What brought you to the hobby?

[antinous]

One of the big reasons was that I wanted to get over my fear of spiders, which worked for the most part. Also watching somebody handle a H. lividum (at the time) spurred me into getting my first T and brought me to Arachnoboards (which led me to getting verbally abused by Poec54, if anyone remembers him).

What about you?

 

[nicodimus22]

I bought a 1/4 inch sling on craigslist, because I always liked the more exotic pets and wanted to see if tarantulas were for me. Now, that sling is a 4.5" G. pulchripes, and I have 42 others. Well, that worked out.

 

[FrmDaLeftCoast]

I've always been interested, but never really thought twice about actually owning a T. I'm on a strict budget and I just assumed this hobby was too expensive for me.

After watching Exotic Lair and Tom's Big Spiders on YouTube. I realized the substrate used I can easily obtain at work. The enclosures can be made out of almost anything. And slings aren't that expensive.

But more importantly my 16 yr old son who's been in and out of juvie and other facilities was really interested in this hobby. It was my one chance to do something with him that we both enjoy.

 

[The Seraph]

I have always loved arthropods, though I was always don't my with just watching them. The thing that got me into tarantulas, however, was is a bug museum for insects and other arthropods in Denver not far from where I grew up that let kids handle tarantulas (yes you read that right, they let little kids handle actual tarantulas) and from there I just knew I would have one of those one day.

 

[Greasylake]

I think I've said this before, but my grandma was a biology professor, and we used to collect insects and framing them. We did dissections in her kitchen and collected pond water so she could show me what microorganisms look like. She made very interested in invertebrates, and ever since I was a wee lad I had always wanted a tarantula, but my parents said no. After I got a job and started making a little money, they figured it was my money so I could spend it how I wanted, and that's how I ended up buying all my inverts.

 

[Teal]

I grew up in the mountains, flipping rocks and catching snakes as soon as I could walk... I have just always been an animal person. I'm not sure what specifically drew me to spiders over other inverts originally, but I got my first T for my 12th birthday. I started researching other species (mine was, of course, a G. rosea), discovered Pterinochilus murinus, and down the rabbit hole I went! I did take time off owning inverts for a few years after losing my large collection in a freak winter storm, then only had a few Ts for awhile when I did start up again. Now I have been fully back in the hobby again for a few years and don't plan to ever be without Ts again.

 

[EtienneN]

I used to be deathly afraid of spiders. Then I was a passenger in a car accident that came within an inch of killing me and as soon as I was released from the hospital eight hours later I announced on the car ride home that I wanted at least ten tarantulas! Now, that could have been mostly the pain meds talking, but atm I have eight fluffy spiders and I love them all as much as I love my dogs, cat, and horse.

 

[Ashlynn Rose]

I never knew much about tarantulas and never had an interest in them. I did not hate spiders (I always took them outside instead of killing them) but I was still a bit afraid of them. That changed when I went to an educational event at my high school and saw a G. rosea. The moment that tarantula walked onto my hands, I knew I had to have one. Now, over a year and a half later, I have seven tarantulas.

 

[Enrgy]

I’ve always liked exotic animals, really reptiles in particular (snakes over anything..somewhat spiders lol) but my grandma lives with me and is petrified of snakes (and not giant spiders I know right) so I settled for a lp back in January and ever since then I really got into it and would ALWAYS read the old threads of the og’s on here. (before I even joined lol) I googled something one day and it brought up the site and I could read them without joining but decided too eventually cus I had a pretty dumb question I had never seen been asked before lmao

 

[Nightinghoul]

One of the big reasons was that I wanted to get over my fear of spiders, which worked for the most part. Also watching somebody handle a H. lividum (at the time) spurred me into getting my first T and brought me to Arachnoboards (which led me to getting verbally abused by Poec54, if anyone remembers him).

What about you?

I’ve always been scared of spiders, but enjoyed looking at them. This year I came across ExoticsLair on YouTube and instantly became obsessed with tarantulas. I literally researched them for weeks on end before I had the chance to go to an expo. I bought my first, a Costa Rican stripe knee, and I’m already ready for more! I absolutely adore her.

 

[KezyGLA]

A great friend, that recently passed away. I have her to thank for introducing me to Theraphosidae <3

 

[boina]

I've always liked spiders and especially snakes but I never owned any. As a working scientist I moved a lot, from project to project and town to town, even to America for a few years and then back to Germany. It was enough of a hassle to move my cats and my dog with me and finding appartments that allowed them and I think more exotic pets would have made things even more difficult. Only when I finally settled down for good and bought my house and didn't have to ask anyone's permission anymore did I finally get the snakes I'd wanted since I was a kid. From there I kind of started looking at other exotics. At first I thought spiders might be a bit boring since they don't really do anything but the more I read about them the more fascinated I became and then finally there was that guy that didn't want his tarantulas anymore and was looking for someone to take them off his hands... and from there it started and I never looked back

 

[Potatatas]

Always been scared of spiders but that turned into curiosity about a year ago. Couldn't get one while living with my mother though. Moved out in August and got my first in September. Now I am up to 9...

Also they are cheap and low maintaintance. A welcome change from owning chinchillas

 

[arachnidgill]

Found out buddy at work keeps tarantulas. We bugged him to bring one in to show us, he brought in his LP. Before that I didn't really know tarantula keeping was a thing. After a couple of weeks doing research and asking him lots of questions I realized they were very interesting and decided to get one!

 

[Zevil]

I have always been an animal/nature person since I was a little boy, catching little critters and look at them whenever I see them. But the 1994 Spiderman animated series grew my fascination for spiders. Thank you Stan Lee and RIP.

 

[miamc12321]

I've loved spiders since I was little. I was 'that' girl, I guess. Through school. The one they would get to 'kill' the spider, bug, ect... never, ever killed any of them. Always saved them. Got it from my both my mom and dad I guess. The only creature my dad, mom, and I ever had a fear of was rats. Dear Gods help me! Still hate rats!!

 

[moshpitpanda]

I dont really remember honestly lol but maybe 8 years ago I started marathoning youtube videos about tarantulas and became obsessed. There is just something so fascinating about the animals and I knew they probably were not bothered by captivity. Also the fact that it is very acceptable to never handle a T since I've never been interested and their relatively cheap cost of care for most beginner species

 

[Minty]

Always liked them from a young age and tarantulas in particular fascinated me. As a child, I used to read a lot of nature books.

Wanted one aged ten and parents said no.

Never considered one as an adult as I wrongly assumed they’d need difficult specialist care.

A friend at work was a keeper and had 37. So I started asking questions and in short, speaking to him led to be buying a Chromatopelma cyanepubescens.

25 tarantulas later, I’m here.

 

[Paul1126]

Insects & Arachnids I always liked, as a kid I kept woodlice as pets and snails.
When I moved out, I wanted a pet, decided on a tarantula never looked back.

21 Arachnids total now.

 

[Venom1080]

Saw one in a pet store 9 years ago. Dad said yes, probably just to annoy my mom. But it started a fascination I really don't see ending anytime soon.

I never saw a tarantula before, so it was love at first sight so to speak.