New here, thanks for the add

[kimmie99]

Hi - just restarting the joy of tarantula ownership again after decades! My son was given one (not in the best of health as she died on him) so we will be new owners here soon (have 3 getting shipped today and arrive tomorrow).

Since it's been decades, I figured it best to refresh the old brainpan on husbandry!

Never too old to learn right?

 

[Enn49]

Hi, welcome back to the hobby
You'll probably find ideas on husbandry have changed over the years so please, feel free to ask any questions you may have.

 

[nedaK]

Basic Terrestrial Husbandry

-Enclosure (varies depending on Spider size)

-Deep substrate (varies based on size of enclosure)

-Water dish (can be a bottle cap or a reptile dish based on spider size)

-Hide (to encourage natural burrowing behavior)

-Ventilation (if there are no ventilation holes in the enclosure already you can use a drill)

 

[nedaK]

Basic Arboreal Husbandry

-Enclosure (should be taller than you would use for a terrestrial)

-Shallow Substrate (varies depending on the size of the enclosure)

-Water dish (a water dish on the ground works just fine for most arboreals, though an elevated dish will work as well)

-Hide (cork bark tubes make for great hides for arboreals, but flat cork bark leaning against the side of the enclosure is good as well)

-Cross Ventilation (cross ventilation is encouraged for arboreals, as they live in the treetops)

 

[mrsoul1974]

Hi - just restarting the joy of tarantula ownership again after decades! My son was given one (not in the best of health as she died on him) so we will be new owners here soon (have 3 getting shipped today and arrive tomorrow).

Since it's been decades, I figured it best to refresh the old brainpan on husbandry!

Never too old to learn right?

Welcome!!!

 

[m0lsx]

Hello & welcome.

 

[RonC]

Welcome

 

[kimmie99]

Thanks for the warm welcomes! Yeah things have changed a bit or rather I was young & dumb when I had my first one because I don't remember all the differences back then. Of course from a pet store and I know from experience they don't tell you the correct information!

I ordered 3. Now I'm a nervous wreck because of Fed-Ex and their crappy shipping. They were shipped overnight with a LAG (ordered from VA Beach) and coming north to Salisbury MD (3 hr drive) but in Fed-Ex's infinite wisdom (shipping hub I guess) they went to Memphis TN and got there last night but still showing guaranteed this morning in Salisbury MD! I want to scream! So waiting for confirmation so I can pick my babies up, take them home, build their temp homes and then ever so gently unpack them! Getting 3 slings, smallest is 3/4" and other 2 are 1" (Mexican Redknee, Chaco Golden Knee and Honduran Curly Hair). Went with all terrestrials for now.

 

[nedaK]

Thanks for the warm welcomes! Yeah things have changed a bit or rather I was young & dumb when I had my first one because I don't remember all the differences back then. Of course from a pet store and I know from experience they don't tell you the correct information!

I ordered 3. Now I'm a nervous wreck because of Fed-Ex and their crappy shipping. They were shipped overnight with a LAG (ordered from VA Beach) and coming north to Salisbury MD (3 hr drive) but in Fed-Ex's infinite wisdom (shipping hub I guess) they went to Memphis TN and got there last night but still showing guaranteed this morning in Salisbury MD! I want to scream! So waiting for confirmation so I can pick my babies up, take them home, build their temp homes and then ever so gently unpack them! Getting 3 slings, smallest is 3/4" and other 2 are 1" (Mexican Redknee, Chaco Golden Knee and Honduran Curly Hair). Went with all terrestrials for now.

Nice choices, just remember these are very slow growing species, and they may be small for a long time. Luckily these are usually excellent eaters as well.

 

[kimmie99]

Nice choices, just remember these are very slow growing species, and they may be small for a long time. Luckily these are usually excellent eaters as well.

Thank you! I know my son was looking at Old World and I told him NOT if I'm buying and you're living at home still! LOL That and it's technically his 1st adventure into them. He was given a pink toe but she didn't live long (extremely poor husbandry by previous owner and by the time he got her - well 'nuff said). So he'd ask about this or that and I'd tell him no, yes, maybe! I recommended the Red Knee and he said he was really interested in that one - BINGO! I'm glad they are slow growers as that means more time with them. My 1st adventure in T's was decades ago, I got one from pet store that I had for 1 1/2 years and he died. Friend of sister worked at zoo and I took pix and showed her. She explained that a lot of times by the time a pet store gets them they are already years old and if it was a male, they don't live as long as females. My next was a pink toe but I had to give her to a friend as I was moving out of country and couldn't take her or my ball python with me!

Glad they are good eaters, they can have the darn roaches coming with them! LOL Still waiting for their arrival, time was changed so now I feel like an expectant mom again!

 

[menavodi]

Welcome to this great place!

 

[RonC]

Nice choices. All in my small collection as well. Out of those, my Chaco has grown the fastest. Went from an inch and a quarter to easily 3+ inches in eight months. I was shocked how much it grows with each molt. The other two are about one and half inches. The Curly Hair was only about a half inch and the Red Knee at three quarters inch at Christmas. They all loved to burrow when they were small.

 

[LC72uk]

Welcome to the Group

 

[ilovebrachys]

welcome to the forum

 

[Yvonne G]

Welcome to the Forum!

 

[Arachnoclown]

Welcome to the group