Beginner old world t's

[Tarantulasareanimalstoo]

I currently have no inverts of my own (and won't for a while (family doesn't like them) but have found a love for them especially (old world) tarantulas and was wondering if there were any ow t's for beginners with no experience? (please also mention whether they are terrestrial ect... not that it matters I just would like to better understand them)

 

[Mustafa67]

Don’t get an OW as a beginner.

Get a slow moving NW terrestrial. OW are fast and have potent venom so are not a good idea for your first T. There are plenty of good NW to get you started that look awesome. I’d recommend a T Albo or G Pulchripes for a total beginner, A Genic if you like something bigger and spicier.

Depends what you want, but don’t get an OW as a beginner. It could be dangerous for you and the T.

 

[Tarantulasareanimalstoo]

Don’t get an OW as a beginner.

Get a slow moving NW terrestrial. OW are fast and have potent venom so are not a good idea for your first T. There are plenty of good NW to get you started that look awesome. I’d recommend a T Albo or G Pulchripes for a total beginner, A Genic if you like something bigger and spicier.

Depends what you want, but don’t get an OW as a beginner. It could be dangerous for you and the T.

Ok thanks

I was thinking Aphonopelma chalcodes as my first

 

[Mustafa67]

Ok thanks

I was thinking Aphonopelma chalcodes as my first

A Chalcodes would be a really good first T. I have one and he/she is gorgeous and really cool

Check out this and make sure your enclosure is good, suitable size, coco fibre as substrate and give it a water dish

Tarantula Information for Beginners (and More)

Below are some helpful resources. (Rather than having half a dozen or more pinned threads, which clutter the top of the board, we are pinning this index.) While the focus is on beginners, there are other threads on health and more advanced species that may be useful to more experienced keepers...

arachnoboards.com

 

[viper69]

No there aren't. A good NW T to get is G. pulchripes, good size, not pricey, relatively docile, and very hard to kill.

 

[Stylopidae]

There aren't really any great OW species for beginners. People seem to have an easy time with Monocentropus, so I'd start there once you've kept a few faster tarantulas.

Psalmopoeus makes a good bridge species between OW and NW.

My first OW T was a P. regalis, and I think it was a good beginner. Fast and venomous, sure, but tap the cage and it goes back into it's hiding spot.

Use tongs for maintenance, and it's a very low risk.

But seriously, get some experience with spiders before you get OW spiders.

 

[Rigor Mortis]

A Chalcodes would be a really good first T. I have one and he/she is gorgeous and really cool

Check out this and make sure your enclosure is good, suitable size, coco fibre as substrate and give it a water dish

Tarantula Information for Beginners (and More)

Below are some helpful resources. (Rather than having half a dozen or more pinned threads, which clutter the top of the board, we are pinning this index.) While the focus is on beginners, there are other threads on health and more advanced species that may be useful to more experienced keepers...

arachnoboards.com

Second that, A. chalcodes was my first T and she's great. A real solid rock that was able to put up with all of my first time keeper worries.

 

[Konstantin Konstantinov]

Ok thanks

I was thinking Aphonopelma chalcodes as my first

Hi
solid species, very hardy and docile.
Only down side is if you get (sub)adult female is the long fasts.Mine didn't eat anything for 2.5 years after I bought it and was hiding most of the time before it moulted with me.
This is a tarantula that will teach you patience.
Tliltocatl Albopilosus Nicaragua or Grammostola Pulchripes are my suggestions.
They have long ish premoult periods too sometimes but nowhere as long as A calcodes in my experience.
Regards Konstantin

 

[Jesse607]

Any species from the Tliltocatl genus make great first additions. Easy care, great eaters, decent growth rates, and most are relatively calm, although I've had some pretty defensive and skittish T. vagans and T. sabulosus. A. chalcodes are wonderful but they can be extremely boring, with long fasts, and if not a wild caught adult, very slow growth.

