Thinking about a t...

[Kathy]

I want to get a spider but not sure what kind, what is a good starter spider that isnt going to cost an arm and a leg?

I would also like to get that foamarium stuff but I havent been able to find any info on it.

Would a 10G aquarium be ok for one when its full grown? What about heat, any need for UTH or special lights? Most caresheets I have come across are for all tarantulas, not speciese specific, so I just want to make sure before I get one that I have everything right :)

I guess the best place to get one would be PCPC, anyone have some babies ready for the april 6 show?

[Pixie]

I'm glad to hear you're thinking of getting a tarantula, I think they're great pets. For more information on species specific care sheets see the thread about the mexican red knee/goliath bird eater. Someone (sorry can't remember off the top of my head right not) posted some great links and a list of good beginner tarantulas.

As for the foamarium, you should be able to find them on ebay. Type foamarium in the search engine and you should have a model or two come up. Even if you don't see the model you want, pm the guy and see if he has others, he often does. It's the only way I've found them.

You don't need a UTH for a T but a lamp may help to raise temps depending on the species you choose and it's needs. I like using coconut husk (the expandable bricks) as substrate. After expanding, it's too often too moist to use right away in a tank so I bake it in the oven for 30-60 min. I also like doing this to kill off anything that may be lurking in the substrate. You can adjust the humidity fairly easily with this substrate. I keep both a desert type and a more tropical type of T on this substrate. I leave one pretty much dry except for one corner and the other I spray the substrate daily to keep it humid enough at all times.

Other than that, I usually suggest a sub-adult CB female. Water dish, hides if you don't have a foamarium and decorations. Just keep in mind that tarantulas are even more sensitive to chemicals that snakes or even lizards. Make sure that anything that goes in there dosn't smell, has been cleaned and rinsed very thoroughly.

Pixie

[nouserpif]

Hello... From what I hear, you would LOVE a chilean rose hair...

They can easily stay in a 10g tank, and it would need a heat lamp above the cage, a 60W should be fine, as they like to stay around 75F-85F. You would, of course, need a lid. They only eat a few crickets a week, and you should be able to get a spiderling for about $10, and a juvie/adult for under $25... They are also very neat spiders. Ask OttowaChris for some info...
Dan Conner

[Steve]

OttawaChris sold his last spiderlings to me. I have the 5 that he had for sale. Atleast I don't think or know of any more he has available. If your still thinking on getting one just let me know. They aren't really for sale but I have 5 and you have none...so its always nice to let someone expand there collection, especially when you have extras.
ps. Sorry chris if i spoke on your behalf on if you have more available...i just posted on what I knew.

steve

[BILLP]

My first T was a mexican Blonde (Aphonopelma Chalcodes) they are in the dessert around here and they are very easy to care for and they don't flick hairs or any nasty things like that.

[OttawaChris]

Pretty much any of the brachypelma species are good for starters.

I always reccomend Chilean Rose hairs (Grammastola Rosea) WHen it comes to caring for tarantulas they dont get any easier. They are also nice looking and docile if you want to ever handle a spider.

I would skip on the heat lamp though... tarantulas HATE bright light. They are predominantly nocturnal spending their days hidden away from the hot sun and predators.

Room temp is fine for almost all tarantulas unless you are trying to breed, and they live very well on one or 2 crickets a week with an occasional pinky mouse as a treat.