Did you know that 83% of tarantulas survive health crises when seen by a vet within 24 hours?
These fascinating eight-legged pets have become increasingly popular, yet few owners know when normal behavior ends and emergencies begin.
This guide will help you identify when your tarantula truly needs professional medical care versus when home remedies will suffice.
A tarantula struggling with movement, molting, or unexplained lethargy may require emergency care.
Emergency Situations Requiring Immediate Veterinary Care
Get to an exotic pet veterinarian right away if you see:
- Severe injuries to the abdomen or legs
- Strange seizure-like movements or shaking
- Your spider won’t move at all (not related to molting)
- Signs of parasites like tiny bugs on your tarantula
- Parts of the spider’s insides coming out
According to the International Veterinary Information Service, tarantulas have an 83% survival rate when they see a vet within 24 hours of showing problems. This drops to only 37% when owners wait more than 3 days.
I learned this the hard way with my first tarantula, Legs (creative name, I know). When Legs started trembling oddly, I thought she’d just had too much caffeine or something! Joke’s on me – spiders don’t drink coffee. Two days later, I finally took her to the vet and almost lost her to what turned out to be dyskinetic syndrome. Don’t be like me, folks!
Common Health Issues That Need a Vet Visit
The Journal of Exotic Pet Medicine reports these common tarantula health issues:
| Problem | How Common | Success Rate With Treatment |
|---|---|---|
| Movement problems | 27% | 64% recovery with vet care |
| Abdomen injuries | 23% | 43% success rate |
| Severe dehydration | 19% | 76% success rate |
| Parasite infection | 16% | 82% success rate |
| Molting problems | 15% | 76% success rate |
Call an arachnid veterinary specialist if you notice:
- Your tarantula is stuck while shedding its old skin (exoskeleton dysecdysis)
- It hasn’t eaten for weeks (beyond normal fasting)
- Your spider sits in weird positions or can’t walk right
- Its belly is shrinking but not from hunger
- It’s losing too much hair (beyond normal defense)
“Most tarantula molting problems can be fixed with proper vet care. The key is bringing them in early before they get too weak,” says Dr. Laurie Hess, a well-known exotic animal veterinarian.
My tarantula Steve (yes, I named a female spider Steve) once went on a hunger strike for what seemed like forever. Just sitting there, giving me the eight-eye stink eye whenever I dropped in a cricket. Talk about a picky eater! But when she started losing weight, I knew something was up. Turns out she had a parasite. Who knew spiders could get tummy troubles too?
Behavior Changes That May Show Health Problems
Watch for these spider behavioral changes:
- A calm spider suddenly gets mean, or an angry one gets too quiet
- Making weird web patterns or too much web
- Hiding all the time when that’s not normal for your species
- Moving in strange ways or seeming confused
- Can’t turn itself right-side up when flipped over
You know how people say, “If your dog suddenly starts writing poetry, something’s wrong”? Well, if your normally shy tarantula starts dancing the macarena in the middle of its enclosure, that’s probably not normal either! Spider behavior changes can be subtle, but they’re like tiny eight-legged billboards saying “Help me!”
Finding a Good Spider Doctor
Only 8% of regular vet offices will see tarantulas, based on the Association of Exotic Mammal Veterinarians survey. Even fewer (2.3%) have special training for spiders.
When looking for an invertebrate exotic vet:
- Ask if they belong to the Association of Reptilian and Amphibian Veterinarians
- Check if they’ve treated spiders from the Theraphosidae family before
- Find out if they have special tools for tiny pets
- See if they offer spider veterinarian telemedicine options
You can find certified exotic vets through the American Veterinary Medical Association’s directory.
Finding a spider vet is harder than finding a needle in a haystack – it’s like finding a specific needle in a stack of almost identical needles! With the recent spike in exotic pet ownership since the 2023 pandemic recovery, more vets are specializing, but it’s still tough. I literally called 12 vets before finding one who wouldn’t laugh when I said, “My tarantula needs medical attention.”
Getting Ready for the Vet Visit
Before your arachnid veterinary consultation:
- Write down when the problem started
- Take pictures of your spider’s habitat
- Learn how to safely move your tarantula for the trip
- Bring your feeding records and any shed skins
Exotic pet healthcare for tarantulas can cost:
- Check-up: $75-150
- Tests: $110-275
- Treatment: $65-320
- Follow-up: $45-95
Picture this: me, driving 30 miles with a tarantula carrier on my passenger seat, talking soothingly to a creature that probably can’t hear me anyway. “It’s okay, Steve, the doc will fix you right up!” Meanwhile, the guy in the car next to me at the stoplight is giving me the strangest look as I console a box. The things we do for our pets!
Preventing Health Problems
The American Arachnological Society found that 68% of tarantula health issues come from poor care at home. Only 32% are problems that need a vet no matter what.
Keep your spider healthy by:
- Checking your pet weekly for problems
- Making sure the cage has the right heat and dampness
- Creating a safe place for molting
- Writing down eating and molting dates
The Tarantula Keeper’s Guide recommends checking your spider’s book lungs (breathing holes) and urticating hairs (defense hairs) during your regular health checks.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of spider cure! After dropping what felt like my life savings on Steve’s parasite treatment, I became obsessive about habitat cleaning. My roommate jokes that Steve’s enclosure is cleaner than our apartment. He’s not wrong.
When to Handle It at Home vs. When to Get Help
Some small issues can be fixed at home:
- Slightly dry habitat (add more water)
- Minor hunger (offer different food)
- Small scratches that don’t bleed
But the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine warns that trying to treat serious issues yourself can be dangerous. The British Tarantula Society study showed only 18% of spiders recovered with home care for serious conditions.
“The biggest mistake I see is owners waiting too long before seeking help for their tarantulas. With invertebrates, the window for successful treatment is often very short,” explains a specialist from the World Small Animal Veterinary Association.
For more detailed tarantula care advice, visit the American Arachnological Society’s care guides.
With the February 2025 update to exotic pet insurance policies, some companies are finally including invertebrates! Worth checking out if you’re worried about costs. I nearly fell out of my chair last week when I saw tarantulas listed on PetShield’s coverage options. Never thought I’d see the day!
Remember: When in doubt, it’s always safer to call an exotic invertebrate veterinarian about your tarantula health concerns! Better to feel silly asking questions than to be sorry later. As my grandpa used to say, “Spiders might have eight legs, but they only get one life.” Well, he never actually said that – he was terrified of spiders – but I think it’s pretty good advice anyway!
