I'm Finally Taking The Leap! I've Decided to Buy a Tarantula!

[Mcskillz]

Hey all, I'm new here. I just recently discovered this forum today and I believe I've finally decided to just go for it and buy a Tarantula. I've done some research on them over the past couple of days on the internet and viewed several youtube videos of people handling them. I checked out a book all about spiders at the library and it's an interesting read thus far. I'm hoping to find a book about tarantulas but they were all checked out at the library and the only book I found was from 1980 and they recommended a Mexican RedKnee as a good starter pet. However, it seems all my internet research has pointed me in the direction of the Rose Haired Tarantula as a good starter Tarantula. I discovered a medium sized one at Petco yesterday and I think she is the lucky one that might end up going home with me.

My questions are:

Before I buy the Tarantula, should I wait for the new potting soil to dry up in the enclosure? What should I look for when I'm buying the soil. I've noticed everybody says to use Peats soil... and being a non-gardener I really don't know what that is or where they sell it at.

Another question, how important are artificial leaves and plants? Do they do anything to stimulate the Tarantula or is it just there to please the human?

How often should you be changing the water and soiling? When you change the water/soil or feed the spider can you use your hands or a set of tongs?

My biggest question concerns the handling of the Tarantula. It seems you shouldn't handle or feed the Tarantula when you first purchase it from the pet store, is this true? Also, how often am I able to hold her? Somebody told me that if you handle the tarantula once a day, it'll be less antisocial, which needs clarification from me because I didn't think Tarantulas were social animals or really cared whether humans handled them or left them alone for months.

That's all I have right now, thankyou for those who are patient and nice enough to read and answer my basic concerns with Tarantulas.

Ah, one last question, I've never held a Tarantula in my life because I don't know anybody that owns a Tarantula(bad excuse I know), but in the case that it bit me... and it does seem for the most part that they just crawl on your hand like it was a rock, what steps do I need to take if it does bite me and what do I need to do to insure the bite will heal correctly?

Thankyou again!

 

[Truff135]

Hey all, I'm new here. I just recently discovered this forum today and I believe I've finally decided to just go for it and buy a Tarantula. I've done some research on them over the past couple of days on the internet and viewed several youtube videos of people handling them. I checked out a book all about spiders at the library and it's an interesting read thus far. I'm hoping to find a book about tarantulas but they were all checked out at the library and the only book I found was from 1980 and they recommended a Mexican RedKnee as a good starter pet. However, it seems all my internet research has pointed me in the direction of the Rose Haired Tarantula as a good starter Tarantula. I discovered a medium sized one at Petco yesterday and I think she is the lucky one that might end up going home with me.

My questions are:

Before I buy the Tarantula, should I wait for the new potting soil to dry up in the enclosure? What should I look for when I'm buying the soil. I've noticed everybody says to use Peats soil... and being a non-gardener I really don't know what that is or where they sell it at.

I actually didn't get peat moss for mine (had a hard time finding it) but I believe you can get it at Lowe's. You just have to make sure that it is UNFERTILIZED!!! I didn't really let mine dry out but then my tarantula also didn't want to step on it for a few hours after I put her on it lol. I know some people microwave or bake the substrate before putting it in. I, however, have not done this and wouldn't be able to give you "cooking instructions" so to speak.

Another question, how important are artificial leaves and plants? Do they do anything to stimulate the Tarantula or is it just there to please the human?

In my opinion, it's more for aesthetics than for actual enjoyment of the animal. However, I have seen a few pictures of T's hanging out under a leaf that's hanging around here or there, so I suppose they could be both for looks and for a little hiding place.

How often should you be changing the water and soiling? When you change the water/soil or feed the spider can you use your hands or a set of tongs?

I put water in a plastic condiment cup filled with a few smooth stones (rinsed) so that she doesn't drown (if she was clumsy enough to fall in). I change the water 2-3 times a week. The soil, I've heard, only needs changed every 6-12 months (especially with dryer terrestrial species). I don't use tongs, but then, my tarantula doesn't try to kill me when I open her cage either.

My biggest question concerns the handling of the Tarantula. It seems you shouldn't handle or feed the Tarantula when you first purchase it from the pet store, is this true? Also, how often am I able to hold her? Somebody told me that if you handle the tarantula once a day, it'll be less antisocial, which needs clarification from me because I didn't think Tarantulas were social animals or really cared whether humans handled them or left them alone for months.