 

[CrazyOrnithoctonineGuy]

I personally wouldn't go for an Aphnopelma as a beginner T: very, very easy way to have a new keeper lose interest given that they're inactive, rarely eat (because they naturally go months without eating in the wild), and grow insanely slowly. Same with some of the Grammastola species.

I'd personally argue Acanthoscurria geniculata is the ideal beginner T (pretty, active, relatively visible, grows fast, reasonably entertaining especially at feeding time, will eat whenever it's not in premolt), but do note that it's a very fast-moving T when hungry (which it will be unless in premolt).

 

[The Spider House]

I personally wouldn't go for an Aphnopelma as a beginner T: very, very easy way to have a new keeper lose interest given that they're inactive, rarely eat (because they naturally go months without eating in the wild), and grow insanely slowly. Same with some of the Grammastola species.

I'd personally argue Acanthoscurria geniculata is the ideal beginner T (pretty, active, relatively visible, grows fast, reasonably entertaining especially at feeding time, will eat whenever it's not in premolt), but do note that it's a very fast-moving T when hungry (which it will be unless in premolt).

Was about to bring some genic love to the party too

 

[Tarantulasareanimalstoo]

Ok
Would getting a couple at a time be good? If so I was thinking t vagans, g pulchra, avic avic, a bicoloratum and then either a chalcodes, e cyanognathus, caribena versi, or e murinus

 

[IntermittentSygnal]

I would not consider Ephebopus a beginner genus. I second the genic love (Acanthoscurria Geniculata).

 

[Tarantulasareanimalstoo]

Noted

 

[Isaax Critterz]

Maybe try a P.mettelica, or a H.gigas

 

[Tarantulasareanimalstoo]

Thanks
After all the comments I think for my sake and tarantulas' sake I will stick with NW until I get some experience under my belt

 

[NMTs]

Thanks
After all the comments I think for my sake and tarantulas' sake I will stick with NW until I get some experience under my belt

Good decision. As for your question about getting multiple to start with, I think it's reasonable to get 2 or 3, but I wouldn't suggest starting with more than that.

 

[Cmac2111]

Thanks
After all the comments I think for my sake and tarantulas' sake I will stick with NW until I get some experience under my belt

Good decision indeed. FWIW I think A. chalcodes would be an excellent first choice (its a species that I and many others have started with) but it ultimately depends on yourself. Yes they are prone to fasting if overfed, and grow at a glacial rate so a larger, more established individual (not a sling) would be a better choice if this is the species you end up going with IMHO. I can safely say that I have NEVER gotten bored of my big girl even when she refused to eat for almost 2 years, as she's an understated beauty that bulldozes her enclosure, a real pleasure to observe and hopefully if you get one you'd think similarly.

T's like A. genic are awesome with their intense feeding response and coloration, but can also be daunting for new keepers that wish for a gentler introduction to the hobby, and aren't as prepared as they think they are for a spider that gets very large and potentially defensive (both in terms of hair-kicking and just being quite ornery, I know mine are!)

Given that you're looking into old worlds as a first T, perhaps being potentially defensive is not an issue for you, or you just haven't done enough research yet (no offense, but I'm gonna guess that its the latter due to the fact that you abandoned the idea quite quickly, and rightly so IMO). In any case, I implore you to make use of the beginner guide above well in advance of buying your first T (also use the search function up top to find out what the experienced keepers that frequent this site have had to say about any species you might favor/ questions regarding tarantula husbandry you might have), as well as having a proper think about what T would suit you best as a beginner. Remember that there is no pressure to get one quickly!

 

[Tarantulasareanimalstoo]

None taken
true I have not done as much research on OW's nearly as much as NW's. I just am extremely fascinated by the OW's and love t's in general.
I did not realize there was a beginner guide on here, and now I feel the need to explore a lot more. Thanks for all the help and suggestions.

Hey can you direct me to this beginner's guide please

 

[Cmac2111]

@Mustafa67 linked it earlier in this thread, click on the box titled 'Tarantula Information for Beginners (and More)' in their 2nd post.