New to keeping T's, help finding the right species?

[trilluki]

Hello, this is my first post on Arachnoboards! Kind of intimidating, but I'm very excited to be here and very excited to get into the hobby!

I have done research into what I will need and information to get off the ground as a beginner to the hobby, however when I look into beginner T's, I'm often given examples of docile NW T's that aren't frequent bolters that aren't known for being tremendously defensive. That would be fine and dandy, I understand where that would be good for a newcomer, but I worry specifically about the hairs.

I'm very calm and have never been jumpy, tending to go still when startled, so I'm not at all worried about a bolter, a biter or a defensive T, I know I can handle it and am not afraid to have to catch cup them if they go sprinting and really don't mind having a pet hole. I'm also disinterested in handling the T's, my cousin was very much into handling hers and it made me very afraid of dropping the little thing. My biggest worry is actually with the urticating hairs that are shed by NW T's. I have deteriorating eyesight and sensitive eyes, I have no interest in being within ten feet of a cloud of hairs and damaging or losing what's left of my vision faster than I need to, and therefore very little interest in NW's.

Are there any 'bald' or relatively harmless [hairwise, bring on those teeths] NW's or are there any hardy OW's you would suggest that I may be able to deal with due to my disposition and not potentially harm with my lack of experience if I get the humidity wrong? Thank you very much, hopefully this isn't a question that's been asked a million times!

Have a wonderful day everyone! To break the ice a little more, what was the T that made you fall in love with the hobby? Mine were Monocentropus Balfouri and Chilobrachys Kaeng Krachan!

 

[StampFan]

Hello, this is my first post on Arachnoboards! Kind of intimidating, but I'm very excited to be here and very excited to get into the hobby!

I have done research into what I will need and information to get off the ground as a beginner to the hobby, however when I look into beginner T's, I'm often given examples of docile NW T's that aren't frequent bolters that aren't known for being tremendously defensive. That would be fine and dandy, I understand where that would be good for a newcomer, but I worry specifically about the hairs.

I'm very calm and have never been jumpy, tending to go still when startled, so I'm not at all worried about a bolter, a biter or a defensive T, I know I can handle it and am not afraid to have to catch cup them if they go sprinting and really don't mind having a pet hole. I'm also disinterested in handling the T's, my cousin was very much into handling hers and it made me very afraid of dropping the little thing. My biggest worry is actually with the urticating hairs that are shed by NW T's. I have deteriorating eyesight and sensitive eyes, I have no interest in being within ten feet of a cloud of hairs and damaging or losing what's left of my vision faster than I need to, and therefore very little interest in NW's.

Are there any 'bald' or relatively harmless [hairwise, bring on those teeths] NW's or are there any hardy OW's you would suggest that I may be able to deal with due to my disposition and not potentially harm with my lack of experience if I get the humidity wrong? Thank you very much, hopefully this isn't a question that's been asked a million times!

Have a wonderful day everyone! To break the ice a little more, what was the T that made you fall in love with the hobby? Mine were Monocentropus Balfouri and Chilobrachys Kaeng Krachan!

The Avic/Caribena variety do not leave a cloud of urticating hairs, they rub up against something to leave hairs. So you could get a lovely colourful T that's still NW and doesn't leave a cloud of hairs.....

 

[trilluki]

The Avic/Caribena variety do not leave a cloud of urticating hairs, they rub up against something to leave hairs. So you could get a lovely colourful T that's still NW and doesn't leave a cloud of hairs.....

Thank you so much! I had heard that C. Versicolor does kick hairs, but maybe it's unique for that! I actually prefer the brown/black tarantula species personally, they look so elegant! I did not know about different methods of scattering hairs though, I will look into them! An arboreal would be a very fun challenge as well

 

[Goopyguy56]

Most good beginner t's have hair flicking tendencies. It isn't all that bad to get haired on the hands. If you don't handle, I don't think you have much to worry about. A little itchiness on your fingers isnt all that bad. I have never gotten hairs in the eyes cus I dont get my face near them. There is plenty of good info on beginner t's on here just search for it. Honestly, I think the best beginner t's will have itchy hairs. That is their primary defense in the wild. Instead of biting, they flick hairs. They itch a little. You should start with nw t's in my opinion. If you have to get a t without itchy hairs, I don't think you have alot of options for new world. Psalmopoeus don't have the itchy hairs. They are pretty quick though. My 2 cents, get grammastola pulchripes or brachypelma albiceps. They have itchy hairs but I can't remember mine ever trying to use them against me. Even if they did, it isn't a big deal to have slightly itchy fingers. Better than getting bit by my angry psalmopoeus irminia

 

[jayefbe]

I'm like you. I'm not a fan of the itchy hairs, and would personally prefer fast and defensive to a constant hair kicker.

