We build enclosures for one very specific tenant
ArachNest exists because jumping spiders keep getting sold the same enclosure as everything else — bearded dragons, ball pythons, tarantulas three times their size. We picked one format and sized it for a jumper instead.
Most "universal" terrariums on the market are built around reptiles or large tarantulas: wide floor space, low ceilings, hinged doors that need two hands to latch. A jumping spider doesn't behave like either. It's a small, intensely visual hunter that climbs constantly, builds silk retreats near the roof of its enclosure, and needs airflow more than floor area. So instead of selling a nine-size catalog aimed at the whole invertebrate hobby, we narrowed our lineup to three acrylic sizes that actually fit how a jumping spider lives — including a taller 12×12×20cm option specifically for arboreal setups.
Why acrylic, and why this one
We looked at glass tanks, plastic critter keepers, and the clear acrylic cube-and-panel design we sell today. Acrylic won for a simple reason: it's light enough to reposition without stress, shatter-resistant compared to glass, and — done right — clear enough that you're not squinting through a haze to check on your spider. The magnetic lid was the other deciding factor. A jumping spider is fast, curious, and will test any gap the moment you open a lid; a magnetic closure lets you feed or mist the enclosure with one hand while the other stays ready, instead of wrestling a friction-fit door. Buyers notice it too — it's the single most repeated detail across verified reviews, alongside how easy the panels are to assemble out of the box.
We're upfront that this is a home-keeping enclosure, not a museum-grade bioactive vivarium. It won't replace a custom-built bioactive setup for a serious breeding operation, and we say so. What it does well is give a jumping spider — or another small invertebrate of similar size — a clear, ventilated, secure space that's easy to assemble and easy to see into, at a price that doesn't require justifying a hobby to your household budget.
Sizing it for a jumper, not a menagerie
Enclosures built on this acrylic cube-and-panel format are typically offered in up to nine sizes, aimed at everything from dart frogs to adult tarantulas. We cut that down to three size classes: a 10×10×10cm cube for a single juvenile-to-adult jumping spider or a similarly sized invertebrate, a 12×12×20cm tower for arboreal setups where vertical climbing space matters more than floor area, and a Large offered in two orientations — a tall 15×15×25cm for maximum vertical space, or a wide 25×15×15cm for keepers who want more floor room for décor, live plants, or a slightly larger species. We didn't keep the giant formats built for tarantulas or bearded dragons — they don't match what a jumping spider actually needs, and stocking them would just add confusing choice.
Who's behind the reviews
Our product notes and buying guidance are reviewed by Dana Whitfield, an invertebrate keeper who has kept and rehomed jumping spiders and other small arachnids for six years. Dana's job is to check every claim we make about ventilation, acrylic clarity, and assembly against how the enclosure actually behaves once a spider is living in it — not just how it reads on a spec sheet. You can read the full methodology on our How We Test page.
Measured by default
Our current rating — 4.6 out of 5 across 130 verified buyers — reflects the full body of feedback we've received. Every order is backed by our 30-day money-back guarantee, so if anything about your enclosure isn't right, we'll make it right.
We also won't dress up basic care information as veterinary advice. Anything we say about substrate, humidity, or feeding reflects common practice among amateur invertebrate keepers — not a professional or veterinary recommendation — and we say so plainly wherever it comes up.