Tarantulas may look intimidating, but their diet is surprisingly simple. These large, hairy spiders are carnivorous hunters that mostly eat insects and other small animals. What a tarantula spider eats depends on its size, species, habitat, and age. Some eat crickets and roaches, while larger tarantulas may catch frogs, lizards, mice, or even small birds on rare occasions.
What Does a Tarantula Spider Eat?
A tarantula spider mainly eats live prey. Most species feed on insects, but they can also eat other small creatures when the opportunity appears. Tarantulas are not picky hunters. They are opportunistic predators, which means they usually eat whatever suitable prey comes close enough to catch.
The most common foods for tarantulas include crickets, grasshoppers, beetles, cockroaches, moths, worms, and other arthropods. Larger species may also eat small frogs, toads, lizards, mice, and occasionally small snakes or birds. However, insects and other invertebrates make up the main part of their diet.
Tarantulas do not chew food like mammals. Instead, they use their fangs to inject venom into prey. The venom helps paralyze the animal and begins breaking down its body. The tarantula then releases digestive fluids and sucks up the liquefied meal.
Common Foods Tarantulas Eat
Tarantulas have a broad diet, but most of their food falls into a few clear groups. Their prey depends on what lives in their environment and what the spider is large enough to overpower.
| Food Type | Examples | How Common Is It? |
|---|---|---|
| Insects | Crickets, beetles, roaches, grasshoppers | Very common |
| Other arthropods | Spiders, centipedes, small scorpions | Sometimes |
| Worms and larvae | Mealworms, waxworms, earthworms | Common in captivity |
| Amphibians | Frogs and toads | Occasional |
| Reptiles | Small lizards or snakes | Rare to occasional |
| Mammals | Pinkie mice or small rodents | Rare in the wild |
| Birds | Small birds or nestlings | Very rare |
Most tarantulas survive perfectly well on insects. The dramatic videos of tarantulas eating mice, birds, or snakes are real in some cases, but they do not represent the everyday diet of most tarantulas.
What Do Tarantulas Eat in the Wild?
In the wild, tarantulas usually hunt at night. Many species hide in burrows, under logs, or among leaf litter during the day. At night, they wait near their hiding place and strike when prey gets close.
Wild tarantulas commonly eat crickets, beetles, roaches, caterpillars, moths, grasshoppers, and other insects. Some also catch other spiders. A large tarantula may take bigger prey if it can safely overpower it, but tarantulas avoid prey that is too dangerous or difficult to control.
A tarantula’s hunting style is based more on ambush than speed. It does not build a web to trap flying insects like many other spiders. Instead, it uses silk to line burrows, detect vibrations, protect eggs, and create shelter. When prey moves nearby, the tarantula senses the vibration and attacks quickly.
What Do Pet Tarantulas Eat?
Pet tarantulas are usually fed insects. The most common feeder insects are crickets, dubia roaches, mealworms, superworms, and locusts. Some keepers also use waxworms as an occasional treat because they are fatty.
A pet tarantula’s food should be smaller than the spider’s body or at least easy for it to control. Large prey can injure a tarantula, especially during or after molting. Uneaten live insects should not be left in the enclosure for too long because they may stress or bite the spider.
Young tarantulas, often called spiderlings, usually eat smaller prey more often. Adult tarantulas eat less frequently. Some adults may eat once a week, while others may refuse food for long periods, especially before molting.
Do Tarantulas Eat Other Spiders?
Yes, tarantulas can eat other spiders. A tarantula may eat a smaller spider if it encounters one and can overpower it. This can include wolf spiders, house spiders, or even smaller tarantulas in some situations.
However, this does not mean spiders are their main food. Most tarantulas eat insects more often than other spiders. In captivity, tarantulas should usually be housed alone because they are solitary and may attack or eat each other.
Some spiders can also be dangerous to tarantulas. A black widow, for example, has strong venom and could be a risky opponent. In nature, predator-prey relationships are not always one-way. Size, venom, speed, and surprise all matter.
Is a Bird-Eating Spider a Tarantula?
Yes, the famous bird-eating spider is a tarantula. The best-known example is the Goliath bird-eating spider, also called the Goliath birdeater. It belongs to the tarantula family and is one of the largest spiders in the world by mass.
Despite the name, bird-eating spiders do not usually eat birds. The name became popular because these spiders are large enough to prey on small birds in rare cases. Their normal diet is much more similar to other large tarantulas: insects, worms, frogs, small reptiles, and small mammals.