That said, a lot of the OW species are VERY fast. IMO, after having kept way too many tarantula species to keep track of, they're all fairly hardy. The biggest difference between the beginner species and the 'advanced' species is how fast they are, how easily they may escape if you're careless during feeding/rehousing, and how much pain will you be in if you get tagged.

Like StampFan said, Avic/Caribena are great. They're relatively calm, aren't super fast, and their hairs are hardly noticeable.

 

[trilluki]

Most good beginner t's have hair flicking tendencies. It isn't all that bad to get haired on the hands. If you don't handle, I don't think you have much to worry about. A little itchiness on your fingers isnt all that bad. I have never gotten hairs in the eyes cus I dont get my face near them. There is plenty of good info on beginner t's on here just search for it. Honestly, I think the best beginner t's will have itchy hairs. That is their primary defense in the wild. Instead of biting, they flick hairs. They itch a little. You should start with nw t's in my opinion. If you have to get a t without itchy hairs, I don't think you have alot of options for new world. Psalmopoeus don't have the itchy hairs. They are pretty quick though. My 2 cents, get grammastola pulchripes or brachypelma albiceps. They have itchy hairs but I can't remember mine ever trying to use them against me. Even if they did, it isn't a big deal to have slightly itchy fingers. Better than getting bit by my angry psalmopoeus irminia

Thank you for the response I tried to search beginner T info but was mainly concerned about my eyes rather than my hands, I wasn't sure if my ocular sensitivity would make me more responsive to the hairs. Hairs on my fingers don't bother me a bit, as long as the cloud is small and doesn't kick towards my face, I'll feel way more reassured xD Perhaps I just need eye gear? I just thought the cloud of hairs scattered very widely, so I worried that they'd be thrown from an arms length away and get in my face.

Thanks for the response[again xD]! I feel a bit more reassured now knowing I shouldn't end up choking on hair if my T feels grumpy with me that day

 

[jrh3]

To be honest, you could wear goggles for feeding and rehousing, then not have to worry about you eyes, if you worry that much about them. But, I have never had a issue getting anything in my eyes and my LP would kick anytime I looked at it.

My first tarantulas were Brachypelma species and GBB, those are good for a beginner. Aphonopelma Species dont tend to kick hairs.

If you want something that doesn’t have hair but is New World, there are a few but they come with a price of speed and a little stronger venom.
A few Species that dont have urticating hairs:

Psalmopoeus sp.
Tapinauchenius sp.
Neoholothele incei

There are more but I don’t recommend these for a beginner.

Also welcome to the boards

 

[trilluki]

I'm like you. I'm not a fan of the itchy hairs, and would personally prefer fast and defensive to a constant hair kicker.

That said, a lot of the OW species are VERY fast. IMO, after having kept way too many tarantula species to keep track of, they're all fairly hardy. The biggest difference between the beginner species and the 'advanced' species is how fast they are, how easily they may escape if you're careless during feeding/rehousing, and how much pain will you be in if you get tagged.

Like StampFan said, Avic/Caribena are great. They're relatively calm, aren't super fast, and their hairs are hardly noticeable.

I've heard of those Houdini spiders, that would be heart-stopping and thrilling to have to rehome :0 Somehow the pain of bites doesn't scare me, but that's likely because I've been tagged by dangerous spiders in my area that hurt immensely despite relatively small size [and my cousin's very feisty G. Rosea when it was decided the spider was going to be taken out and placed on my arm while I wasn't looking. The bite wasn't as bad as I thought though.]

Sounds like Avicularia is the species for me to start with, and they're pretty common and cheap near me. Thank you for your time!

To be honest, you could wear goggles for feeding and rehousing, then not have to worry about you eyes, if you worry that much about them. But, I have never had a issue getting anything in my eyes and my LP would kick anytime I looked at it.

My first tarantulas were Brachypelma species and GBB, those are good for a beginner. Aphonopelma Species dont tend to kick hairs.

If you want something that doesn’t have hair but is New World, there are a few but they come with a price of speed and a little stronger venom.
A few Species that dont have urticating hairs:

Psalmopoeus sp.
Tapinauchenius sp.
Neoholothele incei

There are more but I don’t recommend these for a beginner.

Also welcome to the boards

Thank you for the welcome!

Somehow goggles were my last thought? I'm absent minded I think xD For some reason when I think of urticating hair I think of a room wide irritant bomb but that seems to be me being naive haha so NW's shouldn't be as big of a problem as I initially thought

Neoholothele Incei 'Gold' were actually on my spider bucket list, but I do worry about mishandling them as far as humidity and such go. Perhaps they can be my second spider! Or third, or fourth! [I can already tell I'm going to have a collecting problem xD]

 

[StampFan]

Please report back! And keep reading stuff on here.

