Spider
This fella needs ground cover and diggable depth first, so the best checkout pair is a deep Buddy with a starter hide.
Hardy beginner pick with simple care. Pair with the matched habitat kit and the printable care guide.
The biggest wolf spider in North America, and a devoted mom
Hogna carolinensis is the heavyweight of North American wolf spiders: a robust, ground-hunting predator from across the eastern and central US, with females topping an inch in body length and a thick, businesslike legspan. No web; it runs prey down on foot, at night, like a tiny wolf.
The standout behavior is the motherhood: a gravid female carries her egg sac stuck to her spinnerets, then hauls dozens of spiderlings around on her back for a couple of weeks after they hatch, one of the coolest things you will ever see in an enclosure. They are fast and best kept hands-off, but they are hardy, cheap to feed, and endlessly watchable. A real piece of backyard North America.
The numbers live in the care guide. Enclosure size, temps, humidity, feeding schedule, premolt signs, handling boundaries: it's all in the care guide for this exact fella. Start with the full Advanced guide, or click for the quick Open the Simple version →
Hogna carolinensis - Spice 2–3 — Beginner / Intermediate. Baby Buddy for spiderlings; Burrow Buddy for adults/large juveniles
Hogna carolinensis
Big Z's Quick Verdict: A large active ground hunter that needs floor space, hides, and dry-to-moderate conditions.
| Temp | 72–82°F |
|---|---|
| Humidity | Low–Moderate (40-70%) |
| Setup | Terrestrial active hunter |
| Substrate | Soil/coco mix with hide |
| Feeding | Appropriate prey weekly |
| Handling | Not recommended |
Humidity zones: Very Low under 30% - Low 30-60% - Low-Moderate 40-70% - Moderate 60-80% - Moderate-High 70-85% - High 80%+ - Very High 90%+
Current Big Z's catalog: Yes
Hogna carolinensis
Keeper Snapshot: A large active ground hunter that needs floor space, hides, and dry-to-moderate conditions.
| Temperature | 72–82°F |
|---|---|
| Humidity | Low–Moderate (40-70%) |
| Setup Type | Terrestrial active hunter |
| Substrate | Soil/coco mix with hide |
| Feeding | Appropriate prey weekly |
| Care Difficulty | Spice 2–3 — Beginner / Intermediate |
| Handling | Not recommended |
Humidity zones: Very Low under 30% - Low 30-60% - Low-Moderate 40-70% - Moderate 60-80% - Moderate-High 70-85% - High 80%+ - Very High 90%+
The biggest wolf spider in North America, and a devoted mom
Hogna carolinensis is the heavyweight of North American wolf spiders: a robust, ground-hunting predator from across the eastern and central US, with females topping an inch in body length and a thick, businesslike legspan. No web; it runs prey down on foot, at night, like a tiny wolf.
The standout behavior is the motherhood: a gravid female carries her egg sac stuck to her spinnerets, then hauls dozens of spiderlings around on her back for a couple of weeks after they hatch, one of the coolest things you will ever see in an enclosure. They are fast and best kept hands-off, but they are hardy, cheap to feed, and endlessly watchable. A real piece of backyard North America.
The numbers live in the care guide. Enclosure size, temps, humidity, feeding schedule, premolt signs, handling boundaries: it's all in the care guide for this exact fella. Start with the full Advanced guide, or click for the quick Open the Simple version →
Hogna carolinensis - Spice 2–3 — Beginner / Intermediate. Baby Buddy for spiderlings; Burrow Buddy for adults/large juveniles
Hogna carolinensis
Big Z's Quick Verdict: A large active ground hunter that needs floor space, hides, and dry-to-moderate conditions.
| Temp | 72–82°F |
|---|---|
| Humidity | Low–Moderate (40-70%) |
| Setup | Terrestrial active hunter |
| Substrate | Soil/coco mix with hide |
| Feeding | Appropriate prey weekly |
| Handling | Not recommended |
Humidity zones: Very Low under 30% - Low 30-60% - Low-Moderate 40-70% - Moderate 60-80% - Moderate-High 70-85% - High 80%+ - Very High 90%+
Current Big Z's catalog: Yes
Hogna carolinensis
Keeper Snapshot: A large active ground hunter that needs floor space, hides, and dry-to-moderate conditions.
| Temperature | 72–82°F |
|---|---|
| Humidity | Low–Moderate (40-70%) |
| Setup Type | Terrestrial active hunter |
| Substrate | Soil/coco mix with hide |
| Feeding | Appropriate prey weekly |
| Care Difficulty | Spice 2–3 — Beginner / Intermediate |
| Handling | Not recommended |
Humidity zones: Very Low under 30% - Low 30-60% - Low-Moderate 40-70% - Moderate 60-80% - Moderate-High 70-85% - High 80%+ - Very High 90%+
Sold out - DM Big ZTarantula
Sold out - DM Big Z
Flash Sale −20%
Tarantula
Flash Sale −10%
Tarantula
Tarantula
Sold out - DM Big ZMillipede
Tarantula
Flash Sale −10%
Scorpion
Flash Sale −14%
Scorpion
