What Does It Mean to Dream of a Tarantula?
Tarantulas are tame enough to be kept as pets, but they’re still the world’s biggest spiders. That could make seeing one in your dream a little anxiety-inducing.
Tarantula Dream Summary
Tarantula Dream Symbolism
A tarantula is a type of spider, so a tarantula dream could share some of the basic symbolism of a spider dream, such as creativity, deceit, feminine energy, and fear.
According to the San Diego Zoo, tarantulas are the largest spiders in the world. The biggest tarantula leg span is 11 inches, so they are still pretty small in relation to humans. However, some tarantula dreams could qualify as giant spider dreams, which can symbolize feelings of fear or being controlled.
Tarantulas are known for their hairy legs. They are sometimes kept as pets, so humans get to see tarantulas’ unique habits like shedding their exoskeletons as they grow. Your tarantula dream might refer to these common associations of tarantulas.
Common Tarantula Dreams
- Dream of a pet tarantula
- Dream of a dead tarantula
- Dream of a tarantula of a particular color
Tarantula Dream Symbolism
Dexterity
The thick, hairy legs of a tarantula can be somewhat reminiscent of human limbs and digits. Dreaming of a tarantula working its eight legs could symbolize that you are trying to learn a new skill that requires a lot of physical coordination, like dancing or playing the guitar.
Transformation
As shown on IFLScience, tarantulas are known to molt their exoskeletons as they grow. In this sense, dreaming of a tarantula could symbolize that you are going through a big growth spurt in your life. This might be physical or emotional development, or it may just be a change in how you present yourself to the world.
Creepiness
Though tarantulas can be kept as pets, they aren’t generally regarded as cute and cuddly pets in the way that kittens and puppies are. They still look a little creepy.
Dreaming of a tarantula could therefore symbolize that you are a little creeped out by someone in your life. Alternately, you might be doing something that alienates others.
Hairiness
In some cultures, it is common for women to shave their legs. If this is your situation, dreaming of a tarantula’s hairy legs could reflect that you feel like you’re getting hairy and need to shave.
Common Tarantula Dreams
Dream of a pet tarantula
If you already have a pet tarantula, your dream of a pet tarantula could simply reflect your usual routine. However, if you do not have a pet tarantula and would not normally consider it, there’s more to look at in your dream of a pet tarantula.
A tarantula is not a pet commonly thought of as cute and cuddly like a cat or dog. It’s not as common a pet in general. Dreaming of a pet tarantula could therefore symbolize that you have a desire to stand out in the crowd instead of just going along with what everybody else does.
Dream of a dead tarantula
Your dead tarantula dream meaning could depend on the emotional atmosphere of your dream. If the tarantula was attacking you, and you killed it, your dream of killing a tarantula could symbolize that you are able to defend yourself from things that threaten you in your life.
However, if the tarantula in your dream was not acting aggressively toward you, and you killed it pre-emptively, this could symbolize that you are quick to leap to judgment in some situation in your life. Though tarantulas may look scary, the San Diego Zoo reports that the amount of venom in a tarantula bite is comparable to that of a bee sting – not fatal to most humans. Furthermore, tarantulas generally prefer to hide from humans rather than bite them.
If you were sad to see the tarantula die in your dream, this could symbolize that you feel like you are losing qualities you associate with tarantulas, like dexterity and cleverness. You might also feel like you are losing something that makes you unique. See also death and dying dreams.
Dream of a tarantula of a particular color
Dreams of a tarantula of a specific color can combine tarantula dream symbolism with the dream symbolism of that color.
Orange tarantula dream meaning
Orange is a bright and shocking color. Tarantulas, regardless of their color, tend to attract attention. The dream meaning of an orange tarantula could therefore be that you are interested in getting noticed. You might see negative attention as better than no attention at all.
Brown tarantula dream meaning
The color brown is often good camouflage out in nature. People might not be able to see a brown tarantula as easily as a tarantula of a brighter color. The dream meaning of a brown tarantula could therefore be that you are doing something that might upset people if they knew about it, but you are able to work under the radar without drawing attention to yourself.
Black tarantula dream meaning
Black can be a creepy color in many contexts, so the dream meaning of a black tarantula might emphasize the element of creepiness in tarantula dream symbolism. You might feel creeped out by someone else in your life – or maybe you suspect that someone else finds you creepy.
However, black can also symbolize transformation, and this fits well with the side of tarantula symbolism that has to do with transformation – like a tarantula shedding its exoskeleton. In this sense, dreaming of a black tarantula might symbolize that you are going through a big growth spurt in your life.
Conclusion
The interpretation of your tarantula dream can vary based on your personal attitude toward spiders. If you just can’t bring yourself to see the good side of tarantulas, your tarantula dream could show that you feel creeped out by something in your life – though it might subtly encourage you to look at whether prejudice is affecting your view of the situation.
However, if you admire tarantulas’ dexterity and capacity for transformation, your dream of a tarantula may symbolize that these positive qualities are within your grasp.