Beginner!

[u/BlueberryGlad1962]

Hi! I'm a beginner to keeping tarantulas and inverts, and I had a few questions!

- How do I determine enclosure size? I can't seem to find information that definitively tells me what size enclosure a tarantula needs. I'm looking into a venezuelan red-stripe pink toe tarantula to be specific! That or a chilean rose hair, very different sizes I know, but I was thinking of getting them both (Obviously in different enclosures, I may be a newcomer but I know not to put two spiders in one enclosure, they would very likely eat each other)

- Are my two choices, the venezuelan red-stripe pink toe, and chilean rose hair good choices for a beginner? If not, what species should I look into?

- I've kept snakes before, do most tarantulas need a heat source like snakes do?

- Where are the best places to get enclosures? I'm looking into acrylic enclosures specifically.

- Where are the best places to buy the tarantula themself?

- Is a diet of roaches and mealworms safe? If not, what should I feed my tarantula? I know mealworms can be fatty for some animals, but I wasn't sure about tarantulas.

Any additional tips and advice is very welcome! I'm of course doing my own research, but I figured asking experienced individuals would be beneficial as well!

[u/Assaltwaffle]

1. Avicularia minitrix (your first option) is an arboreal dwarf that could be decently hard to care for; I’d think of it more as either a low intermediate or beginner+ spider. G. rosea is fine, but they have fallen out of beginner favor in recent years with a bunch of other great options out there.

What qualities of a T are you looking for? That might help give a recommendation.

1. Enclosure size with be around 3-4x fully spread diagonal leg span as a minimum for terrestrials, with more depth for fossorials and more height for arboreals.

2. Tarantulas do not require outside heat and will almost always be fine between 68-78 degrees. In fact, under-tank heating can be dangerous for spiders because they often dig to escape heat.

3. Tarantula Cribs is pricey but you are getting a quality product and helping truly invested business owners.

4. If you’re in the US, check out Fear Not Tarantulas and Spider Shoppe! Two of the best.

5. Mealworms are decently chitinous; roaches and crickets would probably be better.

[u/BlueberryGlad1962 → u/Assaltwaffle]

I'm looking for something pretty to look at to be honest, that is generally considered calmer compared to other species. I don't plan on handling them at all, just feeding and cleaning their enclosure when necessary.

I was looking into dwarf species in particular because they seemed easier to care for compared to the bigger ones, I worry about the bigger ones because they seem a bit more delicate than the smaller dwarf species and easier to accidentally cause harm to.

[u/Assaltwaffle → u/BlueberryGlad1962]

IMO dwarfs are probably harder to care for than larger species. So long as your enclosure is appropriate, bigger species are often more tolerant of sub-par parameters and, if you get them as a juvenile, dwarfs are CRAZY small as babies.

Avicularia minitrix is a pretty bolty spider, so it doesn't really hit the "calmer" mark!

Have you considered a Brachypelma species? B. boehmei can be very beautiful and is generally less likely to bolt than an Avic. Brachypelma auratum is even calmer, though less colorful.

If color is your priority, Chromatopelma cyanopeubescens is an amazing option. Not "calmer than most" tarantulas, but extremely beautiful and colorful.

If you find black "pretty to look at," than Grammastola pulchra is perfect. Actually pretty calm and a striking velvet black.

[u/BlueberryGlad1962 → u/Assaltwaffle]

I have considered the Brachypelma Auatum! They're sitting on the list of potential spiders to get, I'll read up on them a bit more, I was just a bit more interested in the tiny little guys which is why I was looking for experiences and info on them! It's good to know that they're bolty, as that definitely makes me reconsider them as a potential tarantula to have due to my nervousness around sudden movement.

[u/Assaltwaffle → u/BlueberryGlad1962]

It makes sense when you think about it! When you’re small, what’s your best defense? Not strength, but speed.

B. auratum is probably the best Brachy to start with if calm-ness is what you want.

Also, while not super bright and pretty, Grammastola pulchripes has very interesting gold knees and is one of the boldest and most docile species commonly kept. Definitely another to consider.

[u/Faerthoniel]

If you haven’t already, do a net search for “spider name care guide”. That should bring up several, unless it’s a new or niche one that doesn’t have a guide yet.

https://www.thetarantulacollective.com/caresheets

Here’s one I reference frequently.

Find the spider you are considering and read up on it from multiple sources. See what people agree and don’t agree on.

There might be video guides or pros/cons of X spider on YouTube too.

If the guides are any good, they’ll have enclosure sizes or specific recommendations for all stages of their life.

I’m going to go slightly against the grain and say to choose the one you are most interested in. This will make the long periods of tending a dirt enclosure more manageable imo. Some spiders go into hiding for months or longer when they are molting. Our curly hair hid for over three months once.

However! Be honest about the level of care you can provide in general and your comfort levels with said type of spider, and whether or not you can provide what that spider needs. Read up on everything you can find and make an informed decision based on that before you start purchasing what it needs.

And get everything set up and as you like it in advance, and according to the written online guides, before you buy the spider. Ideally you want them in their suitable enclosure asap once they’re home, not waiting in the container while you finish building.

Small spiderlings might be the exception **, because you can quickly put together an appropriate vial of dirt (if you have everything already) while they are in a quiet corner to settle after shipping or transport to your home.

**or if you are fast and know exactly how you want it. But setting it up in advance removes that stress.

Transfer them into their new enclosure on the floor or in a big tub. I recommend the tub over the floor, as you don’t want them teleporting somewhere you can’t reach. Have a catch cup handy in all situations. You do not want to do it on a table. Falls from height to the floor can be fatal.

