Newcomer to the hobby but doesnt want a beginner tarantula

LV-426

Arachnobaron
Joined
Sep 26, 2010
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497
hello, i am a newcomer to the hobby but doesnt want a beginner tarantula, i kinda was thinking a phormictopus cancerides/platus or a acanthoscurria chacoana. Anyone have any suggestions?
 

jt39565

Arachnoknight
Joined
Aug 28, 2010
Messages
179
I kinda like the looks of phormictopus cancerides, but just out of curiosity, what experience do youhave taking care of arachnids & reptiles?
 

rbailey1010

Arachnopeon
Joined
Apr 11, 2010
Messages
27
Read The Tarantula Keeper's Guide first.

Are you wanting to handle this T at all?

Define your idea of beginner T and not a beginner T........
 

Arachnos482

Arachnosquire
Joined
Aug 12, 2010
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50
What are you looking for in a tarantula? Certain colour, temperament, size? Any Specifics?
 

CAK

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
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Nov 17, 2009
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If you are a beginner keeper... What happens when you go to feed it and it bolts out of the cage onto your face? What do you do when it gets out and you lose it? Do you know what will happen if you get bit?


I really suggest you start with something a little more mellow.

Added:

Also, what qualities do you want in a tarantula? Color, speed, size, attitude...
 
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REAPER591

Arachnopeon
Joined
Apr 18, 2010
Messages
32
Both of those would be fine choices imo. I've found that a fair amount of the terrestrials out there have the same care and upkeep as the "beginner" tarantulas. I'd do some research like I'm sure you have been and avoid any that may have higher demands or are considered less delicate ( ex. : T. Blondi). Choosing one that is slightly larger 2" + would also take out some of the difficulty of raising it from sling. Not to say that raising a sling is hard, but sometimes can pose more of a challenge. ( Available food for a small sling?, proper temps/humidty in such small containers ) Might be more than a beginner wants to take on.

Good luck, and happy hunting! :D
 

REAPER591

Arachnopeon
Joined
Apr 18, 2010
Messages
32
If you are a beginner keeper... What happens when you go to feed it and it bolts out of the cage onto your face? What do you do when it gets out and you lose it? Do you know what will happen if you get bit?

While these all may be valid points.....it's not exactly the best way to welcome the newbie to the boards imo. Especially when all hes asking for is ideas for his first tarantula.

With 60+ tarantulas in my collection now I've yet to have any of these three thing to happen to me. If you respect what these animals are and avoid mistakes as best you can these things never have to happen.
 

LV-426

Arachnobaron
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Sep 26, 2010
Messages
497
I currently own a 3ft madagascar ground boa and has had once owned a 11ft burmese python. i have had iguanas and moniter lizards but came to find out i really dont like lizards. i am looking for in a tarantula large size, color, and something that doesnt require to much special care.
 

AmbushArachnids

Arachnoculturist
Old Timer
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Jan 30, 2010
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To the OP. There are a variety of beginner tarantulas that would be exciting to keep. You should choose a docile spices. That doesnt mean it has to be boring or average size. I would highly reccommend against anything fast and old world. Old worlds have stronger venom and readily bite. New worlds kick hairs as a first defense meaning you will less likely get biten. Even if you are biten by a NW it will not be near as bad as an OW. I would choose anything

Avicularia(some can be extremly fast and skittish) "cutest arboreal IMO"
Anything Brachypelma (you may get haired causing you to itch) B. smithi and B. albiceps are very docile.
Grammostola (Very docile and predictable) "G. pulchripes and G. pulchra are great choices and a must own"
 

CAK

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
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Nov 17, 2009
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While these all may be valid points.....it's not exactly the best way to welcome the newbie to the boards imo. Especially when all hes asking for is ideas for his first tarantula.

With 60+ tarantulas in my collection now I've yet to have any of these three thing to happen to me. If you respect what these animals are and avoid mistakes as best you can these things never have to happen.
Never say never Reaper! I didn't say anything out of line or derrogotory. So when he gets a nice fat H-mac because the print looks cool and he needs to rehome it and the cages don't quite fit together nice so when you just do a scoop and instead of bolting into the new cage, it bolts around the catch cup and up your arm, a newbie of any sort will freak! I have been there. It has NOTHING to do with respecting your spider. He just needs to think of these things when buying a non beginner.


I currently own a 3ft madagascar ground boa and has had once owned a 11ft burmese python. i have had iguanas and moniter lizards but came to find out i really dont like lizards. i am looking for in a tarantula large size, color, and something that doesnt require to much special care.
There are many that fit what you are looking for. The one that would be a good beginner that gets nice and big would be a Brachypelma smithi. They have gorgeous coloring and prints and are definitely a good learner T.
 

