Questions From A Newbie

Xafron

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Apr 5, 2017
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Finally looking into buying myself a tarantula. So many awesome ones out there, it's hard to come to a decision on what might be best.

What concerns me is care requirements. I don't want to get a tarantula who's care requirements are akin to walking on a tightrope, and as beautiful as they are some of the sensitive species' care requirements certainly sound like like that. I'd prefer one that has rather simple requirements for humidity/temperature. My understanding is that slings are generally harder to take care of than adults, so I'm primarily looking at purchasing adults. If there are kinds of slings that are simple to care for, I would consider them as well. However buying adults means I can also get a sexed tarantula, and buying a female is definitely a plus for me.

I have a species I find particularly interesting right now. Not only is it stunning to look at, but they seem genuinely interesting to watch as well, and relatively docile. Avicularia purpurea. I have already read up on it as best I can with the information I found, including threads on this forum. I've read lots of people saying they are a lot of work to keep alive, and a lot of people saying the exact opposite, and the care sheets...it all left me with more questions than answers. Many have stated they can't keep slings alive, so my impression is that buying slings are where the real problems occur here. My question is, if I could track down and purchase an adult (possibly get one or two freebies with it as well), would this be a completely viable T for a beginner in the hobby? Or is it going to roll over and die if it's humidity isn't right (that seems to be the main issue...humidity).

I would be most likely purchasing enclosures from Jamie's Tarantulas. I realize I can make my own, however most of those are rather unpleasant to look at in my opinion, and space is an issue as well. These seem to be the best out there that you can buy, being made with cross ventilation in mind. I'd also like a suggestion on an accurate hydrometer.

ANY personal experience, reliable care information on the species, and so on is appreciated. I would love to acquire one of these beautiful animals but I need to understand it better so I'm coming to you. I didn't want to walk in blindly, drop $200 + on an adult spider out of my league, and kill it.

If this doesn't work out, I will continue to look at what else is out there. The hobby has many more readily available species than I was aware of.
 

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Xafron

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Apr 5, 2017
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Just a little more info. I have been looking into this for awhile. I'm familiar at this point with the traditional beginner species and am not opposed to them. GBB also look beautiful. Some of the more readily available Avicularia are too. The newer Euathlus Sp. Red also interests me. A number of others as well (I went through the beginner list on Toms Big Spiders).

However sometimes people gotta figure out things for themselves and go their own path. I'm researching species outside and inside the norm.

I am new to tarantulas but have been keeping a large variety of pets my entire life. Fish, reptiles, amphibians, birds, rodents, insects, arachnids, cats, dogs, crustaceans, others...just about everything. I'm passionate about the pet hobby.
 
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johnny quango

Arachnoknight
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May 17, 2013
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I'll keep this simple forget the Avic for now, Avics aren't that hard to care for but they don't have as wide a range as other tarantulas meaning if you make a mistake you can end up with a dead Avic.

Stick to Brachypelma, Grammostola (not rosea/porteri some people say they are temperamental I say they are boring) Brachypelma and Grammostola are alot more forgiving of mistakes with new keepers than most. The plus side is they contain some seriously beautiful species and you don't have to buy adults either because of them being hardy.

As for enclosures well to each their own I use pre made expensive enclosures simply because I want to but that doesn't mean I won't use a deli cup or tupperware tub, Hell right now I've got 2 tarantulas housed in muffin tubs.
That's the true beauty of this hobby you can be as individualistic as you like
 

Chris LXXIX

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Dec 25, 2014
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'GBB' are laughable easy to care for and quite hardy. Not hardy like P.murinus are, but hardy. I see absolutely no reasons why a (serious) beginner shouldn't own one of those as first instead of the annoying 'Grammo/Brachy' league :-s

Sure they are fast (not at all for me) and loves to bolt if they wants but that's all.
 

Xafron

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I'll keep this simple forget the Avic for now, Avics aren't that hard to care for but they don't have as wide a range as other tarantulas meaning if you make a mistake you can end up with a dead Avic.

Stick to Brachypelma, Grammostola (not rosea/porteri some people say they are temperamental I say they are boring) Brachypelma and Grammostola are alot more forgiving of mistakes with new keepers than most. The plus side is they contain some seriously beautiful species and you don't have to buy adults either because of them being hardy.