You pretty much hit the nail on the head there. Tarantulas are not the same as soft furry dogs that will wag their tails when you arrive home. There are, however, some species that are more docile/less defensive than others. Handling is never recommended for the tarantula's sake, but if you should wish to do so, it is always advised that you do it close to the ground or on a bed so that if they fall, they won't rupture their abdomens.

Ah, one last question, I've never held a Tarantula in my life because I don't know anybody that owns a Tarantula(bad excuse I know), but in the case that it bit me... and it does seem for the most part that they just crawl on your hand like it was a rock, what steps do I need to take if it does bite me and what do I need to do to insure the bite will heal correctly?

Thankyou again!

From what I've heard, getting bitten by a tarantula is 1) a rare occasion if you take precautions and watch their body language and 2) should it happen, it's only as painful as a bee sting.
Now from what I hear, there is usually localized soreness and stiffness for a couple days after a bite, because tarantulas do have venom. However, from what I understand, no one has died from a tarantula bite. Just keep in mind that some people could react differently to venom but I've read that t venom and bee venom are two very different things and I don't know of anyone that has a t-venom allergy. You could probably just use some kind of first-aid cream (neosporin etc) and it'll heal.

I do want to say a couple things before you go buy a tarantula from a pet store: 1) you can never be guaranteed of its sex, even if the clerks try to tell you otherwise (unless it's like an exotic pet store), and if it's male it may not live very long after purchasing it; 2) if you do "luck out" and get a female, it is highly possible that it is a wild-caught specimen and if it had mated prior to being put into the pet store, could be PREGNANT (aka "gravid") 3) a lot of times they have been in poor housing conditions and may not be the healthiest t
My suggestion to you is, and I'm sure I'm not the only one that will tell you this on here, check out the "For Sale/Trade" classified section on this website. There are a lot of great deals out there, and even if the t is a little over what you would pay from a pet store with shipping, it is well worth it to get a specimen that a lot of times will be a guaranteed, captive born/bred female that will last you a long time.
Grammostola Rosea's (Chilean Rose Hair) are good starter tarantulas; they are hardy and MOST OF THE TIME docile. There have been cases of the "psycho" rosie that doesn't enjoy being handled.
Some other good "starter" T's you could look for are: Grammostola Aureostriata (Chaco Golden Knee/Stripe/Giant); Aphonopelma Seemani (Costa Rican Zebra/Stripe Knee); Avicularia Avicularia (Common Pink Toe - this is an arboreal species); Aphonopelma Chalcodes (Arizona/Tuscon Blonde); Aphonopelma Hentzi (Oklahoma Brown).
Happy hunting, good luck, and most of all,
WELCOME TO ARACHNOBOARDS!!!

 

[cacoseraph]

Before I buy the Tarantula, should I wait for the new potting soil to dry up in the enclosure? What should I look for when I'm buying the soil. I've noticed everybody says to use Peats soil... and being a non-gardener I really don't know what that is or where they sell it at.

i actually prefer to use the coconut coir sold in most petstores. it goes under various brand names like Bed-A-Beast or Eco-Earth. i can't quite stomach buying something in a nursery or hardware store. the bags always seem to have little holes in them and i am afraid even if the product itself is free of bad stuff something could always have been spilled on it. it seems like petstore ppl would be a little more sensitive to such things. anyhow, plenty of ppl buy their substrate at such stores to no apparent ill effects. regardless of what substrate you select you should wet it down enough to make balls of it in your hand. then PACK PACK PACK it in the cage for the spider. rose's will burrow sometimes so it is probably a good idea to give them the chance if they want to. also include something for the spider to hide under, if it isn't stimulated to burrow.

