Hello all!

[PoloLonit]

Hi everyone, I'm Polo and I'm currently delving into the potential for a tarantula after wanting one forever. I've been on a researching binge and I'm intending to get my first one in a month or so.

I've always been interested in spiders and I've never been particularly scared of them. My wife is okay with it as long as she doesn't have to feed them which is fair enough! She has snakes and I wouldn't want to feed them, so it works. We also have a dog and three cats, and she's recently been getting into isopods. If we had more space we'd also be getting frogs and lizards.

For now I'm looking forward to diving into the forums to learn even more.

 

[octanejunkie]

Welcome, Polo
Welcome to our forum, and family!

Kudos to you for doing your research first. It allows you to make better decisions and be as prepared as possible.

What species tarantula are you inclined to get as your first (of many to soon follow)?

ps. kids playing Marco Polo must get you answering all the time, no?

 

[PoloLonit]

Welcome, Polo
Welcome to our forum, and family!

Kudos to you for doing your research first. It allows you to make better decisions and be as prepared as possible.

What species tarantula are you inclined to get as your first (of many to soon follow)?

ps. kids playing Marco Polo must get you answering all the time, no?

Thanks for the welcome! I'm thinking of a Tliltocatl albopilosus or Aphonopelma chalcodes but I haven't completely decided yet. I want to make sure I get everything I need for a good start for them!

And yes you're right about the name haha.

 

[octanejunkie]

Thanks for the welcome! I'm thinking of a Tliltocatl albopilosus or Aphonopelma chalcodes but I haven't completely decided yet. I want to make sure I get everything I need for a good start for them!

And yes you're right about the name haha.

A chalcodes will be a slow grower if you start with a sling. It will foster your need for more Ts lol

T albopilosus is a good choice; many of us started with a curly hair.

What size T were you thinking about starting with?

 

[PoloLonit]

A chalcodes will be a slow grower if you start with a sling. It will foster your need for more Ts lol

T albopilosus is a good choice; many of us started with a curly hair.

What size T were you thinking about starting with?

Good to know, thanks! I'm swinging toward a curly hair, but I'm not sure about the size - that's something I'm still figuring out. I'd rather not get an adult but a lot of places say it's easier if you do. My wife is a little more freaked out by tiny spiders, so a full on sling won't be a great start either. I guess somewhere in between that! Any advice welcome of course!

 

[octanejunkie]

Good to know, thanks! I'm swinging toward a curly hair, but I'm not sure about the size - that's something I'm still figuring out. I'd rather not get an adult but a lot of places say it's easier if you do. My wife is a little more freaked out by tiny spiders, so a full on sling won't be a great start either. I guess somewhere in between that! Any advice welcome of course!

A juvenile T albo, about 1.5-2" in size, kept in an 8x8 cube with no more that 4" free climbing height is your best bet. Juveniles don't burrow like slings do so it's probe to be out more often.

If starting with that size I might recommend you pop for a sexed B hamorii or G pulchra female and you will have a classic tarantula for many years to come. Buy once, cry once.

 

[Enn49]

Hello and welcome

 

[Yvonne G]

Welcome to the Forum, Polo!

 

[menavodi]

Welcome to this great place.

 

[Oursapoil]

Welcome to the forum dear polite northern neighbor

 

[DustyD]

I totally agree with Octanejunkie. Get a juvenile.

They are more resilient and show more color and can be more out in the open. You can always get young ones later. Older Ts cost more, but I think Tliltocatl albopilosus are fairly common. I was at a reptile show earlier this summer and they were by far the most common and were inexpensive.

I have been keeping tarantulas for just four months and already have six. My first was a 1-1/2" Grammostola pulchripes and until recently when I bought two sub inch slings, every T was larger than 1.5". The slings are translucent cuties, though.

All of my tarantulas are in the Grammostola genus and are diggers, delving ever expanding underground mansions as they get older. But they are more visible now too.

 

[Lawrence b]

Welcome to the forum

 

[PoloLonit]

Welcome to the Forum, Polo!

Thank you!

 

[PoloLonit]

Hello and welcome

Thank you!

 

[PoloLonit]

Welcome to this great place.

Thank you! It does seem great so far, everyone's so friendly.

 

[PoloLonit]

Welcome to the forum dear polite northern neighbor

Thank you

Welcome to the forum

Thanks so much!

 

[PoloLonit]

I totally agree with Octanejunkie. Get a juvenile.

They are more resilient and show more color and can be more out in the open. You can always get young ones later. Older Ts cost more, but I think Tliltocatl albopilosus are fairly common. I was at a reptile show earlier this summer and they were by far the most common and were inexpensive.

I have been keeping tarantulas for just four months and already have six. My first was a 1-1/2" Grammostola pulchripes and until recently when I bought two sub inch slings, every T was larger than 1.5". The slings are translucent cuties, though.

All of my tarantulas are in the Grammostola genus and are diggers, delving ever expanding underground mansions as they get older. But they are more visible now too.

This is super helpful, thanks! I am hoping to be able to go to another reptile show soon; I went to one in Toronto last week but I couldn't buy a spider because I have to wait until October due to the timing of it.

 

[ilovebrachys]

Hello and welcome
I agree with what's been said above about getting a juvie and a T. Albopilosus is an excellent first choice.