New to the hobby

Cheshkitty

Arachnopeon
Joined
Dec 27, 2011
Messages
23
I have been digging around in the forum for a couple days now and have decided to actually make a post seeing as I need help. I am technically new to the hobby. My first T was an A. Versicolor that I bought (if memory serves me right) for 30 dollars at a LPS. They informed me that they were good for new owners but they 'forgot' to mention that as a sling it had a chance of not making it. I brought it home and did my research (I have to admit the tiny fuzzy blue thing in a bottle was enough to win me over without research). I named it Avi and after a week it died. I have no clue as to why it died, a day or two before I had it out on my finger and it 'jumped' to the floor with was two inches away. Then I found it dead. It was housed in the tiniest of Kritter Keepers, which from reading I now realize was probably too big for a sling the size of my finger nail. Then I moved on to Cricket my Rose hair. Sadly though after 3 months I had her in a travel kritter keeper to take her to the store to have her sexed. My dog somehow managed to knock her off the table causing the carrier to open and I found her bleeding on my carpet with her abdomen ruptured ( I will admit that I did cry she was an awesome little T. Before anyone has to ask the table was very tall and she was in the center of the table. My dog stands at about 2 1/2 feet on his hind legs and there were no chairs around for him to jump up on. The question of how he managed to get her cage off the table is still a mystery to me.). After this fiasco I am on guard about the animals I choose to keep around my terror of a dacshund.

That being said, I am looking to get another T. I miss having one in the house and have put it off due to relationships where the partner was arachnophobic. As I see it though I am at an age in my life where I am thinking 'Why shouldn't I do what I want?' If a person in my life does not like spiders... well then they can stay out of my bedroom :). So, on to my question. I was wanting some opinions on a T. that would fit nicely into what I want. Although Cricket was awesome I was thinking this time around I would want a spider that would be more of a show spider and less of a 'lets hold the spider A LOT' kind of thing. I was looking into getting another Versicolor but I am not sold on this idea. I would like something that is not going to launch itself out of the cage when ever I go to clean it. The LPS has OBT's for sale and although I enjoy watching the resident 'spider guy' show off how mean they are this is not the one for me. They also carry Versicolor slings but after Avi I am a little scared about dropping money on a sling to have it die in a week.

I have been running in circles watching youtube videos, searching numerous forums, and googling for information on the types of tarantulas in the trade. Quite frankly it is making my head hurt. Just when I think I have settled on a type here comes another that might be better fitted to the situation. I have found that I like the look of A. Metallica and am willing to pay extra if this type fits the bill. The problem occurs when I try to narrow down the search. It is like google gives me the big middle finger, and searching the forum comes up with a lot of posts where that certain type of t has been mentioned.

Anyway, does anyone have any suggestions on a type of T that is nice for beginners wanting a show t? I prefer to do research before any type of animal is brought home. I plan on going to get my new T (or ordering it online if that is the case) mid January. Also if you do comment please try not to be too harsh. I am open for suggestions just not for 'you are stupid because..' remarks. Trust me I am still searching through the forums and every other link I can possibly find. This is just another option for me to get personal suggestions from people who have owned or do own types of T's instead of settling with the generic run down of personalities (which I have also sifted through)

I was thinking of getting an exo-terra tank thing... yeah... for the T (obviously if I get another sling it will not be big enough for this for a while) just to help I guess... I would like an arboreal T. I love the look of the pokies but the medically significant venom is kinda putting me off (not that I would be holding it. The 'possible escape' of a pokie is what is really making me grimace). Also like I said I want a T that is not going to be overly aggressive or flighty during cage cleans.

If more answers to questions are needed from me feel free to ask so that I can pin point the exact T that would fit all of these requirements. Also if I made no sense at all I apologize, just ask and I will try to clear things up. Thank you ahead of time :)

Cheshire.

-Edit- As a run down of the questions...

1. What type of T would be best for me?

1a. I need one that is not going to be aggressive during routine care.

1b. I would like an arboreal that would do good in either a Exo-terra type of habitat or the common 10 gallon on the side with a hatch like cage door.

1c. I would prefer one that is a show T one that would have either nice colors or nice patterns.

2. If I do decide to get an A. versicolor sling how would I ensure that it survives to adulthood?

2a If you have a link to a specific thread pertaining to this question that would be greatly appreciated.

2b. Would it be better to order a sub adult or an adult online?

