and mating behavior
• Egg sac development, maternal care, incubation considerations, and spiderling management
• Housing and feeding growing spiderlings appropriately
• Record keeping for feeding, molts, growth, breeding, health, and environmental observations
• Responsible breeding, sale, transfer, rehoming, and long-term planning
TARANTULAS HANDBOOK emphasizes safety and welfare throughout. Tarantulas are primarily animals to observe rather than routinely handle. Falls can seriously injure heavy-bodied species, while defensive species may present additional risks through venom or urticating hairs. Careful enclosure management and hands-off husbandry are generally the safest approaches.
Prospective keepers should also consider lifespan before purchasing. Females of some species can live for many years, making tarantula ownership a significant long-term commitment. Adult size, temperament, feeding needs, local regulations, and future care should all be considered in advance.
Whether you are preparing for your first tarantula, improving an existing setup, learning about molting, or exploring responsible breeding, this handbook provides a dependable foundation.