Total newbie needs advice

[sultsina]

Hi! I'm a complete newbie who's about to get started in the hobby. I've never owned an invertebrate before, and wouldn't even have considered getting one until recently. In the past few months I've grown more and more fond of spiders and the idea of buying a T seems really appealing. As a young adult with life at a total standstill and long-term depression to boot, I feel like I need something interesting to ease the monotony.

While I was looking for a potential starter species, I kinda got my mind set on Euathlus sp. red, as it's a nice looking T (small and cute!) with what I hear is a nice personality. I think I'm ready for this new and different pet, but the problem is that I can't find one anywhere. Dwarf Chilean flames appear to be quite scarcely sold online, and I'm a bit apprehensive about shipping a live animal around the world. Finding one at a pet store or from a breeder would be best, but any tarantula breeders here in Finland are few and far between. A pet store I contacted orders new spiders regularly, but currently they're only offering sp. green spiderlings. Apparently they only get babies when they order abroad, to ensure that all their animals are captive bred and not picked up from the wild as adults. I'd rather not get a baby T as I have absolutely zero experience, and I'd really like the spider to be female so it would have to be old enough to be sexed.
I have no idea what to do next, how should I go about this?

All help and suggestions are greatly appreciated.

 

[Devin B]

Well slings arent so bad to keep . I started with one and now I have four. All you have to do is keep it a little more damp for them. Also there are dozens of beautiful beginer T's out there so font turn a blind eye to other great T's. I think a T has to be around 2.25 inches to sex it.

If you dont like the idea of getting a T shipped to your house then I would suggest trying find a reptile expo in your area. Here in the states there seems to be one every month or so in the larger cities.

 

[Leila]

I am sorry that I am unable to offer advice on where to acquire the species of T you desire, but several others will chime in soon.

What I can say is that I too have dealt with depression for some time, and my tarantulas have definitely been a source of joy for me from the very first day of keeping them.

 

[Walker253]

The E sp Red is a great tarantula. They can be a bit harder to find in anything other than a 1/4" spiderling. The E sp Green is kinda cool, but not as desirable as the sp Red.
You might look for another species to start out with. I agree with what I think you are looking for a female in at least a juvenile stage. There are plenty of great ones out there. I'm sure many will chime in. I like a little bit bigger one at first, because you aren't looking at something smaller than most house spiders that grows usually rather slowly. Save the E sp Red sling for tarantula #2. Maybe you get lucky along the way and find a bigger female. If you do, don't hesitate, buy it. They usually don't stay for sale long.
Oh, and you can sex a tarantula smaller than 2 1/4"

 

[sultsina]

Well slings arent so bad to keep . I started with one and now I have four. All you have to do is keep it a little more damp for them. Also there are dozens of beautiful beginer T's out there so font turn a blind eye to other great T's. I think a T has to be around 2.25 inches to sex it.

If you dont like the idea of getting a T shipped to your house then I would suggest trying find a reptile expo in your area. Here in the states there seems to be one every month or so in the larger cities.

Thanks for the info! I'll be sure to keep an open mind, I know there are lots of other awesome species as well.
Finding an expo is a great idea, I'll have to check that out right away. Such events don't happen too often in Finland, but there's a good chance I'll find at least something.

 

[sultsina]

I am sorry that I am unable to offer advice on where to acquire the species of T you desire, but several others will chime in soon.

What I can say is that I too have dealt with depression for some time, and my tarantulas have definitely been a source of joy for me from the very first day of keeping them.

Thanks for the reply, I see I've already gotten some responses, which is pretty awesome.
I can definitely empathize with anyone who has the same condition, and I'm glad to hear you've been able to find something that makes you happy. Animals often have that effect, I know I'd be feeling way worse right now if I didn't have my little dog.

 

[Moakmeister]

A newbie looking for advice? *twirls evil mustache* *mwahahaha*
Get yourself a Grammostola pulchripes. My little lady Regina is a tank and a half who's super well-behaved and eats like a beast.

 

[Devin B]

Oh, and you can sex a tarantula smaller than 2 1/4"

Do you know how small they can be sexed. I wasnt possitive when I told the OP but I wanted to give an idea. Am I at least close or am I out of my mind with that number.

 

[Devin B]

I would personally like to recommend looking into the C. Cyaneopubescens also called a GBB or green bottle blue. This was my second tarantula and my biggest one I have today. They are very beautiful and ferocious eaters. Also if you like to see a tarantula cover its turf with beautiful webbing then a GBB may be for you.

Be warned however they are more skittish but, if you just want to look at your tarantula and not interact with it then this shouldnt be a big problem at all.

I hope you find one soon.

 

[sultsina]

The E sp Red is a great tarantula. They can be a bit harder to find in anything other than a 1/4" spiderling. The E sp Green is kinda cool, but not as desirable as the sp Red.
You might look for another species to start out with. I agree with what I think you are looking for a female in at least a juvenile stage. There are plenty of great ones out there. I'm sure many will chime in. I like a little bit bigger one at first, because you aren't looking at something smaller than most house spiders that grows usually rather slowly. Save the E sp Red sling for tarantula #2. Maybe you get lucky along the way and find a bigger female. If you do, don't hesitate, buy it. They usually don't stay for sale long.
Oh, and you can sex a tarantula smaller than 2 1/4"

Thanks so much for the advice! Very informative and useful.
I guess I have to widen my horizons and start keeping an eye out for other potential species. Hopefully I'll get some great suggestions for another pick.

 

[Ungoliant]

Hopefully I'll get some great suggestions for another pick.

