Wanting a trantula

[Flirtycuddle]

I am looking at in the future to get a trantula. After i get the set up all ready and such but how hard are they to keep. I have looked online at the basics but I find it better to get first hand information really.

[Shadowspider]

Well first, you have to know what species and size of tarantula you are going to be getting before you get *anything* set up.
In general, tarantula care is pretty easy, BUT, not all tarantula care is the same.
There may be one way to take care of *all* types of hamsters, but that's *not* the case with tarantulas.

[Flirtycuddle]

Was thinking of the Meixcan RedKnee maybe...that seems to the one I like the most out of patterns and colors and such

[Shadowspider]

Ahhh, good spiders, hair kickers, but good spiders.
Their care is quite simple. Peat moss or coconut fiber substrates work great. Don't use potting soil unless you mix it 50/50 with peat and *if* you do opt for soil do NOT go dig up dirt out of your yard. Get the cheap-o stuff from the garden store but make sure it does NOT have *any* fertilizers, insecticides or other chemicals in it.
Do NOT use *any* wood chip type substrates, especially cedar, pine or other sap woods.

You'll want an appropriate sized hide for the spider; a half log works good. You'll also want a water dish, depending on the size of the spider. It's best to not use live plants in a tarantula's container. If you want some decoration, use artificial plants/vines/leaves etc. Do NOT provide any climbing apparatus for the spider. Even though all spiders can and do climb, Brachypelma smithi (Mexican Red Knee) are not arboreal and are clumsy.
If you do decide to put deco. in the container, keep it to a minimum, preferably around the hide area.
You'll want a secure container with a tight fitting lid. Like snakes, tarantulas are extremely strong and master escape artists.
The size of your container will depend on the size of the spider.
The general rule of thumb is to have your container twice the spider's length and three times its width.
Length and width are measured by the tip of leg one (not the pedipalp) to the tip of leg four for length and from the tip of leg 2 or 3 across to the other side. Length and width are *not* measured according to just the body.
For a terrestrial tarantula such a B. smithi, you'll want more floor space than height.
Choose your spider *first* then get your container. There *is* such a thing as too big and too small of a container.

To give you an idea:
Let's say you're going to get a 4 inch smithi (that would be a mature adult). You'll want to get a container that is equivalent to a 5 gallon tank or large kritter keeper. If you happen to have a 10 gallon tank lying around somewhere, you can use that, but nothing larger than that and make sure you have a secure, tight fitting (or locking) heavy gauge metal screen top lid.
You DO NOT need heat mats and whatnot. Since your profile says you live in AZ, you will not need to provide any additional heat source for the spider. Do not get lights for it either, that will only cook the spider and encourage it to *never* come out of its hide.
You will want to put about 5 inches of substrate in the container (remember, we're talking about a 4 inch spider). You want your substrate to be about one inch per inch of the spider for terrestrials. You'll want a wide, shallow water dish that is about as wide in diameter as the spider is when it's sitting and no more than 2 inches deep. Do NOT put a sponge in it and do NOT use those cricket water crystals as water.... no matter what the pet store employee or any other "expert" might try and tell/sell you. Use plain ole' water unless you have very hard water, then use filtered water. Do NOT use softened water... too much salt.
You do *not* need to humidify a B. smithi. If your home gets real dry, we're talking below 40%, you can very lightly mist the container (not the spider) once every week or two, but don't soak the substrate.

So, you have your 5" of substrate in, you have your water dish in there, put your hide on the opposite end of the container and any deco you might want to add around but not in front of the hide. Do not use ceramic, metal or hard wood decorations and do not put rocks in the container unless they are smooth rocks that are sunk into the substrate. Tarantulas are very fragile and can puncture their abdomens easily and bleed to death because tarantulas' blood does not clot.
Once you have everything in the container that you want in there, fill the water dish, then put the spider in the container.
Some people feed right away, others don't. I prefer to give the spider a day or two to settle in and relax before I bombard them with food.
Expect the spider to climb all over the place for a while and even to hang on the lid.... that's normal behavior. Once it settles in, it will stop climbing around so much. The climbing is just the spider checking out its new home.
Oh, the hide... it should be about twice the width of the spider and two to three times its height so it can easily turn around in the hide and stand full up to eat.

I'm sure I'm forgetting something.....
I do have a General Tarantula Care sheet around here somewhere. I'll dig it up and post a link to it for you. But be prepared, it's a heck of a lot longer than this post.
However, if you read through all of it, you'll learn a great deal.

[Shadowspider]

Here ya go.
General Tarantula Care/What to know before you buy

[Flirtycuddle]

I just called the guy selling the red knees that seemed to know alot about snakes. He told me to not get the red hair cuz they are to much for a first time keeper but ot get a rose hair. I like the red hair and that is what I want(im stuborn I guess) but if I'm making the commitment to get a pet I'm gonna like it lol. They seem pretty easy to keep and set up and I'm in NV now but basicly the same enviroment as AZ has. Do i need to use the Vermacutlite stuff or just cheap potting soil(i'd never get it from outside no matter what it is lol)? Thanx for taking the time to inform me.

[Shadowspider]

You mean he told you that red knees were too much for a first time keeper? Bull snot!
Actually red knees tend to be easier than rose hair because rose hairs need to be taken to a psychologist on a monthly basis just so their keeper can figure out why the heck they won't eat, are moody all the time and seem to have a crazy look in their eyes every evening at 7:15.
Granted, red knees are more expensive to purchase than a rose hair, but then again, rose hairs are soooo common they are cheap as dirt and a lot of "sellers" can't hardly even give them away. Maybe that's why he suggested a rose hair??
As far as substrate, if the potting soil does not have vermiculite already in it, add a little bit to it to help keep it more lose so it doesn't end up packing down hard as a rock.
Myself, I prefer to use 100% sphagnum peat moss because it's cheap, light, does not pack down hard over time (especially since total container cleaning and re-set up need only be done once a year under normal circumstances) and has a good PH balance that helps to retard the growth of mold whereas potting soil can mold up pretty quick.
Yep, NV and AZ are pretty much the same when it comes to temps and such.

[Flirtycuddle]

Well yesterday we went to his shop and sure enough he had the mexican red knee on sale! I was like ok it's mine. It is now happy in its new home with me lol. I have it in a critter keeper for now with the wood shavings they had it on till I get to the store to get the other potting soil. It is maybe an inch wide so still a itty baby. It is docile to as he took it out at his shop to show me. It has already eaten some crickets but going to get it the meal worms to.

[Shadowspider]

Kritter keeper+wood shavings+1 inch spider=very bad thing!!!!!!

If the spider is that small, you need to put it in a different container. Even the smallest KK has vent holes large enough for it to squeeze through.

Wood shavings... that says a lot about how much the person you got it from actually knows about proper tarantula care.....IE, not much.
I hope you're going to the store within the next day or two to change that out and make sure to pick up a smaller container.
Granted, you won't need more than a handful or two of substrate.

[Flirtycuddle]

I messed up on his size. It's a little bit bigger and already made suer it was to big to get through the holes in the KK. I changed out his bedding to the soil already since I knew there was no way that was good for him (did the next morning first thing). By the way what kind of hide should I use? I have a box in there for now sicne everything I have found is to rough for it or sharp. It is prolly 2in or so diagnal.