Taking your frog for a walk.

Do tarantulas keep frogs as pets?

Not really. Before we dive into this fascinating relationship, we need to talk about symbiotic relationships. In biology college classes all around the United States, students are learning about the 3 main symbiotic relationships. These relationships are mentioned in almost every biology class I have taken and the topic has haunted me for my entire college career.

Symbiotic might seem like a difficult word and perhaps you’re nervous about learning about it, but it’s likely that you already know the classic examples of these three relationships.

1. Mutualism (+/+): both organisms benefit from this relationship EXAMPLE: the clown fish and sea anemone
2. Commensalism (+/0): one organism benefits and the other is neither harmed or benefited EXAMPLE: hermit crabs living in the shells of dead snails (no snails were harmed or helped in the process of making this home)
3. Parasitism (+/-): one organism benefits and the other is harmed EXAMPLE: a tapeworm living inside of a dog

The relationship that the tarantula Xenesthis immanis has with the frog Chiasmocleis ventrimaculata is a commensalistic relationship, not a domestic one.

Who’s benefiting?

Benefit(s) for the frog: this species of tarantula makes burrows in the ground, which provides protection to the frog

Some have claimed that tarantulas benefit from this relationship because the frogs eat the ants that are trying to snack on the spider’s eggs, but more research needs to be done on this topic to support this argument.

To review: do tarantulas keep frogs as pets?

No, unfortunately, tarantulas do not keep frogs as pets. This particular species of tarantula and frog have a commensalistic relationship with it benefiting the frog.