Possible pet tarantula

So I've been heavily considering acquiring a tarantula soon. I've spoken with the family and everyone is on board with it and I've been drowning myself in research. I really like brachypelma albopilosum (Honduran curly hair). IMO they are absolutely beautiful and easy to care for which is a plus. This will just be a display pet and I understand it will be "no touchy" pet as they really don't enjoy being handled. From what I've researched they like to burrow so they need a few inches of substrate, normal room temperature (no supplemental heat required), dry environments, and feeding 1-3 times a week.

If anyone has any experience with tarantulas and/or this species in general and has some extra advise I'd really appreciate it. TIA.

I have 5 now, three Pokies and one B. Smithi (hammori) along with a Aphonopelma seemanni. They’re all super easy to care for. Here’s some of my Ts https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...24ee832cef.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...8dfa00f197.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...f120fa50c4.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...d6dbecc9da.jpg


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That aphonopelma is gorgeous! Very pretty colors

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Originally Posted by Toad37

That aphonopelma is gorgeous! Very pretty colors

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Actually these are two of the Pokies, the blue one is Poecilotheria Metallica and Poecilotheria Ornata , I also have a P. Tigrinawesseli


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Oh I thought it was the blue one. Noob here sorry!!! I haven't dove too deep into other species. My focus has been on beginner species and specifically the curly hair.

Lol it’s all good I’ve been keeping for just over a year, the Pokies are old worlds, so they don’t throw hairs, just have much more potent venom. And I NEVER handle any of my Ts...specially my Ornata Medusa....he’s a nightmare...


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The venom is why I have no desire for an old world. Even tho I never plan on handling even a new world, freak accidents can happen and I'd rather not take a chance. Just want something to look at and admire.

I had a native tarantula on my front porch a week ago...a male, it's the season they travel. I've only kept one before, a harmless CA native (large female) some
years ago for about 6 mos. I only handled her once, briefly...she walked on my hand & it felt like featherweight pipe-cleaners, lol. But when I looked at her fangs
from beneath her (thru a clear plastic container) I lost all desire to continue our "socializing". :D Besides, if you drop them, they often die ("like dropping a stale
jelly donut" I was told...). I had a houseful of snakes & re-homed her to my exotic vet & his grand-kids...they're ok, but I had & still have "enough to do". ;) I'm
quite sure none of them care about handling anyway.

Handling is only for the owner, they benefit nothing, actually stresses them out. It’s why I keep old worlds, absolutely gorgeous colors...horrible venom


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What's the best way to determine a "pre molt" so I'll know when to leave it alone. Like our snakes go into blue. Do tarantulas do something along those lines?

I dunno...it caught me by surprise, actually, so whatever it is, I missed it. Their shed looks like they curled up & died...a little disconcerting until you realize it's only
the shed. :D

I've seen some molts before and they look pretty awesome. Just the leftover shell of what once was.

I have an antille pinktoe, and I decided I probably wouldn't get another tarantula. They're just too fast. Something the size of a half dollar zooming around a million miles per hour is just too stressful for me.

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Originally Posted by wnateg

I have an antille pinktoe, and I decided I probably wouldn't get another tarantula. They're just too fast. Something the size of a half dollar zooming around a million miles per hour is just too stressful for me.

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The female t. I had for a while was quite large...her body was like a black ping-pong ball with legs, & she pretty much tip-toed. Not fast, though I guess she could have
been if she wanted to.

I agree with you about the younger (smaller) ones. I once had a Golden Huntsman spider for a couple years (until she passed of old age) & she "gave me" a few hundred
spiderlings, which I released, LOL! (I offered her a release too but she preferred to stay with "room service".)

I would choose room service as well! I'd like to get a younger one since they're slow growing and love quite a long time it would be cool to watch it grow from a baby to an adult through the years.

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Originally Posted by Toad37

What's the best way to determine a "pre molt" so I'll know when to leave it alone. Like our snakes go into blue. Do tarantulas do something along those lines?

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Kinda, their butts get dark or go bald a lot of the time, they close off their hide entrance and windows that they’ve made.


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B. albopilosum are excellent first tarantulas, I started with one (I have 4 of them now, will be 53 if counting my other tarantulas). One important thing to mention is that there are two variants, which are Nicaraguan and Honduran, also referred to as the hobby form. The Nicaraguan form looks better in my opinion.

B. albopilosum will definitely dig especially as slings. They are more medium growing than slow. Overflowing the water dish periodically will not hurt. It is unnecessary to chase humidity, as the term "humidity" is irrelevant to tarantulas. The moisture in the substrate (or water dish for drier species) is more important than the humidity in the air.

For slings the frequency of feeding is good, although I try to limit it to twice a week. As juvies 1-2 times a week is good, subadults and adults once, maybe twice every other week. B. albopilosum happen to be excellent eaters.

When buying a tarantula, I highly advise buying from a reputable seller online. If you want some ideas, drop me a PM and I'll point you in the direction of some sellers with good reviews.