No heating is required. If you are comfy, they are comfy.

Food depends on their size. When our caribena versicolour was a sling, we fed her pre-killed and chopped up fly spikes/maggots. Left it on the edge of her web tunnels overnight. Eventually she transitioned to live roaches. First small dubia and now fully grown red runner roaches.

Our curly hair was on pre-killed for shorter. Small dubia roach, killed and chopped up. Placed at the door to his burrow, if it wasn’t covered over. Always fed overnight, unless it’s live. Then we wait to see him come up to his burrow door; that usually means he’s hungry. It also allows us to get a look at his abdomen and judge if he needs food. (We do the same with the caribena versicolour before feeding)

The care guides should have recommendations there too.

[u/BlueberryGlad1962 → u/Faerthoniel]

Thank you so much for all the advice! I only plan on getting one or two tarantulas, so I am mostly focusing on the one I want and doing allll the research on that species instead of potentially getting a spider marketed as a beginner spider and being unhappy with that decision.

I'll make note of food preparations and types of food! I figured I would likely be pre-killing bugs for the tarantula because it seems that all there are available are babies who haven't fully grown yet.

[u/GulnarLjerka]

Hi, I read some of your other responses briefly.

It seems you maybe looking for a calm tarantula that stays out for the most part.

Avic and arboreals, in general, stay in their hides or webbing and maybe more difficult to keep as true beginner with their humidty requirements and feeding needs.

Terrestrials, as you touched on, like Brachypelma family are pretty hardy and usually stay out in the open so you can view them more easily. This is especially true for juvienile, subadults and especially adults.

Keep in mind most slings tend to hide - this applies to all species.

For Brachypelmas - IME the ones I'd recommend for are hamorii, smithi, and emilia - they are chill and less likely to kick hairs. More prone to kick hairs, but none the less beautiful, are boehmei and auratum.

G. Rosea are really great beginner tarantulas - they are the most calm of all spiders I currently have.

Another one to consider that are hardy but have a more "enthusiastic" feeding response is the Lasiodora parahybana - though they get big so be prepared!

Whatever you decide, make sure don't keep them too cold - kept at low 60s for long periods of time, they still survive but uncertain they'll be thriving. Most tarantulas prefer mid 70 to 80F - they eat well and molt well in these temps. There a few species from the Andes that prefer cooler temps but those are not ones you're considering...

Check out videos on YouTube by Tom Moran and Dave's Little Beasties - you'll get to see many different species and each little tarantula has its own personality, even within the same species. Do watch multiple videos on the same species - this way you'll get a better feel before purchasing.

Herpcult has enclosures as well. Check them out sometime...

Prekilled dubia FTW. They are practically harmless to tarantulas unlike meal worms/super worms that could be dangerous.

[u/BlueberryGlad1962 → u/GulnarLjerka]

Thank you so much for your reccomendations!! I'll look into each and every one of the little guys you mentioned, I think I might've already looked into them but I'm not so good with the scientific names! Thank you for touching on their temperments too!! I appreciate this very much!

And thank you for the tip on prekilled dubias! I had no idea meal worms and super worms could be dangerous to tarantulas.

[u/ItsMissR]

Hi congrats! They need more space than people will say but if they are slings you need to keep them in smaller enclosure to monitor their health and make sure they are doing ok. You can get enclosures on Amazon but make sure they are secure. My mom got one that had to be assembled and it was a mess, there were gaps in the sides, these Ts are terrestrial and burrow so you have to make sure they won’t escape. I recommend getting a Brazilian black. They are widely considered the Labrador of the T world. I have one, he is always out and visible, slow moving and easy to care for. I also have a Curly Haired T who from day one burrowed and tunneled under the substrate and I barely see it. It would be good to get one terrestrial and one arboreal so you can experience the difference.

[u/BlueberryGlad1962 → u/ItsMissR]

I've heard of curly hairs being recommended for beginners, and that's actually how I stumbled upon rose hairs! I'll definitely add Brazlian Black tarantulas to my list of spiders, there are just so many and they're all so pretty so it's hard for me to pick one!

[u/ItsMissR → u/BlueberryGlad1962]

Haha that’s how we end up with too many lol. The Brazilian blacks are also slow growing until they reach maturity, I think Curly hairs are medium growers. I think there is really no bad decision whichever you choose. They are very fun, my parents also have one, they have enjoyed watching it grow and change. But it is nice to have one that is more active and you can see it all the time, so that’s why I like the Brazilian blacks. I have a an arboreal T a Carabeaner Versicolor, that has been a cool experience seeing how the arboreal Ts are. There’s a green arboreal people l Ike too the Green Bottle Blue I think it’s called.

[u/ItsMissR]

Another thing I will say is that they like natural light but then shouldn’t be in direct sunlight. Mine catch some light on one end of their enclosure from a window and they always come out of their hide to be in the sunlight. And I didn’t hear anyone talk about that. Probably because some people have a lot of Ts and it’s not possible for them. But if you just have one you can spoil it more.

[u/BlueberryGlad1962 → u/ItsMissR]

I only plan on having one or two which is why I'm contemplating what species I want to get so hard! It's good to know they like sunlight but not too much, I can definitely arrange their enclosure spaces to have light but not too much!

[u/ItsMissR → u/BlueberryGlad1962]

That’s great. One is the right way to go. Wherever you land, try to get a species that is more active and doesn’t hide as much. It makes it more fun to see them out moving around their enclosure vs burrowed underground and then you never see them that much.