Your First Pet Spider/T Should Be... ???

The Snark

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ENOUGH IS ENOUGH IS... How many times has this been asked here?

Alright all you keepers. Chime in here, but let us set the rules of the road. Way too many novices ask things but don't know the particulars. It is no different than asking what my third cousin twice removed favorite soup should be.
All too often the novice ends up with A, a pet hole or B, a dead spider. Or C, a pet hole containing a dead spider.

So how about we establish a fixed criteria a novice can get a firm handle on?
1. Ease of containment.
-Adaptable spider that is in it's comfort zone in the widest variety of circumstances.
-Rule out must dig a 14 inch deep bomb shelter in alluvial clay bearing sandy loam stuff.
2. Availability of food.
-Eats anything that doesn't eat it first.
-Rule out exotic foods from hard to get or expensive sources.
3. Animal durability and longevity.
-Highly tolerant of differing environments and lives X years on average.
-Rule out an animal that is expected to live outside it's comfort zone as excess humidity or only lives a few months.
4. What the novice expects.
-Gets to see the spider in action on a regular basis
-Rule out, as example, me spending 2 1/2 years to get a peek of that Minax.
5. Problems expected to arise.
-As in average Salticid that is is more or less problem free.
-Rule out a spider that fits the above criteria but cranks out slings regularly that can escape any novice style containment.
6. Ease of feeding and maintenance.
-Cleaning containment with minimal problems.
-Rule out that T that can fill a large terrarium with web in a week or the sparassid that is gone the moment the lid is lifted.
7. What the novice expects of the animal.
-Fits all the above criteria but is nocturnal and never seen.

Suggestions and ideas?? We can get things hashed out here then redo the thread.
 

Richard McJimsey

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What I generally recommend to people is a Grammostola rosea/pulchra/pulchripes, a North American Aphonopelma species, or one of the nicer Brachypelma species (vagans, albopilosum, smithi). It's something I'm asked nearly daily.
 

Venom1080

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generally speaking a good first T is; Aphonopelma, Brachypelma, Grammostola, Eupalaestrus, Euathlus.

a few i think would be okay as well, Lasiodora, Acanthoscurria, Nhandu.
as for true spiders, find a cool looking wolf spider around your home.
 

The Snark

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Could you give your criteria along with your recommended animal? Why this particular make and model?
 

Anoplogaster

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If the beginner isn't smart enough to run a quick thread search to answer this question, maybe they shouldn't own animals:writer:
 

The Snark

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How about simplified? My above criteria and rating of 1 through 5 with 5 the best or easiest.

A. Ease of containment.
B. Availability of food.
C. Animal durability and longevity.
D. What the novice expects.
E. Problems expected to arise.
F. Ease of feeding and maintenance.
G. What the novice expects of the animal -visible and active?

As example, Heteropoda Venatoria
A. 1
B. 5
C. 5
D. 2 (nocturnal) - just lurks during daytime, immobile
E. 1 Escape artist. Wants a vertical surface to lurk on.
F. 4. Specialize methods required to put food in required.
G. Nearly always visible.
 

The Snark

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If the beginner isn't smart enough to run a quick thread search to answer this question, maybe they shouldn't own animals
It would be more beneficial if we guide rather than be critical. Many are going to get the animals whether they should or not anyway.

Remember, many novices get into keeping animals for a vast number of reasons before they are prepared. Some are given animals then go searching for clues and easily get overwhelmed, often with inaccurate information. The idea here is to clarify, to make it easy at a glance just what the novice is facing.
 
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Venom1080

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How about simplified? My above criteria and rating of 1 through 5 with 5 the best or easiest.

A. Ease of containment.
B. Availability of food.
C. Animal durability and longevity.
D. What the novice expects.
E. Problems expected to arise.
F. Ease of feeding and maintenance.
G. What the novice expects of the animal -visible and active?
.
this applies to the first 5 genera i mentioned. the others need a bit more humidity.
A. 4, all tarantulas are escape artists, if they can escape they will.
B. 5. crickets, mealworms, etc are all easily found at LPS and bait shops.
C. 5. all the beginner genera i mentioned have aprox 20 y lifespan. all are practically bulletproof as well.
D. 4 may hide for days, but are all generally out and about.
E. 4 most problems beginners find arent actually problems at all.
F. 5
G. 4 usually visible, but extremely inactive.
 

The Snark

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@Venom1080 That seems very readable and understandable to me. Sums it up in a nutshell. Anyone have comments, suggestions?

Another example would be Latrodectus, say Hesperus
A. 5. Stays put in it's hide. Rarely moves.
B. 5. Commonly available. Crickets Mealworms etc.
C. 5. Lives several years if undisturbed.
D. 5. 'Pet Rock' kind of animal, except when feeding.
E. 2. Hazardous. Use of proper tools and techniques required. May produce numerous egg sacks and offspring are extremely difficult to contain.
F. 5. Easy to feed. Just drop prey in web. Little or no cleaning required.
G. 1. Not exactly the most exciting pet rock. A blob in a dark corner except when it's chow time.

