# What Do Tarantulas Eat?

> What tarantulas eat: Carnivore, foraging style, and seasonal shifts in Deserts, rainforests, and grasslands.

- **Species:** Tarantula (*Theraphosidae*)
- **Conservation status:** Least Concern
- **Diet:** Carnivore
- **Habitat:** Deserts, rainforests, and grasslands
- **Lifespan:** Females up to 20–30 years
- **Top speed:** Slow; short quick dashes
- **Canonical HTML:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/tarantula/what-do-tarantula-eat/
- **Parent profile:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/tarantula/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Quick answer

Tarantulas are a family of large, hairy spiders found across the warmer parts of the world, with around 1,000 species. Despite their fearsome look, most are not dangerous to humans, with venom milder than a bee sting. The biggest, the Goliath birdeater, can span 30 cm (12 in) across the legs. Females are long-lived, with some surviving 20 to 30 years.

## Who should skip this page

Skip this if you need a captive feeding plan from a veterinarian. This page is wild diet, not a pet-care sheet.

## Big, hairy, and mostly harmless

Tarantulas are among the largest spiders, but their reputation is far scarier than the reality. Almost all species have venom no more harmful to a healthy person than a bee sting, and they bite only in self-defense. They are ambush predators that pounce on insects, and larger species may take small lizards or rodents.

## Help protect the Tarantula

Even familiar animals lose ground as wild habitat keeps shrinking worldwide.

[Donate to wildlife protection](https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/donate/)

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/tarantula/what-do-tarantula-eat/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.