Not first, not last but begginner looking for some help.

[Bloodrazor]

Hi all,

I was always intrigued by having this tiny creature that would add a bit of adrenaline in life. There were 3 I wanted to consider: snakes or miniature-snakes, scorpions or spiders.

As my designated location would be our kitchen which has direct access to our terrace I realized quickly that due to potential temperature differences which this may cause it might be best to stick with no different than tarantula to start.

Factors I have considered so far:

Location: Ireland, with higher than average humidity (70-80 %RH) and relatively low temperatures although kitchen should retain in general some 20-ish Celsius even on a cold days.
Due to direct access to our terrace spider cage / aquarium would be located against two corner walls with heat pad (undecided) against an outside (exposed) cage wall to mitigate on temperature dropping too much.

Safety: As a newbie in the topic I am more keen on choosing more venomous spider due to child (5yo) at home - I do not wish to test what urticating hair could do to a child. My logic here being - I am not getting tarantula to test it's venom toxicity and so this is insignificant factor when compared to what airborne urticating hair could cause. (EDIT)

I have already ordered hybrid cage and aquarium (no mesh - no legs getting stuck etc) and only hope for it to be made from acrylic-like material and if it turns out to be glass we will install additional plexi protective screen - just to eliminate on that factor of flying objects until potential replacement comes around.

Spider well-being: While I am looking for:
Old World, arboreal or semi-arboreal species recommendation (EDIT)
New World, arboreal or semi-arboreal species recommendation and still wish to consider it's well-being as much as I can. Myself and my cousin will be designing a "mechanical curtain" to simulate as much as possible on uninterrupted day cycles.
While kitchen is rather quiet place and there isn't much else to consider (no intense cooking nor any other craziness) rather than the fact that we sometimes hang around there to grab a drink or catch up - hence idea for that curtain.
Selected place for cage / aquarium has no direct sunlight at any time of day regardless of seasons.

Have I tried at least finding some species? Yes, but not knowing exactly what should I be looking for I figured best to ask someone who would contribute in extending poor creatures life than relying on my guess. As more and more I have been looking for I quickly realized species that might be good are not available in Ireland. Considering beurocracy pile of garbage I was hoping someone could also chime in on whether this could somehow be ignored or if someone has experience dealing with live stock transits between IE & UK and rest of EU.

I greatly appreciate any inputs and hope not be chewed up if something sounds out of place.

Thanks!
Bloodrazor

 

[Edan bandoot]

P.cambridgei arboreal, chill, no hairs, mild venom

 

[Hakuna]

N. incei or any psalmopoeus - they don’t have urticating hairs and have milder venom

 

[viper69]

Your country environment has almost nothing to do with what critter you want unless you live in a hut.. I know people in Alaska with tarantulas.

Snakes are more fun and easier than my Ts in most ways

never heard of miniature snakes??

what’s your question? Too much to read.

 

[Bloodrazor]

Your country environment has almost nothing to do with what critter you want unless you live in a hut.. I know people in Alaska with tarantulas.

Snakes are more fun and easier than my Ts in most ways

never heard of miniature snakes??

what’s your question? Too much to read.

My country's environment has small input on potential temperature drops because of my apartment layout which I have explained in my post - trying to consider spider's well-being.
I am looking for old world, arboreal or semi-arboreal species recommendation that wouldn't be too sensitive to temperature.
I'm sure snakes could be more fun but I'm not sure how stable temperature I could provide for them (miniature aka small aka not big nor even regular ;p)

Thanks @viper69

 

[Hakuna]

It’s not the venom you need to watch out for with OW. It’s the speed.

I think you may trust your kid too much.

 

[Smotzer]

Unless you buy an adult it’s housing is going to need to change incrementally as it grows.

Urticating setae are not going to be floating around your house getting into anyone’s lungs, thats has never happened to me and they’re in every room of my house; that’s not something you need to be concerned about so for your first T with zero experience getting an old world based on that is not wise.

And I’d rather a kid get haired that envenomated with potent venom.

you don’t need a mechanical curtain to simulate day cycles to keep tarantulas successfully,just turn your lights off when you go to bed.

and do not heat with a heating pad that’s a sure fire way to kill the animal, use a space heater instead.

 

[Arachnophobphile]

Hi all,

I was always intrigued by having this tiny creature that would add a bit of adrenaline in life. There were 3 I wanted to consider: snakes or miniature-snakes, scorpions or spiders.

As my designated location would be our kitchen which has direct access to our terrace I realized quickly that due to potential temperature differences which this may cause it might be best to stick with no different than tarantula to start.

Factors I have considered so far:

Location: Ireland, with higher than average humidity (70-80 %RH) and relatively low temperatures although kitchen should retain in general some 20-ish Celsius even on a cold days.
Due to direct access to our terrace spider cage / aquarium would be located against two corner walls with heat pad (undecided) against an outside (exposed) cage wall to mitigate on temperature dropping too much.

