If you are in a hurry and just want to find out what the best tarantula enclosure is, then we recommend the Carolina Custom Cages Terrariumas the best one.
If you are considering getting a tarantula, you also need to consider providing it with the best possible enclosure.
But here’s the tricky part.
Picking the best enclosure for your tarantula can prove to be more difficult than expected because you need to consider a few different factors before making a purchasing decision. Otherwise, you can end with an enclosure that is not suitable for your tarantula’s needs.
And this is the aim of this article. I have reviewed the best tarantula enclosures that you can use, including going over how to determine which will be the best enclosure for your tarantula. Let’s take a look.
In this article, we’re going to review the following tarantula enclosures:
This terrarium by Carolina Custom Cages is the best overall tarantula enclosure. The company offers many different enclosure sizes, so you are bound to find something that you like.
However, this model offers the best value.
This enclosure is easy to assemble, though the assembly instructions are not the greatest.
Once fully set up, this enclosure looks fantastic and is very aesthetically pleasing. The clear glass design allows you to keep an eye on your tarantula from all sides.
The hinged doors offer quick access for routine feeding, watering, misting, and clean-ups. The fixed base is 6.3″ high allowing for adding enough substrate to keep your tarantula feeling cozy.
The build quality is great, and everything closes nicely and tightly. The steel mesh top provides plenty of ventilation and can be used for mounting the lights inside the enclosure. It is metal, so you will not have to worry about it melting.
The size is big enough to house even some of the larger species like the Theraphosa Blondi (Goliath birdeater), for example.
This is one of the most popular and best enclosures for terrestrial tarantulas.
And for a good reason.
This enclosure can provide your terrestrial tarantula with plenty of space to roam but still feel safe. For example, it is great for terrestrial tarantulas like the Chilean Rose tarantula and the Mexican Red Knee tarantula.
The tank has a very stylish and minimalist design, and it can fit nicely into nearly any interior design style. Nonetheless, it is sturdy and secure.
The interior of the enclosure can be accessed through the removable top lid or the front two doors. The front doors allow for easy access, clean up, misting, adding water, and feeding.
The only downsides are that the latching mechanism may be a little stiff to turn, and taking the top on and off may be a bit tricky, too.
Size:
12″ x 12″ x 12″
Pros:
Perfect for terrestrial tarantulas
Good design
Good build quality
Good ventilation
Secure
Excellent value
Easy access
Cons:
The locking mechanism and top lid can be a little tricky to use and feels a little cheap
The lid is made of plastic and mesh
Small crickets can escape through the back sometimes
This enclosure by Exo Terra is one of the best enclosures for arboreal tarantulas, like the pink-toed tarantulas, for example. The enclosure provides plenty of space for tarantulas to move and explore while not feeling lost.
This enclosure looks fantastic, and with the clear design, you will be able to see your tarantula from all sides except the backside, which is covered by a styrofoam background. The background looks good and fits nicely into the overall design of the enclosure.
The two front doors provide quick and easy access for routine maintenance and care.
Size:
12 x 12 x 18
Pros:
Good build quality
Very secure
Good design
Spacious
Good ventilation
Easy access
Great value
Cons:
The locking mechanism may be a little stiff and tricky to use
If you don’t mind using an acrylic tank, then the ones made by Petforu are worth considering.
There are two different acrylic enclosures you can choose from; the smaller one is ideal for small to medium tarantulas (below 6 inches), and the larger one is perfect for larger tarantulas.
Terrestrial tarantulas will feel best in these enclosures as they are not tall but remain spacious.
This tank is made of clear acrylic, allowing for a 360-degree view. It is a nice, minimalistic setup, and the specially drilled holes in the tank allow for excellent ventilation.
Assembling is very easy to do, although the only downside is that there are not assembling instructions.
