Pet Bird Eating Spider

By Sophie Kininmonth · 24 Nov 2025 (updated 21 Jul 2026) ·5 min read

Australia is home to some genuinely large tarantulas, often called whistling or barking spiders, and they are the animals most people mean when they talk about a local "bird-eating" spider. They are heavy-bodied, hairy, and among the biggest spiders on the continent, which makes them fascinating to watch and, for some keepers, worth licensing and housing properly. Most of the online lore about them hunting birds is exaggerated. The clearer picture is a mostly ground-dwelling ambush hunter that eats insects and other small animals, is best admired at a distance, and is regulated in parts of Australia if kept in captivity.^{1, 2}

Clearing up the name

"Pet bird eating spider" is a misnomer, and a lot of the material written about these spiders muddles different species from different continents. In Australia, the big "bird-eating" spider people mean is usually an Australian tarantula (family Theraphosidae), sometimes sold in the pet trade as Selenocosmia crassipes, though identifications are often wrong and some captive spiders may be undescribed species.¹ Names from overseas, such as the Brazilian Pterinopelma sazimai, do not belong in an Australian-focused article, and the idea that tarantulas as a group "mainly eat small birds" is not a safe generalisation.

What Australian tarantulas actually are

These are large, robust, hairy spiders that live mostly on the ground and shelter in burrows. Many are nocturnal, spending the day tucked away and becoming active after dark when the air cools and prey is moving.¹ They are often called whistling, barking, or hissing spiders because some species can make an audible sound when threatened, using specialised bristles in a process called stridulation. That noise is a warning display, not a sign the spider is looking for a fight.¹

Size and Appearance

Size varies by species, but these rank among Australia's largest spiders. They are typically heavy-bodied with thick legs, and they can look startlingly big when found wandering at night, especially adult males, which are more likely to roam.²

Habitat and Where You Might Find Them

Australian tarantulas occur across multiple states and habitats, from woodland and forest edges to drier country. They are often encountered in gardens and around sheds where there is cover, leaf litter, and insects to hunt.¹ In Queensland, the state notes that species diversity is still poorly known in places, and that removing large adults can affect local populations, which is one reason wild collection is treated seriously.²

Diet and Feeding Behaviour

The "bird-eater" label comes from occasional observations of tarantulas taking very small vertebrates. In practice, their day-to-day diet is more often insects and other invertebrates, with small vertebrates taken opportunistically when the chance is close and manageable.³ They do not build a classic orb web to catch prey. Instead, they hunt from the ground, often from the mouth of a burrow, relying on touch and vibration. Silk is used for lining retreats, sensing the surroundings, and stabilising surfaces, quiet engineering rather than a flying net.¹

If a Pet Bird Eats a Spider

Many pet birds will snatch moving insects and spiders if given the chance, and the risk depends on the spider species, the bird's size, and what part of the spider was eaten.

Venom and bite risk: the bigger danger is usually to the handler, not the bird. Australian tarantula bites can be painful, handling is strongly discouraged, and you should seek medical attention if symptoms persist.¹
Irritating hairs: tarantulas have defensive hairs that can irritate eyes and mucous membranes. In animals, exposure can cause significant eye and skin irritation and needs prompt veterinary attention if the eye is involved.⁴
Choking and trauma: large spiders are bulky and can be a physical hazard for smaller birds, since legs and fangs can snag.

If your bird has eaten a spider and then shows breathing difficulty, repeated vomiting, swelling, or eye irritation, treat it as urgent and contact an avian vet or a poisons advice service. If it is safe to do so, note what the spider looked like, and do not try to catch it with bare hands.

Keeping Australian Tarantulas as Pets

Calling a tarantula "low-maintenance" can be misleading. Queensland's guidance notes lifespans in the range of 10 to 20 years, which is closer to a long commitment than a novelty pet.² They are also largely sedentary, spending long periods motionless and then moving with sudden speed when startled or feeding. That combination of stillness followed by startling motion often catches new keepers off guard, and it is why secure enclosures and careful husbandry matter.²

Handling and Safety

Australian tarantulas are not usually aggressive, but bites can be painful and may cause systemic symptoms such as nausea and vomiting in some cases. The Australian Museum advises keepers not to handle them and to be particularly careful when cleaning enclosures.¹

Legal Considerations in Australia

Rules vary by state and territory, and they change over time, so check your local wildlife authority before buying or moving any native spider. In Queensland, native tarantulas (family Theraphosidae) are regulated under the native animal keeping framework, rather than being exempt like many other invertebrates. Queensland's species and class listings specifically call out tarantulas as regulated animals.⁵ Queensland also advises only buying native wildlife from licensed sellers, because animals purchased unlawfully can be seized.⁶

The Bottom Line

Australia's "bird-eating" spiders are better understood as patient, ground-dwelling tarantulas that mostly take insects and other small prey, occasionally surprising people with what they can overpower when circumstances line up. They are not a toy pet, not a bird hunter by default, and not something to handle. If you keep pet birds, the safest approach is simple: limit unsupervised access to places where large spiders shelter, and treat any spider-eating incident as a reason to watch closely for irritation or distress and to ring an avian vet if signs appear.

References

Sophie Kininmonth

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