I'm going to guess that you end up with more than just an Avic….

I've never had either of my H chilensis kick hairs. Same with my Aphonopelma.

There are ways to care for and feed these animals without having to worry too much about hairs except for re-housing. Like feeding doors in kritter keepers. Open door, plunk in pre-killed, close door, repeat in a week or two....

 

[jayefbe]

I've heard of those Houdini spiders, that would be heart-stopping and thrilling to have to rehome :0 Somehow the pain of bites doesn't scare me, but that's likely because I've been tagged by dangerous spiders in my area that hurt immensely despite relatively small size [and my cousin's very feisty G. Rosea when it was decided the spider was going to be taken out and placed on my arm while I wasn't looking. The bite wasn't as bad as I thought though.]

Sounds like Avicularia is the species for me to start with, and they're pretty common and cheap near me. Thank you for your time!

OW tarantula bites are MUCH worse than their NW counterparts. They cause severe muscle cramping which can last for days or even weeks. There's a pretty famous video on youtube from tarantulaguy1976 that got tagged by a Poecilotheria ornata. He's a big guy, and he's clearly in immense pain.

 

[volcanopele]

Could always get a Lasiodora klugi. A lot like an LP, nice and big. I can’t remember mine ever flicking hairs at me. Mostly because she’lol go into a threat pose if I dared look at her without the proper deference. You do need to be careful doing cage maintenance, but as long as you can put the lid between you and the spider while you work, and use tongs, you should be fine. While my klugi almost never kick hairs, they do tend to let them fall off and put them around their enclosure.

NWs to definitely stay away from: pretty much any Brachypelma. Hardy spiders, but mine are all hair kickers. Especially the boehmei. Theraphosa. Avoid that genus like the plague if urticating hairs bother you. Terrible hairs and they are not gun shy. In general they are not great beginner species anyway, but just a heads up. EDIT: I see @Minty ’s post below, and they’re right, my albopilosum is an exception. She’s never flung hairs at me. My point remains with boehmei and hamorii.

If you must go old world, what about Ceratogyrus marshalli? Now you say you are fine with a pet hole, and they are... pet holes, but I’ve never had any issues caring for mine because well, it’s in a hole. Doesn’t have any moisture requirement. Pretty easy to keep. Has a neat horn.

 

[Minty]

Get a Brachypelma albopilosum. They tend to be reluctant to flick hairs.

 

[viper69]

I have deteriorating eyesight and sensitive eyes, I have no interest in being within ten feet of a cloud of hairs and damaging or losing what's left of my vision faster than I need to, and therefore very little interest in NW's.

If you absolutely don't want urticating setae, you are limited to a few NW species, and all of the OW species.

Are there any 'bald' or relatively harmless [hairwise, bring on those teeths] NW's or are there any hardy OW's you would suggest

Hardy OW-- Ceratogyrus genus, M. balfouri, I. mira

NW (no urticating setae)- Psalmopeus genus, and Dolichothele diamantinensis

Get a Brachypelma albopilosum. They tend to be reluctant to flick hairs.

View attachment 301000

Not mine, she's flicky.... The entire genus is a crapshoot. People concerned about setae should never get Brachy.

 

[lostbrane]

A. ezendami would be another OW to consider. However, each individual spider is different and may behave in a "non-typical" way, no matter the genus.

 

[cold blood]

Hairs arent really the issue you think...its only going to be noticed if the cage is open...one flicks, simply close it.

Many of the best starters however, tend to be much more reluctant to flick...ts like your rose hairs, G. pulchripes, T. cyaneolum, H. chilenesis, or B. albopilosum tend to flick only rarely, if ever. The best starters also tend to be visible....if you want one that burrows, A. seemani is a good choice.

Most intermediate NW terrestrials tend to be the biggest flickers.

Also, humidity isnt a relative term to t keeping, its a term that seeps over from the reptile hobby that only serves to cause needless confusion. Some ts need it dry, some need some degree of damp sub, some need consistently damp sub....and when it dries, just add water...super easy.

Beware of online care sheets, dont take them literally...heck, dont take them seriously.

 

[sasker]

+1 for goggles if you are worried about urticating hairs. You will only have to wear them during a rehouse anyway, which is rarely (absent mindedness does not factor in really, as this is not a routine procedure anyway). As @cold blood said, just close the enclosure when they kick during maintenance.