Size:
11.42″ x 7.72″ x 5.91″
Pros:
Minimalistic design
Easy access
Lightweight
Inexpensive
Easy to assemble
Secure and safe
Cons:
No instructions on how to assemble the enclosure
The protective paper layer can be tricky to remove
Over time the top latches may start getting a little loose, so they should be routinely tightened
This enclosure offered by Zilla is an excellent choice for arboreal or even burrowing tarantulas. In fact, it is one of the best value enclosures you can get.
It is fairly tall, and the fixed base is 5 inches tall. This means you can add enough substrate to keep even a burrowing tarantula happy.
This enclosure comes with a hinged front door, giving you easy access to the terrarium interior for easier feeding and cleaning up.
This enclosure by Zilla is an excellent alternative to the ones from Exo Terra and Zoo Med. Both the Exo Terra and Zoo Med enclosures are well known for their gaps in the styrofoam background, which are not present on this enclosure.
This enclosure by REPTIZOO is another excellent choice if you want something for your terrestrial tarantula.
It is super easy to assemble, and the clear glass design allows for an unobstructed view from all sides, and the overall minimalistic design of the tank makes it aesthetically pleasing.
Feeding your tarantula is also super easy as you will not even have to remove the top lid. Instead, you can use the easy to operate feeding hole that is built in the top lid.
You can fit plenty of substrate inside the enclosure, and the top lid provides lots of ventilation. The top lid is actually designed very cleverly and slides into place. It fits snuggly and locks tightly.
Well, not all tarantulas will grow big and smaller tarantulas need smaller enclosures. For example, a tarantula that is less than 6 inches can live very comfortably in smaller enclosures like this one by Exo Terra.
It is definitely one of the smallest tarantula enclosures on our list, but, nonetheless, it is an excellent option for smaller tarantula species. This can also be a great temporary enclosure for some slings.
The raised front glass frame allows you to put lots of substrate, while the front hinged door is an excellent way to change the water, add food, or do the cage’s routine cleaning with ease.
If you are looking for an excellent tall enclosure for arboreal tarantulas, then this one by REPTIZOO is worth considering.
It provides plenty of space where smaller tarantulas—read tarantulas with legs span below 6 inches—can happily live and explore. The REPTIZOO Mini is good for tarantulas that also enjoy both burrowing and climbing, like Emerald Skeleton, for example.
The build quality is top-notch, and the clear-glass design allows for a 360-degree view of the enclosure.
The removable top lid provides access to the interior, and it fits perfectly, thanks to the “lift and pull” design. The top cover also provides plenty of ventilation which is not affected even if you place a few of these enclosures on top of each other, thanks to the stackable design.
Feeding is also made easier because you can see the small feeding hole built in the top lid.
This enclosure has a front opening door providing easier access to the interior when needed.
This enclosure is so tall that it is an excellent choice for larger arboreal tarantulas that may enjoy having a little more space to work with.
On the other hand, it can also be a fairly decent option for burrowing tarantulas. This terrarium provides enough space on the bottom to add plenty of substrate so that your tarantula can comfortably hide when it wants to.
However, you have to keep in mind that burrowing tarantulas can hurt themselves if they fall even from small heights, and this enclosure is fairly tall.
Now, if you have smaller tarantulas and slings, the good news is you don’t really need a huge enclosure. Most owners frequently even keep them in small plastic boxes that they drill for ventilation.
This enclosure by PETLAOO is very small and a perfect fit for most slings.
It looks good and is completely transparent. There are added holes for better ventilation, so you don’t have to worry about drilling. The top lid leaves some things to be desired but works well, nonetheless.
This enclosure is ideal for small arboreal species and arboreal slings. It is small but tall enough to provide them with the much-needed space and freedom without being too spacious.
The enclosure’s clear design allows for unobstructed 360-degree viewing; it looks stylish and well designed.
Before buying an enclosure for your tarantula, you need to consider several different factors. Each factor is very important and will affect how well your tarantula feels and how easy it will be, for you, to take care of it.
