New hobbyist, first T

Just wanted to share a couple of shots of my first tarantula. It is a ~2.5" female Euathlus sp. Red. She arrived from Jamie's on Wednesday. As a kid I never really thought about it or considered having a tarantula, but getting into the hobby at 29 is better late than never I suppose. I'm absolutely addicted already, these animals are testing my willpower and bank account.





I already want another species, possibly an arboreal and something that gets bigger than 3" fully grown. There is a reptile expo coming around in a couple of weeks that I plan to go and check out. Ordering online is really convenient but I'd like to see the T's temperament before purchasing.

May I be the first to say that you made an amazing first choice for a T! Euathlus is probably my favorite genus, I absolutely love them. Very docile, and still have amazing takedowns when eating. Enjoy your new T! I would suggest posting a picture of your enclosure to make sure everything is up to par. People tend to make caring for T's far more complicated than it needs to be.

Since you're already on the market for another T, take a look at some of these. Most are affordable, all are hardy, and many have great colors:
-E. truculentus
-E. pulcherrimaklaasi
-C. cyaneopubescens
-B. vagans
-A. geniculata (aggressive, but easy to care for)
-B. albopilosum
-P. irminia (arboreal, needs more care but still fairly easy if you do your research)

Although, don't expect to handle about half of that list

Thanks! She is amazing. Yeah, I am not keen to handle most all T's really, but I know with Euathlus sp. (red in particular) there is basically no way around it, they are really curious and mobile. I have her in an Exo Terra 8x8x8, with the Eco Earth substrate filled to leave <4.75" from floor to ceiling at the front and around 3" in the back where the hide and branch is. I made sure to look at every care sheet and thread on forums I could find about ideal husbandry for this species. Keeping the enclosure dry with about 50% humidity and around 75 degrees at the most.

Here are some pics of the setup, I ended up taking the substrate out and baking it dry as it was still quite damp after a few days, keeping humidity up around 70%. Redid the enclosure with the dried sub before she arrived.

You definitely avoided a lot of the common mistakes people make on here, so great job on your research. There's no frills or excessive decoration in the cage, which is exactly the right thing to do. However, I do have a couple tips. Don't worry so much about the humidity or the temperature (especially the temperature). Whatever temperature your house is at will be perfect for the T, just expect it to slow down during the winter.

As for the humidity, don't get so caught up on it being perfect. If you see the spider hanging around the water dish constantly, maybe try boosting the humidity in one corner of the enclosure and see how the behavior changes. Remember, don't moisten the same spot every time - you'll be asking for mold. You have four corners, use them to moisten. I don't keep any of my Euathlus sp. anywhere near that humid, and I live in the desert. One corner is always damp, and they all seem happy with that. But again, read your tarantula. If it is constantly roaming, then your humidity is probably too high. If it is lethargic near the water dish, then it is too low. What works for me in my climate may not work for you in your climate.

Lastly, and this is a biggie, the distance from ground to top is far, far too high. This is actually why I despise the Exoterras for anything but arboreals - you can't adjust the height very easily. That, compounded with you saying that he/she is a roamer, is a recipe for disaster. To help alleviate this, put the water dish in the far back corner where you can control the height. Leave the front of the cage empty of anything but substrate, as this will ensure that a fall would only be met with substrate rather than a hard surface. Try to get the height in the back of the enclosure up as far as possible, and you should be fine. The good news for you is that Euathlus sp. are the clumsiest climbers I have ever seen; even my T. stirmi has better footing than them. I've never seen any of mine actually get all eight legs up against the enclosure, they just don't seem to have the grip.

I know it sounds like I picked at you a lot, but I swear, you're doing great compared to other new hobbyists! You only have three things to work on: the height, the humidity (maybe), and your worrying

EDIT: So, I just re-read your original post. I misread and thought you said you were keeping it at 70% - my mistake. Your substrate actually looks fine in the second picture. Still though, keep an eye on the T's behavior to fine tune it.

I would like to applaud you on your excellent choice of a 1st tarantula, great choice, very pretty. The enclosure looks good (the height from the top to the substrate is a bit worrying, so I'll add more substrate where possible), I never owned these species so can't really advice you care wise. As for a second T, I wouldn't suggest a aboreal personally (especially P. Irminia as those are intermediate - advanced species), maybe gbb or a tropical new world terrestrial before considering a aboreal. I would get a aboreal as maybe 3rd or better yet 4th T. Aboreals tend to be really fast and more on the defensive, reclusive and skittish side, makes them also hands off Ts. I would rather advice you get a NW such as gbb, a. Geniculata or lasiodora and then maybe ephebopus to give you a taste of defensive and skittish behaviour before diving into new world aboreals.

