What was your first Tarantula ever?

[TabithasMom]

My first T was a G. porteri, labeled as a G. rosea (we all know this quandary). I was tragically new to the hobby (well over 10 years ago), and probably bought a MM unbeknownst. S/he molted, but didn't survive. Knowing what I know now, she was likely a he, and couldn't pass the second molt after his ultimate.

I've always loved all animals (save leeches, mosquitoes, and hyenas--that was discussed in a previous thread), but have a particular interest in the misunderstood. My #1 favorite is a great white shark, and if I could find a way, I'd have one as a pet. Bats rank #4, and like the shark, I'd keep one if I successfully could. So spiders of all shapes and sizes naturally piqued my interest. Comically enough, I bought my first T (named Rosie) when I moved in with an ex-boyfriend. In my defense, I'd always been extremely vocal regarding my desire to own a T, despite his underlying, and festering, arachnophobia. He never said no (nor did he ever say yes) so I took his noncommittal attitude as a yes (but most likely because I'm hard-headed, and will do what I want if no one tells me not to). It was selfish (I can admit that now), and huge fight broke out, but the T remained in my care. After Rosie's untimely death, I acquired Tabitha, and the rest is history.

 

[eminart]

I'm pretty sure I've told this story here before, but I got my first T sometime around 1987. I was about 11 years old and had always had a fascination with reptiles which I caught regularly back then. When I found a mature B. smithi in a local pet store I had to have it. They were common and cheap in those days. It lived a year or two before dying. I continued to keep reptiles pretty much my whole life, but I didn't have another T until a few years ago. I picked up an Acanthoscurria chacoana from a local pet store. That one matured pretty quickly and died, and I didn't have another until last year when my daughter (9 at the time) and I started looking into them again. We discovered a great local breeder and between the two of us, we currently have 7 and are always looking at more.

So, long story short, B. smithi.