Wanting to get my first T

[Tyler Dobbin]

I have wanted a tarantula since I was a kid even tho I was afraid of spiders (lol) but when I started working at a pet store last year I had to work with them and actually liked them. I was curious what a good starter arboreal tarantula would be? all signs seem to point towards a Antilles pinktoe, but I am curious on what others would think are good starters that stay small. What would be the dimensions of something like a pinktoe?

 

[Tricocyst]

most pink toes are great starter T's if you take the time to understand it's humidity/temperature requirements.. my personal recommendation would be the brachypelma smithi (mexican red knee) they are incredibly hardy with a great temperment.. very rare to bite but not unusual to fling hairs if spooked and general care for it is really simple. its a bonus that it looks great and gets pretty large.. slow growing but long lifespan

 

[Tyler Dobbin]

I currently own a rat snake and a blue tongue skink as well. I am really into reptiles but don't know too much about tarantulas. I have been looking up the humidity/temp and ventilation requirements tho. The thing is Avicularia versicolor and the similar spider Avicularia avicularia both seem intresting but
Avicularia versicolor seems to get bigger and as far as the internet says can jump far and is more "flighty"?

 

[Tricocyst]

I'm not sure with the versicolor to be fair... so its best we wait for someone with experience

 

[IamKrush]

Get this book.! It will teach you alot

 

[Tricocyst]

I buy the bulk of my stuff from lllreptile (supplies and enclosures not animals) and I've seen them selling that book

 

[IamKrush]

avics can be tricky and have a chance of suddenly dieing. Its called "sudden avic syndrome "

I buy the bulk of my stuff from lllreptile (supplies and enclosures not animals) and I've seen them selling that book

I got the book before i got my Ts. Very informative some call it the "tarantula keepers bible"' haha. Oh cool, i didnt know they had books on their sight. You can also find it on ebay and jamiestarantulas.com
Also if you buy supplies on lllrep you might want to check this company out
http://m.drsfostersmith.com
Ive gotten supplies for my snakes and turtles. Good prices.

 

[IamKrush]

Cocofiber 3pack bricks for 4.99$ a pack. I got them on sale for 3.60 a few months ago

 

[Tricocyst]

Cocofiber 3pack bricks for 4.99$ a pack. I got them on sale for 3.60 a few months ago

I get foster and smith catalogs but they never send spider catalogs! I never knew they dealt with spiders

 

[Tricocyst]

Cocofiber 3pack bricks for 4.99$ a pack. I got them on sale for 3.60 a few months ago

pretty close to lll's price lllreptile has the zoo med 3 pack for $4.49

 

[IamKrush]

I get foster and smith catalogs but they never send spider catalogs! I never knew they dealt with spiders

They dont. But you can get odds ends. Like cocofiber, water dishes,etc. plus you have reptiles so always can get stuff for them z

 

[IamKrush]

pretty close to lll's price lllreptile has the zoo med 3 pack for $4.49

Not bad. Petco robs people. They charge almost 10$ a pack

 

[Tricocyst]

View attachment 21789 Get this book.! It will teach you alot

currently $14.59 on lllreptile.. to be fair you could prolly find it cheaper on amazon but who knows

 

[IamKrush]

currently $14.59 on lllreptile.. to be fair you could prolly find it cheaper on amazon but who knows

Im sure you could. I picked up mine off ebay.

 

[Whitelightning777]

I'd look into the Lasiodoras. Even though they are a look but don't touch T, they are ideal for a first one. They are fairly calm but will flee into their hide at times the lid is open as slings.

They have great appetites, show themselves a lot once they get some size and many are fairly affordable. I've feed mine everything from earthworms, mealworms, Dubai and hissing roaches, crickets and superworms.

Unless it's premolt, they vanish in a short time.

Since they have very irritating hairs, handling unless it's an emergency is a no no. The molted skins also have very irritating hairs. Use caution and gloves when removing them.

They are fairly tolerant of temp and humidity conditions so long as you have a full water dish at all times.

I keep mine at 80 and she's growing like a weed.

 

[Whitelightning777]

most pink toes are great starter T's if you take the time to understand it's humidity/temperature requirements.. my personal recommendation would be the brachypelma smithi (mexican red knee) they are incredibly hardy with a great temperment.. very rare to bite but not unusual to fling hairs if spooked and general care for it is really simple. its a bonus that it looks great and gets pretty large.. slow growing but long lifespan

People overdo the humidity for avics. They based it off of humidity measurements on ground level from the countries of origin. Avics live in trees. Anyone who has climbed a tree knows that the humidity is much lower and the ventilation is much higher. They only need a water dish that is full 24/7, no exceptions including slings.

C versicolor was my first T, but my Lasiodora Klugi, is much easier to keep and those like it with similar requirements would be a better choice.

 

[Miss Moxie]

avics can be tricky and have a chance of suddenly dieing. Its called "sudden avic syndrome"

SADS is a myth. There is no random "kill switch" in some slings where they die for no reason. That said, they have a lot of needs that have to be met and as slings if you mess up one of those needs, the whole thing can collapse quickly. They have a very narrow window of tolerance to less than ideal conditions. It's hard to tell what you need to change, so sometimes you can overcompensate and make things even worse.

That's why I don't think Avicularia/Caribena/Ybyrapora make good first tarantulas, and any other NW arboreal is going to blow past you in a flash they're all so fast. Not that Avicularia & relatives are slow, mind you.

A good choice in my opinion for a first T, if you know how fast Avicularia are and speed isn't deterring you, Grammostola iheringi. They can be fast and skittish which means they can take off running at the lightest breeze. But they're hardy, docile, and beautiful spiders that get big and have a great appetite and growth rate. Here is a picture of my female:

She's a sub adult and isn't close to being done growing. I've heard these Grammys can get 7". By the way, she's skinny because she had just molted, not because I starve her.

 

[Whitelightning777]

My Versicolor certainly gave me a run for the money until I adapted to her tricks. She was my first one.