Size: The neat thing about tarantulas is that they don’t need a lot of space to live comfortably and stay healthy and vibrant. The enclosure size is one of the most important factors you should consider. Smaller tarantulas below 3 inches in DLS are often kept in smaller make-shift enclosures, but they should be moved to a proper adult enclosure after they outgrow them. This is why I will be getting more in-depth about the best tarantula enclosure sizes in a bit.
Accessibility: Ideally, you want an enclosure that provides easy access to the interior. You will be feeding, watering, misting, cleaning, and changing the substrate every now and then, so you want an enclosure that is easy to work with.
Build quality: Naturally, the better the build quality, the better the overall experience will be for both you and your tarantula. Ideally, you want something that has a sturdy and durable construction.
The lid: The lid is an essential part of any enclosure. It needs to provide plenty of ventilation and fit securely. The size of the lid’s openings is also important to consider because if they are too big, some tarantulas can get their legs stuck in the screen and hurt themselves. This is why some mesh screens may have to be spired-proofed, per se, in order to protect the tarantula from hurting itself.
Ventilation: Tarantulas need good ventilation to stay healthy, especially the arboreal species. Enclosures with poor ventilation should be avoided.
The Best Terrestrial Tarantula Enclosure
Terrestrial tarantulas like to stay on the ground. However, sometimes they can feel a little adventurous and try to climb to a high spot only to fall and hurt themselves.
Fall damage is a concern with these tarantulas. So they do best in enclosures that are not very high.
The best enclosures for terrestrial tarantulas are usually the ones with 1.5 to 3 times the tarantula’s diagonal legs span (DLS) in terms of width and length and a height of 1 to 2 their legs span.
Generally speaking, the best enclosure size for terrestrial tarantulas are:
8″ x 8″ x 8″
12″ x 12″ x 12″
20″ x 12″ x 10″
24″ x 18″ x 18″
The Best Arboreal Tarantula Enclosure
Unlike terrestrial tarantulas, arboreal tarantulas actually enjoy climbing and know how to stay safe while doing it.
This is why arboreal tarantulas do best in taller enclosures that allow for some vertical climbing.
Usually, the best enclosure size for an arboreal tarantula is about 2 to 3 times its legs span in height and 1.5 to 3 times its legs span in width and depth.
These are the best enclosure dimensions for most arboreal tarantulas.
6″ x 6″ x 12″
12″ x 12″ x 18″
15″ x 15″ x 24″
18″ x 18″ x 24″
The Best Burrowing Tarantula Enclosure
Burrowing tarantulas (also known as fossorial tarantulas) are a little different in that they prefer to dig deep burrows where they can hide. They don’t really like climbing and can hurt themselves if they fall, even from small heights.
The ideal enclosure for a fossorial tarantula is usually not too wide or long but tall enough so that more substrate can be fit inside.
The best enclosure for the burrowing species is tall and filled with substrate almost to the top. Burrowing tarantulas can be very happy with substrate that is 5″ to 14″ deep.
These are some of the best enclosure sizes for most burrowing tarantulas:
3″ x 3″ x 6″
12″ x 12″ x 18″
12″ x 12″ x 24″
15″ x 15″ x 24″
Things are usually a little trickier when it comes to finding the best enclosure for a burrowing tarantula. These enclosure sizes are not very popular, and as a result, they are often hard to find. Many owners, particularly the more handy ones, often resort to building the enclosure themselves.
In Conclusion
It can be hard to pick the right enclosure for a tarantula. However, I would consider the Carolina Custom Cages Terrarium to be the best choice so far. It is spacious enough to provide your tarantula with some good real estate. That being said, it is not too big. On top of that, the walls are all glass, which is more aesthetically pleasing than plastic. The mesh screen on top will provide good air circulation without being a hazard to your tarantula. If you have a limited budget, REPTI ZOO Natural Enclosure is your best choice
When it comes to slings, look no further than the PETLAOO’s Critter Keeper. It is an excellent deal. It is very inexpensive and will provide good housing for your slings.
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