Tarantula keeping runs on trust: species honestly labeled, slings honestly sized, temperaments honestly described. We source from specialist breeders, confirm the exact spider (species, size, sex if known) is available, and quote the exact total before anything is charged.
Beginner means slow, calm, and forgiving. Advanced means fast with medically significant venom — those listings are gated by a keeper-experience confirmation, and we will decline orders we don't believe the keeper is ready for.
The benchmark beginner tarantula: calm, hardy, slow-growing, and stunning as an adult.
BeginnerMild venomFamously unhurried and tolerant of beginner mistakes. A decades-long companion.
BeginnerMild venomElectric color and architecture-grade webbing. Noticeably faster than the beginners — a true second tarantula.
IntermediateSkittish & fastBeautiful, defensive, and absolutely not a handling spider. For keepers who enjoy observing, not touching.
AdvancedPotent venom — no handlingArboreal Old World tarantulas with medically significant venom and real speed. Experience confirmation required before we source these — no exceptions.
AdvancedMedically significant venomNot a tarantula, but it lives on this shelf: hardy, defensive, and spectacular under UV light.
IntermediateVenomous — forceps onlyWe are a sourcing service, not a warehouse. Live animals shouldn't sit in a box in a warehouse waiting for a buyer.
Typical timeline: confirmation within 1 business day; most breeders ship live orders Monday–Wednesday only, so a Friday request usually ships the following Monday. We'll always tell you the ship date before charging you.
Live animals are perishable. Orders ship early in the week (Mon–Wed) to avoid weekend warehouse stays. During extreme heat or cold, shipments may be held until a safe window — we email you before any hold, and you may cancel for a full refund instead of waiting. "Hold for pickup" at your local carrier hub is available on request and strongly recommended in summer and winter.
If a significant portion of your order arrives dead, email us within 24 hours of the carrier's delivery scan with a clear photo of the shipment as received. We will, at your choice: reship once at no charge, or refund the item price (shipping refunded if the carrier/supplier accepts responsibility for a transit delay). Normal transit stress — a small number of losses in a bulk count — is not DOA; as a working rule, losses above roughly 10% of a counted order qualify. We never ask you to ship dead animals back.
Live goods cannot be returned and restocked — that would be unsafe for the animals and for other customers. Cancellation is free any time before your card is charged (i.e., before you approve the confirmed total). After shipment, the DOA policy above is the remedy. Wrong species or count? That's on us: reship or full refund, your choice.
All tarantulas are venomous; the question is potency and temperament. New World species (the Beginner and most Intermediate listings) have comparatively mild venom — often compared to a bee sting — but can flick irritating urticating hairs; keep them out of eyes and off skin. Old World species (labeled Advanced) have medically significant venom: a bite can mean severe pain, cramping, and an ER visit. There is no tarantula antivenom; treatment is supportive. Our rules: tarantulas are look-don't-hold pets at every level; all transfers use catch cups and long tongs; Advanced species are never sold to first-time keepers. If you are allergic to bee stings, tell us before ordering anything — we'll steer you accordingly.
Tarantulas are legal in most of the U.S., but some cities and housing situations restrict them, and a few species face local rules. Our confirmation step checks your destination before any charge, and we will not ship a species we know to be restricted where you live. [Placeholder: final restriction matrix to be completed before launch.]
A baby tarantula (spiderling). Slings are cheaper and let you raise the animal yourself, but they're smaller, more delicate, and some species take years to reach adult color. Listings say sling vs. juvenile vs. adult, and the confirmation step verifies the actual size.
We recommend against handling any tarantula: a short fall can rupture an abdomen and kill the spider, and even mild species can bite or flick hairs when startled. These are observation pets — and they're genuinely fascinating to observe.
Medically significant: intense pain, muscle cramping, and symptoms that can last days and warrant an ER visit. That's why Advanced listings require an experience confirmation and why we decline first-time keepers for them.
Never at request time — only after breeder confirmation and your approval of the exact total. Can't source it at that price? Hold released, you pay nothing.
Yes, with breeder-standard packaging (padded deli cup, insulated box, phase pack as needed) and Mon–Wed shipping windows. Our DOA policy covers arrival losses with a photo within 24 hours of the delivery scan.
Prototype form — submitting does not place an order or charge anything. In the live version, this form opens the concierge flow described above.