shopping list for beginners tarantulas at my fisrt T show?

[Enn49]

Thank you to all, I really appreciate everyone’s time for writing and helping, the worst thing would be to go and get seduced by lots of amazing creatures at good prices and find I’m not knowledgeable enough or ready to deal with their traits, I’m not ever going to be handling but even so.
I look forward to reporting back with my purchase... or maybe purchases! We all know it’s perfectly possible to buy JUST one tarantula don’t we???
Just as a side note..
Here’s my beautiful girl Ofelia, she’s a such a little monster.
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In my view there is no T that you shouldn't buy. You seem a very sensible person and I'm sure whatever you get you will read up on and deal with it. My view has always been buy the Ts you like not just the ones people tell you are beginners Ts but then I got slated for jumping in the deep end and buying an OBT as my very 1st T and a Pokie for my 2nd

 

[Tabitha]

Thanks very much @Enn49 certianly my priority is not to buy something that is a more difficult species to keep at this stage, as you say the brachypelma offer me pretty much what I want at the moment, I am also aware that my ‘girls’ all scamper away when I am feeding them but I am always wary and am more aware just how fast they can move, luckily it’s away but I think I might well lose my love and confidence for them if I had a really punchy one that actually ran at me, it might just set my therapy back too far which would be a shame. I really enjoy seeing them and observing them, they are all in glass vivs so I get to see what they are up to all the time which I just love. Watching them dig tunnels and how they collect and move soil around is fascinating to watch. I don’t really want heavy web makers either so yes I certainly hope I’m armed with enough info to have a nice time and bring something nice back with me.
Downside is I potentially have five whole vivs to fill! Sooo....

 

[Enn49]

@Tabitha I shall look forward to seeing what you get. And how many

 

[Whitelightning777]

I dont see them as slow growing at all. Had a male mature a while ago. It took him around 18 months. The females from that sac are semiadult now too.

Not slow growing? Even better!!

This ties with xenethis or G iheringi on my bucket list for next NW terrestrials.

The B sabolsum slings are adorable that I already have but they definitely grow slowly. Only one of them is big enough to rehouse. Still, they are super chilled out at that small size.

 

[FrmDaLeftCoast]

A newbies humble opinion - Below are my current T's. My 1st one was the A. geniculata, which I love. Yet if I was given a choice to only choose 3 of them...well those 3 are located below in bold -

*Note: the size of the T's are a major influence on my decision.

Acanthoscurria geniculata 1.25"
Aphonopelma chalcodes 3"
Aphonopelma seemanni 3.5"
Avicularia avicularia 2"
Avicularia avicularia 2.25"
Avicularia juruensis 0.50"
Brachypelma albiceps 2.5"
Brachypelma albopilosum 0.33"
Brachypelma vagans 2"
Bumba cabocla 0.33"
Caribena laeta 0.33"
Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens 0.75"
Grammostola pulchripes 1.25"
Grammostola rosea "rcf" 2.5"
Hapalopus sp colombia groß (Large) 0.33"
Lasiodora parahybana 0.33"
Nhandu chromatus 1.25"
Nhandu tripepii 0.33"
Pterinopelma sazimai 1"

 

[bbbs53]

You aren't the only phobe to become a keeper and change into a lover, it happens to a lot of us. My first spider was a B. smithi that I got because the owner couldn't keep her. She was quite docile and didn't even have irritating bristles. That was in 1993, since then I have kept a few others and have never been disappointed with any of them. The species I keep now is fairly late to the group and even though it comes equipped with the bristles that can irritate, she tends to keep them to herself. Brachypelma are easy and low hassle spiders and I can say it is impossible to live with a T and not quickly become enamoured with it, they will fascinate just about everyone watching. The kid in the candy store effect of seeing a great variety for sale is pretty typical and you can end up with quite a few, all good if you have the time and inclination. There are a lot more species available now than even the recent past, do your homework and pay close attention the their habits, some are out and about way more than others. Now that you have some experience, none of them should present you with any problems you can't deal with and as mentioned, some are easier than others. Good luck with your picks and enjoy them, that ultimately is the reason for keeping them.

 

[Tortoise Tom]

No one has mentioned Grammostola pulchra yet! One of my favorites, and very easy keepers. Similar to the Brachypelma in personality and housing, yet positively stunning to look at.

I've picked up a lot of different species over the last few months and a few stand out as being outgoing, not too shy and good feeders.

Bumba cabocla. I don't know why these aren't more popular. Mine is super cool and gorgeous too.
Davus pentoralis. Super good eaters and those colors and markings are second to none, even when they are little.
Brachypelma vagans. These seemed kind of plain and I wasn't too interested at first. Holy cow! I love this species. So glad I tried them.
Caribena versicolor. Little muppet clowns. They way they walk is super endearing.
GBB. Great eaters, and their colors are amazing at all life stages. Very easy keepers.

