Summon a cave spider using the /summon command

To summon a tiny spider in Minecraft, use the /summon cave_spider command in the chat window. Cave spiders are smaller than regular spiders and fit through one-block-wide spaces. Type the command, press Enter, and a cave spider will appear at your location.

The command works the same way on Java Edition and Bedrock Edition, though the chat interface looks slightly different between versions. On Java, press T to open chat; on Bedrock (Windows 10, console, mobile), press the right D-pad button or tap the chat icon.

If nothing happens when you press Enter, check that cheats are turned on in your world settings. New worlds have cheats disabled by default, so you must enable them before commands work.

Key Takeaways

  • Type /summon cave_spider in the chat window and press Enter to create a tiny spider at your current location.
  • Cheats must be enabled in your world settings before any /summon command will work.
  • Cave spiders are smaller than regular spiders and can squeeze through gaps that regular spiders cannot fit through.
  • You can add coordinates to the command to spawn the spider at a specific location instead of where you are standing.

Enable cheats if the command does not work

Commands only work when cheats are turned on. If you created your world with cheats disabled, you need to turn them on before /summon will function. The steps differ slightly between Java and Bedrock.

On Java Edition, pause the game, click "Open to LAN", toggle "Allow Cheats" to on, and click "Start LAN World". You do not need to actually open it to other players—this just enables commands for your single-player world. Close the dialog and try your command again.

On Bedrock Edition, pause the game, go to Settings, scroll to Cheats, and toggle "set up Cheats" on. The change takes effect when ready, and you can return to the game and use commands right away.

Spawn the spider at a specific location using coordinates

By default, /summon cave_spider places the spider where you are standing. To place it somewhere else, add coordinates to the end of the command: /summon cave_spider X Y Z, where X, Y, and Z are the location numbers.

Find your coordinates by pressing F3 on Java Edition (or enabling the coordinates display in Bedrock settings). The three numbers shown are your position. If you want the spider to appear 10 blocks to your right and 5 blocks up, add those numbers to your current coordinates and type the new command.

For example, if you are at coordinates 100 64 200, typing /summon cave_spider 110 69 200 will spawn the spider 10 blocks east and 5 blocks higher than where you stand.

Add tags and properties to customize the spider

The basic /summon command creates a normal cave spider, but you can add extra properties to change its behavior. One useful property is {NoAI:1}, which makes the spider stand still and not attack or move.

Type /summon cave_spider ~ ~ ~ {NoAI:1} to spawn a motionless spider. The three tildes (~) mean "my current location"—this is a shorthand so you do not have to type out coordinates every time.

You can also add a custom name with {CustomName:'{"text":"Name"}'}, though the exact syntax differs between Java and Bedrock. On Bedrock, use {CustomName:"Spider Name"} instead. These properties stack together, so you can combine NoAI with a custom name in one command.

Understand the difference between cave spiders and regular spiders

Cave spiders are the smaller variant that spawns naturally in abandoned mineshafts. They are half the size of regular spiders, move faster, and can fit through gaps as small as one block wide. In survival mode, cave spiders are also poisonous—they inflict the poison effect on you when they bite, which regular spiders do not do.

If you want a regular-sized spider instead, use /summon spider rather than /summon cave_spider. Both commands work the same way, and both accept the same properties and coordinates. The choice depends on whether you want the smaller, faster, poisonous variant or the larger, slower regular spider.

Remove spiders you no longer need

If you summon a spider and want to get rid of it, use the /kill command. Type /kill @e[type=cave_spider] to remove all cave spiders in your world, or /kill @e[type=spider] to remove all regular spiders.

If you only want to remove one specific spider, you can target it by name. If you gave the spider a custom name using the command above, type /kill @e[name="Spider Name"] to remove only that one. This is useful if you have summoned multiple spiders and want to clean up without destroying all of them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I summon a cave spider in creative mode and survival mode?

Yes, the /summon command works in both modes as long as cheats are enabled. In creative mode, cheats are on by default. In survival mode, you must turn them on manually before the command will work.

What does the tilde (~) mean in the /summon command?

The tilde (~) is shorthand for your current coordinate in that direction. /summon cave_spider ~ ~ ~ means spawn at my exact location. You can also use ~ with a number, like ~5 ~ ~, to spawn 5 blocks in one direction from where you stand.

Why does my /summon command say "unknown command"?

This usually means cheats are not enabled. Pause the game and check your world settings to confirm "Allow Cheats" or "set up Cheats" is turned on. If it is already on, make sure you typed the command exactly as shown, with no extra spaces or misspellings.

Can I summon a baby cave spider?

Yes, add {Age:-25000} to the command to spawn a baby spider. Type /summon cave_spider ~ ~ ~ {Age:-25000} and a tiny juvenile spider will appear. Baby spiders grow into adults over time, or you can use /kill to remove them before they grow.

Do summoned spiders drop items when they die?

Yes, summoned spiders drop the same items as naturally spawned ones—string and spider eyes. They behave exactly like wild spiders once they are summoned, so they will attack you, move around, and drop loot when killed.