Considering getting my first tarantula...

Karl Parker

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So as the title says I'm considering getting my first tarantula however there is more to the story before I ask the usual questions.

I'm suffer from arachnophobia...yup I know how that sounds but I've finally come to the conclusions after many discussions with my friend who also suffered from it (only a fair bit worse then I do) was telling me about how he got over it by coming to terms with the fact it was a learned fear and he could overcome it although his story of buying his first tarantula made me laugh. Apparently his mum had to come pick him up from the store since he couldn't move due to having to carry a spider. He laughed, I laughed, his mum cracked up and almost fell on the floor when she remembered.

Anyways he has decided to support me in my steps to do the same and rid myself of the phobia through exposure and this is where I am now. Come January I'll be going to pick up my new friend BUT I've been recommended five different tarantulas. Mexican Red Knee, Mexican Beauty, Brazilian Black, Curly Haired & Red Rump. I'm leaning towards Mexican Red Knee or Beauty since they for some weird reason appeal to me...I don't know why but after also doing some research they seem to be the more docile of the five and I think part of my phobia lays in the sharp, erratic movements most spider display.

So here lays the question: What would you all consider a good starter tarantula? Should I get a juvenile or should I go with a early adult? What size terrarium would you recommend and what kind of substrate should I be looking to set up?

Really appreciate any answers and look forward to talking to everyone :)
 

Andrea82

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Welcome on board :) well, almost ;)
You are actually not weird at all for wanting to overcome your fear by getting a spider. Loads of people here who started out that way.

One thing to have a better beginning is to learn the scientific names for your spiders. Common names get confused a lot, and you definitely want to make sure we're talking about the same spider. The mexican red knee is Brachypelma hamorii. The Mexican beauty is Brachypelma klaasi, the curly hair is Brachypelma albopilosum. Brazilian black is Grammostola pulchra, and the red rump is Brachypelma vagans.

In my opinion, they are all good starter species, except for maybe the B.vagans. They can be a bit feisty, and if you are overcoming your fear, you need a nice and calm species. All spiders bave personal temperaments though, so it can be that you get a G.pulchra who is a demon, so to speak.
There are several reliable channels on YouTube that give excellent information on how and where to start. Look for Tom Moran, EulersK and The Dark Den. They all have beginnerspecies information :)
 

Karl Parker

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You watch Dark Den too? Love Petko lol honestly watching him has calmed me a lot seeing him handle them and the ways he talks about them is somewhat therapeutic lol. I'll deffo give Tom and Euler a look too!
 

Potatatas

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You will definitely get over your fear pretty quickly after you spend a couple days watching your first tarantula go about it's business. They are fascinating to watch. In the hobby a lot of people try to use the scientific names of tarantulas instead of the common names to avoid confusion. There are often lots of common names for a species so using scientific names avoids confusion.

All of those you mentioned are all great beginner species. Choose one you think looks the nicest and search for some care info on it (do not trust care sheets). If you want to see it grow then get a juvenile but if you want an impressive spider straight away get an adult. Juveniles can be a little more skittish than adults. For substrate there are a lot of options but the most common being coco fibre or top soil.

The Mexican beauty is Brachypelma klaasi
I had to google Mexican Beauty and it came up with an Aphonopelma bicoloratum so here's already some evidence of confusion with common names!
 
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Karl Parker

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Thank you to both. I genuinely always watched the youtubers and found the names confusing and always wondered "why don't they just use the common names?" and as I'm on here I'm also watching Dark Den and he literally mentions the same basic reasons (talking about how the term "Goliath Bird Eater" is a easy way to round up large tarantulas but then there is two off the top of his head that fit that category) so I'll definitely look into the scientific names. :)
 

Andrea82

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Thank you to both. I genuinely always watched the youtubers and found the names confusing and always wondered "why don't they just use the common names?" and as I'm on here I'm also watching Dark Den and he literally mentions the same basic reasons (talking about how the term "Goliath Bird Eater" is a easy way to round up large tarantulas but then there is two off the top of his head that fit that category) so I'll definitely look into the scientific names. :)
That's the biggest cause for concern, yes. There are several 'striped knees' across different genera, so people will never know if you're using stripe knee to mention A.geniculata or A.seemani...
The other reason is that the scientific names are used in every country, and they are always the same. I'm from the Netherlands, for example. If you use an American common name, I'll have no idea of which species you are talking about. And I don't think you would know what I mean by the Dutch common name 'Mexicaanse roodknie vogelspin' either :)

@Potatatas
I used to watch Petco/ the Dark Den in tje beginning, but not so much more now tbh. I like his earlier vids more than the new ones.
 

Potatatas

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Oh and I could not recommend Tom Moran enough (https://tomsbigspiders.com/). He is the best when it comes to husbandry requirements. He has probably saved the lives of thousands of tarantulas from bad setups.

