What's your favorite beginner tarantula?

[Gills]

I am looking into getting another T after losing my rose hair last summer and am looking for suggestions from T pet owners! What has been your favorite beginner T and why?

I'll go first: Rose hair! She was the best. Calm, really sweet, patient and most importantly taught me how amazing spiders are. R.I.P. Vella.

 

[Enn49]

I'd recommend any of the Brachypelma's as many are more colourful than G. rosea and they are more reliable feeders.

 

[PanzoN88]

E. Sp. red (H. Sp. red/fire) without a doubt is the best species for a beginner, followed by E. campestratus and B. albopilosum. All of the species I listed are all very easy to keep (note: I am currently not keeping E. campestratus, but I am in talks to aquire one). If you want something larger G. pulchripes are great to start with, if you want a faster growing species, might I recommend A. geniculata or an LP.

Honorable mention:

B. hamorii

B. emilia

B. schroederi

B. sabulosum (based on care alone, mine are defensive)

G. pulchra (don't have any yet, but bought 4)

 

[Calico]

I would have to say my A.Chalcodes, Cal (pictured) is my favorite. He was my first, having hitched a ride home with my husband after a camping trip. He's like a first child. You learn with them and he has taught me a lot. He's helped with my arachnophobia, he's taught me patience (you know, like the disappearing acts for months at a time) and that spiders are actually pretty amazing critters. I just love watching him.

I agree with Enn about the Brachypelmas, as I also have a B. Albopilosum that I've only had for a few months. She's only about 1 1/2" and never out of her hide. But from all I've heard and read, they are pretty good beginners. Looking at a B.Smithi (Hamorii) next.

 

[WolfSpider]

G. Pulchra or G. Pulchripes—gentle giants that can be held. Not known to flick hairs significantly. Agree with @PanzoN88 : E. Campetratus is supposed to be quite sweet and often overlooked in the hobby.

 

[Calico]

G. Pulchra or G. Pulchripes—gentle giants that can be held. Not known to flick hairs significantly. Agree with @PanzoN88 : E. Campetratus is supposed to be quite sweet and often overlooked in the hobby.

The E.Campetratus has piqued my curiosity. I'm going to have to do some research on this one.

 

[KezyGLA]

Thrixopelma cyaneolum

 

[Whitelightning777]

Among mine, I'd have to say specifically Lasiodora Klugi, but that applies to any Lasiodora species is the easiest.

If you get one as a sling, you can grow with the spider. They have out of this world appetites, grow fast and hang out in plain sight once they get a little older. If you end up with a mature male, you can always swap him with a breeder.

They aren't a spider that you want to handle but tongs are cheap and they aren't all that nervous or aggressive either. The feeding response is SO powerful that you don't ever want to reach in the cage by hand even if she's all the way on the other side of the enclosure. Needle nose pliers can help you manipulate the decor.

The males and females have similar coloration so you don't have a 50\50 chance of ending up with a less colorful tarantula.

The slings do burrow and a generous sized hiding place is greatly appreciated. It also eliminates threat postures.

If you want to do the arboreal thing, C versicolor is probably one of the most spectacular looking tarantulas by any measure, definitely among the top 10 list of the most beautiful spiders on Earth.

I do confess that I don't have any of the super friendly ones that you can supposedly pinch grab or put on your head for 3 hours or whatever since I have zero interest in handling beyond necessity.

 

[MassExodus]

My third? Or fourth spider, my female Lp. Never hides, she's big and stocky, skittish, and much faster than she looks. Still a favorite. And as stated, any Brachypelma.

 

[Gills]

I've seen a couple mentions of Brachypelmas, Grammostolmas and Lasiodora parahybana. I started with 2 G. roseas with wildly different attitudes. My first was extremely sweet and calm. My second was a wild child that did not like anyone or anything. I've been curious about LPs for a while now and have been looking pretty hard at them.

 

[Tgotty90]

I've said it before and I'll say it again, Aphonopelma Seemanni, they are docile, not too big yet not small at all, easy to care, affordable and readily available and pretty good looking as well. I love the species, probably just because it was one of my first Ts and the only one I have from my original group, so she's my oldest T, but still there's alot to love about them.

 

[Whitelightning777]

I've seen a couple mentions of Brachypelmas, Grammostolmas and Lasiodora parahybana. I started with 2 G. roseas with wildly different attitudes. My first was extremely sweet and calm. My second was a wild child that did not like anyone or anything. I've been curious about LPs for a while now and have been looking pretty hard at them.

Look at all the Lasiodora species. All of them are impressive but they are different in both appearance and price. The caresheets for them are identical.

They eat very well, grow fast and the temperament is very consistent. The thing I like about mine is just how calm she usually is unless she just molted. They are look but don't touch pets, but handling should be minimized anyway.

Lately, I'm kicking around the idea of getting a G grossa sling from Palp friction but they are super super small.

The A geniculata and others in that genus are hands down awesome.

The thing with these is that they aren't at either personality extreme. They're not homicidal like OBTs nor are they the sort of spiders that you can pinch grab to rehouse them either.

In my opinion, something that is middle of the road on the passive to aggressive scale is probably the best to learn on.

 

[MassExodus]

Look at all the Lasiodora species. All of them are impressive but they are different in both appearance and price. The caresheets for them are identical.

They eat very well, grow fast and the temperament is very consistent. The thing I like about mine is just how calm she usually is unless she just molted. They are look but don't touch pets, but handling should be minimized anyway.

Lately, I'm kicking around the idea of getting a G grossa sling from Palp friction but they are super super small.

The A geniculata and others in that genus are hands down awesome.

The thing with these is that they aren't at either personality extreme. They're not homicidal like OBTs nor are they the sort of spiders that you can pinch grab to rehouse them either.

In my opinion, something that is middle of the road on the passive to aggressive scale is probably the best to learn on.

Very well said. But to be honest Ive had trouble telling different Lasiodora sp apart. For example, my dificilis looks just like a parahybana to me. Granted its a juvie, but still..

 

[Whitelightning777]

That's true but a lot of slings look alike. They are more drab for protection. As adults, LPs and LDs look quite different.

 

[Sage Exotics]

Definitely rose hair, calm, hardy, and beautiful. Second is Mexican red knee for same reasons.