Keeping Tarantulas as A Novice: 5 Types You Must Know
My first reptile show has passed a few years since I attended it, but I will never forget it. At that time, I only had one snake, and I was interested in checking out the place to see if I could buy Dahlia some frozen mice. I didn’t want to get any more animals.
We had three dogs, four cats, and a snake already. I was good. My first instinct was to buy everything. When I started looking around, I wanted to buy everything. I eventually found a booth with small plastic containers. I went to check them out even though they didn’t look like they had anything in them.
The woman at the booth smiled at me and said she would be happy to answer any questions I had. I was thinking about many things, but the one that stood out the most was, Which of these is best for beginners? I was interested. So many colors and sizes were available that it was hard to know where to start.
Even now, I still remember what she told me, and I want to be able to tell you about it. To make your life easier, I list their personalities, lifespans, sizes, and where they come from. People who are just starting out with tarantulas should consider these five breeds.
Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula
The Chilean rose tarantula is also called a rose hair tarantula or a Chilean fire tarantula. It lives in scrublands and deserts in South America. They eat worms, bugs, small lizards, and sometimes even small mammals. When it is fully grown, it is usually between 3 and 4 inches long.
You can find them in many pet stores and among people with hobbies. In captivity, females can live for up to 20 years, while males usually die a few months after mating. Chilean rose tarantulas are known for being calm and submissive, but if you handle them too often, they might get fussy or even aggressive.
They can raise their front legs to warn you that they might bite. If they feel threatened, they may also shoot out hairs that look like spines and have a mild poison. These are also known as hairs that itch. As a result, you might get an itchy rash.
Brazilian Black Tarantula
People say that the Brazilian black tarantula is one of the best options for beginners. Most tarantulas shouldn’t be held too often, but the Brazilian black is more tolerant than most. They are not easy to scare or startle. Like most, if they get angry, they will let out their itchy hairs, which can irritate the skin and eyes of humans.
They come from the grasslands of Uruguay and Brazil and are not picky about where they live. They choose anything, from a dark log to a den that has been left empty. The Brazilian black tarantula is 6 to 8 inches long and is a medium-sized spider. On average, women live about 20 years, while men only live about 6–8 years.
Mexican Red-Knee Tarantula
The Mexican red knee comes from Mexico, which lives in deserts, dry forests, and tropical forests. They have a brown base color and a red-orange spot in the middle of their 5-inch-long legs. Most of the time, women live about 30 years longer than men. Men only live about 10 years.
The Mexican red knee is one of the tamest tarantula species and doesn’t need much care. They are not easy to scare, but they can still bite. Even though they are poisonous, the poison is not deadly and is about the same as a bee sting.
Pumpkin Patch Tarantula
The pumpkin patch tarantula is a very popular species of tarantula because of its black and orange colors and unique pattern. When you look for this spider, you will see that it comes in two different shapes. The Klein, the smaller form, is one of these forms. Most of the time, this shape doesn’t get bigger than 2.5 inches.
The Groot is the bigger of the two. Most of the time, these grow to be about 3–4 inches long. Males only live about 3–4 years, while females live about 8–10 years. The pumpkin patch tarantula comes from parts of Colombia with mild weather. The weather changes depending on your height, but it is usually warm and humid.
Antilles Pinktoe Tarantula
The Antilles pink toe tarantula is full of beautiful metallic pink, blue, and green. As young fish, they are usually a steel blue color. They came from Martinique, which is off the coast of South America. At night, you can find them in the trees, high up in their webs, looking for food. Even though Antille’s pink toes are quick and agile, you shouldn’t handle them too often because they can leap and jump a long way.
These spiders are about 5 to 6 inches long on average as adults. Males only live for about two to three years, while females can live for 12 to 13 years. They eat the same things as most tarantulas: roaches, super worms, and crickets. They’re harder to find and buy than pets. Because of this, you will have to spend a bit more money.