3. Does anyone have any suggestions or links pertaining to information about A. Metallica?

3a. Are they worth dropping more money on them over buying a versicolor?

Oh and I forgot a topic/question.

4. I am eventually wanting to get into the breeding side of this hobby, I was thinking it would be best to talk to a local breeder and walk through their T room with them. Possibly start slow (I mean really slow) by doing a suedo apprentice thing with a local T breeder. This being so I can get the hang of it by learning from someone who has been doing it for a while. This is a goal of mine that is possibly several years into the future. Is this the right path to be heading down? How would you guys suggest starting up on this idea? I would rather NOT just get a male and female and just throw them in a tank for some fun :). How did the breeders of this site start up? Also I already have someone in mind to ask about learning how to breed from. I think personally I am just nervous about bringing up the topic. I mean how often do you get someone walking up to you wanting to learn about breeding Ts? Actually that is a nice question... Do you, meaning the breeders, ever have people want to learn from you in this type of situation? Do people ever walk up to you (after learning about your t's) and ask to follow you around to get an idea on how breeding works? Fun question I guess it does not need to be answered but it would be interesting to me and would give me the nerve to actually ask this guy. Thank you again, sorry for the long post.
 
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DannyH

Arachnobaron
Joined
Apr 27, 2011
Messages
350
I think a versi sounds like a good match. They can be quite hard to keep as slings and they suffer from SADS (Sudden Avic Death Syndrome) often. As the name implys, there is no "sure" way to keep you're baby versi alive. Just do the best you can and do reasearch. Just make sure you have enough holes in whatever enclosure you use. You can't really use a 10 gallon for a little sling. Little vails can be bought through http://www.thorntonplastics.com/index.php/plastic-vials-1/small.html (I am not affiliated with the site). You can poke holes with a soldering iron, just make sure the holes are small. Also avics need a fair amount of humidity, esspecially as slings. Never let the substrate get swampy, though. As far as breeding, I'm more on the consumer side of the hobby so I can't help you there. Good luck!


Edit: Opps, I didn't answer 2B. Yes I would recommend and adult over a sling. Whiel you still would need to be diligent about humidity and airflow, I would say the chance of death is lower.
 
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Cheshkitty

Arachnopeon
Joined
Dec 27, 2011
Messages
23
The A. Versicolor slings that are sold at my LPS come in one of those pill bottle looking tube things with holes in the top. They have about a half an inch to an inch of soil type substrate with a branch and one fake ivy leaf hot glued to it. The slings like I said are about as big as my finger nail. The shop I bought Avi from is in the same branch as the store I go to now. That shop I do not go to anymore as they are not up on their information. The store I go to now has a resident 'spider guy' and they know their stuff. They are also quite familiar with me as I have to go in every two weeks for food for my snake. They know that if they have a new T I am the first to rush over and check it out. My thing is if the 'spider guy' brings it out on to his hand I am more than likely to let it go on my hand. Since he is totally against handling the OBT I mostly just ask to see it in it's container and nothing else. When I bought Avi they informed me it would be good in that bottle thing for about 6 months. I asked them if I could transfer it to a kritter keeper so it had more room and they told me go ahead 'the more room the better' hince why I do not take my business to that particular store anymore. Thank you Danny for your reply I had not run across the term SADS it makes me feel better in that I was not 100% the cause of Avi's passing. As I see it I was most likely just misinformed, thus why I posted this thread. This time I want to be as informed as I can be before making a purchase.
 

Anonymity82

Arachnoprince
Joined
Aug 12, 2011
Messages
1,579
Edit: Opps, I didn't answer 2B. Yes I would recommend and adult over a sling. Whiel you still would need to be diligent about humidity and airflow, I would say the chance of death is lower.
The price could be, and probably will be significantly higher. I have also heard adults don't do as well if you have them mailed to you. So definitely go with express over night shipping and get the LAG which most reputable sellers will offer. If they don't offer this with express shipping then I would look elsewhere.

---------- Post added 12-29-2011 at 11:38 PM ----------

That's awesome that your local pet shops offer these guys! What other T's do they offer? I have only seen An avic among many Roses at my pet shop. They say they will special order things but I just figure I could probably get it for cheaper and just cut out the middle man if I order it myself online.
 