Another question, how important are artificial leaves and plants? Do they do anything to stimulate the Tarantula or is it just there to please the human?

as long as the spider can burrow or has something to hide under they aren't needed from a husbandry stand point. they can look nice for the owners, especially in cages that don't have a spider/bug that is visible all the time

How often should you be changing the water and soiling? When you change the water/soil or feed the spider can you use your hands or a set of tongs?

i make sure my larger rosea have water around one week out of the month. the water evaporates out of the cup or the spider will spill it. i only change the subsrate when it is needed, which is VERY rarely. i have one rosea who's cage has had the same dirt in it for about 2 years now, and i have no intention of changing it any time soon. once you get to know your spider's behaviour patterns you can do as you wish, but i would use tongs to get stuff out of her cage until you see if she is going to be lunger. some spiders seem to interpret EVERYTHING in their cage as food and will lunge at disturbances. to possibly counteract/avoid this behaviour i would suggest feeding either prekilled prey or dropping live prey on the opposite side of the cage from the spider and then either waiting for them to find each other or very gently herding the prey toward the spider.

My biggest question concerns the handling of the Tarantula. It seems you shouldn't handle or feed the Tarantula when you first purchase it from the pet store, is this true? Also, how often am I able to hold her? Somebody told me that if you handle the tarantula once a day, it'll be less antisocial, which needs clarification from me because I didn't think Tarantulas were social animals or really cared whether humans handled them or left them alone for months.

i always play with (and feed) everything i get the day i get it, be it from a petstore or shipping. hasn't seemed to bother any of the hundreds of animals i have done it to, so far =P

it seems like spiders that are more "nervous" can become somehow and somewhat acclimated to being handled. i have noticed this in the larger more venomous spiders i play with (cuz i am paying a LOT more attn to them =P ). it seems like you really only need to handle it around once a month or so to keep it acclimated to you, not once a day. no real research has been done on this, that i am aware of though. i am just going by my perceptions and like, "feelings" from my personal experiences.

Ah, one last question, I've never held a Tarantula in my life because I don't know anybody that owns a Tarantula(bad excuse I know), but in the case that it bit me... and it does seem for the most part that they just crawl on your hand like it was a rock, what steps do I need to take if it does bite me and what do I need to do to insure the bite will heal correctly?

in all likelyhood a bite from a rosea isn't going to be much more painful than the mechanical damage from the fangs. it seems like in a small percentage of ppl bitten there is a stronger reaction. dunno if it is just the person freaking out and more or less giving themselves psychosomatic symptoms (or interpreting their peripheral nervous system going nuts as venom action) or there are strains or localities of rosea with more human potent venom. herre are some bite reports you can cruise. http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=287. really though, the main danger from a tarantula bite is the main danger from any skin breach: secondary infection. to this end clean the wound off, apply a topical antibiotic/analgesic, and apply a bandaid. kiss from mother is optional.


regarding handling. i almost always test my animals before free handling/playing with them. to test them i get something like one of my manipulation brushes (cheap, soft bristled artists/paint brushes) and tap one of their back legs GENTLY. if they whirl around or act all bothered (like kicking irritating hairs off their butt) i usually don't play with them. if they don't move or just slowly walk forward then they are a good candidate for play time. please note: "moods" of bugs can change daily and instantly. if you start to feel like it is a bad idea to play at that point it probably *is* a bad idea. discretion is the much better part of valor, especially when you are starting out. start low and start slow... maybe on your bed so if the tarantula surprises you somehow and makes it off your hand it only has a few inches to fall and onto a soft, forgiving surface. remember, no tarantula can kill you with a bite... but you can easily hurt any tarantula by flinging it off your hand.


crap lousy, i forgot to pimp our local bug group =P
So. CA Arach/Bug/Invert/Ento Soc.... SCABIES
http://scabies.myfreeforum.org/
i believe there is at least one person in the OC in scabies already. actually i kind of think there are like 3-4 ppl

 

[Flagg]

It's good to see somebody doing the proper research before they have purchased the pet.

Read the threads and stickies here on Beginner Tarantulas.

You can buy a store bought rose hair, but it will be wild caught. There are a lot of captive bred species available as well. Check the "For Sale" forums here.

There are a LOT of different species available, and most of the beginner Ts are quite inexpensive.

I use Peat Moss for substrate. Bought at Menards or Home Depot in a huge bale for $5. I think it's "Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss". Whatever you use, make sure it has no fertilizers or pesticides or any kind of additives.

 

[cacoseraph]

It's good to see somebody doing the proper research before they have purchased the pet.

Read the threads and stickies here on Beginner Tarantulas.

You can buy a store bought rose hair, but it will be wild caught. There are a lot of captive bred species available as well. Check the "For Sale" forums here.

