Fear Not Tarantulas is about tarantulas AND people! It brings us so much joy to see our customers enjoy the creatures we have put much into. Can tarantulas bring people together? Absolutely!
Many families and couples "spider" together. We love to see families come into the shop regularly to add to their collection. Raising up spiderlings is fun, rewarding, and educational. There is always something new to learn and discover, making it a family hobby that sparks new levels of relationships and great conversation.
For parents it is an out-of-the-ordinary pet that may just make you the COOLEST parent around! It can be challenging as a couple to find something both enjoy and learn from, but keeping tarantulas is the answer!
If you are on Facebook, consider joining Tarantula Talk where you can learn from others and share what you know as well as ask questions. Tarantula Talk is family friendly and we work hard to make it inviting for all levels of tarantula keepers. Also, follow our pages on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
✅ For more details about what to expect after ordering, please see What to expect when you order from Fear Not Tarantulas. The answers to many questions can be found below and in your order confirmation email (if you have placed an order).
FAQ We have some frequently asked questions below along with our Terms Of Service.
Contact Us
👉 How do I contact you with questions I have after I have read all this information?
Shipping
👉 How do you ship tarantulas? Are they secure in the box?
👉 How much does shipping cost?
👉 When will my order be shipped?
👉 How do I track my order?
👉 I cannot track my order, has it shipped?
👉 How will I know where to pick my order up at for FedEx pickup?
👉 Do you ship to a home?
👉 I have not received the email with shipping details yet. What should I do?
👉 Why do you have a minimum order amount of $50 to ship?
👉 Is shipping tarantulas safe?
👉 How do I get free shipping?
👉 Will you ship for delivery on a weekend?
👉 I cannot pick up my order at FedEx, can I add a name so they can pick it up?
👉 It's very hot / cold where I live. Can you still ship to me?
👉 Why do you look at the weather in Memphis, TN when shipping to me?
👉 Why don't you ship to a Walgreens or Print and Ship center?
Our Live Guarantee
👉 Do you guarantee the animal will arrive alive and healthy?
👉 What are the requirements for the live guarantee to be in effect?
👉 What happens in the unlikely event that a spiderling does not arrive alive?
👉 I live a long way from the FedEx center. Can I get more time to pick up my order?
Price Matching
👉 Do you price match if I find the species for less at another website?
👉 Why are some species more or less costly than others?
Spiderlings
👉 How big are the spiderlings that you sell?
👉 Where do your spiderlings come from?
👉 How do you measure spiderlings?
👉 Can you send me a female or a male spiderling?
👉 How big does a tarantula need to be to be able to tell what sex it is?
👉 How do I know what sex my tarantula is?
Ordering
👉 I don't see all the shipping options at checkout
👉 Why is there a cut-off period for orders to ship the next week?
👉 Can I add to my shipment?
👉 I need to cancel my order.
Freebies
👉 How do I order a freebie?
👉 What if I forgot to order a freebie?
👉 Why do you allow only one freebie per shipment?
Tarantula Husbandry
👉 What size habitat does my spiderling need?
👉 How often do I feed my spiderling and what do I feed it?
👉 I want a comprehensive care guide for my spiderling.
I'm Ready! Where Do I Start?
👉 What species should I start with?
👉 Are some species more challenging to raise up than others?
👉 Give me a list of everything I need!
👉 Where do I learn more?
Where do our spiderlings come from? The majority of our spiderlings come from our own breeding. We have a very large collection of tarantulas we breed, many of them were raised up by us from spiderlings. We also purchase from our trusted network of breeders here in the USA we partner with. Since we have relationships with breeders globally, we are able to offer more species by importing as well.
Is importing safe for the tarantulas? Absolutely, when done legally. Our imports come into the USA on same day flights. They are inspected and approved by USFW. The airlines we work with treat them with great respect, as if a pet dog were in the box. It happens quite often that we receive several thousand spiderlings with not one being deceased.