So, when people search for “bird eating spider vs tarantula,” the answer is simple: a bird-eating spider is a type of tarantula, not a completely separate kind of spider.
Goliath Bird-Eating Spider vs Tarantula
The phrase “Goliath bird-eating spider vs tarantula” can be confusing because the Goliath bird-eating spider is already a tarantula. The difference is that “tarantula” is a broad group, while “Goliath bird-eating spider” refers to a specific large species.
A regular pet tarantula, such as a Mexican red-knee tarantula or Chilean rose tarantula, is usually smaller and eats mostly insects. The Goliath bird-eating spider is much larger and can handle bigger prey. Even so, it still eats insects and other small animals more often than birds.
The Goliath birdeater’s size makes it famous, but its feeding behavior is not as extreme as its name suggests. It is a powerful ground-dwelling tarantula that hunts animals it can overpower safely.
Do Tarantulas Eat Birds, Mice, or Snakes?
Some large tarantulas can eat birds, mice, or snakes, but this is not their normal everyday diet. A tarantula is more likely to eat insects and small ground animals than hunt birds regularly.
A tarantula may eat a mouse if the mouse is small, weak, or young. In captivity, some people feed large tarantulas pinkie mice, but this is not always recommended as a regular food. Rodents can be fatty and messy, and they are not necessary for most tarantulas.
Tarantulas may also catch small snakes or lizards in the wild. These events are rare but possible. The spider must be large enough to control the prey and avoid injury.
What Eats Tarantulas?
Tarantulas are predators, but they also have predators of their own. Animals that may eat tarantulas include birds, snakes, lizards, frogs, mammals, scorpions, centipedes, and other spiders.
One of the most famous tarantula predators is the tarantula hawk wasp. A tarantula hawk does not usually eat the spider directly as an adult meal. Instead, the female wasp stings and paralyzes the tarantula, then lays an egg on it. The wasp larva later feeds on the paralyzed spider.
This is why keywords like “tarantula hawk eating spider” and “spider wasp eating tarantula” appear in searches. The relationship is real, but it is part of the wasp’s reproduction cycle rather than normal adult wasp feeding.
Can You Eat a Tarantula Spider?
Yes, humans can eat tarantulas in some cultures, and cooked tarantula is sold as food in places such as Cambodia. However, this does not mean people should casually catch and eat wild tarantulas.
Wild spiders may carry parasites, pesticides, or other contaminants. Some tarantulas also have irritating hairs that can cause discomfort if not removed or prepared properly. Eating live tarantulas is unsafe and should be avoided.
If tarantulas are eaten, they are normally cooked first. Cooking helps reduce health risks and makes the spider safer to handle. For most people, tarantulas are more interesting as animals to observe than as food.
How Do Tarantulas Eat Their Prey?
Tarantulas eat in a very different way from humans. First, the spider grabs prey with its legs and fangs. Then it injects venom to stop the prey from escaping. After that, the tarantula releases digestive enzymes onto or into the prey.
These enzymes break the prey’s tissues down into liquid. The tarantula then sucks up the liquid meal. Hard parts such as wings, shells, bones, or fur are left behind as a small food bolus.
This liquid-feeding method is common among spiders. It allows tarantulas to consume prey without chewing solid pieces of food.
FAQs
What does a tarantula spider eat most often?
A tarantula spider most often eats insects such as crickets, roaches, grasshoppers, beetles, and moths. Larger tarantulas may also eat frogs, lizards, mice, or other spiders, but insects are the main part of most tarantula diets in both the wild and captivity.
Is a bird-eating spider the same as a tarantula?
A bird-eating spider is a type of tarantula. The Goliath bird-eating spider is one of the largest tarantulas in the world. Despite its name, it rarely eats birds and usually feeds on insects, worms, frogs, and other small animals.
Will a tarantula eat another spider?
Yes, a tarantula may eat another spider if it is smaller and easy to overpower. Tarantulas are solitary predators, so they should usually be kept alone in captivity. However, insects are still a more common food source than other spiders.
Can a tarantula eat a mouse?
Large tarantulas can eat small mice, especially young mice. However, mice are not a normal daily food for most tarantulas. In captivity, insects are usually safer and more appropriate as the main diet.
Can you eat a tarantula spider?
Humans can eat cooked tarantulas in some cultures, but eating wild or live tarantulas is unsafe. They may carry contaminants, and their hairs can irritate the skin, mouth, or throat. If eaten, tarantulas should be properly prepared and cooked.