@EulersK: No worries man, I am not easily offended and certainly not when someone with more experience is dishing out valuable knowledge and tips. Seriously appreciated! I really haven't been concerned with temp/humidity except when I initially set the enclosure up. The room she is in stays around 75 and the cage setup holds 50% easily, it's basically "set and forget," though I do peek at the therm/hygrometer occasionally just to see. And yeah, haha, the original batch of substrate was just too moist still even after a couple of days air drying, and would have been too humid in there for her. Now it's bone dry. As for the enclosure, I have been concerned with that actually. Someone said it would be ok since she is about 2.5" and the height (with substrate) is less than double that. However, I was already considering a different enclosure that I could limit the ceiling height more with substrate, aiming to get maybe a 5gal tank. The Exo stuff is certainly nice, but even with my limited experience I can tell they are just not ideal for terrestrial tarantulas. Unfortunately I realized that after buying it and setting it up and seeing her in it haha. I should have known when all the hours of video and reading up pretty much everyone uses fish tanks and all kinds of repurposed plastic containers instead of Exo Terras (except a few here and there for arboreals). Like I said I'm not worried about temp/humidity unless she shows signs of discomfort, but I am worried about a fall and your comments confirm I should be concerned. That will definitely be something I remedy in short time. Is there anything to worry about with rehousing after she's only been in there since Wednesday? She didn't seem stressed at all after 1 day in there, but I don't know if doing it so soon again would freak her out.

@lalberts9310: My ultimate goal, and this would be *way* down the line, is a P. metallica. From the videos I have seen it won't be for a good while until I have a comfortable amount of experience before I seriously look at buying one, though. I was thinking an A. versicolor sling from Jamie's, they come with her arboreal sling enclosure kit for $40. But I suppose it would be better to take it a little slower and get a 2nd terrestrial instead. A GBB or geniculata were both species I had considered before going with the Euathlus, perhaps one of those will be the next addition.

soundsmith said:

@lalberts9310: My ultimate goal, and this would be *way* down the line, is a P. metallica. From the videos I have seen it won't be for a good while until I have a comfortable amount of experience before I seriously look at buying one, though. I was thinking an A. versicolor sling from Jamie's, they come with her arboreal sling enclosure kit for $40. But I suppose it would be better to take it a little slower and get a 2nd terrestrial instead. A GBB or geniculata were both species I had considered before going with the Euathlus, perhaps one of those will be the next addition.

Click to expand...

There's really no need to rush things, I'm glad you're taking your time A. Versicolour is great, but avics can easily succumb to husbandry errors, so I'll advice you search some threads on here regarding avicularia care. They require a good deal of cross-ventilation. If the set-up is proper and correct they can be just as hardy as any other T. maybe a avic as a 3rd T will be suitable, just remember: research research research (AB research ). If you've successfully kept an avic later on, try out psalmopoeus and tapinauchenius, great bridging genera to OWs and great to prep you for OW aboreals. I only had psalmos before I got my 1st OW, a sub-adult female poecilotheria fasciata and I have to say, experience with psalmos really helped me with being able to deal with a poecilotheria. Although I'd advice you to raise them to adulthood and do a couple of rehousings before considering a poeci.

soundsmith said:

Ordering online is really convenient but I'd like to see the T's temperament before purchasing.

Click to expand...

Not really, as temperaments can change with a molt...not only that, but they could act one way in one housing situation, then totally different when you re-house them.


You couldn't have possibly made a better choice for a first t:clap::clap: Don't be in a hurry to expand right off the bat, take it slow in the beginning.

Ditch the hygrometer, PLEASE, they have no place in a t enclosure and will cause more issues than they could ever possibly solve....its a totally useless piece of equipment. A water dish is all you need, period. If you bought bagged substrate, it did NOT need to be baked, and would have been just fine to use without manipulation. A little moisture in the sub won't hurt or bother any t other than maybe rosea.

I would not house THAT t in THAT enclosure. The enclosure is a MUCH better design for an arboreal as the front opening doors make it impossible to put enough substrate in to make it a safe environment (as you appear to have realized). While I like the set-up otherwise, that hide is waaaaaaaaay too big for that little t, they feel most comfortable in tight places. You can still use the hide, just bury it and make a small starter hole in the middle and let the t excavate the hide as it sees fit.

