Cave Spider - Minecraft Neutral

The Cave Spider is a smaller, more dangerous variant of the standard spider found in Minecraft. Distinguished by its bluish tint and venomous bite, this mob adds an extra layer of challenge to players venturing into abandoned mineshafts. Cave Spiders are known for their ability to poison players, making encounters with them particularly hazardous, especially in confined spaces.

Supported Platforms and Support Version

Platform	Supported Version
Java Edition (PC/Mac)	Yes (since Beta 1.8)
Bedrock Edition (Windows 10, Pocket Edition)	Yes
Xbox One	Yes
PS4	Yes
Nintendo Switch	Yes
Education Edition	Yes

Note: In Bedrock Edition, Cave Spiders exhibit slightly different AI behavior and may interact with the environment in subtle ways compared to Java Edition.

Background of the Cave Spider

Description	Details
Hostility Level	Hostile
Health Points	12 (6 Hearts)
Where to Find	Abandoned Mineshafts
Weapon	Fangs
Attack Method	Melee attack with Poison effect
Drops	String, Spider Eye
Experience Points	5 XP
Special Skills	Can inflict Poison, fits through 1×1 gaps

Hostility Level

The Cave Spider is a hostile mob. It will attack players and iron golems on sight.

Health Points

Cave Spiders have 12 health points (6 hearts). They are slightly more fragile than regular spiders but compensate with their poison ability.

Where to Find Cave Spiders

Cave Spiders can primarily be found in Abandoned Mineshafts, where they spawn from Cave Spider spawners enclosed by cobwebs. These spawners are typically located near wooden support beams deep underground.

Weapon

The Cave Spider uses its fangs to bite players and mobs.

Attack Method

The Cave Spider uses a melee attack that inflicts Poison for several seconds on players. This poison can reduce a player’s health down to half a heart (though it will not kill directly).

Behavior

Cave Spiders are smaller than regular spiders, allowing them to pass through 1×1 block openings. They climb walls, jump at targets, and exhibit aggressive AI. When a player enters the range of a spawner, Cave Spiders spawn in waves and relentlessly attack. They are immune to poison themselves.

Drops

When killed, Cave Spiders drop:

String (0-2)
Spider Eye (0-1)
Additional drops with the Looting enchantment applied.

Experience Points

Defeating a Cave Spider grants 5 experience points.

Special Skills

Poison Attack: Inflicts Poison for up to 7 seconds on Normal difficulty, reducing health to half a heart.
Wall Climbing: Like regular spiders, they can climb walls.
Small Size: Can move through 1×1 gaps, making them harder to contain.

Spawn Eggs

Cave Spider spawn eggs are available in Creative Mode:

In Java Edition, found in the Creative inventory.
In Bedrock Edition, accessible through the creative menu or using /give command.

Things to do with the Cave Spider

XP Farm: Players often convert Cave Spider spawners into XP farms due to their consistent spawn rate.
String and Spider Eye Farming: Useful for bows, fishing rods, and Potion of Poison.
Mob Traps: Their small size and wall-climbing behavior can be used in unique mob trap designs.

Commands for the Cave Spider

Example commands to summon a Cave Spider:

Java Edition:
/summon minecraft:cave_spider ~ ~ ~
Bedrock Edition:
/summon cave_spider

Other useful command:

/give @p minecraft:cave_spider_spawn_egg

Spawn Events for the Cave Spider

Cave Spiders only spawn from spawners located in Abandoned Mineshafts. They do not spawn naturally in the open world. When within 16 blocks of a Cave Spider spawner, they will spawn under these conditions:

Light level 7 or lower.
Player within activation range.
Adequate space to spawn (block clearance).

Cave Spider Fun Facts

Cave Spiders are the only spider variant that can inflict Poison.
They are slightly smaller than normal spiders — 0.7 blocks wide and 0.5 blocks tall.
Their bluish-green hue is the easiest way to distinguish them from regular spiders.
The mob was introduced in Beta 1.8, as part of the Adventure Update.

Advanced Tips for Farming

Build trapdoors to funnel Cave Spiders into narrow kill zones (since they can climb walls).
Use water streams to move them without taking damage.
Cobwebs around spawners should be cleared first for safety.
Use Fire Aspect weapons to avoid taking extra poison damage during melee combat.
Setup farms at Y level with spawner containment and light control.

How the Cave Spider Interacts with Other Game Mechanics

Villagers: Cave Spiders attack villagers on sight if exposed, though they rarely encounter them naturally.
Redstone: Players often incorporate redstone contraptions (piston crushers, crushers, dispensers) in Cave Spider XP farms.
Wolves: Wolves do not naturally attack Cave Spiders.
Iron Golems: Iron Golems will attack Cave Spiders but are vulnerable to their poison.
Environment: Cave Spiders are unaffected by Poison effects, making Lingering Poison potions ineffective against them.