As for enclosures well to each their own I use pre made expensive enclosures simply because I want to but that doesn't mean I won't use a deli cup or tupperware tub, Hell right now I've got 2 tarantulas housed in muffin tubs.
That's the true beauty of this hobby you can be as individualistic as you like
For spiderlings and juveniles I would not be opposed to using stuff like deli cups I suppose. But for an adult, I'd want a cage worthy of being on display.

Grammostola pulchra looks awesome. Size would be a bit of an issue there though, as I'm not sure the enclosures on Jamie's Tarantulas would be large enough, except for the XL one...more space, more money.

'GBB' are laughable easy to care for and quite hardy. Not hardy like P.murinus are, but hardy. I see absolutely no reasons why a (serious) beginner shouldn't own one of those as first instead of the annoying 'Grammo/Brachy' league :-s

Sure they are fast (not at all for me) and loves to bolt if they wants but that's all.
What are annoying about Grammo/Brachy?
 

nicodimus22

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What are annoying about Grammo/Brachy?
Most of them are slow growers, they can fast for a long time, some of them kick hairs a lot, some of them are so inactive that people call them pet rocks. What's annoying to one person can be fine to another, though. Depends what you're after.
 

Xafron

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Apr 5, 2017
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Not those Theraphosidae genus per se, annoying IMO is always to suggest those and those only. When it comes to beginner T's there's a good choice.
Oh. That's part of why I feel the need to explore all my options. I appreciate a beginners list, but at the same time I don't like being expected to stick to a couple of species.

Most of them are slow growers, they can fast for a long time, some of them kick hairs a lot, some of them are so inactive that people call them pet rocks. What's annoying to one person can be fine to another, though. Depends what you're after.
Slow growing doesn't sound too bad. I've heard a couple of species can live close to 30 years though, and although I'd like a T that lives for years...that may be a bit too long for me. I'm not sure I want a pet rock either...or a pet hole.
 

nicodimus22

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Oh. That's part of why I feel the need to explore all my options. I appreciate a beginners list, but at the same time I don't like being expected to stick to a couple of species.

Slow growing doesn't sound too bad. I've heard a couple of species can live close to 30 years though, and although I'd like a T that lives for years...that may be a bit too long for me. I'm not sure I want a pet rock either...or a pet hole.
These give you some places to start.



 

Xafron

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These give you some places to start.
Thank you so much, these videos were very helpful. He shows a lot of tarantulas that I havn't seen suggested to beginners before, it has given me a lot to think about. I'd seen Tom's video already, also has some interesting choices.

I would just like to ask, in the first video he says that Avicularia adults are fine for beginners. Why are opinions on this so insanely different?
 

nicodimus22

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Thank you so much, these videos were very helpful. He shows a lot of tarantulas that I havn't seen suggested to beginners before, it has given me a lot to think about. I'd seen Tom's video already, also has some interesting choices.

I would just like to ask, in the first video he says that Avicularia adults are fine for beginners. Why are opinions on this so insanely different?
Not sure. I'm strictly a terrestrial guy, so I'll let someone else answer that one.
 

johnny quango

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
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May 17, 2013
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'GBB' are laughable easy to care for and quite hardy. Not hardy like P.murinus are, but hardy. I see absolutely no reasons why a (serious) beginner shouldn't own one of those as first instead of the annoying 'Grammo/Brachy' league :-s

Sure they are fast (not at all for me) and loves to bolt if they wants but that's all.
I only recommend Brachy/Grammy because they are easy to come by.
Knowing what I known now I'd start this time with Thrixopelma cyaneolum and Vitalius sorocabae but I can hardly recommend these as they don't exactly grow on trees.


@Xafron you could always get a Lasiodorides polycuspulatus a great tarantula that's different and easy to care for
 

Chris LXXIX

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I only recommend Brachy/Grammy because they are easy to come by.
Knowing what I known now I'd start this time with Thrixopelma cyaneolum and Vitalius sorocabae but I can hardly recommend these as they don't exactly grow on trees.
I know what you mean. I was talking in general, not directed to you, man. 'GBB' are almost always available, anyway. At least here :-s
 

volcanopele

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Sep 11, 2016
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Honestly, if you aren't going for a sling, Avics aren't that bad. Just make sure to have a cork bark against a corner of the enclosure, have lots of cross ventilation, and go easy on the humidity. However, if you are worried at all about "walking a tightrope" when it comes to humidity, they may not be right for you (not saying they are that hard to care for, I have a purpurea myself and it hasn't been that hard to keep...) but there are easier species when it comes to care, like the GBB as others have mentioned. My GBB doesn't web as much as my purpurea, but it might help you get your silk fix.

