First Tarantula

[KittyS]

Hi all. I'm looking into adopting my first tarantula and currently have my eye on an A avicularia sling. I've been looking through the threads here as well as asking questions in some other locations. But several of you seem like real experts and I'd like to get the rundown on this species particularly before bringing one home. I'd like everything to be perfect before I get the little one. I have nothing right now, so will be starting from scratch. But I've kept reps and amphibians for years so I'm familiar with the requirements some exotics come with. The T will be kept in an upstairs bedroom which holds a pretty stable temperature of around 70 F. It does get very dry in this room in the winter and very humid in the summer.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

http://arachnoboards.com/threads/avicularia-husbandry.282549/#post-2461396

This compendium will answer your questions

 

[Venom1080]

http://arachnoboards.com/threads/avicularia-care.291340/

One of mine. Basically same info.

Personally, j wouldn't recommend a avic sling for a first spider, they can be picky eaters, and that's really stressful to beginners.

 

[grayzone]

Good reads have been linked. Avicularia are cool. Id definitely recommend buying a juvie or adult first and skip the slings for now once you get used to husbandry and keeping, THEN go for slings.

 

[darkness975]

Hi all. I'm looking into adopting my first tarantula and currently have my eye on an A avicularia sling. I've been looking through the threads here as well as asking questions in some other locations. But several of you seem like real experts and I'd like to get the rundown on this species particularly before bringing one home. I'd like everything to be perfect before I get the little one. I have nothing right now, so will be starting from scratch. But I've kept reps and amphibians for years so I'm familiar with the requirements some exotics come with. The T will be kept in an upstairs bedroom which holds a pretty stable temperature of around 70 F. It does get very dry in this room in the winter and very humid in the summer.

Where would you be getting the Sling from? If it's from a pet store then you can't be sure of the species. Your best bet is to acquire from a reputable breeder.

 

[cold blood]

I would strongly suggest getting a new world terrestrial....they are significantly more forgiving to beginner mistakes....its alarming how many avics die in the hands of first time owners.

Look for G. pulchripes or a Brachypelma sp.

 

[Moakmeister]

Join the Church of the G. pulchripes

0.1 G. pulchripes

• Moakmeister
• Aug 23, 2017
• 1

OH MAN DOES THAT FEEL GOOD TO SAY

 

[nicodimus22]

G. pulchripes is an awesome starter T!

However, an Avic or Caribena could work for the right person. You just need to do plenty of research, set it up right, and ask questions here if you don't understand something.

Terrestrials and arboreals provide you with a somewhat different experience as an owner. If you're not sure what you'd like, maybe you should get one of each to start so that you find out which kind you enjoy having around more (or maybe you like them both equally.) If you want to try that, I'd recommend the aforementioned G. pulchripes or B. albopilosum as a starter terrestrial, and A. avic or C. versicolor as a starter arboreal.

 

[Ungoliant]

However, an Avic or Caribena could work for the right person. You just need to do plenty of research, set it up right, and ask questions here if you don't understand something.

If you do go the Avicularia (or Caribena versicolor route), get a juvenile or adult, not a sling. (Slings tend to be more fragile.) Choose a relatively inexpensive, hardy species.

I would also post a picture of your setup (before adding the spider) for feedback, since this is something many new keepers have trouble getting right (judging by the number of threads about dead or dying Avics).

 

[Anoplogaster]

G. pulchripes is an awesome starter T!

However, an Avic or Caribena could work for the right person. You just need to do plenty of research, set it up right, and ask questions here if you don't understand something.

Terrestrials and arboreals provide you with a somewhat different experience as an owner. If you're not sure what you'd like, maybe you should get one of each to start so that you find out which kind you enjoy having around more (or maybe you like them both equally.) If you want to try that, I'd recommend the aforementioned G. pulchripes or B. albopilosum as a starter terrestrial, and A. avic or C. versicolor as a starter arboreal.

I love this picture so much! What a perfect specimen

 

[JDS123]

I'm not sure if the OP means buying one from someplace or only has a couple to choose from since they said adopting.

Could just be saying adopting in the way some ppl believe you don't own your pets lol.

So OP, do you have other options or do you only hav a couple to pick?