There are quite a few others that I'm in love with too, but some of those are more intense. When you are ready for it, the Poecilotheria are pretty neat spiders, and so are all the Psalmopoeus. Its my T. stirmi that are currently holding more of my attention than any other right now. Something about those long legs and their savage demeanor has me enthralled.

There are so many great species available now, you really can't go wrong.

 

[Tabitha]

@FrmDaLeftCoast
Thank you for such a great long list, I’ll work my way through and look for images later,
I have an acanthuscurria and I just love her, she’s so beautiful and such fun, she’s such a hunter!
I’m very keen on finding a cb aphonoplema too.
Thank you, it’s very kind of you to suggest them.

 

[Tabitha]

@bbbs53 thanks very much for that, It’s the kid in a candy store effect that I’m trying to hopefully avoid, I know I don’t want one at the moment that makes webs a lot and I do enjoy seeing them out and about, I’m certainly trying to choose carefully and as you say enjoy them which is the main thing.
I am a phobe but in the last 10 minutes I faced my nemesis, the albopilosum, she’s the one that scares me the most, anyway, armed with Goggles and gloves and pots and forceps I tried to get her, then she moved, not fast but as I far as I was concerned, like lightning, so I was shaky and freaked out a bit, but waited for her and I to calm down and I got her and moved her into her new house! Success, from someone who couldn’t put a glass over a spider in the bath!
I’m a bit stoked at the moment!
Thank you so much for your advice, I really appreciate it from everyone, and I am going to try hard to be careful and sensible.

 

[Tabitha]

@Tortoise Tom thanks, yes I have a grammostola, I got her when she was 7mm or so and now she’s about 7cm which I’m very proud of, I’m looking forward to seeing her change colour more and more now,
There were some davus for sale recently and yes, I liked them and their size very much, I have a nice viv for one too, better for its size. Certainly the brachypelma seem like my sort of t at this stage so thank you for your input and your thoughts too.
It’s very exciting to finally get to go to a show and see all these species I’ve heard about in person even though many I might not want to keep them at the moment.

 

[Enn49]

@bbbs53 thanks very much for that, It’s the kid in a candy store effect that I’m trying to hopefully avoid, I know I don’t want one at the moment that makes webs a lot and I do enjoy seeing them out and about, I’m certainly trying to choose carefully and as you say enjoy them which is the main thing.
I am a phobe but in the last 10 minutes I faced my nemesis, the albopilosum, she’s the one that scares me the most, anyway, armed with Goggles and gloves and pots and forceps I tried to get her, then she moved, not fast but as I far as I was concerned, like lightning, so I was shaky and freaked out a bit, but waited for her and I to calm down and I got her and moved her into her new house! Success, from someone who couldn’t put a glass over a spider in the bath!
I’m a bit stoked at the moment!
Thank you so much for your advice, I really appreciate it from everyone, and I am going to try hard to be careful and sensible.

Well done. Rehousing will never be as bad again

 

[Tabitha]

Thank you @Enn49
I hope that’s true but I’m not sure!

 

[Enn49]

@Tabitha I speak from experience, it really does get easier and less scary. I no longer flinch if one of mine choose to run onto my hand during a rehouse.

 

[Dave Jay]

@bbbs53 thanks very much for that, It’s the kid in a candy store effect that I’m trying to hopefully avoid, I know I don’t want one at the moment that makes webs a lot and I do enjoy seeing them out and about, I’m certainly trying to choose carefully and as you say enjoy them which is the main thing.
I am a phobe but in the last 10 minutes I faced my nemesis, the albopilosum, she’s the one that scares me the most, anyway, armed with Goggles and gloves and pots and forceps I tried to get her, then she moved, not fast but as I far as I was concerned, like lightning, so I was shaky and freaked out a bit, but waited for her and I to calm down and I got her and moved her into her new house! Success, from someone who couldn’t put a glass over a spider in the bath!
I’m a bit stoked at the moment!
Thank you so much for your advice, I really appreciate it from everyone, and I am going to try hard to be careful and sensible.

For some reason I have a vision of a trembling woman wearing long yellow rubber gloves and diving goggles approaching a spider enclosure, long barbecue tongs in one hand, cooking pot in the other putting on her best courageous face so that the spider won't sense her fear!

Or perhaps that's just me!
Well done on the transfer, so far I haven't had to face transferring large spiders, just unpacking slings and juvies.

 

[Whitelightning777]

@bbbs53 thanks very much for that, It’s the kid in a candy store effect that I’m trying to hopefully avoid, I know I don’t want one at the moment that makes webs a lot and I do enjoy seeing them out and about, I’m certainly trying to choose carefully and as you say enjoy them which is the main thing.
I am a phobe but in the last 10 minutes I faced my nemesis, the albopilosum, she’s the one that scares me the most, anyway, armed with Goggles and gloves and pots and forceps I tried to get her, then she moved, not fast but as I far as I was concerned, like lightning, so I was shaky and freaked out a bit, but waited for her and I to calm down and I got her and moved her into her new house! Success, from someone who couldn’t put a glass over a spider in the bath!
I’m a bit stoked at the moment!
Thank you so much for your advice, I really appreciate it from everyone, and I am going to try hard to be careful and sensible.

