considering a tarantula, but nervous about urticating hairs......

Hi,
I'm very interested in keeping tarantulas, but I keep hearing all these horror stories about hair flicking. What's the real facts. Is it one of those deals where if you own tarantulas your going to get hair flicked and suffer the consequences, so to speak. I don't plan on handling this tarantula, so I've heard that you shouldn't be too concerned with exposure. Do I need to wear mask, gloves and goggles when cleaning substrate or water? I've also heard that they shed these hairs and that they will be around the enclosure, so you shouldn't put your face to close to the enclosure. Am I over reacting?
What types of Ts are less likely to hair flick?

Thanks so much
Beth

If you're worried about it and don't plan on handling anyway you could stick with old world tarantulas. They don't have urticating hairs but as a general rule carry a more potent venom. The new world tarantulas are the ones with urticating hairs and even those that aren't notorious kickers often coat their retreat in hairs as a form of defense - so expect to come in contact one way or another. I got my first new world, G. rosea, when I was a child and kept various species over the next 20 odd years. The hairs never bothered me much, even if I got caught in a flurry from a pissed off T, until the last couple of years. Sadly, I can't even do general maintenance on new world species anymore without itching and will break out in hives with prolonged exposure.

Most people don't react too poorly to the hairs. Typically minor itching. That said, some have worse reactions including hives (though these usually come once you start scratching), redness and swelling - but this is rare. I've noticed over time that I react less to them now. Some notice a trend the other direction. Certain species are more prone to kicking (Brachypelma auratum, Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens, etc.). As mentioned above old world species eliminate the worry of hairs - but add the worry of temperament.

If you're starting out a number of species are typically calm and reluctant to kick hairs - key word is typically since there can always be an exception.

Rose hair - Grammostola rosea
Pink zebra beauty - Eupalaestrus campestratus
Dwarf copper - Paraphysa scrofa
Chaco golden knee - Grammostola pulchripes
Brazilian black - Grammostola pulchra

Don't get a B. boehmei or B. emilia. Both my girls kick freely haha. The A. geniculata and N. chromatus both have kicked before too.

My B. albopilosum, G. pulchras, G. pulchripes and G. rosea all have never kicked.

If you tell us what you're looking for in a T and what you like, it'd be easier to make a recommendation. :)