 

[Vanessa]

Thank you so much! I had heard that C. Versicolor does kick hairs, but maybe it's unique for that! I actually prefer the brown/black tarantula species personally, they look so elegant! I did not know about different methods of scattering hairs though, I will look into them! An arboreal would be a very fun challenge as well

Tarantula Canada has some great choices in stock right now that fit your criteria.
Aphonopelma chalcodes - my girl has never kicked at me,
Aphonopelma hentzi - my two juvenile males have never kicked hair at me,
Grammostola pulchra - none of my Grammostola kick hair,
Neoholothele incei Gold - smaller, reclusive webber, and super fast, but do not have urticating hairs at all.
None of my Aponopelma or Grammostola have ever kicked hairs at me, with the exception of a very old mature male Grammostola pulchripes who has kicked at me (really halfheartedly) a couple of times recently, and I have no reaction to doing maintenance in their enclosures.
I have a number of different Avicularia/Caribena and I have never had them rub hairs on me and I have no reaction to maintenance either.
Steer clear of Brachypelma, Lasiodora, Nhandu, Thrixopelma, Pamphobeteus - they are species who are more generous with kicking and leaving them around to make maintenance a bit more challenging.
If you're in the GTA, there are expos nearly every month in Mississauga. There's one being held today and will be one again in March. There might be one shortly in the Montreal/Gatineau area as well. If you're on the west coast, I believe that there is an expo coming up there shortly. Regardless - all dealers will ship to you - but in case you wanted to go and speak to someone or cut down on shipping costs, then the expos are a good option.

 

[Ungoliant]

Are there any 'bald' or relatively harmless [hairwise, bring on those teeths] NW's or are there any hardy OW's you would suggest that I may be able to deal with due to my disposition and not potentially harm with my lack of experience if I get the humidity wrong? Thank you very much, hopefully this isn't a question that's been asked a million times!

I'm sensitive to their hairs, so I get where you're coming from, but unfortunately, there just aren't any species that lack urticating hairs that are also suitable as first tarantulas. There are a few New World genera without urticating hairs, but they tend to be fast. Additionally, many of those are defensive, reclusive, and/or dwarf species. (I like the dwarf species, but some people aren't interested in a tarantula that doesn't get much bigger than the spiders that they find in their gardens.) These genera would be good intermediate options after you've gotten some experience.

Fortunately, getting haired is largely avoidable with good techniques. Don't handle the tarantula or stick your hands in the enclosure. Use long tongs to do maintenance. Don't handle anything from the enclosure with your bare hands. Wash your hands after doing maintenance. If you're paranoid, wear safety goggles.

You can also look into which beginner species are less inclined to kick hairs. While each spider is an individual, and it's possible to get one that has an unusual temperament, there are still general norms you can expect from different species, and some are more inclined to kick hairs than others. For example, my two Grammostola pulchra have never flicked hairs in the years I've been keeping them.

As was mentioned already, Avicularia have urticating hairs but don't flick them into the air. These two threads contain helpful information abut their care:

• Avicularia Husbandry by viper69
• Avicularia care by Venom1080

If you decide on an Avicularia or Caribena versicolor, I would strongly encourage you to post a photo of your setup (ideally before adding the tarantula) so that more experienced keepers can check for any issues that might jeopardize the health of your Avic.

I tried to search beginner T info but was mainly concerned about my eyes rather than my hands, I wasn't sure if my ocular sensitivity would make me more responsive to the hairs.

This shouldn't be an issue unless you're sticking your face near the tarantula or handling or doing maintenance and then rubbing your eyes without washing your hands.

 

[CJJon]

Chances are very small of getting hairs in your eyes. If you are not handling the biggest risk would be during rehousing and cleaning out old enclosures. Enclosures can be relatively inexpensive so you could avoid the risk and just throw out the old enclosure rather than try and clean it out for reuse.

If you practice good husbandry, including washing your hands before and after any T maintenance, you should be fine. Oh, and to keep your fingers off your face and out of your eyes!

One other thing, OW T bites are nothing to be trifled at. They are not just like hopped up wasp stings. An OW T bite can send you to the hospital and the effects (like debilitating whole-body muscle cramps) can last months! The term "medically significant" is no joke. True, the bite probably won't kill you, but it won't make you stronger either (to paraphrase an old maxim).

 

[Chris LXXIX]

Doesn't exist a more hyped (non) issue like T's setae

Unless someone has a real and severe bad reaction to certain NW's species (but obviously you can't know prior this, and btw there's people that can't tolerate the setae of genus like Acanthoscurria, Nhandu, Megaphobema etc even if seems that only Theraphosa spp. often are viewed as the 'terrible' ones) this is a non issue.

Think about the eyes concern: how in hell is someone supposed to end with a pure setae "attack" in the face/eyes, unless that he/she handle like a crazy (near the head), directly place the whole head in the enclosure, or, again, touch with bare hands the substrate then scrubs just after his/her eyes, uhm?