What was your first Tarantula ever?

[Zurchiboy]

I am curious to know what you all had for your first T and what inspired you to buy a tarantula instead of another pet.
For me my first T was 1/2 inch B smithi that I got 5 months ago. I have always been interested in bugs and spiders. I enjoy walking around observing the spiders that lived in our garden. I also never really seen a tarantula either so I decided one day to search it on YouTube and got a slew of videos people with their pet Tarantulas. I then did a search on Tarantulas for sale and found that it was easy to come by tarantulas to be purchased. My fascination with spiders and a YouTube search which I discovered that quite a few people owned Ts is what inspired me to but a tarantula as I thought not many people I know can say. I own a pet tarantula.

 

[Enn49]

My first tarantula was the one everyone says is a no no for beginners, a juvenile OBT and I have survived 2 years with not a single threat pose. I'd always been scared of spiders but my son wanted one so he bought a P. vittata and I found her fascinating so I decided to get one myself. I chose the OBT because of her beautiful colour after reading up on their reputation, I wasn't deterred by the bite warnings as I had spent years dealing with temperamental snakes including a goodfew bites from them. I have never regretted starting with the bad girl of the T world, I still love her to bits and it's a joy to see her when she chooses to appear.

 

[micheldied]

The first ones I paid for were B. smithi, although I had wild (locally) caught Phlogiellus inermis as my first Ts. I spent my childhood catching al kinds of bugs, including some local Ts and jumping spiders. Ts were an obvious step up.

 

[Phil]

Mine was a Mexican red knee about 22 years ago. Will always have one in my collection..

 

[Phil]

....sorry forgot the inspiration bit.
I used to keep and breed tropical fish and the local pet store manager and I were really good friends. He started to expand into "exotics" and as I was in the shop more often than I wasn't I was drawn to the new additions and ultimately started to help with them and get one of my own. We did creepy crawlies roadshows at local schools which was really cool.

 

[MassExodus]

I've always been interested in animals. One fatefull day I started watching videos on YouTube, started to become fascinated with them. Saw a mm porteri in petco and after that I just..went ape**** I guess.

 

[Nicolas C]

For me, it was a tiny Brachypelma boehmei sling, which was sold to me as a smithi by a local petshop (we discovered the mistake when he began to show his adult colors!). I've always been passionate by spiders, but having a tarantula at home never came to my mind, until my wife asked me: "Why not?" during a visit to the said petshop with my first son (we used to do that to show him animals). We took some weeks to prepare ourselves (bad preparation, as you'll see!), and that was it! Poor guy: he had to suffer all the noobs mistakes you can imagine! The enclosure was an arboreal one (sold to us by the petshop); substrate was wood shavings; we left crickets in enclosures during his first molt, we bought a heating mat that we put first under, then on the side; then we put a light bulb inside the bigger (terrestrial) enclosure we bought for him (so big that we were able to put our adult T strimi afterwards, and there still is room!); he broke twice a leg because he fell from too much height; my wife thought there were two spiders ("Look! He made a baby!!!") in the enclosure after the first molt, etc etc etc.! But he managed to survive everything, turned out to be a mature male after six years and died a good death during sexual intercourses with a madame boehmei. Of course, I learnt a lot during the process, and hope he forgave me for my mistakes. It helps me today not to be too severe with noobs. I was one once, and my memories are still lively!

 

[Entity]

Mine was a B. Smithi. I was always interested in bugs and spiders as a kid and as an adult. I got laid off from work for about 3 months and had a broken arm so i couldnt really do much but read. i just kinda fell into the passion that i had always followed me through life and now its blossoming i guess.

 

[Phil]

B. Smithi seems to be a regular here.....lol. Suppose we should all thank them for the pleasure and all the other species we now all own having started with them. Thank you Mexican Red Knee.
Such a shame they have suffered so much in the wild as a result of the wrong side of the hobby but at least the CB numbers are now sustainable so every cloud......

