I just found and joined this site on recommendation of a friend who breeds tarantulas. I never thought I would own a tarantula. It's not that I'm arachnophobic or anything. I just thought they were neat but couldn't see the interest in keeping them as pets for more than their neat look. Well, that was BEFORE I got my own.
I went to view an apartment where the guy was moving. He had this Chilean Rose tarantula sitting in her tank with a sign saying 'WARNING GIANT ARACHNID'! I thought it was funny so commented on it. I recognized the breed immediately as my friend had let me see some of his before. I was quite fascinated with his specimen though. So lovely in coloration! I asked if she was handleable. Don't know why I did it, but he laughed and confessed he had gotten her about a year ago and only held her once. I was curious as to why that was until he explained a friend who breeds tarantulas had given her to him to help him get over his arachnophobia! Well after staring at her and oohing and awing about how lovely she was, I stood up and said: "You know, this is the most lovely tarantula I have ever seen. You're lucky to have her I think if I would have found one like this I would have been apt to purchase her!" Well, little did I expect what he said next.
"Do you want her?"
At first I thought he was just kidding. So I laughed and said "you're joking, right?" with a friendly smile. And he shook his head and replied that he was going back home in a month and his parents would not approve of the tarantula. That and he wanted a better home for her because try as he might he could not bring himself to handle her or care for her the way someone else could. So I found myself on my way home with my new three year old G. Rosea in her little five gallon tank. Well, she is a lovely spider. Immediately I went to my pet store and purchased her a ten gallon instead. I bought her a little shallow water dish and a half log hide, and put some rocks at the bottom with a bunch of spaghum (sp?) and some pesticide and fertilizer free dirt. I set up her little terrarium, eying her curiously. I realized I really didn't know much about tarantulas--time to change that!
I looked on recommended sites and they said she is to eat about 3-4 crickets every two weeks. They said that coconut stuff and spaghum was the way to go for substrate. I use the same for my ball python, you see, so it was no issue there. That they do not need under tank heaters in a room that is about 23 degrees Celsius (and mine is always warm because of my free range Savannah Monitor and his flood light set up and the humidity misters in my room. So far, so good. Only I'm no tarantula expert. I was told that the bites hurt as much as a yellow jacket sting. I've been stung by wasps and queen bees with no allergic reaction. So I decided to look up how I could even tell if she wanted to bite me or was fine to be picked up.
I learned the way to pick her up was to place a flat hand and then gently touch her abdomen. That she could 'kick hairs' at me that itched and release a smelly substance were not happy things to learn, but it is what it is. I also read that if she hisses, goes up on her two sets of back legs and rears or is molting or has molted the day before it is best to let her be. Well, I had to move my new pet into her bigger terrarium. Now that I think about it I was probably foolish to use my hands and not something else. Especially since she had not been handled in eight months! I watched her closely for a while, feeling nervous. I have never been spider bitten. I did not want to experience it. But I now own a tarantula and I realized it could bite me at some point or another.
So I put my hand down flat and she didn't do anything. Nothing at all. She just sat there and one front leg would occasionally raise a little then be put back down. Good sign, right? I inched the hand a little closer. Still no reaction. So then I ever so gently began to stroke her abdomen. No reaction. So I prodded her backside gently and much to my surprise she went into my hand. Of course I had forgotten to breathe and I had also read if they fall from more than a foot or so they could burst. So I carefully lifted my hand out of the tank and stared in fascination at her. She was just SITTING there on my hand, acting as though nothing could bother her in the world. Me, first time holding a big spider, was half totally nervous and half pleased and excited. Newbie, I am!
Then she began to move slowly up my arm and I didn't know what to do, so just put a hand in front of her. She went on it and proceeded to crawl hand to hand until she was done and was still again. So I put her into her new home and that was that.
I'm a new tarantula owner. I had never thought to own one but now I completely love her after only three days having her. I named her Charlotte though I call her Char. I figured it would help my arachnophobic guy relate her to the friendly spider from Charlotte's web. Ironically he held her the other day! Stiff as a board, looking terrified, but shocked that this 'creepy crawly thing' wasn't trying to bite him or attack him. I was delighted!
So, any advice would be GREAT. On feeding routine, on my set up for her (I think there is about a few inches of dirt but the way it is set up she has MANY places to burrow down into. I can take pictures if needed. She seems very happy in there. So is there any advice you other more experienced owners can give me? I want to make sure I do this right! I own a Sav. and Ball Python so I am used to exotics. I have always kept reptiles and not arachnids though! Nice to meet you all!