Aquariums are not as popular as you may think, as they cannot be drilled out, you cannot get proper cross ventilation from them, making them less than ideal for most species....the one you have though, would do fine in a small aquarium, as would most of the better beginner species that you should be concentrating on. I prefer sterilite containers, but recognize that people with smaller collections desire an enclosure with optimal visibility....I prefer function personally. Just don't use a screen top, you'll need to cut a piece of acrylic or plexi-glass and drill out the ventilation holes.

Do NOT get an avic, you clearly do not have enough experience. They are not forgiving with regards to husbandry, and you are already too worried about one of the easiest t's to keep on the planet. Avics, especially slings, are not something you should be jumping right into. Start with a few terrestrials and keep them for a while, next year, go get an avic or three.

---------- Post added 09-05-2015 at 02:02 PM ----------

BTW...P. metallica=the single most over-rated t on the planet.

Agreed to the comments about avics. They're pretty, but too much of a hassle in my opinion. Arboreals in general are, at a minimum, an intermediate species. In fact, the P. irminia is the only one I'd personally feel comfortable recommending after you've had a couple other terrestrials. I do not advise this at all, but it was my second T, and it worked out like a charm. She just matured a few months ago. Relative to other arboreals (emphasis on relative...), their venom is mild, they're fairly slow, they don't require a complex setup, and they don't require excessive humidity. To be clear, they do have potent venom, they're fast, and require humidity! They're just easy compared to other arboreals, is what I'm getting at.

Would I recommend one tomorrow? Not at all. As your 3rd T? Go for it, you clearly know how to do research!

For your 2nd T, I highly recommend an A. geniculata. That recommendation is for you, not others, as you seem to have respect for the animals. They're hardy, have mild venom, and are easy to take care of. However, their speed and aggression will get you ready for an arboreal. A paint brush and tongs are a must. Somewhat of a crash course, but again, you know how to do research. Welcome to the addiction/hobby!

I might get some hate for this, but an adult Avicularia sp. (besides laeta) would be a fine additition as a second T. Slings are pretty hard to get the ventilation right without breaking the tank. A medium sized avic would reside fine in an exo terra (assuming that's what you like) or a medium critter keeper.

Welcome to the hobby! I'd say for a second T,go with some of the New World terrestrials.

Why is everyone recommending P.Irminia for this guys second or third T? I think that's an awful idea....

leaveittoweaver said:

Why is everyone recommending P.Irminia for this guys second or third T? I think that's an awful idea....

Click to expand...

Who's everyone? As far as I can read, P. Irminia is more advised against here? :? Except for EulersK's 1st post

cold blood said:

Not really, as temperaments can change with a molt...not only that, but they could act one way in one housing situation, then totally different when you re-house them.

Click to expand...

Ah, good point, hadn't heard that before, and that is also really interesting.

cold blood said:

If you bought bagged substrate, it did NOT need to be baked, and would have been just fine to use without manipulation. A little moisture in the sub won't hurt or bother any t other than maybe rosea.

Click to expand...

It was the brick in fact, I used the amount of water recommended on the package which is apparently too much. It was not drying out fast enough to be ready in time, needed it to be basically bone dry and that would have taken forever. After Googling how people dried Eco Earth faster, it seems most people use less water than the package directs to start with - regardless, I'm just going to buy it loose in the bags from now on since it's ready to go right away.

cold blood said:

While I like the set-up otherwise, that hide is waaaaaaaaay too big for that little t, they feel most comfortable in tight places. You can still use the hide, just bury it and make a small starter hole in the middle and let the t excavate the hide as it sees fit.

Click to expand...

I had a feeling it was too big, it was the smallest I could find between 3 stores in that half-log style so I just kind of settled. I'm planning to get a new enclosure for her soon and I'll keep that hide but do as you suggested with letting her burrow it out to her liking. Good tip!

cold blood said:

Aquariums are not as popular as you may think, as they cannot be drilled out, you cannot get proper cross ventilation from them, making them less than ideal for most species....the one you have though, would do fine in a small aquarium, as would most of the better beginner species that you should be concentrating on. I prefer sterilite containers, but recognize that people with smaller collections desire an enclosure with optimal visibility....I prefer function personally. Just don't use a screen top, you'll need to cut a piece of acrylic or plexi-glass and drill out the ventilation holes.

Click to expand...

There's a few I'm looking at, TarantulaCages 13x5x7 terrestrial is in the lead right now. I didn't get pics but I actually already replaced the screen portion of the Exo's lid with drilled out plexi that I cut to size. I had read that T's can get stuck in the mesh or even chew through it.

cold blood said:

...and you are already too worried about one of the easiest t's to keep on the planet.