ADVICE ABOUT WHICH SPECIES TO GET: It always brings us joy when someone makes us part of their first tarantula buying experience. We love discussing the many species available and the care involved in keeping them. It is a good idea to get to know some of the species, see how they move and respond, and learn about the care involved in taking maintaining them. We have general information on our “Species Descriptions” page as well as on each page as you browse what we have available on our website. A great place to learn about many species is tomsbigspiders.com. Take a look at the many videos available on YouTube from Tom’s Big Spiders. Are you nervous about taking care of a small spiderling? You will want to check out The Ultimate Tarantula Sling Guide.
We have a "Collection" of beginner species on our website. Our "Walk In The Park" Journey Pack is also great for beginners and includes 2 species, habitats, and feeders!
What do I need to raise up a spiderling? The supplies needed to raise up a tarantula spiderling are surprisingly minimal. Thankfully you do not need to spend much on habitats and supplies at all. Here are some things that are very helpful.
- A habitat. This can be a small vial or even a Tupperware or food container with proper ventilation. We offer some habitats for spiderlings here and have suggested habitats on each species page.
- Substrate. We use coco fiber which is mold resistant and does not have harmful substances in it. This comes with many of the vials we offer on our site but can be purchased in bricks that need hydrated or in small bags ready to go at most pet shops in the reptile department.
- Fine tipped tongs or tweezers. These are useful for grabbing feeders and getting molts out of habitats.
- A catch cup! You always want to have a 16 or 32 oz catch cup with a lid ready in case of an escape.
- A mister. A small hand held mister set to fine mist.
- Silk foliage. Many species benefit from having soft silk foliage to use as anchor points, especially arboreal species and heavy webbers.
- Cork bark. It is light and easy to work with. This is not needed for most spiderlings but can come in handy for larger spiderlings to use as a hide or to offer some texture to their habitat.
All spiderlings are sold as UNSEXED unless otherwise stated in the description.
LOOKING FOR YOUR SHIPPING DETAILS, TRACKING, or an order confirmation? Please check your SPAM folder.
A tracking number for your order will be emailed to you no later than the day we are shipping it. You can begin tracking your order once FedEx picks up our packages which is usually around 5PM EST the day before delivery.
Email: support@fearnottarantulas.com. Please include your first and last name and your order number if you have one. You can also call our shop at 757-657-8113 when our shop is open to the public, Sat-Tues 11-5 EST.
We strive to set the standard for personalized service and professionalism. It is always very important to us that you are 100% satisfied with your purchase and we will do everything we can to ensure that you are happy with the service we have provided and your new tarantulas. Communication is important, so please always feel free to email us at support@fearnottarantulas.com if you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions. We know that you have other choices when it comes to purchasing tarantulas and we appreciate our customers very much.
Terms of Service
There is a minimum order of $50.00 (not including shipping cost) when purchasing live animals to be shipped. The $50 minimum includes the cost of living things only, not the cost of shipping. FedEx charges us more to ship to most places than what we charge, so we require a minimum order amount to avoid going in the red on an order. We do need to pay the Fear Not staff. 😁
Changes to or cancellation of your order can be made if we receive notification via email by 6:00 PM EST the night before shipping day. We cannot cancel an order on or after the day of shipping. Email support@fearnottarantulas.com.
By agreeing to these terms at checkout, you are indicating that you are 18 years of age or older. If you wish to purchase tarantulas and you are under 18, please email or call us (see contact page) and we will help you with the purchase.
Shipping! Fear Not Tarantulas has the best spider packers in the US, maybe in the world! They are trained to ensure each spiderling is healthy and ready for their journey. 💫 Most species are shipped in small vials with moss inside to give them some cushion and to provide some humidity. You can include this moss in their new habitat if you would like. Each vial is taped with electrical tape to ensure lids will not pop off during shipment. As a side note, each of our spider packers uses a different colored electrical tape. Want to know who packed your spider? Just look at your packing slip in the box, they probably signed their name on it. 😊 You can see a short video of one of our spider packers wrangling a spiderling into a vial here.
SHIPPING SCHEDULE: Our shipping schedule fills up quickly for Mondays. Orders that are placed by Saturday at noon EST will ship the following Monday or Tuesday for delivery on Tuesday or Wednesday. Orders placed after that time will not ship until the following week.