As a footnote. I rate E. Problems a 2. You have to deliberately get up close and personal to get bit. A phoneutria or Atrax would be a 1 in that they take their attitude out and about and staying out of their way is mandatory.
 

The Snark

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Using my rough scale again, salticids would probably rate the highest. 4 to 5 across the board with G getting a 5+. Always fun to watch. Drop in a piece of rotting fruit now and then to attract fruit flies and they are more or less maintenance free.
 

SuleymanC

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I personally love curly hairs (brachypelma albopilosum) they are usually docile but of course individual vary
 

KezyGLA

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Euathlus sp


1. Ease of containment.
-Adaptable spider that is in it's comfort zone in the widest variety of circumstances.
-Rule out must dig a 14 inch deep bomb shelter in alluvial clay bearing sandy loam stuff.
Nomadic terrestrial, no need for a burrow, they rarely use their hides.

2. Availability of food.
-Eats anything that doesn't eat it first.
-Rule out exotic foods from hard to get or expensive sources.
Any of the usual feeders will suffice. Worms,crickets,roaches available at most LPS. They have quite good appetites

3. Animal durability and longevity.
-Highly tolerant of differing environments and lives X years on average.
-Rule out an animal that is expected to live outside it's comfort zone as excess humidity or only lives a few months.
Most known in the genus live 15+ years. It is more probable that all in the genus are lone lived.

4. What the novice expects.
-Gets to see the spider in action on a regular basis
-Rule out, as example, me spending 2 1/2 years to get a peek of that Minax.
Most Euathlus are active and rarely use their hides. They are usually out and on show.


5. Problems expected to arise.
-As in average Salticid that is is more or less problem free.
-Rule out a spider that fits the above criteria but cranks out slings regularly that can escape any novice style containment.
Hardy, slow moving genus, non skittish, only 1 or 2 exceptions(sp. blue/green)



6. Ease of feeding and maintenance.
-Cleaning containment with minimal problems.
-Rule out that T that can fill a large terrarium with web in a week or the sparassid that is gone the moment the lid is lifted.
Simple care. Small-medium sized species that arent known to be skittish(apart from afore mentioned exceptions)


7. What the novice expects of the animal.
-Fits all the above criteria but is nocturnal and never seen.
Expect a small- medium sized, non-skittish, non-defensive spider which is usually active and on display, day or night. Very simple care requirements. Often available for sale.
 

RTTB

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What I generally recommend to people is a Grammostola rosea/pulchra/pulchripes, a North American Aphonopelma species, or one of the nicer Brachypelma species (vagans, albopilosum, smithi). It's something I'm asked nearly daily.
I am in complete agreement with this.
 

G. pulchra

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Unfortunately this would require the newbies to actually search and read what's been posted. It seems like new members just pop on and ask questions without doing any legwork.

Oh, and what substrate should I use, my spider isn't moving, what temperature should I keep it at, is that poop? :dead:
 

KezyGLA

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Unfortunately this would require the newbies to actually search and read what's been posted. It seems like new members just pop on and ask questions without doing any legwork.

Oh, and what substrate should I use, my spider isn't moving, what temperature should I keep it at, is that poop? :dead:
True. There should be detailed stickies for this and the topics you mentioned in Q&D. Could be doing away with some of the old stickies anyway.

-------------


I would like to add Thrixopelma cyaneolum as the perfect beginner T for all the reasons I stated with Euathlus sp. , though would change the disposition from 'non defensive' to 'pet hamster'.
 

The Snark

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Unfortunately this would require the newbies to actually search and read what's been posted. It seems like new members just pop on and ask questions without doing any legwork.
There should also be a -CYNIC- smiley (reserved for and directed at us old timers).

The variable should also be taken into account here. One keeper will somehow manage to get chomped multiple times by a catatonic Eualthus while another goes and diligently flea and mite combs a raging hyper Pokie every day without mishap. So the searches of threads can end up handing out diametrically opposed info.
 

schmiggle

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Though not an old timer, I have two suggestions for the cynic smiley, as I, too, am a cynical person.
First off, the ubiquitous upside down smiley:
(Edit: my image refuses to copy and paste! If you are unaware of this emoticon, you should look it up, because you are missing out)

And second, the judgmental monocled doubtful face:
https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://wesmd.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Bad-Attitude-Smiley-e1351528436182.jpg&imgrefurl=http://wesmd.com/fire-me-if-i-have-a-bad-attitude-part-1/&docid=9atlmhYql0UQXM&tbnid=nppdjYmjo3bowM:&vet=1&w=800&h=686&client=ms-android-att-us&bih=406&biw=320&q=cynical smiley&ved=0ahUKEwimzNCX153SAhXnyoMKHfoLCgIQMwgeKAQwBA&iact=mrc&uact=8
That is all. Please continue doing actual useful things that help large numbers of people.
 
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