Keeper guide

Tarantula Grooming Behaviour

Grooming is normal tarantula behaviour. The spider may draw legs and pedipalps through the mouthparts or carefully clean individual limbs after feeding or walking through substrate.

What normal grooming looks like

Movements are deliberate and coordinated. The spider may spend a long time cleaning and then return to normal posture.

After feeding

Grooming around the mouthparts after a meal is common. A tarantula may also clean prey residue from the legs and pedipalps.

Do not interrupt it

There is no need to touch, spray or move a normally grooming spider.

When to look closer

Loss of coordination, inability to stand, persistent twitching or obvious injury is different from deliberate grooming and deserves a closer husbandry/health assessment.