We have a cut-off time for orders shipping out the following week so we can focus on the current weeks shipment and can provide the gold standard customer service we are known for. We ship many orders each week and have an amazing team who are laser focused on ensuring each order is accurate and each spiderling is healthy and ready for its journey!
We ship on Mondays and Tuesdays. We do not ship for delivery on weekends or Fridays because it adds much risk to the spiderlings. This is due to there being an increase in delays with FedEx for these days. We cannot ship for delivery on Mondays because FedEx is closed on Sundays for overnight deliveries.
We will never ever ship a package without first receiving confirmation that the delivery day is a good one for you, so there is no need to worry about receiving your order before you are ready. A tracking number will be provided via email from FedEx no later than the day of shipment. There will be times when shipping must be delayed due to weather or if a tarantula you ordered has recently molted or appears to be about to molt. You will be notified via email if that is the case.
We ship using Federal Express Priority Overnight. FedEx shipping costs fluctuate but we offer a flat shipping rate which can be found on a banner at the top of our website. One shipping rate is for delivery to a FedEx for pickup (the safest method), and the other is for home delivery. FedEx charges us much more for home delivery so that will always be about $20 more. Orders that are $300 and over will ship to a FedEx for pickup for FREE! You can see our shipping rates on the top of our home page or at checkout. If your order includes more than 2 habitats or vials, there will be an additional $15 charge for delivery. This is because we will need to use a larger box.
When you place your order, you can indicate what day is best for you to receive your order (Tuesday or Wednesday). We will accommodate your schedule to ensure you are able to sign for your new pet/s when they are delivered. ***”Overnight shipping” does not mean your order will be shipped the night you order. Your order will be shipped overnight on our next shipping day.***
Shipping charges are not refundable.
🏠 Home Delivery. We can ship to your home as long as temperatures allow us to do so. We will look at each order individually and can make packing adjustments for some weather conditions for home delivery. Generally we cannot ship to a home if temperatures are going to be over 90 or under 25 the day of delivery. If it is overcast or raining that day we can make an exception to that in hot weather.
A signature is always required at delivery. For home deliveries, you must be available to sign for your order on the first delivery attempt or your guarantee of live arrival will be void. When picking up your order at a FedEx center, it is very important to have a valid ID. If you do not have a valid ID, someone will need to accommodate you to pick it up and we will have to add their name to the shipping label. If we have to do that after the package has arrived, FedEx charges us $20 which would be passed onto you, so be sure to let us know before we ship your order.
A word about CARRIER DELAYS: If a carrier delay causes your tarantulas to arrive on a day other than scheduled, we will still guarantee the live arrival of your tarantulas. This is a policy that is different from what many other dealers have, but we believe it is the right thing to do. A carrier delay can occur due to weather, mechanical issues, or confusion that happens on the part of FedEx. We have found Federal Express to be the most reliable shipping service and delays do not happen often.
Federal Express DOES NOT reimburse Fear Not Tarantulas for lost packages or the loss of tarantulas. We take as many precautions as we possibly can to ensure we ship at a time when delays are less likely to happen, and your new tarantulas will arrive safely. You must still be available to sign for your package or pick it up the day of delivery, even if the carrier is a bit earlier or later than the estimated arrival time given to us by FedEx in order for the guarantee of live arrival to apply.
Unable To Be Delivered or Unclaimed. If your order is not picked up at the FedEx location within 24 hours of delivery, and you have not let us know you cannot pick it up, we reserve the right to have it shipped back to us. If you do not claim your package within 24 hours and it is shipped back to us, we will not refund your order. If there is a reason you cannot pick your package up, let us know. We will not allow an order to sit at a FedEx facility unclaimed for the safety of the animals.
REFUNDS. We are glad to refund unshipped orders but we will deduct 3% from the total. We do this because Shopify does not refund 3% of a refunded sale back to us. We will charge the 3% for all reasons given for wanting a refund. ⭐ If you need an order changed, we can change it for you rather than refunding it. We are glad to offer store credit for the full amount rather than a refund minus 3% if you prefer.
Live Arrival Guarantee. We guarantee that your tarantula will arrive alive and healthy. In the rare instance that you receive a tarantula that is not alive, we will replace it or refund it as long as a couple of conditions are met. The details are below, and they are simple.
