Tarantulas are among the most common cold-blooded pets worldwide. These arachnids are fascinating to watch and, for the most part, not hard to house. But, with so many species, you may be wondering what the best tarantulas for beginners are, and we’re here to tell you!
If you’ve never had a tarantula before, you need one that is docile and doesn’t require too many special cares. Thus, the Chilean Rose Tarantula, which rarely ever bites while you handle it, is a great choice. Other good options for beginners are the enduring Pink-Toed and Curly-Haired tarantulas.
But what else makes this species ideal for beginners? Read on to find out! We’ll also be discussing other tarantulas that you could try to keep as pets.
The 3 Best Tarantula Species for Beginners
1. Chilean Rose Tarantula
The Chilean Rose or Chile Rose is one of the most popular pet tarantula species in the world. As its name suggests, this tarantula comes from Chile, but you can also find them in Argentina and Bolivia. The scientific name for these arachnids is Grammostola rosea, and they are around 3.5in big as adults.
There are many reasons why the Chilean Rose is one of the best tarantula species for beginners.
For starters, these tarantulas are docile enough to handle. In reality, reports of Chile Rose attacks are not that frequent. These pets will walk slow on your hand(s), and as long as you don’t scare them by making sudden movements, they’ll be fine.
Their beautiful colors add to the popularity of pet Chilean Rose Tarantulas. The most common Chile Rose comes in brown with shades of pink and purple. But there are also more showstopping variations with flame-red hairs.
The fact that Chile Rose Tarantulas are so easy to keep is another reason to give them the number one spot on this list. To house one of these spiders, you’ll need:
- A 10-gallon plastic or glass tank with a close-fitting lid, so the air can circulate, but the pet can’t escape. These species are from desertic areas, so you’ll need to keep humidity under 55%. That said, the temperature inside the enclosure must be warm, if possible, around 73ºF (23ºC).
- Decorating items like cork barks that allow the tarantula to hide during the day. These arachnids are, for the most part, nocturnal and appreciate hiding spots.
- A moisture-retaining substrate at the bottom of the tank. Since Rose Hair tarantulas tend to burrow, adding a layer of 2-3in of the substrate is better.
- Live, gut-loaded insects such as crickets for the tarantula to eat. You have to feed an adult tarantula once or twice a week, but a baby spider needs to eat every night. Likewise, dust the insects with calcium supplements to promote your pet’s health.
- A shallow water dish. Though tarantulas get a lot of moisture from prey and the environment, they still drink water. You’ll need to change the water every day and make sure the dish isn’t deep because the tarantula could drown.
These tarantulas can thrive in captivity if you provide enough food and look after them. A Chilean Rose Tarantula can even stay with you for 20 years! So, if you’re looking for a lifelong companion pet, these arachnids are perfect for you.
2. Pink-Toed Tarantula
Pink-Toed Tarantulas get their name because of the pinkish shade at the end of their legs. That said, this arachnid’s scientific name is Avicularia versicolor. These tarantulas are also known as Antilles tree spiders because they tend to live high up in trees.
Pink-Toed Tarantulas are around the same size as a Chilean Rose as adults (3.5. inches). Females are bigger than males and have an average lifespan of 10 years. So, it is safe to say that having a pet Pink-Toed Tarantula is a long-term commitment!
A majority of these tarantulas are in South America, where you can spot their intricate webs. But your chances of seeing them in the wild if you’re not a tree climber are low.
When it comes to their temperament, Pink-Toed Tarantulas are also docile. Yet, if you’re looking for an active pet, you could find them more boring than Chile Rose Tarantulas.
Pink-Toed Tarantulas spend a lot of time still on their web. So, you will likely only see them move when it’s feeding time.
But, when these tarantulas do move, you may find their fast-speed walks shocking. Thus, although you can handle a Pink-Toed Tarantula, you need to be careful. One of these arachnids can climb your arms in the blink of an eye, and you could end up losing it.
So please, try to remain calm when pet a Pink-Toed Tarantula. These species are also very unlikely to bite humans since they’d instead run away. To spiders, we are big predators they’d only face if it’s 100% necessary.
Now that we’ve covered the basics of Pink-Toed Tarantulas, it’s time to discuss what you’ll need to keep one as a pet:
- Pink-Toed Tarantulas create their webs in high places. Thus, they need more vertical space than floor space. Buying a 10-gallon tank with a side opening is ideal for these species.
- 2 or 3 inches of a substrate to allow the tarantula to move around the very few times it visits the ground. Pesticide-free soil or peat moss will do wonders for the enclosure.
- Decoration items like leaves and live plants that the tarantula will also use to climb or hide.
- While these tarantulas can tolerate a lot of temperatures, it’s better if the tank’s around 78 and 82ºF. To provide these conditions, you can add heating pads under the tank.
- A high level of humidity. You can achieve this requirement by misting the tank every other day. Live plants will also help, but make an effort to measure humidity often with a hygrometer.
- Live prey. Place two crickets at the bottom of the container twice a week to please the tarantula’s appetite. If, after 24 hours, the “food” is still alive in the tank, remove it to avoid the insect nibbling on the spider and hurting it.
- As with all tarantulas, you must provide a shallow water dish. This plate should not be deeper than an inch!
3. Curly-Haired Tarantula
Curly-Haired Tarantulas are one of the most common pet tarantula species. While these fellas aren’t the most impressive look-wise, they’re among the friendliest.
These tarantulas come with frizzy, hairy legs that make them adorable! The hairs are a mixture of black and shiny gold.
The Curly-Haired Tarantula’s natural habitat is in Central America. There, you’ll find them moving on ground level or burrowing. These arachnids can almost reach 6 inches in size, so, trust us, you’ll see them!
But what do you need to keep a Curly-Haired Tarantula as a pet? We’re glad you asked!
- You’ll need a 10-gallon plastic or glass container. But, unlike Pink-Toed Tarantulas, a Curly-Haired Tarantula needs more floor than vertical space. This type of tank is enclosure is more than enough to house one Curly-Haired Tarantula. Also, you shouldn’t put several of these species together; they tend to be territorial.
- You must provide a layer of around three inches of potting soil or another type of substrate. The tarantula will rely on the substrate to walk around the tank and burrow.
- You need to make sure that the temperature in the tank does not exceed 85ºF. The heat can’t be under 75ºF either. Thus, it would help if you measure the temperature often. Depending on where you live, you may have to get heating pads as well.
- Keep the humidity level in the tank between 65 and 70% by misting the container weekly. Live plants and a shallow water dish also help to raise humidity if necessary.
- The ideal diet of your pet Curly-Haired tarantula consists of live, gut-loaded insects. You can buy crickets at any pet store and dust them with calcium supplements. You can also offer the tarantula other prey types, as long as they’re not too big.
If you take proper care of a Curly-Haired Tarantula, it could stay with you for over 15 years!
