Im New - PLease help with Tarantula's

[Panzer Attack]

HI, i desperately want to get a tarantula, but before i do i want to research it properly so the little bugger dont die! please any advice wouldbe welcome, like books, websites e.t.c for beginners, Cheers!!

 

[Cronoss]

Originally posted by Panzer Attack
HI, i desperately want to get a tarantula, but before i do i want to research it properly so the little bugger dont die! please any advice wouldbe welcome, like books, websites e.t.c for beginners, Cheers!!

HI Panzer,
Welcome
this is prob. the best place to answer all your Q's.
just search through the tarantula forums.you should be able to find all your answers.
If not just make a post and someone will answer.
hope this helps
Bryan

 

[Nixy]

Hey hey and welcome.
Researching in advance is Always the best way to go about becoming the owner of a new pet.

This is a fantastic board and you'll find Tons of information here.
Plus you can put " tarantula caresheets" in your search engine and finds Gobs of information.

What kind are you looking into getting as your first?

 

[wariat]

Hey
I love T's. I'm the owner of spiders who are detailed below. I've bought them all several weeks ago Most of them are after first or second molt Each feels good and happy I didn't buy bigger because I'd like to "investigate" theirs live from infant to adult.
If You decide to buy young pets and If I'm only able to reply Your Q's I"ll do it with big pleasure I hope for read about Your experiences too
I belive You will get great T

 

[Infinity]

Buy Schultz!

The Schultz' book is a great resource for T keepers...

I believe it's called "The Tarantula Keepers Guide" (correct me if I'm wrong, guys...)-- white book, picture of a B. smithi (Mexican Red Knee) on the cover... very in depth study on everything you need to know about a T from the rooter to the tooter, as my Grandma would say.

hope this helps!

 

[vulpina]

You're right about the name of the book. It is an awesome reference guide for T's. But if you have any questions at all just post 'em in here and you'll get tons of answers.


Good luck,
Andy

 

[Code Monkey]

Yes, it's The Tarantula Keeper's Guide by Stan and Marguerite Shultz, published by Barron's, but it's a picture of an A. moderatum on the cover, not a B. smithi - not that somebody brand new to Ts probably knows the difference

The other good text is Tarantula's and Other Arachnids by Sam Marshall, also published by Barron's. For some unknown reason, two different versions are in print (they were published under different book lines and I guess someone is too lazy to notice at Barron's). The version with the A. versicolor (a pinkish, purple spider) is the most recent; the older version has a A. bicoloratum (a black and orange spider) on its cover.

Both books can be had for about $20 total and anyone serious about learning about Ts should read both as the information within them is without many of the errors you can find by only relying on online sources.

This forum is, obviously, another great resource. Use the search function to see what has already been covered and ask anything you're still unsure of. Collectively, there's a couple of centuries worth of experience you can mine.

There is a mailing list on the yahoo.groups (ATS_enthusiast) that's also chock full of lots of information.

Another good thing is the ATS has all of its remaining back issues of its Forum magazine available for a dirt cheap lump sum price and they're full of a lot of good articles on Ts and T keeping.

 

[deifiler]

if its your first spider, you're probably better trying to get someone with experience to show you in real life, that way they can set up the home and answer any questions you may have... from there the internet will fill in any cracks

search at the store you get it from; if they cant answer your questions, i advise you go elsewhere

 

[Tangled WWWeb]

Re: Buy Schultz!

Originally posted by Infinity
The Schultz' book is a great resource for T keepers...

I believe it's called "The Tarantula Keepers Guide" (correct me if I'm wrong, guys...)-- white book, picture of a B. smithi (Mexican Red Knee) on the cover...

Infinity,

Since you and I are very,very,very, extremely close, and you did want us to correct you if you were wrong... There is no B. smithi on the cover (at least not the edition that you and I both have) of " The Tarantula Keeper's Guide". However, I did very much enjoy the chapter on " rooters and tooters".;P ;P

 

[That Guy]

what do you want? o'!!! And welcome . Well if you go to the gally and click on a species, they should have a care sheet for them........... well thats all my advice ;P welcome

 

[Infinity]

blast, foiled again!

Originally posted by Code Monkey
Yes, it's The Tarantula Keeper's Guide by Stan and Marguerite Shultz, published by Barron's, but it's a picture of an A. moderatum on the cover, not a B. smithi - not that somebody brand new to Ts probably knows the difference
QUOTE]

Alas... so much for my photographic memory... :8o Now I'll never get my reputation as a super power in the spider community!

 

[Godzilla2000]

Originally posted by Panzer Attack
HI, i desperately want to get a tarantula, but before i do i want to research it properly so the little bugger dont die! please any advice wouldbe welcome, like books, websites e.t.c for beginners, Cheers!!

The best suggestion i can give you is to purchase a Grammostola rosea aka Chilean Rosehair Tarantula. I think even anything in the Grammostola genus would be fine for beginners. Whatever you do though, do not purchase a Cobalt Blue. They have pretty coloration but they are wicked little suckers.