Australian Pet Spiders

By Sophie Kininmonth · 3 Jan 2026 (updated 21 Jul 2026) ·7 min read

Spiders are quiet, precise and genuinely interesting to keep, and once you stop treating them as one category you find enormous variety in size, web type and behaviour. Most people arrive at the idea after a close encounter: a huntsman on the wall, a spider offered at a shop, or a child asking to keep the one they found in the garden. There is no single "Australian pet spider" with a standard size, temperament or care sheet, so the honest starting point is identification. Some Australian spiders are medically significant, and wildlife rules vary by state and territory, so what you can keep depends heavily on the species and on where you live. Get the identification right first, and everything after it becomes clearer.

There is no single "Australian pet spider" profile

The label hides a lot of difference. Traits people lump together, funnel-shaped webs, a shy temperament, an urban habitat, a low tendency to bite, actually belong to very different groups of spider with very different risk profiles. A huntsman and a funnel-web are not close to interchangeable. If you do not know the species, assume you do not know the risk. For medically significant bites in Australia, funnel-web and mouse spiders are treated differently to most other spider bites, including redbacks. ^{1, 2}

Which spiders are commonly kept in Australia?

People keep spiders for observation, education, or simply because they are beautiful animals to watch at night. In practice a "pet spider" in Australia means a captive animal in a secure enclosure, not a spider roaming the house. Identification matters because not every large brown spider is what it looks like.

Huntsman spiders: often found in homes, generally not regarded as medically dangerous, but they can bite if handled roughly or trapped.
Trapdoor spiders: burrow-dwellers, usually kept by people interested in naturalistic setups and long-term observation.
Funnel-web and mouse spiders: not recommended as pets for most households, because of the medical risk and the first-aid implications if a bite occurs. ^{2, 3}

Legality: what you can keep depends on where you live

Wildlife laws are set state by state, so this is the part to check before you acquire anything. Some places require a permit to keep spiders, and there are often strict rules about taking animals from the wild, keeping proof of purchase, and moving animals across borders. ^{4, 5}

Northern Territory

In the NT, spiders are protected and you generally need a permit to keep one. The NT government also advises keeping proof of purchase, and notes you must not remove threatened spiders from the wild. ⁴

Queensland

Queensland's rules are more nuanced. The government publishes exempt species and class information indicating that many invertebrates can be exempt from requiring a licence, with specific exceptions (including some scorpions and tarantulas). Those same pages stress that exemptions do not automatically apply to taking animals from the wild. ⁶ If you are unsure, check the current Queensland guidance for keeping native animals and the licence types that apply. ⁷

New South Wales

NSW wildlife licensing is built around native animals kept as pets under the Biodiversity Conservation Act framework. The state government makes a clear general point: native animals kept as pets should be captive-bred, not taken from the wild. ⁵

Moving spiders into or out of Australia

At the federal level, biosecurity settings are strict. The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry states that importing spiders (and many other invertebrates) as pets is not permitted. ⁸ If you are leaving Australia permanently, export rules can apply, and the federal environment department notes spiders can be exported as household pets only when sourced from an approved source and with an export permit. ⁹

Housing: build for escape prevention first

The enclosure is the single most important piece of kit, and it exists to stop the spider getting out. Many spiders climb smooth surfaces and squeeze through gaps that look impossible until you find an empty tank at 2 am. Once the enclosure is genuinely secure, you can fine-tune it to the species.

Secure lid with ventilation that cannot be pushed open.
Stable placement out of direct sun and away from overheating. ⁴
Simple furnishings that suit the spider's lifestyle: leaf litter and hides for ground species, vertical texture and shelters for climbers.
Minimal disturbance. Spiders do not need daily handling to thrive, and many do better left to settle.

Feeding and water

Feeding is simple and steady rather than fussy. Most pet spiders eat insects, and many species do well on appropriately sized crickets, moths, flies and similar prey, offered once or twice a week depending on the spider's size and the season. ⁴ If you collect feeder insects yourself, avoid anything that may have been exposed to insecticides. ⁴ For water, a shallow dish (even a bottle cap) is enough for many spiders, as long as it is kept clean and topped up, and some keepers provide moisture in controlled ways depending on the species. ⁴

Handling: low contact is safer

The safest handling policy is to handle as little as possible. Even docile spiders can bite if pinned, squeezed, startled, or disturbed during feeding and cleaning. If you must move a spider, use tools and calm technique rather than bare hands: a container, a soft brush, and slow movements. Watch for signs of stress or defensive behaviour, such as rapid movement, raised front legs or a striking posture, and stop before the situation escalates. ⁴

Bites and first aid in Australia

Most spider bites are minor, but Australia has a small number of species where envenomation can be serious, and the crucial point is that first aid differs by spider type. Getting the type wrong can mean getting the treatment wrong.

Funnel-web or mouse spider bites

Use pressure immobilisation and call emergency services. Australian first-aid guidance, including healthdirect and Queensland Health, supports pressure immobilisation for funnel-web and mouse spider bites. ^{1, 2}

Redback spider bites

Do not use pressure immobilisation for a suspected redback bite. Treat the pain, monitor symptoms, and seek medical advice if symptoms spread or you are concerned. ¹

All other suspected spider bites

Wash the area, use cold packs for pain and swelling, and seek medical care if symptoms worsen, the person becomes unwell, or the bite is to a child or a vulnerable person. ¹

Health concerns for the spider and your household

Most problems in captive spiders come from a slow drift in husbandry: overheating in sun, dehydration, mouldy substrate, mites carried in on feeder insects, or an enclosure that is not quite escape-proof. Plan for a few basics.

Temperature safety: avoid heat spikes from windowsills and cars.
Clean feeding: remove uneaten prey so it does not stress or injure the spider.
Hygiene: keep water fresh, and spot-clean rather than constantly dismantling the enclosure.
Household risk: keep enclosures out of reach of small children and away from curious pets.

Choosing a pet spider responsibly

Identify the species first. Do not rely on colour, size, or a label like "house spider".
Prefer captive-bred or legally sourced animals, and keep the paperwork where it is required. ^{4, 5}
Avoid medically significant species unless you have specialist experience, secure housing, and a clear first-aid plan. ^{1, 2}
Check your state or territory rules before you buy, sell, or transport a spider across borders. ^{4, 5, 6}

The Bottom Line

Australian spiders can be absorbing animals to keep, quiet and varied once you stop thinking of them as one thing. The best care starts with one unglamorous step: correct identification. From there, legality, enclosure design, feeding and first aid all follow, and the spider is safer for it.

References

Sophie Kininmonth

Dog lover and writer at My Pets Australia, sharing practical breed guides and care advice for Australian pet owners.