Green Pet Spiders

By Sophie Kininmonth · 22 Jan 2026 (updated 21 Jul 2026) ·6 min read

A bright green spider on a wall or a strip of pale bark in Australia is most often a huntsman (family Sparassidae), and in some cases a young badge huntsman (Neosparassus) whose juveniles can be a clean, leaf-green.^{1, 3} They are striking to look at, with long legs held out to the side and a flattened stance that lets them slip into narrow gaps under bark and behind picture frames. They are also fast, strong, and best treated as a display animal rather than something you handle. There is no single species sold everywhere as "the green pet spider", so the first job is working out what you are actually looking at. This guide keeps it simple: what these spiders are likely to be, what they are like to live alongside, and what safe, humane care looks like if you are holding one for a short time.^{1, 2}

Quick facts (for a green huntsman-type spider)

Body length: commonly around 2.5 cm (varies by species) with a leg span that can be much larger²
Colour: grey to brown is common; some badge huntsman juveniles can be bright green^{1, 3}
Where you will find them: under bark, rocks, in crevices, on walls inside houses^{1, 4}
Diet: insects and other small animals; they hunt rather than using a capture web^{2, 4}
Activity: often nocturnal, but may sit still in sheltered spots during the day²
Venom and risk to people: generally not considered dangerous, but bites can be painful and cause local swelling, and they usually prefer to run rather than bite^{1, 5}

What "green pet spider" usually means in Australia

In Australian homes, the green-looking spider people notice is usually a huntsman, and most often one from the badge huntsman group (Neosparassus), where juveniles can be a clean, leaf-green that stands out on pale bark or house walls.³ Colour tends to shift as the spider matures, so the vivid green is often a life stage rather than a permanent feature.

Huntsman spiders are not tarantulas, even though the word gets used loosely for any big, hairy spider. They are a different group, with a flattened, sideways-splayed stance that lets them fit into narrow spaces under bark, rocks, and around the house.¹

One quick correction: not everything green and much-searched is actually a spider. The green tree python, for example, is a snake (Morelia viridis), not a spider, and sometimes gets swept into online "green pet" lists by mistake.⁶

How to tell a green huntsman from other green spiders

You rarely need a perfect species name. A few broad cues are usually enough to keep you safe and to decide what to do next.

Very long legs held out to the side (a crab-like silhouette), plus a habit of flattening into cracks: common huntsman traits.¹
Not sitting in a neat orb web: huntsman spiders are active hunters, not classic web-trappers.²
Green as a life stage: in badge huntsman spiders, bright green may be strongest in juveniles, with colour shifting as they mature.³

Temperament and handling

Huntsman spiders get called "harmless" because they are not considered dangerous to humans and they tend to flee rather than fight. That is not the same as being good to handle. They are fast, they are strong, and a defensive bite can hurt.^{1, 5}

If you keep one, treat it as a display animal and enjoy watching it: the stillness, the sudden movement, the way it folds itself into a shadowed corner. Skip regular handling. Most stress in captive spiders comes from vibration, bright light, and being forced out into the open.

Housing a green huntsman safely

Legality comes first. In Australia, keeping native wildlife can be regulated, and rules vary by state and territory. Before you keep any wild-caught spider long-term, check your state or territory authority, and consider whether leaving it where it belongs is the better choice. Much of the time it is.

If you are holding a huntsman temporarily for observation, photography, or a short stay before release, the priorities are security, ventilation, and a place to hide.

Enclosure: a secure container with plenty of ventilation and a tight-fitting lid. Huntsman spiders climb well and squeeze through gaps.¹
Shelter: a piece of bark, egg carton, or folded cardboard to mimic the narrow spaces they prefer under bark and rocks.^{1, 4}
Substrate: paper towel or a thin layer of clean, dry material is usually enough for short-term holding. Avoid soggy setups, since damp, stagnant air invites mould.
Water: a very shallow dish can help in dry conditions, but do not create a drowning hazard for feeder insects or a humidity trap for the spider.

Feeding

Huntsman spiders eat live prey and do well on common feeder insects. In the wild they take a wide range of insects and other small animals, catching prey by stalking or ambush rather than using a capture web.^{2, 4}

Offer appropriately sized insects, no larger than the spider's body.
Remove uneaten prey if the spider is in moult or refusing food.
Do not use wild-caught insects from areas that may have been sprayed with pesticides.

Common misconceptions

"Green pet spiders are non-venomous." Nearly all spiders have venom. The more practical question is whether they are considered dangerous to humans. Huntsman spiders generally are not, but bites can still cause pain and local swelling, and they should be avoided.^{1, 5}

"They live eight years." For huntsman spiders, a lifespan of around two years or more is commonly reported, depending on the species. Much longer lifespans are more typical of some tarantulas, not huntsman spiders.²

"Egg sacs have up to 200 eggs." Egg numbers vary widely by species, so it is better to avoid a precise figure unless you are discussing a confirmed species with a specific reference. What matters for keepers is that a single egg sac can produce many spiderlings, and that housing and feeding large numbers quickly becomes impractical.

When a spider bite is an emergency

Green huntsman-type spiders are generally not considered dangerous. Even so, Australia has spiders where a suspected bite must be treated as potentially life-threatening, notably funnel-webs. If you are not certain what bit you, do not guess.

If a funnel-web spider bite is suspected, a pressure bandage with immobilisation is recommended, and urgent medical care is needed. The Australian Museum notes that funnel-web antivenom was first developed for clinical use in 1981, and that there have been no deaths since its introduction.⁷ NSW Health provides practical steps for pressure bandaging and immobilisation while waiting for emergency help.⁸

Is a green pet spider right for you?

A green huntsman can be a calm, watchable presence for a time, more like a quiet visitor than a companion animal. If you want an animal you can handle, interact with, and keep for many years, a spider is rarely the right fit.

If your interest is observation, then a secure enclosure, minimal disturbance, and respect for the spider's instincts will take you a long way. And if the spider is simply sharing your house, it may already be doing its work, quietly trimming down the night's insects, without needing anything from you at all.¹

References

Sophie Kininmonth

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