How to choose your first spider.

[andur]

laughed when read ur second thread, read my post you will know why! ive kept many spiders . and never had one do this so do not trust it,really not worth the pain

[PSYCHOSIS]

He He iv been colecting T,s for a long time

[will306]

Hi, Ive been reading these posts for the last few hours and thought I would join.
My sister bought for me a chilli rose (G.Rosea?) as a very unexpected xmas prezzie complete with plastic vivarium and heat mat which I have sellotaped to the side wall.
I was a bit shocked as I hadnt mentioned before that I wanted one. Im told its a she. Ive called her Florence anyway and she is doing fine.
I dont think that she is fully grown yet, she's about the size of my palm.
She shed her skin a week ago today (Tuesday) and I am off to the pet store tomorrow for some more crickets as she didnt eat for 9 days prior to the moult and I have given her a week to recover. I will ask the pet shop for feeding advice while I am there.
Funnily enough she is now part of the family. I am not going to pick her up though but I dont mind just looking.
While at the pet shop tommorow, I am going to be very tempted to buy a Mexican redknee which according to the shops website they have in stock at 49.99. From internet pics including the ones in this forum they are bloody beautiful!
The shop also has Salmon pink tarantulas which I like the look of but for now I will more than settle for a redknee.

[Incubuss]

Originally Posted by andur

laughed when read ur second thread, read my post you will know why! ive kept many spiders . and never had one do this so do not trust it,really not worth the pain

Give me a clue?

[will306]

To add to my post yesterday, I bought a redknee, the only one in the shop for 40 pounds. Its a small little bugger, about as big as a huge house spider but so beautifully formed. More of an orange knee. Being a young spider I have no idea if it is male or female. I bought for it a complete set up as well as tiny crickets for food. Pet shop guy says it is due a feed tomorrow.
When I got home I made its new home (despite the sex unknown I have called it Abigail) And carefully nudged it out of its plastic carton into its new home. I watched it for 10 mins or so while it didnt move a muscle. I went and had a cuppa and then returned to find Abigail had removed herself to the artificial rock cave.
A couple of hours later and she has completely blocked up the entrance with substrate, with her on the inside.
See you in a couple of years then!

[ph0bia]

Originally Posted by Incubuss

]Their venom is not medically significant,

A few are. Pterinochilus murinus, Heteroscodra maculata, most Poecilotheria... and a few more, are considered to have medically significant venom. It's not fatal, but it does pack a punch and can get net you some real issues if not treated.

Originally Posted by mike mc

i got an p.regalis as my second t and give it the respect it deserves and dont mess with it and it wont mess with you.its common sense really ie dont put your hands in the enclosure,maintenance should be done with forceps etc.follow the correct procedures when rehousing and you wont go far wrong.

It's a similar thing with P.murinus and H.maculata, Poecilotheria get demonized. As long as you don't swipe your hands for the tarantula or give it reason to attack, no issue. Plenty of people handle their pokies, though it's not recommended.

Originally Posted by SiUK

old world taratulas ie baboons and colbalt blues tend to have more potent venom but they wouldnt cause a medica emergency, well unless you were severly allergic, but the same could happen from a bee sting.

Personally I think the only experience that will suffice is keeping an aggressive tarantula, keeping a chilean rose will not prepare you for a pokie, as long as you are careful then theres no reason IMO why you shouldnt keep a more aggressive spider, without silly risks you wont get bitten. I will probably get some stick off certain people but thats the way I see it.

In a sense I agree, but then again, my first spider was an adult baboon, a Pterinochilus chordatus. Medically significant venom and can be very defensive. She's well behaved though, if I'm doing work in her enclosure she'll often come to investigate. If she doesn't like it, she'll slap my hand with her front legs then threat display for a good while before she'll consider lunging.

My girlfriends first was an Heteroscodra maculata, an arboreal renowned for being nervous, very fast, medically significant venom and known to bite repeatedly. We never had a problem, though every spider is, of course, different.

The ramp I recommend is to start with a G.rosea or a more docile Brachypelma, then try an arboreal like A.avicularia or a more agressive spider like P.murinus. Go with what you're comfortable with. Frankly, I've handled my little P.murinus no issue, most spiders are only defensive if they feel they're under attack or their burrow is under threat.

Keep that in mind and you're fine.

[CTI_Perrin]

This is a great thread! glad it's been stickied! Very informative....wish I was allowed to own a T

[Incubuss]

Originally Posted by ph0bia

A few are. Pterinochilus murinus, Heteroscodra maculata, most Poecilotheria... and a few more, are considered to have medically significant venom. It's not fatal, but it does pack a punch and can get net you some real issues if not treated.



It's a similar thing with P.murinus and H.maculata, Poecilotheria get demonized. As long as you don't swipe your hands for the tarantula or give it reason to attack, no issue. Plenty of people handle their pokies, though it's not recommended.



In a sense I agree, but then again, my first spider was an adult baboon, a Pterinochilus chordatus. Medically significant venom and can be very defensive. She's well behaved though, if I'm doing work in her enclosure she'll often come to investigate. If she doesn't like it, she'll slap my hand with her front legs then threat display for a good while before she'll consider lunging.

My girlfriends first was an Heteroscodra maculata, an arboreal renowned for being nervous, very fast, medically significant venom and known to bite repeatedly. We never had a problem, though every spider is, of course, different.

The ramp I recommend is to start with a G.rosea or a more docile Brachypelma, then try an arboreal like A.avicularia or a more agressive spider like P.murinus. Go with what you're comfortable with. Frankly, I've handled my little P.murinus no issue, most spiders are only defensive if they feel they're under attack or their burrow is under threat.

Keep that in mind and you're fine.

I am going to say this again! NO T HAS MEDICALLY SIGNIFICANT VENOM! If they did, then they would be on the DWA list wouldn't they?

If you believe different, then please start your own thread on it, and stop clogging up one that is meant to help new keepers. And please stop mentioning that it is ok to handle aggressive spiders as this thread is for NEW KEEPERS!

[selina20]

Originally Posted by Incubuss

I am going to say this again! NO T HAS MEDICALLY SIGNIFICANT VENOM! If they did, then they would be on the DWA list wouldn't they?

If you believe different, then please start your own thread on it, and stop clogging up one that is meant to help new keepers. And please stop mentioning that it is ok to handle aggressive spiders as this thread is for NEW KEEPERS!

:notwo rthy:

[gazganoo]

Hi, ime new to the world of spiders and i have a P, Regalis AF, if you do your homework and research the species you want FIRST, then i think any hobby spider is ok, just be aware of what you are buying !, my first spider was a G.concepcion, i got her to see if i was confident with keeping spiders, G,s are a good starter spider they dont flick ,well my girl dosent, not to fast moving but i find they are picky eaters, i have 3 G,s , 2 are picky eaters, if you like a certain species research it if your happy with the conditions it needs then go for it, no good buying a spider you dont really want , big smile, gazganoo.