New Here

[Glenn Jobling]

I Have Been Thinking Of Getting A Tarantula But I Like To do My Research Before I Start Thinking Of Getting A New Pet As A First Buyer Of A Tarantula I Would Like Some Help In Picking One Out I Have Heard That Chilean Rose Tarantulas Are Great For A Beginner I Have Heard That They Are Usually Docile And Calm.So Any Info Will Be Great Thank You.

[Peter Lacey]

Welcome to the forum Glenn

G. rosea are a very common choice as first T because of they're undemanding, docile and require the simplest of set-ups. They're also rather easy to get hold of online and in pet shops. As your first I'd suggest you get the set-up first and rearrange it til you're satisfied.
There's a good guide to beginner/intermediate/advanced species here:

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/the.tarantula.store/care-species.htm

and some good info on keeping them here:

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/the.tarantula.store/T-care.htm

I'm sure you'll get many other replies with good recommendations.
Enjoy

[garywright]

New here too

I am aslo looking to get my first tarantula.The problem I have is I don't know who is good online to get one from.

Do any of the members on here have any sub adults for sale? Or what online shops are good?

Hope someone can help

Gary

[Lisa Baines]

Firstly welcome to the forum

G.Rosea's are great. So easy to care for and a lovely tarantula, nice size and temperament. And as Peter said very undemanding

However they do go off their food for no real reason, which can be worrying, but it's just normal rosea behaviour.
We have been waiting for our to shed since May but she's holding out on us! She went off her food for ages and just when we thought she was about to shed... she starts eating again.

However, be careful.... once you start your collection may grow pretty quickly. A little over two years ago I bought our Matt a rosea, two weeks later we had an avic... now we have 50+ tarantula's n scorpions

[Peter Lacey]

I have a number of species available for sale, some curly hairs which would make ideal starters and many more. Give me a pm and I'll try to compose a list tomorrow night.

[Phil Rea]

Nice to hear you're doing the research first Glen, and welcome to the forum

The Spider Shop is a reliable on-line seller, as are the vast majority of private sellers out there

[Glenn Jobling]

Thank You All For Your Reply's And Links.

[Michael Peachey]

Welcome Glenn, i'm probably just echo'ing on what everyone else is saying but there a few that are great beginers in my opinion. Chilian Rose of course, curly hair, mexican red knee, mexican red leg (and many of the B. genus)
I would go for a sub adult female, you can be sure this way of a hardy and visual tranantula with a good life still ahead.

My advise to you, also being as a started novice, is get your tranantula from a breeder and dont pay through the nose like i did for my red knee. You'll find the price differences quite massive, from paying perhaps £35 quid in a shop for a sub adult to getting exactly the same for £15 on here ...maybe less.
Plenty of them for sale on here, and i dare say some lovely spiders on spidershop.

If you happen to be from the kent area and willing to wait a month before investing in your first 8 legged friend, pop along to the invictar tranantula club. If i had known about it earlier i certainly would have waited my time to see what was about first, this way you pick a species you like the look of

Lisa is certainly right as well with the collection growth theory, 1 month and a bit ago i had 1 tranantula...now i have 5 lol.

Mike

[Jane Mitchell]

Hi Glenn,

Please, please take the advice of the experts. We did our research AFTER we bought our T and we were totally ripped off! We bought ours from a pet shop which allegedly specialised in reptiles and spiders. We were sold a pink toe tarantula (already we should have seen the warning signs because there was no other information than that) and I'm ashamed to say that we paid £50 for it!

After joining the forum and asking the advice of the guys here, we were surprised to find that we actually had bought a Salmon Pink Birdeater (L. Parahybana) He's probably not the best T for a total beginner and he's going to grow into a whopper! We had also paid probably twice as much as we should have.

We have absolutely no regrets with our purchase and we love our T to bits. We've only had him 3 months and already had the pleasure of seeing him moult and grow into a 6" grumpy, insatiable monster. Lord only knows how big he'll end up but I know for a fact that when he outgrows his tank, we'll be asking advice before we fill it again and maybe go for something a little more suitable.

[James Box]

just since it's on my mind after posting in your other thread, i don't believe in the concept of "beginner's" spiders (ie the idea that some species of spiders are always better than others to start with), for the record, but i love this species!
as for temperament, you may NOT get a docile one! i have heard of some that put Haplopelma lividum (legendary grumpy spiders!) to shame. also, docile spiders in my experience always want to go for a walk, so if you take the lid off, keep an eye on it!
also be aware most new world species kick or just drop urticating hairs and you may be sensitive, like me, so be prepared for that!
all in all, an easy spider to look after, needs barely any attention, but will fast on occasion, sometimes for months. slow to grow and moult too, but so worth it!

[Matthew Baines]

slow to grow and moult too

Your telling me !!! I been waiting for my adult Chile Rose to moult since may and finally she has thrown herself onto her back this morning and started to moult .

[James Box]

lol yeah mine were looking tatty big time for ages before finally moulting! but i was astounded, and they still look good now

[Matthew Baines]

She's out now in one piece and the exuvium is totally intact too.

[James Box]

guess that "she" is confirmed now, eh?
nice one! bet she's stunning