 

[Meludox]

I went with a good ol' Rosie. I don't really remember the first time that I had realized I wanted a tarantula..I think it just came from seeing some people on facebook with theirs and I thought of how could it would be to have a huge spider. Finding Izzy was like fate. The pet store that we went to had a rack of tarantulas but none of them were roseas so I asked if they had any 'in the back' and they did!

 

[MassExodus]

I went with a good ol' Rosie. I don't really remember the first time that I had realized I wanted a tarantula..I think it just came from seeing some people on facebook with theirs and I thought of how could it would be to have a huge spider. Finding Izzy was like fate. The pet store that we went to had a rack of tarantulas but none of them were roseas so I asked if they had any 'in the back' and they did!

I've always thought the whole "iconic tarantula " title should go to rosea/porteri...i guess they ain't romantic enough..lol

 

[Meludox]

I've always thought the whole "iconic tarantula " title should go to rosea/porteri...i guess they ain't romantic enough..lol

Right? lol

 

[timc]

I had a girlfriend who had a pink toe and you could color me intrigued. she bought me an OBT (without research) and I fell in love. There were many surprises along the way but I learned to handle (not literally) the feisty fella and have kept tarantulas for all but 18 months since. I also found some much nicer spiders

 

[mrclownprince]

Avic Avic Pink Toe named ruby. I go to the exotic pet shows a lot. My GF wanted one, so we asked which ones were the easiest for beginners. They suggested a few, but we loved the pink toes We have a mini zoo filled with many exotics.

 

[Zurchiboy]

Avic Avic Pink Toe named ruby. I go to the exotic pet shows a lot. My GF wanted one, so we asked which ones were the easiest for beginners. They suggested a few, but we loved the pink toes We have a mini zoo filled with many exotics.

Pink toes are beautiful I may invest in a few once I graduate college. I also should go a exotic pet show one of these days never been to one.

 

[Fuzzball79]

I went with a good ol' Rosie. I don't really remember the first time that I had realized I wanted a tarantula..I think it just came from seeing some people on facebook with theirs and I thought of how could it would be to have a huge spider. Finding Izzy was like fate. The pet store that we went to had a rack of tarantulas but none of them were roseas so I asked if they had any 'in the back' and they did!

Same here. My oldest son wanted a tarantula and we went to the (exotic) pet shop only to shop around for equipment (I'd wanted to order a Brachy or Genic online). There were a few slings (B. Smithi, B. Albopilosum and LP, IIRC) and 2 bigger G. Rosea. One (mine) caught my eye because she was so pinkish red. Next thing I knew the shop owner had placed her on my hand and I was in love (the first and last time I had handled her). The other one was in premolt so was left alone. Brought her home that day and just couldn't stop staring at her.

 

[RedCapTrio]

My 3yo son got hooked to Ts through YouTube and then we decided to buy a 2-inch B. smithi as his first T, which very much looks like a B. auratum currently @4 inches. And this turned out to be my first T as well as I am the one taking care and expanding the collection. Hopefully, the females will fall to my son's hands when he is ready.

 

[kormath]

First in my house was a GBB my son got through a school grant for his study project. My personal first was the B. vagans. After helping my son raise his GBB for 6 months or so i figured it was time to get one for my own. Out of them all the Brachy's have stolen away my interest. One day i hope to own all of the Brachys

 

[Zurchiboy]

First in my house was a GBB my son got through a school grant for his study project. My personal first was the B. vagans. After helping my son raise his GBB for 6 months or so i figured it was time to get one for my own. Out of them all the Brachy's have stolen away my interest. One day i hope to own all of the Brachys

Smithi's Are my favorite

 

[Noobmatus]

G.porteri was my first T the inspiration behind it was getting over my fear of spiders which the gentle lil guy certainly did help with he inspired a interest that's for the most part lain dormant untill just recently