First T?

[Rhysandfish]

Im new to keeping T's and i was wondering if there were a beginners species with more color, like the Green Bottle Blue or the Vietnam Blue. I really like the GBB but I have zero T experience.

 

[miss moxie]

Mmm, avoid the Vietnam Blue. Any Old World species is going to give a beginner absolute heck. They're fast, their venom is powerful, and they're usually very defensive. Threat postures can be very intimidating to a new keeper.

GBBs are lovely spiders. I wouldn't totally recommend them for beginners, but I wouldn't say it's impossible. They're on the fast side and voracious eaters which can be a bit scary to watch at first-- the way they dart forward to eat. One moment they are still, the next they are lightning quick. Though they are heavy webbers, keep them in a terrestrial set up.

My favorite beginner T, though it isn't particularly flashy, is the Euathlus sp. "red". They are so docile, not very fast, and never defensive. I've never heard of a bite from one of these guys. They're not the easiest to get a hold of however. I also really like Grammostola iheringi and Grammostola pulchra. Grammostola can be a little moody sometimes and they can kick hairs, but they're on the slow side. I adore G. iheringi, their bum-hairs practically glow like lava after a fresh molt. Brachypelma albopilosum is a decent beginner as well.

I know more colorful Ts are appealing, but you definitely don't want to get in over your head either, you know? When it comes down to it, though, the most important thing a beginner T-keeper can do is research. Research, find out the answers to every question you have, read as many care-sheets and personal experience stories as you can. I also like to read bite reports on a particular species before acquiring them, because it's important to know what you're getting yourself into. Everyone has the potential to get bit, even people who have been keeping them for years.

There is a picture of a G. iheringi, found on google image search here. Not as colorful as a GBB but beautiful all the same.

 

[Paul1126]

I started the hobby a few months ago,
I got a B.Smithi for my first, He's been in hiding for almost a couple months now.
They are easy to care for and are quite docile I've never seen my smithi kick his hairs he mostly just runs into his hide when disturbed.
I also have a B.Emilia who is a little more skittish but again easy to care for, this one spends most of his/her time outside the hide in open space (Doesn't really react to me opening the lid much anymore) , I had to move it the other day and did kick its hairs but from my experience both Tarantulas would rather run and hide than put up a fight, both are beautiful looking T's and are a joy to watch work especially the Smithi who changed his enclosure quite a bit.

 

[Rhysandfish]

Mmm, avoid the Vietnam Blue. Any Old World species is going to give a beginner absolute heck. They're fast, their venom is powerful, and they're usually very defensive. Threat postures can be very intimidating to a new keeper.

GBBs are lovely spiders. I wouldn't totally recommend them for beginners, but I wouldn't say it's impossible. They're on the fast side and voracious eaters which can be a bit scary to watch at first-- the way they dart forward to eat. One moment they are still, the next they are lightning quick. Though they are heavy webbers, keep them in a terrestrial set up.

My favorite beginner T, though it isn't particularly flashy, is the Euathlus sp. "red". They are so docile, not very fast, and never defensive. I've never heard of a bite from one of these guys. They're not the easiest to get a hold of however. I also really like Grammostola iheringi and Grammostola pulchra. Grammostola can be a little moody sometimes and they can kick hairs, but they're on the slow side. I adore G. iheringi, their bum-hairs practically glow like lava after a fresh molt. Brachypelma albopilosum is a decent beginner as well.

I know more colorful Ts are appealing, but you definitely don't want to get in over your head either, you know? When it comes down to it, though, the most important thing a beginner T-keeper can do is research. Research, find out the answers to every question you have, read as many care-sheets and personal experience stories as you can. I also like to read bite reports on a particular species before acquiring them, because it's important to know what you're getting yourself into. Everyone has the potential to get bit, even people who have been keeping them for years.

There is a picture of a G. iheringi, found on google image search here. Not as colorful as a GBB but beautiful all the same.

I think the Euthalus sp and the G. Iheringi are both beautiful T's and i love the color on both. Also i appreciate the passion and knowledge you have for T's and i really respect you for that.