If you have purchased a ‘Complete Package’, we offer a 30 day guarantee on the tarantula. The live guarantee is treated differently for spiderlings purchased in a package. We offer a replacement of the spiderling but cannot offer a refund since other things were shipped as well. The 30 day guarantee will be void if the package is not picked up within the 2 hour time frame, if the customer is not there to sign for the package on the first delivery attempt, or if the package is re-routed by the customer.
Our Live Arrival Guarantee will be void if you are not home to receive the package on the FIRST delivery attempt. This is the case even if the carrier is later or earlier than the time given to you. You should be available to receive your package the entire day of delivery and consider that the time given to us by FedEx is an estimate and may be a bit earlier or later due to possible traffic, weather, or incidences in your area. If you are unable to be home the day of delivery, please consider having your order shipped to a FedEx center for pickup. If we shipped to a FedEx center, you must pick your order up within 2 hours of it’s arrival to the center.
We must be notified within 2 hours of delivery if a tarantula arrived DOA. If we are not notified within 2 hours of delivery, the live animal guarantee is void. We must also receive a clear picture of the deceased tarantula laid out on a ruler. 👀If you are concerned about how your spiderling is moving or have any other concerns at all after unpacking it, email us right away. We are always glad to extend the live guarantee as long as we are made aware of any concerns within the 2 hour time frame.👀
To summarize, the live arrival guarantee guidelines are:
- Be available to sign for your package the entire day of delivery for home or business arrival. Delivery must be made on the first attempt.
- Pick up your order within 2 hours of the package being available at a FedEx center for deliveries to a FedEx center. .
- Notify us about any concerns within 2 hours of receiving your package for home delivery or within 2 hours of the package being available for pickup for FedEx pickup deliveries. Provide pictures. support@fearnottarantulas.com
If you purchased a sexed tarantula: We guarantee the sex of your tarantula for three months or until the next molt. I know that might sound silly at first, but we want to prevent you from raising up a tarantula for years only then to be hit with the surprise of a mature male. This also prevents someone from coming back to us years later and telling us they purchased a female but there may be no record of the purchase or there may be a question of if that particular tarantula was from Fear Not. So to avoid all those unpleasant possibilities, we ask that either you verify the sex with the next molt yourself, or send it in a vial and we will sex it under the microscope again and send a picture of the molt to show you the sex.
We do not sell a tarantula as sexed unless we are as certain of the sex as we can be using a molt to confirm, but mistakes are possible.
Regarding the receipt of DOA tarantulas: These are precious creatures that we give a lot of care and time to, and we have a genuine affection for them, so we do our absolute best to ensure that your tarantulas arrive safely. If your tarantula is not moving, first see the instructions below. Do not assume it is dead if it is not moving. We will always request photos of DOA tarantulas, and may request that they be shipped back to us at our expense. Credit will be issued after we receive a clear photo of the animal, and / or the carcass if requested. Place the tarantula on a ruler and take a clear picture. The photo must be received the day of delivery in order for the live animal guarantee to be honored. If the tarantula that arrived DOA was one given as a bonus, Fear Not is under no obligation to replace it, but we will offer to replace it with your next order as long as it is still being offered as a ‘freebie’.
If your new tarantula is not moving when you unwrap it, follow these directions:
- Try placing the mouth parts directly on a drop of water. Fill a bottle cap with water and push it into the substrate so it is level with the substrate. Place the spiderling’s mouth directly on the water. Keep it in a covered deli-cup in a warm area. Give it a couple of hours and see if it starts moving.
- NEVER assume a tarantula that is not moving is dead! They tend to go into a hibernation type state when stressed or with certain temperature changes and we have seen many seemingly dead tarantulas come back around. In addition, it could be molting.
Post-shipment Care
Shipping can be stressful for tarantulas and the right care given to them after unpacking is crucial to how well they do. Please read the following tips to help ensure the best possible conditions are present for the health of your new tarantula.
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- For help knowing how to unpack spiderlings, please follow the link below to a video. Skip to the 28th minute mark to see only the unpacking demonstration. https://youtu.be/-CepME20ZDg
- Be sure to have habitats ready for your new pet/s on delivery day.
