Tarantulas are increasingly popular exotic pets. Their welfare depends on appropriate species-specific habitat, humidity, and prey, while ethical sourcing avoids wild capture pressure on vulnerable populations.
Tarantula welfare in captivity is primarily threatened by incorrect humidity and temperature, and inadequate prey supply. Tarantulas that are too wet develop bacterial infections and die. Those that are too dry during moulting become stuck and may lose limbs or die. These are preventable harms with correct species research. Sourcing from wild-caught collection harms both individual animals - which experience capture stress - and wild populations. Captive-bred specimens from reputable breeders represent both better welfare for individual animals and better conservation outcomes.