 

[Rhysandfish]

I started the hobby a few months ago,
I got a B.Smithi for my first, He's been in hiding for almost a couple months now.
They are easy to care for and are quite docile I've never seen my smithi kick his hairs he mostly just runs into his hide when disturbed.
I also have a B.Emilia who is a little more skittish but again easy to care for, this one spends most of his/her time outside the hide in open space (Doesn't really react to me opening the lid much anymore) , I had to move it the other day and did kick its hairs but from my experience both Tarantulas would rather run and hide than put up a fight, both are beautiful looking T's and are a joy to watch work especially the Smithi who changed his enclosure quite a bit.

I love the classic redknee and the emilia is very cool sounding. I like the idea of being able to see my T without it running away instantly lol.

 

[miss moxie]

I started the hobby a few months ago,
I got a B.Smithi for my first, He's been in hiding for almost a couple months now.
They are easy to care for and are quite docile I've never seen my smithi kick his hairs he mostly just runs into his hide when disturbed.
I also have a B.Emilia who is a little more skittish but again easy to care for, this one spends most of his/her time outside the hide in open space (Doesn't really react to me opening the lid much anymore) , I had to move it the other day and did kick its hairs but from my experience both Tarantulas would rather run and hide than put up a fight, both are beautiful looking T's and are a joy to watch work especially the Smithi who changed his enclosure quite a bit.

Ugh, my emilia was ALWAYS flicking hairs! I never had a T kick more hairs than she did! She was a very beautiful and shy girl though. Hair-kicking is why I don't personally list them as beginner Ts, but they definitely aren't a bad beginner genus. I never saw my albopilosum flick which is why they're my go-to beginner brachy. Plus those curly hairs are really unique even if they are on the drab side as far as coloring goes.

If you can get past hair-kicking, the B. emilia a beautiful tarantula. They're only two-tone so not as colorful as GBB, but the pattern is stunning.

 

[miss moxie]

I love the classic redknee and the emilia is very cool sounding. I like the idea of being able to see my T without it running away instantly lol.

Well my B. emilia was usually out and about but the minute I picked up the enclosure to feed she was quick to run into her hide, kicking all the way. My G. iheringi and both my Euathlus sp. "red" were much less skittish than my B. emilia.

Also, as far as the Euathlus sp. "red" and G. iheringi go since you mentioned liking the look of them, the Euathlus sp. "red" is considered a dwarf species and doesn't get much larger than 3"-3.5". The G. iheringi is considered the largest Grammostola (or it was before, that might have changed) and can get around 8" in size. They're a decently fast grower as far as the Grammostola genus is concerned, but not so fast that you'd end up with a full sized spider in two years. It's fun, watching tarantulas grow while you watch.

 

[Rhysandfish]

Well my B. emilia was usually out and about but the minute I picked up the enclosure to feed she was quick to run into her hide, kicking all the way. My G. iheringi and both my Euathlus sp. "red" were much less skittish than my B. emilia.

Thats nice lol. I would like to handle my T occasionally, can you do that with the iheringi or the euthalus? Or i can just get a rosehair and be a basic little kid lol.

 

[Paul1126]

Ugh, my emilia was ALWAYS flicking hairs! I never had a T kick more hairs than she did! She was a very beautiful and shy girl though. Hair-kicking is why I don't personally list them as beginner Ts, but they definitely aren't a bad beginner genus. I never saw my albopilosum flick which is why they're my go-to beginner brachy. Plus those curly hairs are really unique even if they are on the drab side as far as coloring goes.

If you can get past hair-kicking, the B. emilia a beautiful tarantula. They're only two-tone so not as colorful as GBB, but the pattern is stunning.

I am no expert, Plus I have only had my Emilia one month at the start it would run straight into hiding at the slightest vibration even if I was just walking into my room or putting clothes away, but now seems more than happy to sit around in the open, noticeably a lot less skittish than when I first got it. May I ask how long your Emilia lived for?

Well my B. emilia was usually out and about but the minute I picked up the enclosure to feed she was quick to run into her hide, kicking all the way. My G. iheringi and both my Euathlus sp. "red" were much less skittish than my B. emilia.

This is the only time my Emilia reacts is when I pick up the enclosure but most of the time will just sit out in the open unless I feed it then it goes into its hide for the rest of the day. Only once I seen the Emilia kick and that was when I was trying to move it into a plastic tub.