- Be sure to mist the habitat before introducing the tarantula to its new home. Mist both the walls and substrate. Tarantulas sometimes get dehydrated during the shipping process, and having water droplets accessible is very important.
- Unpack them as soon after your package arrives as possible. If you cannot unpack them right away, be sure to remove the heat or cold pack from the box if one was provided.
- Unpacking small spiderlings can be fatal to them if not done properly. It is easy to damage a spiderling, so great care must be taken. Do not pull on the paper tubing if the tubing starts to twist. The tube should come out of the vial easily, but there are times it may not. If the paper tubing twists, the spiderling could become entangled and get injured. If your tarantula is not moving, it may be molting and should be left alone for a few minutes to see if there are any changes. The stress of shipping can cause an early molt.
- You can try feeding the same day, but we feed spiderlings the weekend before being shipped. If the food is not taken, be sure to remove it so a cricket or roach running around does not further stress your new pet.
FAQ
Price Matching. We are glad to consider matching the price of another seller who has a website. Some things we consider when we offer to match a price are: 1. Is the spiderling the same size? Some spiderlings take a long time to grow and even 1/2" difference could mean a whole years worth of growth. 2. Do they offer the same great live guarantee we do, including covering carrier delays? 3. Is it in stock on the other website? We will not match a price if it is out of stock. To submit a request just email us at support@fearnottarantulas.com with a link.
Why are some spiderlings more costly than others? There are several reasons for some tarantula spiderlings to be more costly than others.
- The species is rare and difficult and/or expensive to obtain.
- The species has very small egg sacs.
- Size. Larger spiderlings will be more costly than smaller ones since they are older. Some slower growing species
- If a seller has bred the species themselves, they can offer that bunch of spiderlings for a lower price than some other sellers since they did not have to purchase them.
It is very cold (or hot) where I live. Do you ship in cold (or hot) weather?
After you order we will look at the temperatures in your area and let you know if we have any concerns. If you have chose to have us ship to your home, we may ask if we can change to ship to a FedEx center. The reason for that is all shipments to a FedEx center are delivered first, so there is much less time in a hot or cold truck and much less risk for a delay.
We can ship to destinations with temperatures in the single digits as long as it is to a FedEx center with an early morning delivery.
All our packages spend the night in Memphis, TN, so if we see very cold weather or a storm brewing there, we may ask that shipping be delayed until it clears up. This helps avoid flight delays between Memphis and the destination.
I want to have my order held at a FedEx center, but how do I know which FedEx you will ship to?
Why can’t I have my package held at a FedEx Print and Ship or Walgreens location?
FedEx has certain guidelines that we follow for the safe delivery of the animals. We ship to FedEx Shipping Centers because those are the only locations that live animals can be shipped to. If we ship to any other location, we would not be able to indicate that a live animal is in the box. Shipping to a Print and Ship or Walgreens FedEx location is prohibited and may cause the package to be sent to the nearest ‘Ship Center’ which may cause a delay in delivery.
Packages that show a live animal is in the box is given priority and handled differently than other packages, so it is important that any living thing that is being shipped have the “Live Animal” label on it. We know many packages make it just fine to their destinations when shipped to other locations without being properly documented, but it does add risk to the shipment and it also is against FedEx rules. We think it is important to follow their rules so the privilege of being able to openly ship spiders using FedEx is not taken away.
What is required for the live arrival guarantee (LAG) to be in effect?
You may see other sellers have a disclaimer in their LAG policy that states they are not responsible for “carrier delays”. We believe that it is the responsibility of the seller to guarantee the live arrival of a living creature even in the case of carrier delays. If your delivery is delayed because of a mechanical issue with an airplane, weather, or any reason related to the carrier (FedEx), we will still guarantee live arrival.
- The package must be picked up within 2 hours of being available at Fedex. *See below
- For home deliveries, the package must be able to be delivered on the first delivery attempt.
- If you have any concerns at all about the spiderling, it must be reported to us within 1 hour of being picked up or delivered. Even if the spiderling is not moving as expected, let us know right away and we will work with you.