Cheshkitty

Arachnopeon
Joined
Dec 27, 2011
Messages
23
I love my LPS :-D last time I was in there, which was in October. They had one massive T. Blondi which was the store pet. They also had a slightly smaller T. Blondie that was a trade in that they had got a couple days earlier. This one was slightly more aggressive than the monster store pet, I think the monsters name is Godzilla I could be wrong though. They had about 4 or 5 sub adult OBT's. Along with A whip tail scorpion, which I really wanted but like I said relationship woes. The Versicolor slings about 8-10 of them. One unknown large arboreal (I forgot to ask about) as well as a couple adult and sub adult rosea. They said they had plans of getting red knees and fire legs at some point. This particular store does offer to buy trade ins so it ranges all the time on the type of T.s and reptiles they have. The 'spider guy' says he had upwards to 180 T.s in his basement and he also recently took in a Rosea that came to the store pregnant so he took her home and removed the sack. I do not know for sure but I think once the sack was removed he has plans of putting her back for sale. They have a couple others I have forgot to mention mostly because I forget which ones they are. Oh they do carry trap door spiders from time to time as well. I forget which type but most of them are pure black.
 
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Anonymity82

Arachnoprince
Joined
Aug 12, 2011
Messages
1,579
I love my LPS :-D last time I was in there, which was in October. They had one massive T. Blondi which was the store pet. Yes an actual true T. Blondi. They also had a slightly smaller T. Blondie that was a trade in that they had got a couple days earlier. This one was slightly more aggressive than the monster store pet, I think its name is Godzilla I could be wrong though. They had about 4 or 5 sub adult OBT's. Along with A whip tail scorpion, which I really wanted but like I said relationship woes. The Versicolor slings about 8-10 of them. One unknown large arboreal (I forgot to ask about) as well as a couple adult and sub adult rosea. They said they had plans of getting red knees and fire legs at some point. This particular store does offer to buy trade ins so it ranges all the time on the type of T.s and reptiles they have. The 'spider guy says he had upwards to 180 T.s in his basement and he also recently took in a Rosea that came to the store pregnant so he took her home and removed the sack. I do not know for sure but I think once the sack was removed he has plans of putting her back for sale. They have a couple others I have forgot to mention mostly because I forget which ones they are. Oh they do carry trap door spiders from time to time as well. I forget which type but most of them are pure black.
Sweet! I forgot, on the website this pet store had a G. pulchripes. I should check on them more often because I would like to buy an adult rather than a sling so I don't have to wait for it to grow up. As long as it's not a mature male! I'm not sure about trapdoors. They sound pretty boring lol. Except for that one second the cricket comes too close then AWESOME!! and then see you next week.
 

Cheshkitty

Arachnopeon
Joined
Dec 27, 2011
Messages
23
ha that is my thought exactly on the trap doors. I have no clue what types of spiders this guy has. I can ask if he has one of those :) I also do not know if he sells them online but hey it does not hurt to ask right?
 

toast4nat

Arachnosquire
Joined
Mar 20, 2011
Messages
140
How about a pokie? They're relatively inexpensive and have beautiful patterning. You mentioned the P. metallica but, as you already know, they're quite expensive. Ever think about getting a P. regalis? They're beautiful, get large, are arboreal, and though defensive they'll more likely run rather then fight. Another idea might be a P. irminia, but those buggers are quite defensive, but gosh they're pretty. Frankly, any avic would be good too, not just the A. versicolor, though it is (in my opinion) the most beautiful of the avics. I was just looking at some of those exoterra cubes today, they're very nice, perfect to display a tarantula.
 

Cheshkitty

Arachnopeon
Joined
Dec 27, 2011
Messages
23
P. Mettalica? wow I made a mistake then I thought it was an Avicularia. See still learning. I was also looking at the regalis though if they are flighty I do not need it running out of the tank every time it gets spooked. Yes the Exo-terra is what the LPS has the larger arboreal T in currently. Unless they sold it. I was looking for something that would look 'nice' On my bedroom dresser and so far I like the look of the Exo-terras. Though I like the look of Curly hairs too (I know it is common) the LPS sometimes gets these in. This would be the only type that would sway me from getting an Arboreal though.
 

