Want a tarantula. Need some help!

[Bianca675]

Hello! I want to get a Honduran curly hair sling. I've been researching how to care for them and everything but still have a few questions. First, is a sling good for beginners? I've never owned a T and a nearby breeder is selling them. The slings sell for $20 and it's much cheaper than the adults. I do not mind waiting for it to grow. So if they are good for beginners can I keep my sling in a small bin or does it have to be like a tiny pill jar or something like that. And how often should I clean the encloser or should I just spot clean? Thank you!

 

[Enn49]

Hiya. The curly hair (Brachypelma albopilosum) is a great T to start with and slings are pretty easy to rear and good feeders. A deli cup is a perfect starter home for a sling. It's best to keep them in something small to begin with so they can find their food easily. The curly slings burrow so if you can get a container that is clear you'll be able to watch it scuttle around its burrow, they are mini bulldozers, always digging.

 

[Bianca675]

Thank you so much Enn49! If you don't mind I have a few other questions. A few websites were telling me different things about the humidity in the encloser. Some people say just to put a water bowl but others say to put the water bowl and mist the encloser. If so how many times should I mist it. And should water always be present? Some people were saying their T's never drank the water. Also how many times do I feed my sling a week? And also can I handle my sling once and a while? Or should I leave it alone because it is young? Sorry for all the questions I just want the best for the sling.

 

[IamKrush]

Speaking from peronally experiance of being a noob and starting off with slings. I feel its better to start off with a sling. Gives you more time to get to know the T and watching them get bigger and change with each molt is pretty awesome to watch. For enclosures. So far ive had no problems with molts or feeding them using Jamie's sling enclosures.

 

[Bianca675]

Thanks so much Iam. I looked them up and they are really nice. They showcase the T's nicely!

 

[Enn49]

Thank you so much Enn49! If you don't mind I have a few other questions. A few websites were telling me different things about the humidity in the encloser. Some people say just to put a water bowl but others say to put the water bowl and mist the encloser. If so how many times should I mist it. And should water always be present? Some people were saying their T's never drank the water. Also how many times do I feed my sling a week? And also can I handle my sling once and a while? Or should I leave it alone because it is young? Sorry for all the questions I just want the best for the sling.

A water bowl is quite enough to provide all the humidity needed, a small bottle cap will do and don't worry a T will not drown.. You can feed a sling twice a week. Most people don't handle their Ts as it can stress them but if you really want to make sure it can't fall far as they can fatally injure themselves.

 

[Bianca675]

Thanks so much for all this help! I really appreciate it! Oh one more question. Can I keep it near a window that doesn't get a lot of sunlight?

 

[Bianca675]

Thanks so much Shampain!

 

[kormath]

Thanks so much for all this help! I really appreciate it! Oh one more question. Can I keep it near a window that doesn't get a lot of sunlight?

another thing ot keep in mind near a window is the temp changes. especially if the windows are cheap horribly insullated trash like in my rental town house direct sun will dry out your enclosure and possibly kill the spider, but you don't want it getting too cold near a window either.

The curly hair like the others said, is a great T for a starter. I prefer to raise slings myself, you get to enjoy them longer. My 2 curlies eat anything, mealworms, dubia and lat roaches, and crickets, almost a finger once or twice lol. THey're great eaters, anything that enters their enclosure is possible food. the smaller of my 2 will eat from tongs, if it's just after his molt he'll try to rip the feeder and tongs out of your hand in his haste to eat. Otherwise he's pretty gentle with the tongs. THe other one won't eat from tongs, he'll slap the feeder away until you drop it on the substrate, then he's all over it like Augustus Gloop after a candy bar.

 

[Bianca675]

That was so informative!!! Thanks so much!!!