- Provide pictures of the spiderling when reporting a problem.
*There may be times that we require packages to be picked up within an hour of being available. This is usually when due to temperatures and the need to use a heat or cold pack. If that is the case it will be in the email you receive with shipping details.
What is required for the 30 day guarantee to be in place for spiderlings purchased in the Complete Package?
We know there is a lot of conflicting information out there about the proper habitat setup for these creatures. Some things are just preferences and not necessarily ‘right’ or ‘wrong’, but we do ask that you use only what we send and set up the habitat as we ask for at least the first 30 days. A lot of thought and experience has been put into our reasoning. It is all about making sure you have the best possible experience with your spiderling.
- The simple guidelines for our regular live guarantee must be met. Just make sure you pick up your order within 2 hours of it being available to FedEx, or that it is able to be delivered on the first delivery attempt for home deliveries.
- Use only the habitat, foliage, and substrate that we provide and do not add anything else other than a bottle cap for water.
- If we send an arboreal habitat, use it right-side-up only.
- Read the Spiderling Care Guide. A link to the guide is send with your confirmation and shipping emails.
- Report any challenges to us right away and include a picture of he spiderling and the habitat it is in.
- *If a replacement spiderling is needed, the order for the replacement must be made within 30 days of the reported death.
If you have any questions at all or feel the need to do something different, please contact us at support@fearnottarantulas.com
The spiderling I received is smaller than I expected. What can I do?
The size of the spiderlings we sell are listed on the title of the page where you purchase. See below for information about how we measure spiderlings.
Let’s make sure we are measuring the same way. Please check out how we measure below.
All we need is a photo verification that a smaller spiderling was sent. Simply put a coin on the substrate and guide the spiderling onto the coin. While it is stretched out take a picture and email it to us.
How We Measure Spiders
It is important that you know what to expect when your new tarantula arrives. Understanding how we measure spiders will help you better prepare for your new addition. If you are new to keeping tarantulas, you may be surprised about the size of the spiderling you receive.
Spiders are measured as if they were stretched out. A diagonal measurement is frequently used, crossing the spider from the tip of the top leg to the tip of the bottom leg. Examples of how we measure can be seen below.
Please keep in mind that when your spiderling arrives, it may look much smaller at first because it will likely not stretch out until it feels comfortable.
I like the habitat that came with my ‘Complete Package’. Do you sell them separately?
Would you send me a female spiderling?
Most tarantulas sell before they have grown to a size large enough for us to sex their molts. We often keep males for our breeding projects and those who partner with us on breeding projects.
I added more to my order and now qualify for a different freebie. Can I change my freebie choice?
If you have already completed your second order, you can create a third order with just the new freebie choice and let us know in the order notes that you want to make the switch.
Can I add something to my order before it ships?
Simply create another order. At checkout choose the shipping option that says “Add this order to my previous order that has not yet shipped and ship them together”. If you choose this option, you will not be charged shipping for that order and we will ship spiderlings in all orders together.
FREEBIES! We have a very popular freebie program that allows folks to choose their own freebie! It is a tiered system so the more you spend, the more choices you have. You can see our current freebie list here. We are glad to ship one freebie per shipment. If you add to your shipment by adding other orders, you can change your freebie choice, but not add additional freebies. This allows us to be able to offer more freebie choices as well as be more efficient at packing orders.
I forgot to add a freebie to my order. How do I add one now?
Simply create another order. At checkout choose the shipping option that says “Add this order to my previous order that has not yet shipped and ship them together”. If you choose this option, you will not be charged shipping for that order and we will ship spiderlings in all orders together.
I want to learn more about how to take care of tarantulas.
For more information about feeding and housing, check out Tom’s Big Spiders. Tom has many podcasts, YouTube videos, and articles about everything you would want to know regarding tarantulas.
The Ultimate Tarantula Sling Guide – Part 1
The ULTIMATE Tarantula Sling Guide – Part 2
When, what, and how often do I feed my spiderling?
For more information about feeding and housing, check out Tom’s Big Spiders. Tom has many podcasts, YouTube videos, and articles about everything you would want to know regarding tarantulas.