Brachys are generally regarded as laid back spiders. Great job. The first time you have to pull a tarantula out of the enclosure after they've gotten big always generates a unique set of emotions. That's normal.

 

[Tabitha]

@Dave Jay thank you Dave, yes it was an unusual sight and it was accompanied by some shrieking, thank goodness no one saw, progression was in various stages, first removing objects from house with tongs, then getting her out gently fromm under the substrate as she had dug a burrow, I waited for her to be on the flat back of the viv, but in fear I hesitated and that’s when she ran, so the truth was she just moved a bit but to me it was a near death experience, my concern was hurting her through lack of knowledge and fear, anyway, attempt two and she’s in the pot, but whoa! One false move and the board might slip from the back and then spider loose! I am pleased I did it because she scares me and she’s flighty and fast, she’s supposed to be docile and slow which is why I got her in the first place. I’d already moved the harmorii and the acanthuscurria and they are quite big but she was the scary one.
In the past my phobia was so bad I couldn’t look at a photo of a spider and wouldn’t even touch something a small house spider had walked on months ago.. for months.

 

[Tabitha]

@Whitelightning777 thanks you, She doesn’t seem to know she’s supposed to be docile at the moment, but yes, a lot of emotions, I think so far I’ve been quite lucky with how they’ve transferred, I just know I mustn’t presume anything about them and hope they will stay still or not run, I try to remember to ready for possible unforeseen behaviour.
I just have a little Emilia to move now, she is small and I’m o.k with her.
Phew...and breathe.

Oh and @Tortoise Tom i checked out vagans, that’s one nice looking T! It looked beautiful, love the colour, definitely high up on the list!

 

[Whitelightning777]

Just move smooth and slow. I like to wear a ski mask so I don't accidently breathe or sneeze etc upon the tarantula. (Especially with OWs!!)

I'm not sure, but I think they might even be able to detect your pulse rate through the paintbrush or tongs. I've had situations where my Lasiodora decided to do battle tongs when attempting tong feeding. She always let go when I released the tongs. Even if I stayed still but didn't move, she'd still try to grab them, run up them a little etc.

I don't do that anymore.

I think they probably have better vibration detection then most people can believe. Jackhammers and lawn mowers annoy my tarantulas and I refrain from opening the cages when one of those is making a racket.

A few people like to snicker at me, but I prefer to do transfers while the entire cage is in a tote or even a tote within a bathtub (drains closed top and bottom)

I also will make a mote with cold water so they won't do bonzai charges up the side, but I only go through the trouble of that with OWs, especially pokies.

Still, I've had no escapes & that's what matters.

 

[Tabitha]

@Whitelightning777 thank you, I remember you saying about the bathtub before and I think it’s something I will do from now on, if nothing else if one did make a run for it you can it back with less risk of injury to the spider than if it ran on a table and then the panic of trying to capture it so safer for the spider and for me, I’m sure they can detect far more movement than we know, afterall my acanthuscurria will sit for hours motionless with her feet spread out waiting for a tiny movement from a burrowed down roach, I think the bathtub has benefits of the mote and also a bright environment to work in and fewer tricky surfaces to recapture if necessary.
O.k so ski mask, safety goggles, rubber gloves, apron, tongs and pots, o.k, that’s fine.. at least I won’t look abnormal then
Thank you, i did think how good it would be to know a T buddy, someone in person that could show me the finer points of handling or transferring but that wouldn’t be possible as I live in a fairly remote place but the forum here is actually far far better, tried and tested and honed techniques so I really appreciate hearing about all the methods people use.
Thanks!

 

[Enn49]

@Whitelightning777 thank you, I remember you saying about the bathtub before and I think it’s something I will do from now on, if nothing else if one did make a run for it you can it back with less risk of injury to the spider than if it ran on a table and then the panic of trying to capture it so safer for the spider and for me, I’m sure they can detect far more movement than we know, afterall my acanthuscurria will sit for hours motionless with her feet spread out waiting for a tiny movement from a burrowed down roach, I think the bathtub has benefits of the mote and also a bright environment to work in and fewer tricky surfaces to recapture if necessary.
O.k so ski mask, safety goggles, rubber gloves, apron, tongs and pots, o.k, that’s fine.. at least I won’t look abnormal then
Thank you, i did think how good it would be to know a T buddy, someone in person that could show me the finer points of handling or transferring but that wouldn’t be possible as I live in a fairly remote place but the forum here is actually far far better, tried and tested and honed techniques so I really appreciate hearing about all the methods people use.
Thanks!

I spread a white sheet on the floor only using the bath for the larger, faster Ts like Pokies