Suggestions for son's first T

SkitterAlong

Arachnopeon
Joined
Mar 3, 2011
Messages
8
Hey spiderkids! I'm looking to buy my son his first tarantula. He is 4 now and will assist with care (he is very respectful with my own T collection so far) until he is 10 at which point the T will officially be given over to his care with supervision. I'm looking for something that's bulky, calm and handleable, long lived and has a bit of color to it. Female, obviously. So...Pulchra, Pulchripes, Smithi...? Whatcha all think?
 

Moltar

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 11, 2007
Messages
5,438
B. albopilosum (Honduran Curly Hair) is one of my favorite starters. Docile, comparatively fast growing for the genus, easy to care for, pretty to look at, hungry feeder, handleable, fairly abundant and therefore cheap.
 

Rue

Arachnoknight
Joined
Feb 24, 2011
Messages
239
I'd get something YOU want.

I got my youngest son a snake...and by the time he was old enough to look after it...he had long lost interest...lol...

It's my snake now (which is fine, I had suspected as much)...:D
 

creepa

Arachnoknight
Joined
Sep 24, 2010
Messages
260
I would go for an A. versicolor..., its calm, handleable and has lots of color.
 

Lolita

Arachnoknight
Joined
Jan 9, 2011
Messages
185
I would go for an A. versicolor..., its calm, handleable and has lots of color.
yeah but their super fast which might intimidate a kid i'd go with either G pulchripes or B smithi or maybe even B vagans
 

creepa

Arachnoknight
Joined
Sep 24, 2010
Messages
260
yeah but their super fast which might intimidate a kid i'd go with either G pulchripes or B smithi or maybe even B vagans
Treu that.
But is he planning on handling the spider with his kid?
Couse a versicolor is a gorgeous display spider.
 

SkitterAlong

Arachnopeon
Joined
Mar 3, 2011
Messages
8
She. ;) I'm a member of the rare and endangered species known as 'women who loves inverts.' {D
 

paassatt

Arachnoangel
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 19, 2010
Messages
887
She. ;) I'm a member of the rare and endangered species known as 'women who loves inverts.' {D
I'm sure I speak for a lot of other men who wish there were more of those kind of women. Having an interest in spiders usually doesn't get you very far with most women. Luckily I can fall back on my wit, charm and male-model-like good looks, but that's beside the point. We need more women in the hobby.
 

Rue

Arachnoknight
Joined
Feb 24, 2011
Messages
239
Oh I don't know. I know quite a few female entomologists/ invetebrate women...other than myself...not as rare as you'd think...;)
 

Lolita

Arachnoknight
Joined
Jan 9, 2011
Messages
185
Oh I don't know. I know quite a few female entomologists/ invetebrate women...other than myself...not as rare as you'd think...;)
seconded we're not as rare as one would think we just don't announce our gender usually, i'd rather have myself be considered and invert keeper than a rare female invert keeper and my spiders are in agreeance with me

---------- Post added at 01:49 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:46 PM ----------

Treu that.
But is he planning on handling the spider with his kid?
Couse a versicolor is a gorgeous display spider.
idk i know that they're planning on letting their kid handle the tarantula and when i had my female versicolor when i started out that think was intimidating to handle and i was 18 at the time personally their fast movements might scare a child
 

SkitterAlong

Arachnopeon
Joined
Mar 3, 2011
Messages
8
Oh I don't know. I know quite a few female entomologists/ invetebrate women...other than myself...not as rare as you'd think...;)
True enough, but methinks the men outnumber us five to one on average. I've gone to a few invert get-togethers and I usually see an average of two other females there besides myself. I'm working on converting my girlfriends into invert fans - one of them already loves herps so her future looks bright. ;) Maybe we should start up a women-only invert club in SoCal, lol!
 

Lolita

Arachnoknight
Joined
Jan 9, 2011
Messages
185
well idk my local colorado based club seems to have more active women than men who like the inverts
 

paassatt

Arachnoangel
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 19, 2010
Messages
887
seconded we're not as rare as one would think we just don't announce our gender usually, i'd rather have myself be considered and invert keeper than a rare female invert keeper and my spiders are in agreeance with me
I can understand why you would want to be labeled as an invert keeper rather than a "female invert keeper". Gender should have nothing to do with anything. That being said, there is something pretty hot about a female that loves spiders.
 

Lolita

Arachnoknight
Joined
Jan 9, 2011
Messages
185
I can understand why you would want to be labeled as an invert keeper rather than a "female invert keeper". Gender should have nothing to do with anything. That being said, there is something pretty hot about a female that loves spiders.
lol i've played with spiders since i was a kid in florida i'd catch the female banana spiders and keep them as pets catching flies to feed them with now i currently have 23 tarantulas so it is kinda an addictive hobby regardless of gender
 

RyTheTGuy

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Mar 2, 2011
Messages
233
I would go with a G pulchripes or B smithi they are both VERY BEAUTIFUL! and handleable. Im actually looking to get myself on of each very soon, found a place in my state i can get a G pulchripes for 40 including Shipping. Sling will be 1/2 - 3/4...not bad i dont think...
 

Moltar

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 11, 2007
Messages
5,438
I'm actually fairly impressed at how many women there are in this hobby. I'd say that easily 30% of posters here are senoritas. It tells me that a certain type of mind is drawn to this type of hobby and it's less machismo driven than peopkle assume. I wouldn't know for certain, but I bet there are less girls (by percentage) in the snake world than in the spider world.
 

madamoisele

Arachnosquire
Joined
Oct 28, 2010
Messages
141
I absolutely love the Curly Hairs (brachypelma Albopilosum) - but they are hair kickers, usually. Be careful about that with them, especially with little ones who will rub their eyes.

I'm also a huge fan of the Chaco Golden Knee (grammastola Pulchripes) or the Mexican Red Knee (brachypelma smithi) for a starter T.

On the other hand, my most docile T is my Apnopelma Chalcodes (Arizona/Mexican Blonde) - but it may not have enough "color" in it for you. I personally think its incredibly striking.

And then there's the rosies. Just make sure you get a docile one.
 

Chris_Skeleton

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 31, 2010
Messages
1,309
I would recommend getting a dwarf for a little one. That would probably be easier for him. P. scrofa maybe, BUT...

I would say G. pulchripes would be an awesome choice.
 
Top