 

[miss moxie]

Thats nice lol. I would like to handle my T occasionally, can you do that with the iheringi or the euthalus? Or i can just get a rosehair and be a basic little kid lol.

First of all, the Euathlus sp. "red" is super easy to handle. They're so docile, I found both my MM and my AF to be sweethearts. They're also rather slow when climbing on your hands. I handled my small G. iheringi before and they were a lot speedier when it came to crawling around on you.

As for the Rose hair (Grammostola porteri or rosea) they aren't actually very good beginner Ts. Grammostola can be moody. My G. porteri has bitten paintbrushes and tongs before, and my G. pulchripes was really docile and then she molted and became skittish, defensive, and enjoys kicking-hairs and running to her hide. That's why iheringi are my favorite grammy to recommend to beginners.

I am no expert, Plus I have only had my Emilia one month at the start it would run straight into hiding at the slightest vibration even if I was just walking into my room or putting clothes away, but now seems more than happy to sit around in the open, noticeably a lot less skittish than when I first got it. May I ask how long your Emilia lived for?

This is the only time my Emilia reacts is when I pick up the enclosure but most of the time will just sit out in the open unless I feed it then it goes into its hide for the rest of the day. Only once I seen the Emilia kick and that was when I was trying to move it into a plastic tub.

Ah, I had to get rid of a lot of my collection for a multitude of reasons. I only had her for a year, saw her molt once. But Brachys can live very long. Typically, NW Ts live longer than OWs to the best of my knowledge, and the slower a T grows, the longer it has the potential to live for. That was my understanding before I stepped back from the hobby for a couple years at least, I may have missed new information in that time.

 

[mconnachan]

read as many care-sheets and personal experience stories as you can.

Forget reading care sheets, they're just rubbish, whatever sp. you decide to purchase as @miss moxie has said research your sp. but on this forum, a lot of care sheets are just wrong, your best bet is to ask here if you are unsure about anything, use the search option, you're guaranteed to get the relevant information needed, good luck and welcome to the hobby. Great info you gave Miss Moxie apart from those blasted care sheets.

 

[miss moxie]

Forget reading care sheets, they're just rubbish, whatever sp. you decide to purchase as @miss moxie has said research your sp. but on this forum, a lot of care sheets are just wrong, your best bet is to ask here if you are unsure about anything, use the search option, you're guaranteed to get the relevant information needed, good luck and welcome to the hobby. Great info you gave Miss Moxie apart from those blasted care sheets.

Have you ever looked at the care sheets on mikesbasictarantulas.com? This is his for the G. iheringi and I think it's rather informative. That said, the care sheets they offer at Petco and such are absolutely worthless, but I always found the caresheets on the aforementioned website to be really well written. He even goes so far as to discuss the climate and shifting seasons in their natural habitat. Really fascinating.

 

[mconnachan]

Thats nice lol. I would like to handle my T occasionally, can you do that with the iheringi or the euthalus? Or i can just get a rosehair and be a basic little kid lol.

I wouldn't handle your spider, they get nothing from it, apart from being scared, they could accidentally bolt and fall, unfortunately this usually means a ruptured abdomen, which in turn means death. TBH tarantulas are a look but don't touch animal, I wouldn't even say pet, I feel I am a custodian of my spiders and allow them to live as close to their natural habitat as possible, which means I only ever touch them when I'm rehousing them or am trying to spot clean the enclosures, using a soft bristled paint brush to nudge the spider, and 12" tongs for removing boluses etc.

Side note - G. rosea are one of the most bipolar tarantulas available, one second they are looking all calm and collected, the next they're threat posturing and trying to tag anything, as said a look but don't touch animal.

 

[mconnachan]

Have you ever looked at the care sheets on mikesbasictarantulas.com? This is his for the G. iheringi and I think it's rather informative. That said, the care sheets they offer at Petco and such are absolutely worthless, but I always found the caresheets on the aforementioned website to be really well written. He even goes so far as to discuss the climate and shifting seasons in their natural habitat. Really fascinating.

Yes, don't get me wrong some of the care sheets are really good, it's trying to decipher which ones to believe and which are feeding you a lot of nonsense, Tom's Big Spiders is the best on-line resource for any and all tarantula related questions.

