Your First Tarantula?

[tarantulaballz3]

first T H. lividum, I was getting a clam for my reef tank at lps that was closing soon and they had a 3" female cobalt, so I said what the heck I've researched Tarantulas and new a about care and such(and how defensive these T's are) she's the best eater on the planet, she will jump for the cricket before it even hits the floor of the tank, I gat an A. Avicularia yesterday it's about 2" VERY active..and a real cutie pie(hope it's not a male or that would be awkward)

 

[Allanzo213]

Theres an reptile store down the street from my house I used to go to as a kid, they had everything and at one point had a baby monkey, they still have the macaw that likes to say "Hi" "Where you going" and follow it with a creepy "Come over here..." anywho, went in there a little bit ago and saw they had spiders, I used to play with spiders as a kid, catch insects etc. fast forward a bit and now im afraid of bee's hornet's daddy long legs, preying mantis'(god i hate preying mantis') So I picked up my A. Metallica, and luckily its a female! I like tong feeding her, she'll take anything I tong feed her, and shes got an awesome personality, as in always exploring and grooming her fangs, finaly caught her on video doing it today for a little bit. Anywho, I just recently picked up a smithi, cuz i wanted a docile species with color, a chromatus, cuz I wanted something big, and a versicolor, cuz I wanted another arboreal that webs a lot and has amazing color. So far my versicolor is just like the metallica and loves exploring and nabbing up all the fruit flies in the container, its a real treat to watch.

 

[Danielson]

I just got into the hobby around 4 weeks ago, i first went to my local exotic petstore and bought a juv A. Geniculata and subadult A. New River, then a couple days after that i couldn't resist buying a sling P.Regalis. Amazing wee things!

 

[funkymonk]

G rosea, like most, purchased a sub adult female from a local (ish) pet shop who specialises in exotics and has many T's, got a rosie because I did my research and decided to get an easy species to look after as it was my first T. I have always wanted a tarantula since I was a kid, and just thought recently, hell why not just get one! Really wanted a MF B Smithi but couldn't find any locally at the time, so went for the rosie, which I think is very pretty, she is just the standard colour, but looks amazing (to me anyway). At the time I got her I hadn't even considered getting any more, but it gets a little addictive, plus all those crickets that need eating, so now have a Female Sub Adult G pulcra that I bought from a freind at a bargain price, and finally got my B smithi this week, a tiny little 1cm sling. Ok, so my rosie isn't that active, and not a great eater, typical pet rock, but she is now around 5 inches and very very docile and I love her to bits. Next on list are a few more Brachy "slings" and then maybe take the plunge into OW species with a P Murinus sling... lets see how brave I feel in a few months!

 

[Popsmoke63B]

My first was my B.Smithi sling, right now @2", shortly after i bought a petshop rosie. I now am patiently awaiting my A. versicolor, and OBT slings from Jaime! Can't wait!!!

 

[MrJohn]

I have 4 P. Murinus and your not kidding about personality. 1 lives in an amazing underground funnel/tunnel system, 2 of them have built what I refer to as the termite mounds and the forth has gone arboreal. I had an tall enclosure that I had set up for a A. Avicularia that I was planing on saving from PetCo (I hate the way they treat their Ts), but someone beat my to the checkout with her. I put the OBT in there as a temp house, but he set up shop man. Funnel tubes running all through the enclosure.

 

[Jigglypuff]

My first T was given to be my my girlfriend on our first Valentines Day as a couple, and the story is pretty funny. I had been saying I wanted one (just to be a little different and I've always found spiders fascinating), and she thought it was so strange. She was visiting her family in Covington, LA so she bought it at a local pet shop there and was driving back to Baton Rouge with a Rosie in a tiny little box inside the terrerarium she bought as well. And on the way back she had a blowout on the interstate, had to have highway patrol change her tire, and drove back to her place where I met her. She was hysterically crying and told me to go look in her room. As soon as I saw the tank I was so happy but she was freaking out saying she thought it was probably dead from the incident. I opened the box to find a little 2 1/2 inch rosie hiding in a corner with its legs over its eyes. I fell in love twice that day.:biggrin:

 

[Mara]

My first T was a B. albiceps, but it really started out with a scorpion (P. imperator, died before I got any of my T's). Anyhow, found the B. albiceps really beautiful with the velvety black legs, the red butt and light carapace.Then I got a rosie (RCF), so not my first, heh.
Had a E. truculentus for about 3 weeks, but it died
Then I got two rosie slings - one turned out to be a G.pulchripes though (a happy surprise).
After that, in order:
B. albopilosium
A. (cf) metallica
B. smithi

At some point in between the T's, I got myself a new scorpion as well. This time a P. cavimanus with quite the attitude, hehe.
I'm hesitating to get more T's atm (sorta a space issue mostly), but I just know I'm gonna cave in eventually... The question is wether to take a step further or stay with the 'docile' ones... but they have a pretty H. minax and an awesome OBT in right now! Maybe time to get something less 'safe'? Hehe ^^

 

[pnshmntMMA]

Mine was the typical pet store impulse buy g rosea. Them bought an LP sling and got a freebie versicolor sling. Now deciding on last one

 

[Big Red TJ]

Mine was a pokie a male that has now passed on but made babies from here to california. he is preserved and now hanging on my wall. I was so glad that he spent his last month with me and was allowed a much needed rest.. I love this community and the great friends I have met Ian Walker thanks for the slings they are growing up fast! I also wanna give a shout out to RobC he hooked me up after I lost a sling he sent me a bunch of freebies, a good guy to deal with....thanks Rob

 

[Verneph]

My first was a little juvie A. Avic. I got from an LPS. Sweetest little spider I've ever seen. Dealing with her has been a learning experience for me, but I don't regret it at all. She's almost mature now.

 

[argolupin]

My first T i just put on hold with a friend of mine on Sunday. It is a baby G. Rosea. I have named it Rahl from the sword of truth series books. My friend was raising Trantulas but is cutting back, she is also a member on here which is how i found out about the boards. I measured his (it's long leggged so i'm calling it a boy for now till he gets bigger) molt from 2 or 3 nights ago (found it 2 nights ago when i was visiting her) and it was 1.5 inch leg span.
I have always been terrified of spiders but when i started hanging out with her and i saw how gorgous and friendly they could be i started asking more and more questions, and eventually have decided to get one of my own. I havn't brought my guy home yet, though i go to her house and sit on the bed and hold him. I am trying to get everything ready to bring him home first, as well as learn as much as i can.

I am also looking into adding to my T's. She has a Tiger rump female that is getting ready to lay an egg sac and if the girl who wants her doesn't take her then i will take her after the eggs are laid. I have also been looking at the Green Bottle Blues, the Versicolor and the A. Avicularia, though i am trying to do all my research on a species that i can before bringing one home so that i can provide the best possible enviroment for a T possible.

 

[Josh Perry]

i got my first about a year ago it is a G. rosea i got just cus i wanted a t, my second was an H. lividum i got because it had a cool name and looked amazing when it grew up but i did research it. My third was an A. avicularia i got because it was a good deal for $20 and i wanted to get a taste of arboreals before getting anything like pokies. My latest 2 are an H. maculata because i wanted another ow and a B.albopilosum i got for only $5 with a cage. And my soon to be next ones will be some L. parohybanas

 

[smoothie4l]

NO duh rose hair was in first you see them every where! Their so common in pet stores!

 

[SchmitisGal]

It doesn't seem to be mentioned here very often about people on the boards having them, but my first and only T (since Im only new about a month to owning one) is an Aphonopelma Schmidti. He is wild caught, from Sedona, AZ, but I did a ton of research to make sure he wasn't an endangered species. I am guessing from his size (about 5") that he is around 4 or 5 years old. He is super docile, a GREAT eater, and really calm and cool about letting me pick him up, feed him, reach into his cage, etc...

I love watching him walk around the 10 gallon terrarium I have set up for him and I am completely fascinated at how much watching him calms me. I am still researching and learning more about Ts everyday, but so far, I am very happy with the ownership. I can see me getting more Ts in the future.