Considering First Tarantula?

[Allie1997]

So I love all animals! Even tarantulas (to my mother disgust even tho I’m an adult, haha). I really want to get my first tarantula..... but for the life of me I can’t stop eyeing the elusive, gorgeous, cobalt blue (C. Lividum). OKAY, away from that pipe dream. I know C. Lividum aren’t recommended for beginners (and for good reason!)

SO, being logical about it I do like the Arizona Blonde (Aphonopelma chalcodes). Do you suggest Arizona’s for beginner? I’m new but I’ve been researching T’s for about a year now and counting. I have noticed through my research that everyone appears to recommend different species of T’s. It can be kinda confusing for us newbies but I’ve been researching a lot.

I know all T’s are different and personality’s vary but I would like a T I could observe (definitely not hold, I know that isn’t recommend, my tortoise is the same way!) a T that *hopefully* wouldn’t hide all day. I’m not scared of the feistier species in the T world. I live in America, winter can get cold but obviously the house is warm and I can get a heater if need be. I’m used to misting since my tortoise needed it as a hatchling. Do you recommend a sling or one slightly older?

Thanks a bunch for the recommendations! When I get my first T I’ll definitely be posting.

 

[Arachnoclown]

I like Alphonopelma chalcodes but they will hide for months at a time. Not something I would say a new tarantula owner wants. However yes they are great beginner spiders.
I would suggest a Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens "green bottle blue "since you have no interest in handling. They are a little skittish when they are young but always out in the open. Very beautiful spiders and always have healthy appetites. Slings are the best to start with...you can both grow together.

Mature female

Juvenile female

sling 3rd instar

 

[Allie1997]

Thanks for the recommendation (and pictures!!! That female is gorgeous!) I have Green Bottle Blue on my beginner list. I absolutely love their color! I’m even more interested since they are more comfortable being out of their tunnel when older. Thanks for the tip about a sling too! I wasn’t sure if slings were harder or more fragile than a slightly older one.

 

[Enn49]

Hello and welcome to the forum.

 

[FishermanSteve]

I like Alphonopelma chalcodes but they will hide for months at a time. Not something I would say a new tarantula owner wants. However yes they are great beginner spiders.
I would suggest a Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens "green bottle blue "since you have no interest in handling. They are a little skittish when they are young but always out in the open. Very beautiful spiders and always have healthy appetites. Slings are the best to start with...you can both grow together. View attachment 42340Mature femaleView attachment 42338Juvenile femaleView attachment 42339sling 3rd instar

Cobalt blues, if kept properly, will burrow and hardly be seen. I know many folks that see theirs a handful of times per year! Another great thing about GBBs are that they do great on dry substrate with a water dish. No need worrying about soaking substrate or misting.

 

[Allie1997]

Cobalt blues, if kept properly, will burrow and hardly be seen. I know many folks that see theirs a handful of times per year! Another great thing about GBBs are that they do great on dry substrate with a water dish. No need worrying about soaking substrate or misting.

I’m loving the GBB’s! Everything I’m reading makes them seem like the perfect T for me!

 

[Allie1997]

[

Hello and welcome to the forum.

Thanks! I’m excited to learn more about the T world!

 

[FishermanSteve]

I’m loving the GBB’s! Everything I’m reading makes them seem like the perfect T for me!

Can’t wait to see what you get!

 

[Lilmomma]

Cobalt blues, if kept properly, will burrow and hardly be seen. I know many folks that see theirs a handful of times per year! Another great thing about GBBs are that they do great on dry substrate with a water dish. No need worrying about soaking substrate or misting.

I'm still learning and I'm or certain what type of tarantula she is

 

[m0lsx]

I have 2 GBB's which I love, but my favourite T is my Aphonopelma chalcodes. It has a bucket full of charachter & is out all the time. It has a burrow, but it's big & it sits on show within it.