Click to expand...

This statement kinda bugs me. Makes me sound like I'm over here biting my nails thinking "is the humidity correct?" all day long lol. I read tons about caring for this species in particular before getting it, the habitat is optimal and dead simple to maintain, I seriously don't even think about it. I assure you the amount of worry I have has been grossly overestimated.

cold blood said:

BTW...P. metallica=the single most over-rated t on the planet.

Click to expand...

Bah!

:tongue:

soundsmith said:

This statement kinda bugs me. Makes me sound like I'm over here biting my nails thinking "is the humidity correct?" all day long lol. I read tons about caring for this species in particular before getting it, the habitat is optimal and dead simple to maintain, I seriously don't even think about it. I assure you the amount of worry I have has been grossly overestimated.

Click to expand...

No, its not like your freaking out, not at all what I meant. I mean that you are still learning, in search of proper knowledge, and the proper locations to acquire such information (online care sheets, for example, are a horrid place for your learning and a very common mistake). Basic husbandry, for a basic t, wouldn't give anyone but a newbie keeper a second thought. Its more about experience leading you to a higher comfort level, which is difficult to attain when first beginning and a reason why new keepers tend to have troubles with Avics.

cold blood said:

... and a reason why new keepers tend to have troubles with Avics.

Click to expand...

That, and the teleportation. Nothing gets you ready for the teleportation ability that all arboreals seem to have.

Welcome to the amazing hobby of T's.

i agree with cold blood, do lots of research and stay with terrestrial T's for now, is their a huge rush to get an arboreal?

They can be hard for newbies to get the correct setup even with lots of advice mostly (ending in T deaths),,, anyway glad you've came to the best site for all the info one needs on almost any animals.

Everything as pretty much been said so I'll keep it simple good luck choosing your next 5 tarantulas. The E sp red are fantastic I have an adult female and finally welcome to the hobby

Great T, a very benign one, but i have to say that the enclosure is too way big for a little T like Euathlus sp. red. You offered at your T IMO a lot of space, a mix between a Waldorf Astoria suite and a former USSR "Lenin statue" capital square

MarkmD said:

Welcome to the amazing hobby of T's.

i agree with cold blood, do lots of research and stay with terrestrial T's for now, is their a huge rush to get an arboreal?

They can be hard for newbies to get the correct setup even with lots of advice mostly (ending in T deaths),,, anyway glad you've came to the best site for all the info one needs on almost any animals.

Click to expand...

Thanks! Not at all, it was just something I was considering. If the experienced keepers don't think an arboreal would be appropriate for a 2nd T, I can't argue with that and it's not like my heart is set on it or anything. I definitely want another another one though, pretty sure it will be a geniculata. I will wait on the arboreal, maybe my 3rd or 4th addition depending on how comfortable I feel about it when the time comes.

cold blood said:

No, its not like your freaking out, not at all what I meant. I mean that you are still learning, in search of proper knowledge, and the proper locations to acquire such information (online care sheets, for example, are a horrid place for your learning and a very common mistake). Basic husbandry, for a basic t, wouldn't give anyone but a newbie keeper a second thought. Its more about experience leading you to a higher comfort level, which is difficult to attain when first beginning and a reason why new keepers tend to have troubles with Avics.

Click to expand...

That's fair.

RE: Care Sheets: I pretty much only went by the information I read on this and other forums honestly. Compared to the tons of user discussions I found lurking on here for 2 weeks with all their details and experiences, I didn't find care sheets to be nearly as informative. I did take a gander at them but essentially got nothing from it versus the wealth of knowledge on the forums.

---------- Post added 09-05-2015 at 08:27 PM ----------

johnny quango said:

Everything as pretty much been said so I'll keep it simple good luck choosing your next 5 tarantulas. The E sp red are fantastic I have an adult female and finally welcome to the hobby

Click to expand...

Thanks!

Chris LXXIX said:

Great T, a very benign one, but i have to say that the enclosure is too way big for a little T like Euathlus sp. red. You offered at your T IMO a lot of space, a mix between a Waldorf Astoria suite and a former USSR "Lenin statue" capital square

Click to expand...

Haha, yes. I've picked out a couple of different enclosures to decide between, both of which would provide a much lower ceiling. I was already questioning the size when I first put her in there, everyone here has confirmed it for me though. Definitely getting a smaller enclosure (at least heigh-wise).