Also just a couple of things to stay away from - Care sheets, heat mats, heat bulbs, fancy substrates, starter kits (I got had as starter kits contain useless things) , humidity gauges (humidity does not apply to any beginner species)
 

Karl Parker

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One thing I did want to ask about was heating, thank you for reminding me @Potatatas lol. I live in UK and it does get rather chilly and my homes heating isn't the most reliable (the system is old and trying to get my landlord to fix it is an uphill struggle!) I know you stated stay clear of them but is there a viable heating option?
 

Andrea82

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One thing I did want to ask about was heating, thank you for reminding me @Potatatas lol. I live in UK and it does get rather chilly and my homes heating isn't the most reliable (the system is old and trying to get my landlord to fix it is an uphill struggle!) I know you stated stay clear of them but is there a viable heating option?
You can use heat mats, but you need to apply them differently from what the pet store owner tells you to ;)
The safest way to apply a heat mat is to stick it to the wall behind the enclosure, making sure there's a cm or 5 between the enclosure and the heat mat. Always use a thermostat to prevent overheating.
I have more spiders so I use a heat cable applied to a cupboard like this:
http://arachnoboards.com/threads/c-lividum-setup.301554/page-3#post-2721123
 

Thekla

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For someone who wants to overcome arachnophobia, I'd recommend a Homoeomma chilensis. They're one of the most docile tarantulas out there, but they also have a very interesting attitude as they're quite curious and inquisitive. And they are just so much fun to watch when they're constantly rearranging their enclosures. Most of the other beginner species that were mentioned mutate into a pet rock when they get older. ;)
Just don't get a tiny sling as they grow slower than a glacier, literally. :rofl:

Profile Pic_after 2nd moult.jpg
 

Potatatas

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I know you stated stay clear of them but is there a viable heating option?
If it's a small to medium sized room a space heater works perfectly. I use a cheap electric space heater I picked up in home bargains for under £15. It's not too bad on the electric bill either, much better than I expected. If you go for that then get one with a built in thermostat. The cheap one I have does have one but takes a bit of fiddling to get it right. Keeps my T room a nice 21c at all times on the lowest wattage setting though.

Many people here will warn you off of heat mats because when a tarantula gets too warm it will burrow to find cooler earth. But if the heat mat is attached to the bottom, the further it burrows the hotter it gets and it's instinct just tells it to keep burrowing, ending in the T cooking itself. Attaching to the side is a better option but many will still not recommend this.
 

wingedcoatl

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I was arachnophobic and looking to conquer my fear, too! I ended up getting a Grammostola pulchripes sling. It was amazing how raising the little girl (now a BIG girl!) replaced my fear with fascination! You're in good hands here and some great beginner species have been recommended but I have to add G pulchripes as a recommendation (common name Chaco Golden Knee). They have a reputation as gentle giants, and mine has been a delight to raise!
 

MikeofBorg

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Love my little Brachypelma hamorii (Mexican Red Knee) sling. Got it in April at 3/4 of an inch and it’s already at 2 inches DLS. And since it hit 2 inches it quit burrowing and hangs out in the open all the time now. Great beginner species for sure. I’ve been keeping Ts about 3 years and finally stepped into Old Wolrds this year. But I still own more “beginner” New Worlds than I do Old Worlds. I’m a big fan of the Aphonopelma genus. Hoping the Aphonopelma bicoloratum drop in price someday.
 

cold blood

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What would you all consider a good starter tarantula? Should I get a juvenile or should I go with a early adult? What size terrarium would you recommend and what kind of substrate should I be looking to set up?

Really appreciate any answers and look forward to talking to everyone :)
There are probably 100s of threads and vids dealing with good beginner species...but for an arachnophobe, I recommend something I don't recommend for enthusiastic beginners...and this is coming from a former arachnophobe.....get an adult female rose hair. This is a group of Chilean ts with slow growth, low metabolism and ridiculous ease of care (porteri, rosea, sp. north)...the reason I recommend them to arachnophobes is the same reason I don't recommend them to enthusiastic beginners....this is their sedentary nature.
Fast movements, excessive movement or wandering, flicking hairs....These are all things that peak the phobia. A rose hair just sits there calmly, even when working around them usually...this will give you the confidence to work around them and will in time, significantly help with the yips. Perfect observational t for a phobe.

You watch Dark Den too? Love Petko lol honestly watching him has calmed me a lot seeing him handle them and the ways he talks about them is somewhat therapeutic lol.
This is a bad practice and a horrible way to educate. Handling is a selfish act, that holds NO value for the t, but presents a myriad of potential dangers. It's an old way of thought from a time when we only had a handful of docile species and were a whole lot less educated about them. They are best seen as observational pets, more like fish....There are probably hundreds of pets that would be better choices to handle....a fragile, venomous animal with no brain and centimeter long fangs isn't the right choice.

I equate teaching by handling to teaching drivers ed by showing how to do break stands, donuts and burnouts.
 

