I need some tarantula information.

Well, I've been wanting to, for lack of a better word, "venture" away from reptiles for a few months now, and I've noticed, I'm basically in love with tarantulas.

Only problem, I know basically NOTHING about them. Thats why I am here.

I trust this community more then google itself, so I'm wanting all the advice and information everybody can give me, because I don't want any tarantulas I might happen to buy just impulse buys. I have a few questions just to get started off.

What specie of tarantula would be a good beginner-type tarantula?

Do all species of tarantulas need the same type of husbandry? Or do some require way more specific husbandry?

Besides eating crickets, do or would they eat anything else?

Can anybody post pictures of some of their set ups?

Would I need to quarantine these like I would my reptiles?

Any information and advice you guys can give me other then what I have questioned above would be greatly appreciated.

In my opinion, a rose hair is a graet beginner spider. That is what I started with to get over my extreme fear of spiders in gerneral. Different types of tarantulas like different types of setups. The rose hairs are more ground-dweiiling, where something like a pink-toe is more apt to nest in a top corner. I always quarantine everything that comes in my house. Better safe than sorry :). most T's eat crickets, although I did once a 2 weeks to a month give mine a pinkie mouse. Now, I just had the rose-hair and the pink-toe, so I'm no spider officionado. Just choose a few T's that you like, do the research on those few. Most are not hard to keep. Good Luck!

The 2 best beginner T's are from the Brachypelma and Grammostola family. Just google those find the ones you like. For my first I would get one that is low humidity and requires little abover room temp

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Originally Posted by LP.

Well, I've been wanting to, for lack of a better word, "venture" away from reptiles for a few months now, and I've noticed, I'm basically in love with tarantulas.

Only problem, I know basically NOTHING about them. Thats why I am here.

I trust this community more then google itself, so I'm wanting all the advice and information everybody can give me, because I don't want any tarantulas I might happen to buy just impulse buys. I have a few questions just to get started off.

What specie of tarantula would be a good beginner-type tarantula? New World Tarantula's
Good Starter Tarantula's
http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=40814
More Beginner Tarantula's
http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=37211
More Starter's
http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=36848

Do all species of tarantulas need the same type of husbandry? Or do some require way more specific husbandry? Certain species need specific husbandry so "No" they do not all require the same husbandry.

Besides eating crickets, do or would they eat anything else? Roaches, Meal worms and super worms come to mind. I feed 99.9% crickets personally.

Can anybody post pictures of some of their set ups? I could post a pic of any of my set ups but it won't really help unless you are getting that tarantula I have in that set up.
Would I need to quarantine these like I would my reptiles? Quarantine is always a good thing if you can do it.

Any information and advice you guys can give me other then what I have questioned above would be greatly appreciated.
Beginner Care Advice:
http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=37599
Don't place cotton or a sponge in the water dish, it breeds bacteria.
Don't use sand, gravel, or bark chips as a substrate. I personally use the coconut fiber (bed-a-beast etc.) as substrate for terrestrials and a mix of coconut fiber and vermiculite for my aboreals.

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