 

[Phases]

IMHO, of what I own, can't go wrong with, in no particular order:

Caribena versicolor (Antilles Pink Toe): Very pretty, colorful, and mine is SUPER docile. My most docile by far. I can work all around her in her cage, "pet" her, pick her right up, put her right down, she's super chill. I cannot express how cool MINE is. Your mileage may vary. She is not super active though. (I can agree with the below from @miss moxie. This was my first but, I have indeed had to tweak my humidity to get it right for her.

Brachypelma hamorii (smithi) (Mexican Red-knee): Very easy, very docile. Pretty active.

Aphonopelma seemanni (Costa Rican Stripe-knee): Fun, active, loves to eat, and at least in my area, dirt cheap. But, they are quick, very alert - a little more of a challenge than other on this list to rehouse, etc. However, would not meet your color requirements

... there are other non-colorful species I'd suggest. Brachypelma albopilosum, also super docile. Maybe the vagans, there's some color there, but mine is a tiny sling, no real exp with adults. Same with my GBB. I suspect both will be pretty fun adults, vagans to be much .. easier.. with regards to rehousing etc, but neither to be too difficult with normal maint.

 

[boina]

@miss moxie you have strange tarantulas . My B. emila is the calmest tarantula I have and has never once kicked hairs in the many years I have her. My G. iheringi is fast and skittish, though, and I know from others that theirs are, too. IMO the G. iheringi is the least appropriate for a beginner.

Have you ever looked at the care sheets on mikesbasictarantulas.com? This is his for the G. iheringi and I think it's rather informative.

Yes I know those care sheets and most are quite bad and some are horribly wrong. Do NOT look at mikesbasictarantulas.com! And the iheringi care sheet is pretty bad, actually...

 

[miss moxie]

IMHO, of what I own, can't go wrong with, in no particular order:

Caribena versicolor (Antilles Pink Toe): Very pretty, colorful, and mine is SUPER docile. My most docile by far. I can work all around her in her cage, "pet" her, pick her right up, put her right down, she's super chill. I cannot express how cool MINE is. Your mileage may vary. She is not super active though.

Ehhh, I would say that is a bit of a stretch. Things can definitely go wrong with a C. versicolor for a beginner. Not so much the T itself being difficult, but they are harder to take care of as far as far as husbandry goes. I wouldn't recommend Caribena or Avicularia species for a first tarantula given how sensitive they can be. You can't keep the enclosure too moist or too dry. You have got to find the sweet spot, especially with slings.

 

[miss moxie]

@miss moxie you have strange tarantulas . My B. emila is the calmest tarantula I have and has never once kicked hairs in the many years I have her. My G. iheringi is fast and skittish, though, and I know from others that theirs are, too. IMO the G. iheringi is the least appropriate for a beginner.

Yes I know those care sheets and most are quite bad and some are horribly wrong. Do NOT look at mikesbasictarantulas.com! And the iheringi care sheet is pretty bad, actually...

I mean I haven't gone through all of them, but the ones I read back when I had a pretty large collection were at least a decent jumping off point. I never used one single source for information however, that's why I believe you should do as much reading as possible and average out what you find, or search for the general consensus.

Also, you already know about how strange my tarantulas can be if you're the same boina-the-snake from tumblr.

 

[Phases]

Ehhh, I would say that is a bit of a stretch. Things can definitely go wrong with a C. versicolor for a beginner. Not so much the T itself being difficult, but they are harder to take care of as far as far as husbandry goes. I wouldn't recommend Caribena or Avicularia species for a first tarantula given how sensitive they can be. You can't keep the enclosure too moist or too dry. You have got to find the sweet spot, especially with slings.

I can agree with that, edited my post. Thanks!

 

[boina]

I mean I haven't gone through all of them, but the ones I read back when I had a pretty large collection were at least a decent jumping off point. I never used one single source for information however, that's why I believe you should do as much reading as possible and average out what you find, or search for the general consensus.

I don't like mikesbasictarantulas at all, because he's so hung up on specifics - specific temps and even worse, specific humidity numbers. Specific temps are superfluos and specific humidtiy might kill tarantulas - chasing humidity numbers instead of providing ventilation has, for example, killed more Avics than you can count. Humidity is without consequence - some need moist substrate, no tarantula needs a specific humidity.