 

[Jess S]

Welcome to the forum. Everyone's done great recommendations so I'm not adding to that.
I just wanted to say I love how you've done lots of research before getting a tarantula. It shows in your question and responses.

 

[Allie1997]

Welcome to the forum. Everyone's done great recommendations so I'm not adding to that.
I just wanted to say I love how you've done lots of research before getting a tarantula. It shows in your question and responses.

Thank you! I’m loving the forum so far. I always try to do my research before I ever get anything living and breathing. I researched tortoises for about three years before I bit the bullet and got my Golden Greek a year ago. I think I might go for the GBB as of now. I’m in love with their color and it is relieving that they require less humility than other species (oh my gosh did my tortoise’s humidity about kill me! I was so freaking nervous he’d dry out!) Plus the fact that *most* of them like to chill out in their habitat where you can see them is enticing as well!

 

[Allie1997]

I have 2 GBB's which I love, but my favourite T is my Aphonopelma chalcodes. It has a bucket full of charachter & is out all the time. It has a burrow, but it's big & it sits on show within it.

Thanks so much! I’ve looked into the Arizona Blonde’s before too and I really Iove how gentle they are (I like “observing” animals: animals you don’t really interact with). I know their just blonde and black but I think they are stunning as well! (I think all T’s are stunning, haha!) I’m really loving the GBB’s so far too. I think that the GBB would make the perfect beginner T for me.

 

[Allie1997]

I'm still learning and I'm or certain what type of tarantula she is

I’m brand new as well! When I decided I was serious about getting my first T I thought it was time to track down a tarantula forum! I’d rather get experience from “real” people in the T world than from bloggers or god forbid buzzfeed or anything similar! What I did do in the beginning was search up beginner level tarantula lists and I compiled a list on my own of what T’s best suited what I wanted. I’m so far really interested in the Green Bottle Blue!

 

[Marcbaja89]

I just recently got into the hobby in September the first T I ordered was a g pulchripes and then I saved an avic. avicularia from a pet store so now I have two both molted recently they seem very well and I enjoy both. Very easy to maintain for a beginner like me

 

[Marcbaja89]

Or you can even follow some tarantula YouTubers to get a better idea and what would be best for you like the tarantula Collective has some good husbandry videos for a lot of Ts

 

[Allie1997]

I just recently got into the hobby in September the first T I ordered was a g pulchripes and then I saved an avic. avicularia from a pet store so now I have two both molted recently they seem very well and I enjoy both. Very easy to maintain for a beginner like me

Yes, the Pink Toe and a Chaco Golden Knee if google translates well enough! I know it’s silly but I think it’s so cool that usually most of the genesis for T’s are usually in the same category of “beginner” “intermediate” or “expert”. I haven’t read much about the Chaco Golden Knee but I think the Mexican Red Knee is gorgeous! I’m still doing all my research on the species and their care. Thanks so much for the suggestions! I’ll definitely start with one T for now but... you know how things have a way of multiplying, haha!

 

[Allie1997]

Or you can even follow some tarantula YouTubers to get a better idea and what would be best for you like the tarantula Collective has some good husbandry videos for a lot of Ts

I follow Exotic Lairs. I really love him and his way of raising(?) his T’s. He’s a firm believer in water (I know sounds soooo crazy, right? Who’d have thought a living animal needed a water dish?) I had the exact same problem with my tortoise! Everyone said that they live in the dryer climates and don’t need water - and that is what can lead to tortoise hatchling failure. I’ve also followed another guy on YouTube (I can’t recall his channel, oops). He was super knowledgeable as well. I think he also supported the water dish ideology. Youtube is actually what got me into T’s, my research took off from there!

 

[The Sweet Escape]

Hey, don't overthink it, you will get 5 or more in no time anyway. Any beginner'ish species is just fine.

 

[Allie1997]

Hey, don't overthink it, you will get 5 or more in no time anyway. Any beginner'ish species is just fine.

You’re probably right! No one seems to stop at just one!