A Tarantula's Habitat

Tropical Rainforests

• Some tarantula species, such as the goliath bird eater tarantula, live in tropical rainforests. These habitats are hot and humid. They can get more than 100 inches of rainfall per year. Rainforests exist in South America, Africa, Asia and Australia.

  Wildlife is diverse in tropical rainforests, so tarantulas have an abundance of food, but they are also food for other tropical animals, such as tarantula hawks -- a species of wasp that lays its eggs on tarantulas. When they hatch, the larvae of the wasp burrow into tarantulas and eat them from the inside out.

Deserts

• Desert tarantulas live in the hot, dry regions of the United States. These spiders hide under desert rocks or live in burrows. During the day, they typically remain in these hiding spots to avoid the predators of the desert, such as insect-eating snakes and birds. Desert tarantulas hunt at night. This is helpful in the desert climate because it minimizes water use. Desert tarantulas do not need much water to survive.

Savannas

• Savanna habitat is in South America, Australia, India and nearly half of the African continent. These habitats are mostly grass with few trees. The red rump tarantula is one species that lives in the savanna. They can also live in forests.

Plains

• Plains, also known as prairies, pampas or temperate grasslands, are like savannas but with less rainfall. There are plains in the United States, Russia and South America. The plains are home to tarantulas and plenty of their preferred foods -- snakes, toads and frogs.

Cloud Forests

• Cloud forests are habitats that are similar to rainforests. Clouds and mists blanket the canopy of these forests. They appear in the mountains of tropical and subtropical regions. Tarantulas make their homes in cloud forests, but that may not happen for much longer. Like other habitats on Earth, pollution, deforestation and climate change are killing cloud forests.