Personally, I love Grammostola pulchra, but they can be a bit pricey, especially if you don't start with a sling.

@EulersK made these videos highlighting some beginner species:

 

[sultsina]

A newbie looking for advice? *twirls evil mustache* *mwahahaha*
Get yourself a Grammostola pulchripes. My little lady Regina is a tank and a half who's super well-behaved and eats like a beast.
View attachment 237625

Judging from the evil mustache twirling and ominous laughter I thought you were gonna recommend me some absolute beast, but as it turns out this species might actually be a good candidate, so thanks for being nice to the unknowing newbie XP
Also, your lady R is very pretty.

 

[Moakmeister]

Judging from the evil mustache twirling and ominous laughter I thought you were gonna recommend me some absolute beast, but as it turns out this species might actually be a good candidate, so thanks for being nice to the unknowing newbie XP
Also, your lady R is very pretty.

Thanks bud. you thought i was gonna recommend the P. murinus.

 

[sultsina]

I would personally like to recommend looking into the C. Cyaneopubescens also called a GBB or green bottle blue. This was my second tarantula and my biggest one I have today. They are very beautiful and ferocious eaters. Also if you like to see a tarantula cover its turf with beautiful webbing then a GBB may be for you.

Be warned however they are more skittish but, if you just want to look at your tarantula and not interact with it then this shouldnt be a big problem at all.

I hope you find one soon.

Thanks for the suggestion! I'll be sure to check it out.

 

[sultsina]

Personally, I love Grammostola pulchra, but they can be a bit pricey, especially if you don't start with a sling.

@EulersK made these videos highlighting some beginner species:

Thanks for the suggestion and links! Price shouldn't be a problem, for a great animal I'm willing to make an investment.

 

[sultsina]

Thanks bud. you thought i was gonna recommend the P. murinus.

Checking it from google images, in the second result already it's shown making a threat posture. Really awesome looking though. Mad but rad.

 

[aphono]

Another one here with depression issues. Got three slings(A. eutylenum, GBB, G. pulchripes) and one juvenile A. chalcodes oh maybe a month and half ago, they have been a nice distraction. Did not think I would get more.. but two weeks ago got two P. sazmai, one I. mira, B. baumgarteni and a C. versicolor slings....... Slings mostly because they were what I could find so far, just like little'uns...

I originally went for good starter and "hardy" terrestrials- there are several local native Aphonopelmas so I figured temperature was not that much of a concern. G. pulchripes came up very often as a good starter and I thought they are so beautiful,, GBB was more of a impulse, for the color and was very impressed with pictures of their enclosures all webbed up. edit: by the way I had since learned most species will do well in room temps you are comfortable at wearing a t-shirt.

The newer ones were a result of wanting to add a fossorial and an arboreal- had decided on I. mira due to their very unique trapdoor lifestyle and C. versicolor because it had the most color(I am color blind so being able to see colors on something is kind of special to me...) and it is supposed to be a good starter arboreal. The P. sazmai and B. baumgarteni were impulse buys because they happened to be right next to the I. mira and C. versicolor...

Turns out I'm really glad to have the different kinds with completely different life habits. Particularly like the I, mira, it is a crazy webber and is very active.... this one has an odd habit of running UP when it has caught prey.. reverse trapdoor? Ha.. I love grabbing the magnifying glass to look at the GBB sling to see the tiger stripes, gold starburst, the little fuzz.. turns out the A chalcodes is a very feisty specimen... and is surprisingly active, moving around, digging, pushing substrate against the sides, she is the cool one to watch for behavior other than feeding time(she does the cutest dance when she has dubia though!).

The little slings have been very easy to keep.. but wanting older/larger is understandable especially with the super slow growing species or wanting a sexed female and one con has been finding feeder insects that are actually small enough for them.. so far all of mine have refused 'prekilled' prey. But fortunately, they do not need to eat all that often anyways..

 

[Walker253]

Do you know how small they can be sexed. I wasnt possitive when I told the OP but I wanted to give an idea. Am I at least close or am I out of my mind with that number.

I have a female K. brunnipes that was sexed at about 1.25". They only get about 2.5". I see people sexing T's about an inch sometimes. I don't always trust some people claiming sexed T's below 1".

 

[GreyPsyche]

I got my first slings a few days ago. I say get at least three which makes your chances of getting a Female much higher!

I got 3, a GBB and a G Rosie. The Rosie I actually got for my gf and we both already want more, haha! It's a very exciting hobby, tons of fun watching them and learning.

My problems with my slings have so far been the enclosures that they came with were too big and they didn't have enough ventilation so I did a rehouse, oh also, it can be hard to find small enough prey for little baby slings. I just took small crickets and pulled the hind legs off and fed them, that worked, today I gave one of my slings a huge cricket and didn't take the legs off firsthand, he threw it a threat pose and it jumped to the other side of the enclosure to get out, he held the pose and it just kept away from him. I decided that because of its size I should kill the cricket, I did and it hasn't eaten it YET. We will see...

But as I gain experience with baby slings I love it more than I think I would if I just got a MF right off, plus I can judge the age by the size (sorta) and I learn more from a sling IMO.

 

[Devin B]

I have a female K. brunnipes that was sexed at about 1.25". They only get about 2.5". I see people sexing T's about an inch sometimes. I don't always trust some people claiming sexed T's below 1".

Thank you I seem to have forgotten all about the dwarf species lol. This will be good to know because i have a few slings that I may be able to sex on their next molt, how exciting.