Most people who encounter a tarantula for the first time assume they are meeting one kind of animal in one kind of lifestyle. The reality is that tarantulas represent one of the most ecologically diverse families in the spider world, and the differences between a Goliath Birdeater sitting in an Amazonian rainforest burrow and an Antilles Pink Toe spinning a silk tube retreat in a Caribbean tree canopy are so significant that they might as well be different kinds of animal from a care perspective. There are over a thousand described species of tarantulas in the world according to the World Spider Catalog, found on every continent except Antarctica, and understanding how they are grouped helps enormously in making sense of what each one needs and why.
New World Tarantulas Versus Old World Tarantulas
The most fundamental division in tarantula keeping is geographic, and it maps almost perfectly onto a set of behavioural and physiological differences that shape every aspect of how different species are kept and handled. New World tarantulas come from the Americas — North, Central, and South — while Old World tarantulas come from Africa, Asia, Australia, and Europe. This is not just a geographical label but a meaningful biological distinction with direct practical consequences.
New World tarantulas have urticating hairs — specialised barbed setae on the abdomen that can be kicked toward a threat to cause significant irritation. This gives them a graduated defensive response: hair-kicking is the first line of defence, and biting is genuinely a last resort for most species. This is why New World species dominate the beginner-appropriate end of the hobby. Old World tarantulas lack urticating hairs entirely and have compensated with speed, stronger venom, and a lower threshold for biting — they have fewer intermediate warning steps available and escalate to biting more readily. Old World species are generally considered intermediate to advanced keeper animals as a result.
The Three Lifestyles: Arboreal, Terrestrial, And Fossorial
Within both the New World and Old World categories, tarantulas are further divided by how they actually live — in trees, on the ground, or deep underground. These three lifestyle categories determine enclosure design, substrate requirements, humidity approach, and what kind of display animal the keeper ends up with.
Arboreal tarantulas live in trees, constructing silk tube retreats inside bark crevices, hollow branches, and dense vegetation. Their enclosures need to be tall rather than wide, with cork bark or branches at height for retreat construction, and cross-ventilation to prevent the stagnant humidity that causes respiratory stress in these species. The Antilles Pink Toe, Amazon Sapphire Pink Toe, Indian Ornamental, Darth Maul Tarantula, and Orange Tree Tarantula are all arboreal species. They tend to be fast, visually striking, and rewarding display animals once settled.
Terrestrial tarantulas live on the ground surface, using burrows, rock crevices, or surface hides as retreats without excavating deeply. Enclosures should prioritise floor space over height, with a few inches of substrate and a surface hide or pre-formed burrow entrance. The majority of the most commonly kept beginner species fall here — the Chilean Rose Hair, Mexican Red Knee, Honduran Curly Hair, and most Brachypelma and Grammostola species are terrestrial.
Fossorial tarantulas are obligate deep burrowers that spend the majority of their lives underground, rarely visible above the surface except at night or during the breeding season. They need the deepest substrate of any tarantula type — six inches or more for adults — and the keeper needs to accept that the spider may simply disappear for weeks at a time inside its burrow. Most US Aphonopelma species like the Arizona Blonde, Texas Brown, and Desert Tarantula are fossorial, as are many African baboon spiders.
Popular Types Of New World Tarantulas
The Americas produce more tarantula species than any other region, and the hobby is built largely on New World species. The Brachypelma genus from Mexico contains some of the most recognisable and beloved tarantulas in existence — the Mexican Red Knee is probably the most famous tarantula in the world, appearing in nature documentaries and educational displays globally and carrying CITES Appendix II protection for its wild populations. The Mexican Blood Leg and Mexican Fire Leg are genus relatives with equally striking colouration and similar beginner-appropriate temperaments.
South American terrestrials include the giant species that push the boundaries of tarantula size. The Goliath Birdeater is the heaviest spider in the world by mass, while the Brazilian White Knee combines impressive size with bold white leg banding that makes it one of the most visually dramatic large tarantulas available. The Grammostola genus from Chile and Argentina contains some of the most docile large species anywhere — the Chilean Rose Hair has been keeping people company for decades and is famous for its long fasting periods and unpredictable personality, while the Brazilian Black (Grammostola pulchra) is considered by many experienced keepers to be the most perfectly tempered large tarantula available.
South American arboreals are led by the Avicularia and related genera — the Amazon Pink Toe, Antilles Pink Toe, and Amazon Sapphire Pink Toe are all popular arboreal species with vivid colouration and the fluffy, velvety setae characteristic of the subfamily. North American types are dominated by the Aphonopelma genus, which contains 30 species native to the United States alone — an extraordinary diversity of desert and mountain species ranging from the widespread Texas Brown to the sky island endemic Chiricahua Tarantula.
Popular Types Of Old World Tarantulas
Africa produces some of the most intensely defensive and visually striking tarantulas in the world. The baboon spiders — a broad grouping of African terrestrial and fossorial species — include the legendary Orange Baboon Tarantula (Pterinochilus murinus), which has earned a reputation as one of the most reactive species in the hobby, and the King Baboon Tarantula, which holds the distinction of being the largest spider in Africa. The African Horned Baboon Tarantula is unique for the remarkable foveal horn on its carapace — a structure found in no other tarantula genus.
Asia produces the Poecilotheria species of India and Sri Lanka — extraordinary arboreal tarantulas with geometric patterning and medically significant venom — alongside fast-moving terrestrial and fossorial species from genera like Chilobrachys, Cyriopagopus, and Haplopelma. These Asian species are firmly advanced keeper territory, combining extreme speed with potent venom and no urticating hairs. The Australian Desert Tarantula (Selenocosmia stirlingi) is the most widely distributed of the Australian theraphosids, notable for its audible stridulation and venom documented as potentially fatal to dogs and cats.
Dwarf Types Of Tarantulas
An often overlooked category in the hobby is dwarf tarantulas — species that reach adult size at two to four inches rather than the five to nine inches of the larger species. Dwarf tarantulas suit keepers with limited space, those who want a larger collection in a smaller footprint, and anyone attracted to the unique ecological stories that dwarf species often carry. The Anqasha Tiger Rump from the high Andes, the Atomic Tarantula from Nevada, and various Euathlus species from South America all represent the dwarf category, offering vivid colouration and fascinating natural histories in a compact adult size.
Choosing The Right Type Of Tarantula For You
The type of tarantula that suits any given keeper depends on experience level, care commitment, and what kind of keeper relationship appeals most. New World terrestrials and fossorials are where most keepers should start — the Honduran Curly Hair, Chilean Rose Hair, and any Aphonopelma species offer robust hardiness, straightforward care, and the docile temperament that makes the early months of keeping enjoyable rather than stressful. Old World species and fast New World arboreals belong later in a keeper’s progression, once enclosure management and the pace of working around fast, defensive animals feel natural rather than alarming. Everything you need to set up any type of tarantula correctly is on our best tarantula products page.