About The Spoodoire
Tarantulas, care and a sensible amount of enthusiasm
The Spoodoire is a UK tarantula shop built around honest stock information, practical care guidance and helping keepers make confident choices.
Policy details are reviewed regularly
Just one more tarantula…
More than a tarantula shop.
Tucked away on a hill in rural Wiltshire, The Spoodoire is run by Stig and Tracey — two keepers who accidentally turned a fear of spiders into a full-blown tarantula obsession.
Our story
From Arachnophobia to Obsession
What started as a slightly ridiculous attempt to cure one man’s arachnophobia somehow turned into a house full of tarantulas, countless enclosures, and eventually… The Spoodoire.
A few years ago, Tracey decided enough was enough. No more screaming, no more hiding in the bedroom, and definitely no more standing on the toilet because there was a spider somewhere else in the house. Her original plan was simple enough: buy Stig a cute little jumping spider to help him get over his fear.
There was just one problem.
The jumping spiders were sold out.
So she bought him three tarantulas instead.
Not exactly easing him in gently, but it worked.
Those first three spiders—a Tliltocatl albopilosus, Vitalius chromatus and Acanthoscurria geniculata—changed everything. What began as reluctant curiosity quickly became a genuine fascination with these incredible animals.
Two of those originals are still with us today. Betty, our Acanthoscurria geniculata, continues to remind us who’s in charge, while Baby Spood has somehow become the elderly gentleman of The Spoodoire. He arrived as a tiny spiderling, had his ultimate moult a couple of years ago, and now, when the building is quiet, you can genuinely hear him creaking around his enclosure looking for the ladies.
As the collection grew, so did the number of questions. We found ourselves constantly researching husbandry, comparing experiences with other keepers, searching for reliable information and trying to separate long-standing myths from what actually works.
That’s really where The Spoodoire began.
More than retail
Built to Be Useful, Not Just to Sell Spiders
Yes, we’re a specialist tarantula retailer, but we’ve always wanted to build something much bigger than an online shop.
Our aim is to create a place where new keepers feel welcome, experienced hobbyists can discover something new, and breeders have access to genuinely useful information. Whether you’re buying your very first spiderling or searching for your next breeding project, we want The Spoodoire to be somewhere worth visiting even if you aren’t buying anything today.
That’s why we’re investing so heavily in our Species Care Guides. Rather than offering a few generic paragraphs, we’re building one of the most comprehensive free resources available for tarantula keepers. Every species guide is designed to include detailed husbandry information, natural history, breeding information, photographs, live climate data from the species’ native habitat, conservation information, and practical guidance based on current hobby best practice.
The website is constantly evolving too. We’re developing new tools, improving our care guides, refining our pricing information, and adding features that we hope genuinely benefit the hobby rather than simply trying to sell more spiders.
Care Guides
Detailed, species-specific references covering natural history, enclosure planning, feeding and everyday care.
Climate Context
Seasonal and live climate information from representative locations within a species’ wild range, where reliable data is available.
Breeding & Husbandry
Practical information for UK keepers and breeders, built around current hobby best practice rather than recycled myths.
Responsible Keeping
Honest guidance that helps people choose suitable species, understand their responsibilities and put animal welfare first.
Why We're Building This
At the heart of it all is a simple belief: the better informed keepers are, the better the lives of the animals we all enjoy keeping.
Whether you’ve been keeping tarantulas for twenty years or you’re still wondering whether your first spider is a good idea, we’re glad you’re here.
Whether you’re buying your first spiderling or researching your next breeding project, welcome to The Spoodoire.
