Good starter tarantula

[beakgeek]

OK, my eight year old daughter who I have been working on to get rid of a bug phobia is coming along nicely. She willingly grabs crickets and mealworms to feed our leopard geckos. Today, she came home from summer school and was talking about "The Bug Man" that visited school. He let her hold a mexican red kneed tarantula - something I am amazed that she was willing to do. I'd kiss the guy I ever run into him.

She has an interest in a tarantula as a pet. Of course I assume I will help with the care. She has fish and a leopard gecko that she cares for now so it is not going to be a lose interest deal.

Can anyone recommend a good starter tarantula, and someone who is a GOOD person to purchase one from?

Thanks in advance.

Terry

[rosehaired1979]

Grammostola Aureostriata (Chaco Golden Knee) is a great speices for a 1st tarantula. They are extremely docile and I would choose this spider as a first spider over the Chiliean Rosehaired (Grammostola Rosea). Any Grammostola,Brachy,Avics but I would go to for the Chaco :) Go with Kelly Swift http://www.swiftinverts.com .Southern Spiderworks http://www.southernspiderworks.com , Botarby8s http://www.botarby8s.com These dealers I have dealt with and they are great to deal with :)

[progeckos]

Hi Terry,
You could contact Kelli and ask her. I think she’s sold most of her tarantula collection but it’s worth a shot.

I give kudos to your daughter for holding a tarantula…….. because I couldn’t. :)

[Intense Herpetoculture]

Pink Zebra Beauties are a good starter species.

[robin d.]

yes kelli and justyn from intense herp as well... and i agree with some of the breeders/dealers posted

[KelliH]

The two sweetest (as far as temperament) T's I had in my collection were Grammostola pulchra (Brazilian Black) and Avicularia metallica (Metallic Pink Toe). The G. pulchra is a terrestrial species that requires a moderate humidity level (75-80%). They grow to about a 5-6" legspan and the ones I had were all docile and calm.

A. metallica are an arboreal species. They need a taller enclosure and some cork bark to climb and web on. They need lots of air circulation and a relatively high humidity. All of the Avicularia species I had were sweethearts and I personally liked them the best out of all the tarantulas I ever kept. They are beautiful, fairly large (A. metallica can get up to 5" in legspan. Here's a pic of one of the A. metallica I used to have.

http://gallery.pethobbyist.com/data/7ametallicapostmolt120603-med.jpg

Terry, feel free to email me for more info. Good luck!

[John Apple]

Most grammostola and most of the avicularia's are pretty cool as beginners, let's not forget some of the brachypelma [vagans,smithi ect. ect.]
There are exceptions to the rule as they all can and will bite if they feel threatened , not to mention the urticating hairs.

[KelliH]

John's right, most of the Brachypelma make great pets too. The only one I had that was a really bad hair kicker was the B. boehmei. I had an adult female that would kick hairs if I even looked at her!

My favorite of the Brachys I had was the B. emilia.

[beakgeek]

I was at a IRL race in Milwaukee visiting my brother who works for the marlboro penske team and I got a phone call from my wife..............she bought a chiliean rosehaired while I was gone. It is a beautiful spider. I'll have to take some pictures and post them. My daughter is thrilled. Thanks for all the input.

Terry

[progeckos]

I was at a IRL race in Milwaukee visiting my brother who works for the marlboro penske team…
You lucky duck! Ah, now I see why you like the IRL. LOL.

Congrats on the new spider.

[robin d.]

the avicularia can poo at you quite accuratly from quite a distance i know from experience =(