Ictinike

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
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Aug 30, 2009
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460
I currently own a 3ft madagascar ground boa and has had once owned a 11ft burmese python. i have had iguanas and moniter lizards but came to find out i really dont like lizards. i am looking for in a tarantula large size, color, and something that doesnt require to much special care.
I've owned a Chevy "Malibu" as well a Ford "Focus" but I still would want to try something a bit more tame than jumping instantly into a "Ferrari".

Most here have and will suggest, regardless of what you've done in the past, to go with something more mild mannered so you can first learn the husbandry and what's needed to keep a T. While the words "beginner" and "experienced" keeper float around here in determination of what spider might be best for various levels of knowledge it's still an animal and there are some basic skills needed (not hard) that will make you a better keeper and the experience better for both you and the spider.

Just because people label them as "beginner" doesn't mean they are easier to care for as even some "beginner" T's have attitude and a temperament of their own. Each spider, regardless of species, is different even among the same species.

While some have jumped into the fray more quickly it's not to say it's a bad thing and others here will say do it; the choice is yours.

Welcome and enjoy your new hobby and obsession ;)
 

REAPER591

Arachnopeon
Joined
Apr 18, 2010
Messages
32
So when he gets a nice fat H-mac because the print looks cool and he needs to rehome it and the cages don't quite fit together nice so when you just do a scoop and instead of bolting into the new cage, it bolts around the catch cup and up your arm, a newbie of any sort will freak! I have been there. T.
Well, had he been talking about something like an H. Mac or anything OW I would have definitely agreed with you on all points. But since he was talking about P. Cancerides and A. Chacoana I didn't really see the need, since neither really have that "jump out and attach to face" personality. {D
 

DemonAsh

Arachnosquire
Joined
May 10, 2010
Messages
104
Well, had he been talking about something like an H. Mac or anything OW I would have definitely agreed with you on all points. But since he was talking about P. Cancerides and A. Chacoana I didn't really see the need, since neither really have that "jump out and attach to face" personality. {D[/QUOT

I must disagree about the cancerides. I've had a few over the years.. They all wanted to bite my face off. :eek: not very docile for a NW, IME :)
 

Tokendog

Arachnosquire
Old Timer
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Aug 7, 2008
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a GBB is a good beginning Tarantula that is docile, active, beautiful, etc. but doesn't get very large.
 

skippy

Arachnoangel
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Jan 6, 2009
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Cancerides does have a nasty reputation but mine is handleable.

As always though, I recommend a pamphobeteus of any kind. Plattyomma, nigricolor and antinous are probably the easiestmto find but there are others. You also want to consider how much you want to spend;)
 

BrotherM213

Arachnosquire
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Aug 21, 2007
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123
Cancerides does have a nasty reputation but mine is handleable.

As always though, I recommend a pamphobeteus of any kind. Plattyomma, nigricolor and antinous are probably the easiestmto find but there are others. You also want to consider how much you want to spend;)
+1 on that

got a cancerides as my second t when i had very basic knowledge about T's. they are pretty defensive and will throw a threat display to any minor motion around the cage (at least my girl did) but was fairly easy to handle. they have a nice color and an interesting personality. healthy/vicious eaters also. probably won't dissapoint you.
 

Mack&Cass

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
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Oct 14, 2007
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1,574
There's nothing really wrong with the species he's thinking of, it's not like he's thinking of getting an S. cal or something.

To the OP, I would recommend the P. cancerides. They're one of my favourite species and I believe they're underrated in the hobby. They can be a little skittish, and our immature male went through this weird phase where he would threat display at everything (it actually got to the point where he was hard to feed because he wouldn't stop threat displaying), but they're definitely manageable by someone who's new to the hobby, as long as you do your research first, which you should be doing regardless of what T you're looking to get.

Good luck :)

Cass
 

LV-426

Arachnobaron
Joined
Sep 26, 2010
Messages
497
Thanks to you all for all the insight. i have read the Tarantula keepers guide and Tarantulas and other arachnids a couple times already. it is just there are so many choices its hard to pick what really want. i guess the ones i find attractive are the more intractible types
 

NChromatus

Arachnosquire
Old Timer
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Jul 29, 2009
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68
As always though, I recommend a pamphobeteus of any kind. Plattyomma, nigricolor and antinous are probably the easiestmto find but there are others. You also want to consider how much you want to spend;)
I like this idea. Pamphos aren't exactly "beginner," and they have a lot of qualities that set them apart from other species, but they aren't all that dangerous, either.

Yeah, get a Pampho of some kind. Pretty, always hungry, big.
 
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