Safety: As a newbie in the topic I am more keen on choosing more venomous spider due to child (5yo) at home - I do not wish to test what urticating hair could do to a child. My logic here being - I am not getting tarantula to test it's venom toxicity and so this is insignificant factor when compared to what airborne urticating hair could cause.

I have already ordered hybrid cage and aquarium (no mesh - no legs getting stuck etc) and only hope for it to be made from acrylic-like material and if it turns out to be glass we will install additional plexi protective screen - just to eliminate on that factor of flying objects until potential replacement comes around.

Spider well-being: While I am looking for:
Old World, arboreal or semi-arboreal species recommendation and still wish to consider it's well-being as much as I can. Myself and my cousin will be designing a "mechanical curtain" to simulate as much as possible on uninterrupted day cycles.
While kitchen is rather quiet place and there isn't much else to consider (no intense cooking nor any other craziness) rather than the fact that we sometimes hang around there to grab a drink or catch up - hence idea for that curtain.
Selected place for cage / aquarium has no direct sunlight at any time of day regardless of seasons.

Have I tried at least finding some species? Yes, but not knowing exactly what should I be looking for I figured best to ask someone who would contribute in extending poor creatures life than relying on my guess. As more and more I have been looking for I quickly realized species that might be good are not available in Ireland. Considering beurocracy pile of garbage I was hoping someone could also chime in on whether this could somehow be ignored or if someone has experience dealing with live stock transits between IE & UK and rest of EU.

I greatly appreciate any inputs and hope not be chewed up if something sounds out of place.

Thanks!
Bloodrazor

Since you're part of the U.K. might I suggest glass enclosures. The U.K. has a large selection of glass enclosures that I envy and cheaper.

Airbourne urticating setae...I never had an issue with that. Then again depends on what NW's as some have severe UrS.

Depending on your rehousing skills, (not what you think they are but your actual experience) I would carefully double think OW's especially arboreal's medically significant venom.

If your child gets bit by an OW due to a rehousing gone wrong you'll re-think that decision.

 

[Bloodrazor]

It’s not the venom you need to watch out for with OW. It’s the speed.

I think you may trust your kid too much.

Cage is going to be at the height of at least some 1.2-1.5m from the ground and not accessible to any child due to other obstacles and countermeasures which we (myself and my cousin) have in mind.

Unless you buy an adult it’s housing is going to need to change incrementally as it grows.

Urticating setae are not going to be floating around your house getting into anyone’s lungs, thats has never happened to me and they’re in every room of my house; that’s not something you need to be concerned about so for your first T with zero experience getting an old world based on that is not wise.

And I’d rather a kid get haired that envenomated with potent venom.

you don’t need a mechanical curtain to simulate day cycles to keep tarantulas successfully,just turn your lights off when you go to bed.

and do not heat with a heating pad that’s a sure fire way to kill the animal, use a space heater instead.

Appreciate your input. I was watching some YT guide and someone mentioned that some spiders can drop their hair around their nest for additional protection I can imagine this may get out of the cage easy(?)...at least that's what I would be concerned about.
Heat pad probably pass...I don't like an idea of having a fire hazard just following some suggestions saying it would not harm to have on the side wall...

@Smotzer thanks for a valid point. I purchased a cage being undecided on a creature (initially thinking this wouldn't make a difference) and later realized T can be super tiny when young...I probably would not be planning on much handling of the spider so for good practice would be good not to deal with any different spider than an adult.

@Arachnophobphile would you suggest any "safe" NW's T?

 

[Smotzer]

Appreciate your input. I was watching some YT guide and someone mentioned that some spiders can drop their hair around their nest for additional protection I can imagine this may get out of the cage easy(?)...at least that's what I would be concerned about.

YouTube is notoriously insignificant for husbandry info, I’d stick here to AB. Yes they can lay down setae in preparation for a molt, but no it’s not going to get out unless you open the cage and blow it out with a fan. I have never had nor never heard of someone ever coming into contact with urticating setae via secondary contact of air movement. I would based on your experience and limited skill set and knowledge purchase a New World Theraphosidae.

thanks for a valid point. I purchased a cage being undecided on a creature (initially thinking this wouldn't make a difference) and later realized T can be super tiny when young...I probably would not be planning on much handling of the spider so for good practice would be good not to deal with any different spider than an adult.

Yeah that is a common mistake, but be prepared purchasing adults in the exact species you decide on is much more difficult.

Gaining experience as a keeper rehousing tarantulas through their life span is important to building confidence and experience dealing with them in case one gets out, but most importantly it is rewarding caring for it all the way through each molt until adulthood. It will likely sink you in deeper to the fascination of them as animals.

