Tarantulas and other spiders are kept as pets worldwide, but their welfare needs are poorly understood. Evidence-based care improves their quality of life significantly.
Spiders likely experience some form of nociception (pain response), though their capacity for subjective suffering remains debated. What is clear is that inadequate housing — wrong humidity, insufficient burrowing substrate, or frequent handling — causes measurable stress responses including defensive posturing, fasting, and autotomy (leg shedding). Providing species-appropriate environments and minimising unnecessary handling represents the precautionary welfare approach.