I think you might be reading too many care sheets. first, you don't need a hygrometer. You don't need to focus on keeping the humidity, or even temperature really, within a narrow range, despite what many online care sheets suggest. Just know that some Ts prefer bone dry substrate (like the GBB), many prefer just a little bit of moisture in their substrate (those Ts that need their water dish overflowed from time to time), and a few that need moist substrate (most of these are advanced species though). The purpurea is in the middle category, I just overfill its water dish every once in a while (when I can reach the water dish... it likes to fill its enclosure with webbing).
 

Xafron

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Apr 5, 2017
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Honestly, if you aren't going for a sling, Avics aren't that bad. Just make sure to have a cork bark against a corner of the enclosure, have lots of cross ventilation, and go easy on the humidity. However, if you are worried at all about "walking a tightrope" when it comes to humidity, they may not be right for you (not saying they are that hard to care for, I have a purpurea myself and it hasn't been that hard to keep...) but there are easier species when it comes to care, like the GBB as others have mentioned. My GBB doesn't web as much as my purpurea, but it might help you get your silk fix.

I think you might be reading too many care sheets. first, you don't need a hygrometer. You don't need to focus on keeping the humidity, or even temperature really, within a narrow range, despite what many online care sheets suggest. Just know that some Ts prefer bone dry substrate (like the GBB), many prefer just a little bit of moisture in their substrate (those Ts that need their water dish overflowed from time to time), and a few that need moist substrate (most of these are advanced species though). The purpurea is in the middle category, I just overfill its water dish every once in a while (when I can reach the water dish... it likes to fill its enclosure with webbing).
@volcanopele Can I ask how much water you let overflow into the substrate, and how often? Do you avoid misting?
 
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johnny quango

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I know what you mean. I was talking in general, not directed to you, man. 'GBB' are almost always available, anyway. At least here :-s
I think sometimes we in Europe forget we can just order from any other eu country and we don't have to worry about paperwork or boarders for now anyway. Maybe I'll become a notorious smuggler of tarantulas when we finally leave the eu.
I know it wasn't aimed at me man .
But you've gotta love pulchra, iheringi as starter tarantula :D
 

Chris LXXIX

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I think sometimes we in Europe forget we can just order from any other eu country and we don't have to worry about paperwork or boarders for now anyway. Maybe I'll become a notorious smuggler of tarantulas when we finally leave the eu.
I know it wasn't aimed at me man .
But you've gotta love pulchra, iheringi as starter tarantula :D
Actually I love genus Grammostola more than genus Brachypelma :kiss:
 

johnny quango

Arachnoknight
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Actually I love genus Grammostola more than genus Brachypelma :kiss:
I have the most beautiful G anthracina and I had a lead on a G formosa but sadly I'm away this weekend but who knows maybe when I get back it'll still be there.

I actually have 10 or 11 Brachys in my collection some common some rare
 

CyclingSam

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May 22, 2016
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I'll throw in a shoutout for the A. geniculata. They grow super fast, are stupid easy to care for, they are very active, they are beautiful, they get big, and they are pretty cheap. A. geniculata= garbage disposal, bulldozer, dancer, slayer of water dishes, puller of plants, hungry hungry hippos, bottomless pit, and my butt itches.
 

ronoverdrive

Arachnopeon
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Jan 27, 2017
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I would say a C. cyaneopubescens (Green Bottle Blue aka GBB) would be a good choice considering your requirements. Temperament wise they're a little skittish, but so far in the few months of raising my sling I've found they prefer to stick to their web. They definitely aren't your typical big brown spider since as slings they have a bronze carapace and a tiger striped pattern on their abdomen and as adults they sport vibrant blues, emerald greens, and a orange semi-tiger striped abdomen. Dry substrate, anchor points for webbing (fake plants and such), and a water dish is really all they need. A hide is also nice to have as some will use it and others will just web it up as an anchor point. They're fairly hardy species that are voracious eaters that only fast when they're in premolt. And when they eat they always make it a show with how they pounce and subdue prey. Also they make very intricate web tunnels as they web up the entire enclosure and usually stay out in the open. Since they're fast sprinters I recommend getting one as a sling as it will help you get used to their speed as they grow up.
 
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