Karl Parker

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Amazed to come back from work and see people still offering their advice and thoughts :D Glad I did ask here lol gonna keep all these in mind when time comes!

This is a bad practice and a horrible way to educate. Handling is a selfish act, that holds NO value for the t, but presents a myriad of potential dangers. It's an old way of thought from a time when we only had a handful of docile species and were a whole lot less educated about them. They are best seen as observational pets, more like fish....There are probably hundreds of pets that would be better choices to handle....a fragile, venomous animal with no brain and centimeter long fangs isn't the right choice.

I equate teaching by handling to teaching drivers ed by showing how to do break stands, donuts and burnouts.
This honestly made me laugh when I read the comparison but completely understand. When I read the "no brain" I genuinely went and googled that, never knew they had no brain! See more and more I learn lol thank you though, I'd rather know now then find out later and deepen my phobia with a bad experience.
 

MikeofBorg

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There are probably 100s of threads and vids dealing with good beginner species...but for an arachnophobe, I recommend something I don't recommend for enthusiastic beginners...and this is coming from a former arachnophobe.....get an adult female rose hair. This is a group of Chilean ts with slow growth, low metabolism and ridiculous ease of care (porteri, rosea, sp. north)...the reason I recommend them to arachnophobes is the same reason I don't recommend them to enthusiastic beginners....this is their sedentary nature.
Fast movements, excessive movement or wandering, flicking hairs....These are all things that peak the phobia. A rose hair just sits there calmly, even when working around them usually...this will give you the confidence to work around them and will in time, significantly help with the yips. Perfect observational t for a phobe.


This is a bad practice and a horrible way to educate. Handling is a selfish act, that holds NO value for the t, but presents a myriad of potential dangers. It's an old way of thought from a time when we only had a handful of docile species and were a whole lot less educated about them. They are best seen as observational pets, more like fish....There are probably hundreds of pets that would be better choices to handle....a fragile, venomous animal with no brain and centimeter long fangs isn't the right choice.

I equate teaching by handling to teaching drivers ed by showing how to do break stands, donuts and burnouts.
They have a brain it justs more like a collection of nerve cells than the vertebrate brains we are used to. They are not the Einsteins of the animal kingdom that’s for sure. They don’t use it to think as we would. It’s more a stimuli reaction tool to either eat or go into flight mode. It is a minor decision, but requires some type of sensory processing center or brain.
 

Dorifto

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My vote goes to the Grammostola pulchra. They are incredibly docile, and becames big and beautyful. My pulchra never gave me any threat posture or any warning bite.
 

The Grym Reaper

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So here lays the question: What would you all consider a good starter tarantula?
Brachypelma albopilosum - Good eaters, average size, decent growth, out often when they get larger, active but not particularly fast, generally calm (temperaments can vary), and they're just adorable fuzzballs.


Should I get a juvenile or should I go with a early adult?
I started with a juvenile female because I didn't want a tiny sling but still wanted to watch it grow. Adults will be less inclined to burrow and will be out more as a result.

What size terrarium would you recommend and what kind of substrate should I be looking to set up?
If you get a juvenile then a small breeder box or faunarium will keep them going until around 3.5"-4" when you can house them in a large faunarium (kritter keeper). I'd avoid the glass exo terra enclosure as they're not suitable for terrestrial species.

Adults can be housed in a large faunarium/kritter keeper.

Substrate: Topsoil (get the cheapest stuff you can find, I use the Westland stuff that you can find in B&M for £3), coco fibre, sedge peat or moss peat.

You want to provide a hide (preferably cork bark) and a water dish (with just plain old water, tarantulas are stupidly hard to drown), you can add fake plants for decoration but they're more for aesthetic purposes than the tarantula's benefit.

One thing I did want to ask about was heating, thank you for reminding me @Potatatas lol. I live in UK and it does get rather chilly and my homes heating isn't the most reliable (the system is old and trying to get my landlord to fix it is an uphill struggle!) I know you stated stay clear of them but is there a viable heating option?
As long as temps don't drop below 18°C for extended periods then you won't have any issues.

I use a small ceramic fan heater with a built in stat to keep the room around 25°C (that's about as hot as I can tolerate), it cost me £20 from Aldi

I'd recommend a Homoeomma chilensis
OP is in the UK and finding anything bigger than slings is extremely difficult.
 
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Andrea82

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Amazed to come back from work and see people still offering their advice and thoughts :D Glad I did ask here lol gonna keep all these in mind when time comes!

This honestly made me laugh when I read the comparison but completely understand. When I read the "no brain" I genuinely went and googled that, never knew they had no brain! See more and more I learn lol thank you though, I'd rather know now then find out later and deepen my phobia with a bad experience.
If you want to know more about anatomy (which I highly recommend because it helps you understand their behaviour better), this sticky has everything you need to know:
http://arachnoboards.com/threads/basic-tarantula-anatomy.5095/
 
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