Rai
I went to view an apartment where the guy was moving. He had this Chilean Rose tarantula sitting in her tank with a sign saying 'WARNING GIANT ARACHNID'! I thought it was funny so commented on it. I recognized the breed immediately as my friend had let me see some of his before. I was quite fascinated with his specimen though. So lovely in coloration! I asked if she was handleable. Don't know why I did it, but he laughed and confessed he had gotten her about a year ago and only held her once. I was curious as to why that was until he explained a friend who breeds tarantulas had given her to him to help him get over his arachnophobia! Well after staring at her and oohing and awing about how lovely she was, I stood up and said: "You know, this is the most lovely tarantula I have ever seen. You're lucky to have her I think if I would have found one like this I would have been apt to purchase her!" Well, little did I expect what he said next.
"Do you want her?"
At first I thought he was just kidding. So I laughed and said "you're joking, right?" with a friendly smile. And he shook his head and replied that he was going back home in a month and his parents would not approve of the tarantula. That and he wanted a better home for her because try as he might he could not bring himself to handle her or care for her the way someone else could. So I found myself on my way home with my new three year old G. Rosea in her little five gallon tank. Well, she is a lovely spider. Immediately I went to my pet store and purchased her a ten gallon instead. I bought her a little shallow water dish and a half log hide, and put some rocks at the bottom with a bunch of spaghum (sp?) and some pesticide and fertilizer free dirt. I set up her little terrarium, eying her curiously. I realized I really didn't know much about tarantulas--time to change that!
I looked on recommended sites and they said she is to eat about 3-4 crickets every two weeks. They said that coconut stuff and spaghum was the way to go for substrate. I use the same for my ball python, you see, so it was no issue there. That they do not need under tank heaters in a room that is about 23 degrees Celsius (and mine is always warm because of my free range Savannah Monitor and his flood light set up and the humidity misters in my room. So far, so good. Only I'm no tarantula expert. I was told that the bites hurt as much as a yellow jacket sting. I've been stung by wasps and queen bees with no allergic reaction. So I decided to look up how I could even tell if she wanted to bite me or was fine to be picked up.
I learned the way to pick her up was to place a flat hand and then gently touch her abdomen. That she could 'kick hairs' at me that itched and release a smelly substance were not happy things to learn, but it is what it is. I also read that if she hisses, goes up on her two sets of back legs and rears or is molting or has molted the day before it is best to let her be. Well, I had to move my new pet into her bigger terrarium. Now that I think about it I was probably foolish to use my hands and not something else. Especially since she had not been handled in eight months! I watched her closely for a while, feeling nervous. I have never been spider bitten. I did not want to experience it. But I now own a tarantula and I realized it could bite me at some point or another.
So I put my hand down flat and she didn't do anything. Nothing at all. She just sat there and one front leg would occasionally raise a little then be put back down. Good sign, right? I inched the hand a little closer. Still no reaction. So then I ever so gently began to stroke her abdomen. No reaction. So I prodded her backside gently and much to my surprise she went into my hand. Of course I had forgotten to breathe and I had also read if they fall from more than a foot or so they could burst. So I carefully lifted my hand out of the tank and stared in fascination at her. She was just SITTING there on my hand, acting as though nothing could bother her in the world. Me, first time holding a big spider, was half totally nervous and half pleased and excited. Newbie, I am!
Then she began to move slowly up my arm and I didn't know what to do, so just put a hand in front of her. She went on it and proceeded to crawl hand to hand until she was done and was still again. So I put her into her new home and that was that.
I'm a new tarantula owner. I had never thought to own one but now I completely love her after only three days having her. I named her Charlotte though I call her Char. I figured it would help my arachnophobic guy relate her to the friendly spider from Charlotte's web. Ironically he held her the other day! Stiff as a board, looking terrified, but shocked that this 'creepy crawly thing' wasn't trying to bite him or attack him. I was delighted!
So, any advice would be GREAT. On feeding routine, on my set up for her (I think there is about a few inches of dirt but the way it is set up she has MANY places to burrow down into. I can take pictures if needed. She seems very happy in there. So is there any advice you other more experienced owners can give me? I want to make sure I do this right! I own a Sav. and Ball Python so I am used to exotics. I have always kept reptiles and not arachnids though! Nice to meet you all!
Rai
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