Baby Tarantula (Sling) Care Guide for New Keepers

Spiderling Care Isn’t Hard or Scary

At Exotics Unlimited, we’ve raised thousands of tarantulas across more than 150 species. One of the most common questions we get from new hobbyists is: “How do I care for a baby tarantula?”

The good news? It’s much easier than it seems. Baby tarantula care (often called “slings”) is not only fulfilling, but also allows you to save money and get rare species of tarantulas for sale that may not be available in larger sizes.

Whether you’re a first-time sling keeper or adding a few more to your collection, this guide walks you through everything you need to know from tarantula sling enclosure setup to feeding, hydration, and molting stages.

Setting Up the Best Baby Tarantula (Sling) Enclosure

When it comes to housing spiderlings, smaller is better. It helps with humidity control, makes feeding easier, and reduces the chance of your sling getting “lost” in a big enclosure.

We use dram vials, which is a fancy term for a small cylinder or round tube-shaped container. Think pill bottles. Ok, now that we have that covered, here’s our advice.

What we recommend:

20-dram vials (1.5’ wide x 2” tall): use for very tiny slings
40-dram vials (2” wide x 3” tall): use for average-size slings

Ventilation

Make sure the lid is secure and escape-proof, and always ventilate the tarantula sling enclosure by poking tiny holes in the soft plastic lid. You can drill holes in acrylic if necessary, just make sure you do not press too hard, or you risk cracking the acrylic.

Slings can escape through any hole that is the same size as, or larger than, their carapace (the round section that is often called the “head” where the eye cluster is attached to).

For arboreal slings specifically, side or top ventilation is also essential. Be sure to drill small holes into the side or top of the container to allow for proper air flow.

Pro Tip: If you notice moisture buildup on the inside walls, increase the number of air holes. Proper ventilation helps prevent dangerous mold and bacterial growth that can be harmful to the animals.

Soil & Setup for Baby Tarantulas

At Exotics Unlimited, we use fine-ground coconut fiber because it’s affordable, mold-resistant, and readily available. It absorbs water without getting soggy, which helps maintain a stable, humid microclimate similar to what the slings would experience in nature. Since baby tarantulas lose moisture more quickly and molt more often than adults, they’re extra sensitive to humidity and moisture levels.

Ideal soil depth: About 1 to 1.5+ inches is perfect. You want to keep the soil halfway between dusty dry and soaking wet.

If you can squeeze the soil, water should not come out, but it should feel wet to the touch. Keeping the soil at this depth helps the spiderling maintain ideal moisture levels and keeps the humidity stable longer, even if the moisture balance isn't perfect.

Arboreal vs Terrestrial Baby Tarantula Care Setup

Terrestrial/Fossorial: Just coconut fiber + small water dish
Arboreal: Coconut fiber + a small piece of cork bark, moss, or a stick to climb on + small water dish (centrifuge vials work great)

Expert Insight: Baby arboreal species don’t touch the ground in their natural environment, so mold and bacteria in the soil would affect them more dramatically than the other spider types. Giving them a proper vertical setup is key to keeping them healthy.

Baby Tarantula Care Basics: Temperature, Humidity & Maintenance Tips

Avoid any extremes. A middle-of-the-road temperature and environment works best.

Temperature: Keep tarantulas in a room that has a stable temperature (68-75°F). No heat mats or lamps needed.
Avoid Excessive Heat: No direct sunlight
Misting: Once per week is enough. Monitor to maintain proper humidity levels and don’t make the enclosure too wet.

Sling Feeding Guide: How to Feed Baby Tarantulas

While all tarantulas prefer to hunt live prey, we recognize it is not always easiest to source live feeder insects that are the perfect size for your baby tarantulas. If your local store does not have a wide variety of sizes of crickets, we suggest pre-killing larger crickets or using cricket legs to feed your baby tarantulas.

We recommend feeding your sling two pre-killed crickets or roaches a week (as they offer more nutrients than flies) if you can’t source prey small enough for your sling. The food should be the size of the sling’s carapace (head). If you have the correct size of live prey, pre-killing isn’t necessary.

Exotics Unlimited is an affiliate of a feeder breeder, so you can always reach out to us to stock up on top-grade feeds. If you're interested in expanding your collection, check out our selection of tarantulas for sale, including many baby slings perfect for new keepers.

Feeding Tips for Different Types of Tarantulas

Where to place food is important for spiderling care because you need to ensure they can easily find it. Since tarantulas will only eat freshly killed food, it’s best to put the prey in areas where they naturally spend their time.

Arboreal Tarantulas: Place food high up or directly on their web, where they naturally hunt.
Terrestrial and Fossorial Tarantulas: Place food near their burrow or hiding spot. This way, you can monitor whether your sling is eating.

Additional feeding tips:

You can’t overfeed tarantulas – you can feed as often as they’ll eat
Remove uneaten food within an hour after feeding to avoid mold or mites
Remember, weekly misting to maintain proper humidity and moisture, but do not spray the sling directly
Handling and Stress Reduction
Minimal to no handling (tarantulas don’t enjoy it, and it can harm them)
Avoid bright lights, loud sounds, and frequent disturbances
Let them settle in after rehousing them

Cleanliness

Keep an eye out for mold. You may see yellow fuzz or white tufts.

Mold Tips:

Spot clean mold as it appears in the enclosure.
If the bedding becomes ridden with mold or fungus, then change the bedding with brand new coconut fiber.
Bedding does not have to be changed as long as there is no excessive mold in the enclosure.
Always use fresh, brand new coconut fiber and never reuse bedding between tarantulas.
Optional: You can add springtails – tiny bugs that eat mold and waste – to maintain a bioactive and clean environment.

