1st tarantula wanted

[isobel hume]

Hi, im new to this group and i'm looking for advice on buying my first tarantula. I have been doing loads of research on which species is most suitable for the less experienced keeper and how to look after them.
I would like a mexican red knee or chillean rose for my 1st one. Are these a good choice?
Also i would like to know if there are any breeders in the ayrshire area of Scotland as have read pet shops are'nt always the best place to get them. Would prefer a female.
I have always loved spiders(friends think im weird) and now think the time is right for me to finally get my own. ANY advice would be greatly appreciated.
Many thabks.
Isobel

[Michael Peachey]

Hello mate, gota commend you actually. You've come to the best place to ask for advise about getting your first tarantula, when i started i didn't know this site even existed lol.

Both the species you mentioned there are lovely, maybe i can fill you in a little on each of them.

The chili rose is quite widely renound for sometimes being a bit weird. In fact, when spiders go on fasts or do something strange people often describe it as 'being like a chili rose'. So if you decided to go for one of these, bare that in mind. These are generally very docile

The mexican red knee is lovely and this was my first tarantula, and i still love her/him. The only thing with this species is the like to flick hair's, so you just need to be warey of that. They are extreemly docile though and it's very rare to hear bite reports from this species.

There are some others you might like to consider too.

B.boehmi (Mexican fire leg) - These are like your mexican red knee's but the entire leg is a firery orange also another great looking spider. Again like the red knee they flick hairs.

Then there are curly hairs which are very cool spiders too although i dont know as much about these. They're nice looking spiders though, not particuarly colourful but they look cool.

If you feel confident enough to handle some of the harder tarantula's to keep then you could consider a salmon pink, although they can be tempremental in they're personalities and require more humid conditions. Which is a pain because it can cause problems like parasites.

There are lots of other spiders though your best bet is go to the genus forums, and goggle image or just scout through all the pictures. Find one you like the look of and then search 'care sheet for xxxx species'.

I would really ideally go for a female sub adult or adult, if you go for a sling like i did; you will find you wont see them much at all since they'll hide all day.

Your right about the pet shops though, i would certainly avoid them for buying your tarantula's. Many give poor advise and all of them make you pay through the nose with prices that are often twice as much as online or from a breeder.

If you fail to find breeders local to you, a great site you might like to look at is: www.Thespidershop.co.uk
Also take a look at the classfeild section on the site, it has adds for tarantula's for sale and often they're very reasonable in pricing

Hope some of this helps a little to enable you to make a good choice.
mike

[Anita Pile]

Hi Isobel!

One of the best places to visit is thespidershop.co.uk (sorry I'm on a computer at work and can't work out how to do a link!).

Lee has a range of spiders for sale, I've bought a few from him and they're all doing really well. He also has some great starter kits for a very good price and the page also shows you how to set them up which is very handy! You can also buy your crickets on there and if your stuck he can send ones which are suitable for the size of Tarantula you've chosen!

Yes, red knees and Chile roses are lovely, but you may aslo want to consider some of the other sub adults/adults or juveniles he has on there. He works on a star system for ease of keeping, with one star Tarantulas being perfect for beginner keepers. I know most people woud recommend getting a sub adult/adult as a first tarantula, just because they're hardier.

The great thing is you can always give him a ring for advice/his opinion.

I'm sure you'll get lots of people here giving you their ideas of what is an ideal first T, there are more spiders out there that are considered good first Ts than you probably realise!

Happy shopping!

Anita

[Anita Pile]

Hehe, Michael beat me to it while I was typing!

All good advice though, and you also now have a link to the spider shop!

[Michael Peachey]

hehe yea sorry anita, i was editing my post to inclide the link strait after i posted it and yup yup, all good advise.

You'll probably end up with more then one eventually, its been a few months and i have 5 now but even that is considered quite a small collection haha.

Anita, have you seen those New River Rust Rump's on there, they look v nice.

Mike x

[Anita Pile]

Oh yes....gorgeous!

I 've had my eyes open for an A. chalcodes for a while now, and when I saw the Payson Blondes on there I thought to myself that there'd be no harm in having that one as well!

Just need to save, even for the juvs!

You getting one then?!

[isobel hume]

Hi, Ill go have a look. many thanks.

[J M Clegg]

Hi Isobel.

Your doing the right thing by asking the questions BEFORE you buy the spider. I will also echo the advice offered about Lee and the Spidershop. Brilliant service at all times!!

If your looking for something specific then you may find Virgina Cheeseman may have your spiders in stock. Just google her name for the web site. Virginia is not the cheapest supplier on the market but she prides herself of happy healthy insects and spiders. I have visited her at home and also had spiders sent through the post with no complaints.

My personal advice though, if you don't mind the distance is the BTS show in May. You will find what you like and have the advantage of actually seeing it in the flesh before you buy it. You can also usually negotiate prices if your thrifty enough.

Your first spider wont be your last!!!

Jay

[Michael Peachey]

You getting one then?!

I dare say i will be actually, just got a late £30 from my uncle and they look really great.

Mike

[Anita Pile]

I dare say i will be actually, just got a late £30 from my uncle and they look really great.

Mike

Nice! I couldn't think of anything better to spend it on!

Let me know if you do get one, would be great to see some pics, they do look awesome

[Anita Pile]

Hi, Ill go have a look. many thanks.

Cool, enjoy, it's a great site.

You can always ask if you're stuck on anything x

[isobel hume]

Cool, enjoy, it's a great site.

You can always ask if you're stuck on anything x

Hi, prob silly question but how is a spider sent in the post? Wouldn't have thought it would be safe.

[Phil Rea]

Hi, prob silly question but how is a spider sent in the post? Wouldn't have thought it would be safe.

Well packed, and if it's chilly, with an included heatpack

If it's ridiculously cold, then it's better not to send.

Barring royal mail jumping up and down on it, as long as the spider is packaged correctly and delivered fairly promptly, then it's perfectly fine. Spiders are sent this way from Europe and even further afield without problems.

[Phil Rea]

Some instructions here