 

[Bloodrazor]

YouTube is notoriously insignificant for husbandry info, I’d stick here to AB. Yes they can lay down setae in preparation for a molt, but no it’s not going to get out unless you open the cage and blow it out with a fan. I have never had nor never heard of someone ever coming into contact with urticating setae via secondary contact of air movement. I would based on your experience and limited skill set and knowledge purchase a New World Theraphosidae.



Yeah that is a common mistake, but be prepared purchasing adults in the exact species you decide on is much more difficult.

Gaining experience as a keeper rehousing tarantulas through their life span is important to building confidence and experience dealing with them in case one gets out, but most importantly it is rewarding caring for it all the way through each molt until adulthood. It will likely sink you in deeper to the fascination of them as animals.

@Smotzer thanks for this information, couldn't really find anything reasonable on the topic of airborne hair. I think I might look for NW instead... and I know (now) purchase was pointless I guess I got carried away a bit too quickly

 

[Smotzer]

@Smotzer thanks for this information, couldn't really find anything reasonable on the topic of airborne hair. I think I might look for NW instead... and I know (now) purchase was pointless I guess I got carried away a bit too quickly

You’re welcome!! And plenty of people start with adults that is a perfectly fine way to start, just know it may be difficult to find the adult of a species you want. And that was just my take on raising slings being rewarding. Either way you go will be what it will be!

 

[Bloodrazor]

N. incei or any psalmopoeus - they don’t have urticating hairs and have milder venom

Are these NW's or OW's I think I might just choose something safer then OW's?

 

[Smotzer]

Both are new worlds. Neoholothele incei is a heavy webbing dwarf terrestrial. And Psalmopoeus is a genus of new world arboreals that are a stepping stone to owning old worlds due to their speed and potency of venom.

 

[Arachnophobphile]

Appreciate your input. I was watching some YT guide and someone mentioned that some spiders can drop their hair around their nest for additional protection I can imagine this may get out of the cage easy(?)...at least that's what I would be concerned about.
Heat pad probably pass...I don't like an idea of having a fire hazard just following some suggestions saying it would not harm to have on the side wall...

@Smotzer thanks for a valid point. I purchased a cage being undecided on a creature (initially thinking this wouldn't make a difference) and later realized T can be super tiny when young...I probably would not be planning on much handling of the spider so for good practice would be good not to deal with any different spider than an adult.

@Arachnophobphile would you suggest any "safe" NW's T?

Yeah....anything that's not a T. blondie, L. parahybana and so on.

Do the homework on what T's have the worse UrS. As far as UrS the T lays down on the substrate, don't stick your face in the enclosure, (or hands) and exhale deeply or sneeze. Basically don't excessively disturb the inside of the enclosure. Always use tongs not your fingers.

 

[Craig73]

The enclosure ordered is suitable for a larger sized arboreal. NW arboreals would be Avicularia or Psalmopoeus. I would never recommend buying anything but a sling psalm for inexperienced keepers, but avics yes.

Psalms are very fast and have a nasty bite. Not as nasty as an OW, but still leave you having a bad day. While they are easy to care for, it’s the rehousing that comes into play and can be extremely intimidating.

Avics generally are laid back making them great T’s for new and seasoned keepers alike.

Then there’s terrestrial T’s. Not suitable for the enclosure you bought, but some great options out there if ground dwelling T’s are more appealing to you.

 

[Hakuna]

Are these NW's or OW's I think I might just choose something safer then OW's?

Yes those are examples of NW tarantulas that do not have urticating hairs.

 

[viper69]

My country's environment has small input on potential temperature drops because of my apartment layout which I have explained in my post - trying to consider spider's well-being.
I am looking for old world, arboreal or semi-arboreal species recommendation that wouldn't be too sensitive to temperature.
I'm sure snakes could be more fun but I'm not sure how stable temperature I could provide for them (miniature aka small aka not big nor even regular ;p)

Thanks @viper69

So you can’t heat a snake setup with a UTH? Your place is that drafty? I don’t understand. If so, I don’t see a T doing well either.

Given you have zero experience OW is a horrible choice. It will outgrow your skill sets in a year or less generally.

Get N incei- great Ts

 

[Bloodrazor]

We have decided to hold with the idea of having T and do more research about other animals as well. Mainly due to safety concerns and a child at home and having no experience at all.

@viper69 Kitchen isn't that big and during winter can loose some heat on occasion when someone goes in and out for a smoke. Reason why we started discussion in the first place.
I definitely like the idea of having interesting animal at home but we just might try with a snake instead as a lamp setup would perhaps provide protection for steady temperature - which isn't my main concern but something I'm trying to account for.

Thank you all for your inputs.

 

[Smotzer]

Mainly due to safety concerns and a child at home and having no experience at all.

Well literally everyone has to start somewhere with experience level so don’t get discouraged by that and there are no true safety concerns. Keeping tarantulas is perfectly safe.