Webbing: What's Normal?

Heavy webbing might look messy, but for tarantulas, it’s home. It helps them feel secure, mark territory, and catch prey. Healthy webbing looks white and cottony. If it turns yellow, it may be too moist inside, so add more ventilation (tiny holes in the lid).

Also note: not all species web in large amounts. Some terrestrial spiderlings will burrow into the soil for shelter and web little or not at all. Learning the correct and normal webbing behavior is a great way to tell if your tarantula is thriving or not!

Sling Sizing & Molting

Spiderlings molt every 2-4 weeks when young, slowing down as they grow. Each molt is called an instar, which is a way of tracking development. When the slings molt, they will not eat. Be sure to resume feeding when they are finished with their molt and remove the molt skin from the enclosure to avoid molding.

Fun fact: Slings are considered self-sufficient after their second molt, meaning they are fully mobile and can explore their environment (in the wild, they are no longer dependent on their mothers at this stage).

Further Reading: The Tarantula Keeper’s Guide by Schultz & Schultz – a comprehensive arachnoculture guide covering molting, care, and biologically accurate husbandry (available via Amazon).

Raising Slings Like a Pro

Baby tarantula care is a rewarding and affordable way to enjoy the full life cycle of these colorful and fascinating animals. Once you’ve cared for your first sling, the fear goes away, and the fun begins! (Warning: you may become addicted!)

Remember:

Monitor humidity and cleanliness
Remove uneaten food
Be patient with growth (and don't remove webbing unless necessary due to mold)
Ask questions if you need help – we are here for you!

Have a specific species in mind? Contact us and we’d love to help you!

Quick-Glance: Spiderling Care Checklist

Here’s a quick guide to recap what we covered on how to take care of a baby tarantula.

Care Item	Recommendation
Enclosure Size	20–40 dram vial with air holes
Soil	Fine coconut fiber (1–1.5” deep)
Humidity	Moist but not soggy. Mist weekly. Don’t spray sling directly.
Temperature	Room temp (68°F–75°F). Avoid direct sunlight (overheating).
Feeding	Weekly, 2 pre-killed crickets/roaches (unless you find tiny live crickets the size of the sling’s head)
Cleaning	Spot clean mold; don’t remove webbing
Bonus Tip	Springtails help keep the soil clean!

*You DO NOT NEED any heating or lighting elements.

Frequently Asked Questions About Baby Tarantula Care

How often should I feed a baby tarantula?

Feed your sling once a week, or as often as it’s willing to eat. We recommend offering two pre-killed insects like crickets or roaches, especially for very young slings. While slings can eat live prey, the insect must be smaller than the sling’s head to avoid any risk of injury. Most store-bought crickets are too large for tiny spiderlings, so pre-killing the food is a safer, easier option if you can’t find the right size food. If you do, however, have insects that are the right size, live feeding is perfectly fine. We recommend feeding your sling two crickets or roaches the size of the sling's carapace (head).

How fast do baby tarantulas grow?

Growth depends on the species and feeding. Some slings molt every 2-4 weeks and then slow down as they age. Feeding regularly and keeping stable conditions with ideal moisture levels and no mold will help them grow faster.

What is the best kind of baby tarantula (sling) enclosure?

A small well-ventilated container is best for baby tarantulas (also known as spiderlings or slings). At Exotics Unlimited, we use and recommend 40 dram vials for our slings. The enclosure should be secure, have moist soil like coconut fiber, and suit the species type (like a small piece of cork bark for arboreal tarantulas to climb).

You'll need to drill ventilation holes into the lid and make sure they're smaller than the sling's carapace (head) to prevent escaping. For arboreal slings only, it's important to drill holes into the sides of the container as well to ensure proper cross ventilation.

Does this care sheet apply to all baby spiders?

This care sheet is meant for tarantulas, but keep in mind there are thousands of other spider species. It’s important to do research on the particular spider species you are purchasing to confirm the setup and care that is best for them.

How do I know if there is too much moisture in the sling's enclosure?

If you see condensation or moisture buildup on the inside walls of the container, it's a sign the moisture levels may be too high. In this case, increase the number of ventilation holes to improve the airflow.

How would you dry out an enclosure if it has too much moisture?

To reduce excess moisture, start by adding more ventilation holes to improve air flow. You could also move the enclosure to a slightly warmer spot to speed up evaporation but only for a short time as you don't want to overheat the sling. If the soil still feels too wet after this, carefully remove some of the coconut fiber and replace it with fresh, dry coconut fiber. Remember, slings do need some humidity to stay hydrated, so be sure to keep a portion of the moist coconut fiber in the enclosure.

Ready to Bring Home a Baby Tarantula?

Now that you know how to take care of a baby tarantula, all that’s left to do is to get one!

Check out our Beginner Tarantula Spiderlings that are perfect for first-time keepers. Or Shop All Tarantulas for sale to find baby slings and other rare species while they’re still small.

About the Author

William West is an invertebrate specialist and the owner of Exotics Unlimited, one of the largest and most trusted sources for rare and exotic tarantulas for sale in the U.S. With over 15 years’ experience keeping and breeding 150+ tarantula species, he’s passionate about educating new keepers in the hobby and improving tarantula husbandry standards (aka best practices and care for animals). He’s helped thousands of hobbyists successfully raise spiderlings into healthy adult pets.

If this guide helped you, share it with a friend or fellow keeper. And as always, happy keeping! – The Exotics Unlimited Team