How much research did you do before getting your Tarantula/s?

[SamuraiSid]

I knew everything internet care sheets could tell me about T's, before making my first purchase.

 

[Pixxie]

I got my first T from a flea market when I was 12 or 13. It was an A. avic, and all I knew about it at the time was that it was pretty, it was a spider, and I wanted it. Haha. After getting home I looked up care sheets for it, but didn't realize how important it was to make sure all the conditions were right. It died after 4 months. After that I did a lot of research. I read TKG and another book (can't remember the name) and took notes on them. I also spent a lot of time online researching specific species. Almost a year later I got another A. avic and then another, and had no problems.

Theres more than one reason why I waited a year, not all of it was about research, but I did research for months. I can't say if all of that research was necessary to take care of my T's, but I'm glad I did it. Lots of useful and interesting stuff. And since I took notes, if I need to, I can look back at them.

 

[salmonpink]

I researched every species I got. It help but I'm still learning something new about them everyday.

 

[El Viejo]

My first tarantula was back in high school, and I did little or no research at the time. I probably just asked my biology teacher for information, if I remember correctly. There wasn't a lot of information available in the late 60s-early 70s, but since then I have researched various species through this forum as well as books such as TKG & others.

 

[Travis K]

I researched about two months before I got my first T which was a decent sized female B. Smithi back in Jan of 2007.

 

[Shrike]

I read Marshall's Tarantulas and Other Arachnids.

 

[Dandizette]

When I got my first T it was a bit of a surprise. My coworkers at the library arranged an animal party. Someone donated a tarntula for kids to view. Because I do herps and herp rescue and love arthropods too, when its previous owner abandoned it with us, I took it in. I had no time to do research. But being at a library, I was able to do a lot of research very quickly there after. And now I'm always researching.

I know this sounds a bit cheesy and lame coming from a librarian but you can never research or learn enough. Ever. Get your Ts, do the research. But keep learning because new information will always, always be out there.

 

[marcfrick2112]

Appallingly, I did no research before getting my first, a G. rosea. I had to use a little trickery to even allow dad to let me have a T. Once I got her, tho, (Harry, the female rosie) Dad had contacted the arachnid specialist at the Milw. Co. zoo, and she sent us an old T care book. (Arachnomania, iirc) It took some work, but we finally got the tank right, and Harry was my most gentle tarantula ever, I had her for maybe 18 wonderful years. My next T was a G. pulchra, and then I researched, asked ?'s on forums...asked seller... everything I could think of...
Ever since, I research T's I am even CONSIDERING buying.

 

[Storm76]

Did research for about a year on the internet about them in general, feeding, keeping requirements in captivity, habitat they come from and so on. Then went on talking to owners, breeders and eventually bought TKG and a few other german books on certain species (Avics for instance..) before I went to buy my first two...