There are a LOT of different species available, and most of the beginner Ts are quite inexpensive.

good point




McSkillz, i could give you a CBB G. rosea but it would only be around 1" diagonal legspan, at most (and already over a year old!)

 

[Mushroom Spore]

I put water in a plastic condiment cup filled with a few smooth stones (rinsed) so that she doesn't drown (if she was clumsy enough to fall in).

I don't believe this happens, really. Unless you're buying a tiny baby, Mcskillz, there is NO reason to worry about your tarantula drowning unless its water dish is like a foot deep or something.

The bowl I have for mine is about two inches deep, and it can just stand in that thing if it feels like it with no problems. Not that it DOES (unless I let the water dry up), but it could.

 

[ShadowBlade]

Before I buy the Tarantula, should I wait for the new potting soil to dry up in the enclosure? What should I look for when I'm buying the soil. I've noticed everybody says to use Peats soil... and being a non-gardener I really don't know what that is or where they sell it at.

Like liquor and football teams, everyone has different preferences as to what substrate. Basically get fertilizer/pesticide free potting soil and/or peat moss from like Lowes. Real cheap, and I use a 50/50 of both. Don't worry about how wet it is, it won't be too bad, and will dry out soon.

Another question, how important are artificial leaves and plants? Do they do anything to stimulate the Tarantula or is it just there to please the human?

Not important, unless you're talking about arboreals, who need something to anchor their webbing to, or plan on breeding a real difficult species, that need somewhat special set-ups.

How often should you be changing the water and soiling? When you change the water/soil or feed the spider can you use your hands or a set of tongs?

I never change the soil in the cage unless there's a reason, (pest infestation etc..) but if one dies and I put a new T in the cage, I usually toss the dirt.
Since the dish should be somewhat small, just keep pouring water in it whenever it runs out. rosea's can go a long time without water.

My biggest question concerns the handling of the Tarantula. It seems you shouldn't handle or feed the Tarantula when you first purchase it from the pet store, is this true? Also, how often am I able to hold her? Somebody told me that if you handle the tarantula once a day, it'll be less antisocial, which needs clarification from me because I didn't think Tarantulas were social animals or really cared whether humans handled them or left them alone for months.

I wouldn't handle it when you first buy it, because it may get a bit stressed out from getting chased into a container, a bumpy ride home, and getting scooted into a new cage, but if she's somewhat docile it doesn't matter. Just prod the T with a pencil to see her reaction, and if she seems like you can handle her, let her walk onto your hand.
While I believe T's may become conditioned to the smell and feel of humans to slowly begin registering you as 'not a threat', they can be no means be tamed, especially the more defensive species, (which can still very much be held, just not so easily).

Ah, one last question, I've never held a Tarantula in my life because I don't know anybody that owns a Tarantula(bad excuse I know), but in the case that it bit me... and it does seem for the most part that they just crawl on your hand like it was a rock, what steps do I need to take if it does bite me and what do I need to do to insure the bite will heal correctly?

Bites are rare, and like I said, test her personality before every time you handle her for the first couple weeks, to get used to her behavior, then eventually you'll know when she's ticked, and when you might get bit.

First time I was bit was a B. albopilosum, and it wasn't bad at all. Just hurt, and swelled for a couple days, (real sore though, like I'd been turning wrenches all day). The other time was a H. gigas, (old world species, so somewhat more potent venom) the bite was same as the albo, but later I felt a little dizzy and slept the whole afternoon, woke up perfectly fine.

-Sean

 

[Moltar]

Regarding Species Selection:

All your questions have been very thoroughly answered here so i'll not go into them. As far as what species to buy, if you're willing to order from a breeder or fellow hobbyist your options are wide open. A g rosea is a nice one to start out with in terms of temperament and ease of care. There are many others comparable though. Th G aureostriata (chaco gold knee) is becoming more popular as a starter. Their temperament is about as docile as it gets and they maje good handlers. Once they hit about 3" they stop digging as much and mostly hang out on the surface inplain view. ANY brachypelma (red knee, flame leg, red leg, red rump...) is very docile and hardy but a litle more likely o kick hairs than some. Ditto most grammostola.

