Cribs Academy — Tarantulas 101

Tarantulas 101: Understanding Terrestrial, Arboreal & Fossorial

The single most important thing to know before setting up any tarantula enclosure is your animal's lifestyle type. Get this right and everything else gets easier. Get it wrong and you'll have a stressed animal no matter how expensive your setup is.

Beginner · 5 min read

Terrestrial, Arboreal and Fossorial tarantula enclosure types

🌿 Terrestrial Tarantulas

Terrestrial tarantulas live on the ground — roaming open terrain and retreating into shallow burrows or hides when threatened. Built for horizontal movement, not climbing.

Common species: Mexican Red Knee (Brachypelma hamorii), Chaco Golden Knee (Grammostola pulchripes), Salmon Pink Birdeater (Lasiodora parahybana)

PriorityFloor space over height

SubstrateArachnidirt Original Blend

HumidityDry with moist corner for gradient

HeightNo more than 1.5x leg span above substrate — falls can be fatal

Water dishShop Water Dishes

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🌳 Arboreal Tarantulas

Arboreal tarantulas live in trees — in hollow branches, under bark, or inside bromeliad plants. Fast, agile, and highly adapted for vertical living.

Common species: Martinique Pink Toe (Caribena versicolor), Common Pink Toe (Avicularia avicularia), Indian Ornamental (Poecilotheria regalis)

PriorityHeight over floor space

VentilationCross-ventilation is non-negotiable — stagnant air is the #1 husbandry killer

SubstrateArachnidirt Tropical Blend

HumidityLightly moist base, good airflow — never stuffy

AnchorShop Cork & Wood

AccessFront-opening enclosure — top access destroys tube webs

Water dishShop Water Dishes

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🪨 Fossorial Tarantulas

Fossorial tarantulas are burrowers — living almost entirely underground. Rarely seen at the surface and that is completely normal.

Common species: Cobalt Blue (Cyriopagopus lividum), Asian Earth Tigers (Chilobrachys spp.), Trapdoor Baboon (Idiothele mira)

PriorityDeep substrate — minimum 6–8 inches

SubstrateArachnidirt Original Blend — holds burrow structure

MoistureKeep bottom third moist, top dry

VisibilityDon't panic if you never see them — normal behavior

WateringPour slowly down one corner every 2–4 weeks

→ Shop Fossorial Enclosures

Sources: Foelix, R.F. (2011). Biology of Spiders (3rd ed.). Oxford University Press. · Cloudsley-Thompson, J.L. (1983). Desert Adaptations in Spiders and Scorpions. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society.

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