Anonymity82

Arachnoprince
Joined
Aug 12, 2011
Messages
1,579
ha that is my thought exactly on the trap doors. I have no clue what types of spiders this guy has. I can ask if he has one of those :) I also do not know if he sells them online but hey it does not hurt to ask right?
Yeah! It would be great to find out what he has in his basement, but only follow if you really know him well :p. I already have a few places I plan on ordering from in the future. If he has something you like there just do a search from dealers and see what they charge. I would NEVER keep a T. blondi, stermi or any other from that genus. They seem so difficult to keep. They need specific temps and humidity levels. I hear the Avics are similar but not as severe. T. blondis are very over priced too. They have plenty of T's that are much easier to take care of and get almost as big, some will get just as big. G. pulchripes gets pretty big. LP's get big too and can thrive without the hassles of caring for the T. blondi. So many more! A lot of pokies get big too but they are more leggy and less girthy. I really want to get a B. smithi but they are also very expensive.
Do you like to read? If you don't have it, you should get the Tarantula Keeper's Guide (2009 version). It was highly recommended to me by many people on this forum. I am currently reading it. I love it. It's so helpful. The writers have 40 years experience taking care of T's. Plus they do lots of research from both enthusiasts and scientists.
 

Necromion

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Mar 5, 2011
Messages
170
I agree on the regalis, actually I just rehoused my regalis 10 min ago. So far my regalis hasnt caused me any headaches or attempted any escapes yet either. Although if you would rather get a A. metallica they are cared for just like A. avicularia or A. versicolor.

If you would rather get a terrestrial have you looked into Brachypelma, Aphonopelma, or lasidora? Any of these are relativly easy to care for and obtain (I know some breeders often give Lasidora parahybana away for free).
 

Anonymity82

Arachnoprince
Joined
Aug 12, 2011
Messages
1,579
There is more about the writers credibility that I just don't remember right now too.
I just started this hobby and I love my two spiders! I want so many more!! I might get a couple of trapdoors in the future to just add to the collection, especially because they wont need a large container to live in. Just lots of substrate. So easy to please they are. Just house properly and keep them fat and they will be happy as a pig in... well you get the idea.
 

toast4nat

Arachnosquire
Joined
Mar 20, 2011
Messages
140
P. Mettalica? wow I made a mistake then I thought it was an Avicularia. See still learning. I was also looking at the regalis though if they are flighty I do not need it running out of the tank every time it gets spooked. Yes the Exo-terra is what the LPS has the larger arboreal T in currently. Unless they sold it. I was looking for something that would look 'nice' On my bedroom dresser and so far I like the look of the Exo-terras. Though I like the look of Curly hairs too (I know it is common) the LPS sometimes gets these in. This would be the only type that would sway me from getting an Arboreal though.
Oops no that was my mistake, I read A. metallica as P. metallica, sorry XD P. metallicas are quite lovely though, though very expensive :D
 

Anonymity82

Arachnoprince
Joined
Aug 12, 2011
Messages
1,579
P. Mettalica? wow I made a mistake then I thought it was an Avicularia. See still learning. I was also looking at the regalis though if they are flighty I do not need it running out of the tank every time it gets spooked. Yes the Exo-terra is what the LPS has the larger arboreal T in currently. Unless they sold it. I was looking for something that would look 'nice' On my bedroom dresser and so far I like the look of the Exo-terras. Though I like the look of Curly hairs too (I know it is common) the LPS sometimes gets these in. This would be the only type that would sway me from getting an Arboreal though.
A. metallica and P. metallica are two different spiders.
 

Necromion

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Mar 5, 2011
Messages
170
B. smithi aren't that expensive I got 2" DLS smithi from John Apple for $25 at a local reptile show. Which is another way to get a new T find out if there are any reptile shows in the area and go to one as you will find a lot of good deals and you will probably see many species that you would only see for sale on the web, and if you do find a species you like but dont know how to care for it properly just ask the breeder as normally they can point you in the right direction.
 

Cheshkitty

Arachnopeon
Joined
Dec 27, 2011
Messages
23
I will def. look into that book. I have been going to this particular store for a little over two years They just switched hands and this guy has been working there for I say about 7 months. In all honesty the people who worked there before were used to me coming in and asking about everything. I think I caught him off gaurd the fist time I met him because I went straight to the T.s and wanted to see all of them. Seeing as I am a girl and all he was like 'really?'. At first he was rather nervous about me handling them but after than when I go in there it is like ;hey guess what we just got' kind of attitude from him. The stores down here very rarely get girls asking about spiders in their shops. I have been told that most girls avoid that area as much as possible. Which is weird seeing as I have seen more guys that are afraid of spiders than anything. Most guys I know are even afraid of my snake and she is one of the most harmless snakes out there -.- oh well though. 'godzilla' they have housed in a 40 gallon breeder at the current moment. They seem to know what they are doing as it looks rather healthy. I am sure when it outgrows that they will move it to a larger habitat. I am not really looking for a T that will reach a massive size as it still needs to be housed in a smaller space. Also my landlord is a little jumpy over my snake and I would want a cage small enough to hide when he stops by. I am not looking to give anyone a heart attack. This would be about 10 gallon and smaller could possibly reach a 20 gallon that I can plant numerous plants in and just say it is a mini green house haha.