If you're not as concerned about handling there are plenty more. L. parahybana (salmon birdeater) gets big and grows fast. Ditto A. geniculata. The geniculatas are pretty bitey and defensive but they're slow and clunky and thus easily controlled. They get big, sit out in the open all the time and are very pretty.

Whatever sp. you choose good luck w/ it and welcome to the hobby!

 

[Mcskillz]

Thankyou everyone! Truff135 said something that reminded me of what the pet store worker told me about that particular Tarantula. I asked her basically if it was a male or female because.. no offense to male Tarantulas....I want to start off with a female because they live longer. Anyway, at first she said she didn't know, then started to walk away, then turned around came back to me and told me that it MUST be a female because it laid eggs and I was thinking.... hmmmmmmmm what if I bought it today or tomorrow, and it turned out it was pregnant? I wouldnt know what to do with spiderlings and being a newbie I would feel overwhelmed if she was pregnant... hopefully just that one time she laid eggs was enough and she's not putting out again.

also while I was at the pet store I looked at the Eco-Earth products and they looked like safe substrate for the Tarantula, I just got confused because I noticed there were some owners who used potting soil and I was trying to figure out if there's a preference. Anyway, it seems that they all work as long as there are no woodchips or junk like that in them and they dont contain harsh chemicals that will kill the T.

I'm pretty much just a student at the moment so I don't have the finances to organize an elaborate well decorated setup for my Tarantula. I'm using this second-hand Terrarium which is only a medium sized enclosure but I think it'll work fine, with substrate I might just get today and a hiding spot with water dish. I was thinking of just using those terra-cotta pots from our garage used for small plants but I realized I would need to wash it thoroughly since it's been used for plants. I was also considering using those half cut hallow logs that they had at the pet store but I'll just the terra cotta pot. So basically the way it seems right now I'll look around my local neighborhood for more shops that contain exotic pets like Tarantulas(speaking of which if anybody lives in Los Angeles or Orange County and would like to recommend a place where there is a selection of tarantulas by all means let me know LOL) I'm not dead set on buying the one at the pet store just yet because there might be something out there thats a better buy right now.

I did think of another question to ask, I was reading the thread for beginners and I've noticed that those hairs they kick off seem very annoying for some owners and I was reconsidering putting it in my bedroom. AT first I wanted it in the bedroom because that's where I'm at most of the time and I wanted to observe it... however if these Tarantulas, the rose haired ones anyway kick off hairs that get all over the place, I'm wondering if its a good idea to have it in my room next to where I sleep LOL you know? If the hairs aren't that bad then I can probably deal with her in my bedroom but now I'm starting to wonder if that would be a good idea... because if I should place her somewhere else... I wouldn't know where since our house is very small and all our rooms are occupied. I also have 3 parrots and I wouldnt want them to get irritated by those hairs. Maybe I'll try the bedroom and if I get too much irritation then I'll move her to another space.

Thankyou all for your good advice and tips

This is more of a comment if anything but its interesting how despite their intimidation factor, and bulky appearance they are very fragile and you can easily kill it by dropping it on the floor. I would think in a natural, wildlife setting these particular spiders would have a low life expectancy compared to living in a cage since they can easily accidently fall and hurt themselves in the wild as well. Also, I'm reading a book from the library about spiders in general and its interesting a lot of folklore and tales about spiders either have to do with them being good luck charms and predicting the weather or future or they are shown in a very negative light being potentially dangerous or bad luck for humans.... its a very interesting dr jekyl and mr hyde kind of thing.

 

[cacoseraph]

you should come to our BBQ on Nov. 17th.
http://scabies.myfreeforum.org/about244.html

you can ask all the q's you want. there will be a decent amount of taras to look at and a free drawing that you could possibly win a tarantula at.




also, i get virtually all of my supplies from the 99c store and stores like it. my average rig costs well under a buck and my most expensive cost like $15-20.
99c stores have all kinds of amusing crap you can buy and throw in a cage



also, if money is a concern i can give you a little starter colony of lobster roaches that should basically mean u don't have to buy feeders. you can feed them fruit, veg, dog & cat food

 

[penny'smom]

Welcome to AB!!!! :clap:

Just a couple things....

Even though rosea can go a long time without water, doesn't mean that it shouldn't always be available. I keep a dish in my rosea's tank all the time, and have to top it off 1-2 times a week. I don't think it is all evaporation dropping the level, since I have witnessed her drinking (for like 15 minutes at a time).

What did the store do with the egg sac she laid while in their care????? Do they have any idea if it was viable?? Sometimes a female will lay a infertile sac, but I am thinking that if she laid a sac while at the store, the whole "possibly gravid female" senario may be one you don't need to worry about.

The urticating hairs; my Ts are all in my bedroom. None are big kickers, and the only time I have had trouble with them (the hairs) was when I put Penny in a smaller tank, and transferred some of her existing substrate. Didn't even remotely occur to me there would be hairs in the sub. :wall: I itched and broke out in small blisters on my arms and neck for about 7-10 days.

Even though I got Penny from a pet store, now that I have more experience, I feel a breeder is the way to go. My other 4 all came frome breeders.

That's all I can think of for now.

 

[arachnofein909]

i've had great success with coco fiber and cypress mulch.

 

[The_Thunderer]

Welcome to the Boards! You've got lots of advice here to peruse and get memorized. LOL. Good luck!

Fred

 

[IdahoBiteyThing]

hairs & parrots

I have some of my t's in the same room as my parrots and no problems w. hairs. I do make sure to do all cage maintenance outside. I also use a hepa filter inside to minimize airborne particulates. Biggest danger would be for the parrots to get into the t's cages. I use an acrylic front on the t shelves so I can see them, but birds can't get to them. Also, I don't ever let the birds walk around inside unattended, they are trained to stay on their cagetops or playstations. The ones that have seen the t's generally just scream at them and back away. Since they come from similar environments, seems reasonable that the parrots might have some natural aversions to spiders. dunno.

 

[julesaussies]

It looks like most of your questions have been answered pretty thoroughly already. As far as the hair and keeping the T in your bedroom around birds - should not be a problem at all. i am EXTREMELY sensitive to their nasty hairs - even needed to take oral prescription anti-histamines and cortisone because of them before. However, i have several large Grammy's and Brachy's in my room with no problems what so ever. i have parrots too! (Mostly Greys, some Tiels and one pair of Parrotlets.)

you should come to our BBQ on Nov. 17th.
http://scabies.myfreeforum.org/about244.html

you can ask all the q's you want. there will be a decent amount of taras to look at and a free drawing that you could possibly win a tarantula at.

i also live in Orange County. i want to second Andrew's invitation to our SCABIES BBBQ!! It's a lot more than just a BBBQ. We really have a good time. They are a great bunch of people. i think Andrew was going to do a packing demo with heat packs. As Andrew meantioned, we will also be having our very awesome raffle. There will be a lot of T's there that people have brought to trade, sell or just show off! You can learn a ton about T's and meet a lot of fun people.

i will be gone this weekend at a dog show but home most of next week. Feel free to pm me if you have questions regarding SCABIES or the BBBQ.

jules

 

[Aunt Ant]

you should come to our BBQ on Nov. 17th.
http://scabies.myfreeforum.org/about244.html

you can ask all the q's you want. there will be a decent amount of taras to look at and a free drawing that you could possibly win a tarantula at.

Sometimes I wish I lived in Cali, those bug hunts and BBQs sound fun. Lucky skunks! :evil:
I'll visit sometime!

 

[problemchildx]

I was just thinking the same thing Ant! :wall:

Have fun guys!

 

[Truff135]

Stupid Ohio

 

[fartkowski]

Hi
Welcome to the boards and the wonderful world of T's
I bet you'll be posting soon on what tarantula to get next
I think all your questions were answered but I'd like to add a few things.
For me I use 100% peat moss that I got from home depot. I got a huge bale for like $4.
Someone already mentioned the dollar store to get some hides and stuff, you could also try a thrift store. Sometimes you find some pretty cool stuff you can use as a hide, water dish, decorations.

chris

 

[cacoseraph]

Sometimes I wish I lived in Cali, those bug hunts and BBQs sound fun. Lucky skunks! :evil:
I'll visit sometime!

I was just thinking the same thing Ant! :wall:

Have fun guys!

Stupid Ohio

we have a special forum just for visitors to arrange to meet some of us So.CA bug ppl


Foreign Consulate
Going to be visiting Southern California? Let us know so we can arrange to meet and or hunt/hike with you!
http://scabies.myfreeforum.org/forum36.php