Funny story about hiding a T though. I called the cops once due to threats from my neighbor. The cops decided they wanted to enter my apartment and talk to me. Even though I was the one that called the smaller of the two decided to search my apartment while the larger cop spoke to me about getting mace. As I was explaining to the cop my hesitance on getting mace due to me being clumsy the smaller cop was searching my kitchen. This is where I kept Cricket in a shallow homemade terrarium that was about three feet by two feet and about a foot deep. Cricket like stated above was just a normal little rosey. Anyway I could hear the cop open and closing cupboards in the kitchen when all of a sudden all sounds stopped. About ten minutes later the cop poked his head out of my kitchen with the most horrific look on his face. He shakily asked me if that was a tarantula in my kitchen. When I replied yes he quickly scooted out of my kitchen to join the convo in the living room. Just a funny story that is sort of off topic :p

-Edit- Holy cow everyone resonded at once while I was typing that. Let me read through the posts and I will respond to them :)

Ok I read through them. Yes I meant A. Metallica, I am a little weary on the Pokies as of right now. On the topic of Lasidora parahybana are they agressive or calm? What size do they reach at max size? I know I can just google them. Which I am so I guess ignore that last question. I am not afraid to spend a little extra on a T that I like as long as it is female and will be around for a while to enjoy. Also after reading the forum a little I was under the impression that Smithi's were fairly common and mislabled a lot as T. Blondis. I guess if you were purchasing a larger specimen it would get pretty pricey. It is not like shipping a sling. There is a reptile show here in Febuary that I intend on going to. They often have T's displayed there though right now they only have my LPS set up to show. I guess I will have to wait until closer to the event to see if it will turn out some T's. If I do not find one by then I will most likely come home with one. If I do find one by then... I will most likely come home with one and order a double cage online. That is just how it works right?
 
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kanito107

Arachnosquire
Joined
Apr 17, 2011
Messages
136
Did the pet shop tell you the humidity level the versicolor should be kept in?
They need humidity, and ventilation in order to thrive, they were one of my first ts and I have had no problem keeping them I haven't had deaths other than the unexplainable one. Avics are known for dying for no reason. But other than humidity and ventilation and having the right temperature in your room a versicolor is very fitting, their nice looking and docile. Exept some of them can be evil ;) but other than that, you could get a versi then as you get more confidence you can graduate to a pokie,
 

catfishrod69

Arachnoemperor
Old Timer
Joined
Oct 1, 2010
Messages
4,401
well if you are wanting a arboreal that is gentle, then you are mostly confined to the Avicularia...I had 7 versicolor slings, now have 4 (traded some)..I keep them just the same as i do all my other arboreal slings, and have never had a problem...guess i just have better luck with dieing slings...maybe you could try a terrestrial first? like G. pulchripes, L. parahybana, or a Brachypelma...I have a couple Traps too..they are rather boring..those are just cool to own, even if you cant tell they are there...my red will slam crickets almost every single time i feed it, and my black has eaten maybe a few times since i got it close to a year ago...sometimes i leave the cricket in with it a day or two after it dies from boredom...and the black will eat it after its dead..
 

Anonymity82

Arachnoprince
Joined
Aug 12, 2011
Messages
1,579
B. smithi aren't that expensive I got 2" DLS smithi from John Apple for $25 at a local reptile show. Which is another way to get a new T find out if there are any reptile shows in the area and go to one as you will find a lot of good deals and you will probably see many species that you would only see for sale on the web, and if you do find a species you like but dont know how to care for it properly just ask the breeder as normally they can point you in the right direction.
Nice find!
 

Necromion

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Mar 5, 2011
Messages
170
Like I said haunt the local reptile shows in your area, and you will find some good deals along with many T's you wouldn't normally find in your lps
 
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