Knowing how to choose the right tarantula is an incredibly important topic because even if you’ve done all the research in the world to prepare for your pet, getting the wrong spider in the first place can severely impact how long you will last in the tarantula keeping hobby – and it could be the difference between life and death for your spider.

Making beginner mistakes is sometimes inevitable anytime you are learning a new skill, but I’ll tell you some of the key things I learned when I got my first tarantula, Spidey. First, where you get your tarantula matters nearly just as much as what tarantula you decide to get. Many first timers choose local pet shops because they’re convenient and cheap, but the staff at these places will probably give you bad information and sell you products that you either don’t need, or might be harmful to your tarantula (NO heat lamps, lights, or sponges!). It’s much better to buy online from a reputable tarantula breeder – I have a list of several here.

The next thing you want to think about in choosing your first tarantula is what your expectations are about having this pet. Tarantulas aren’t cuddly like cats and dogs, and being handled too much stresses them out a lot. Tarantulas are happiest when you operate on a “look but don’t touch” basis with them, so make sure this aligns with what you want in a pet.

If you still believe a tarantula should be in your future, here are some things you need to consider in learning how to choose the right tarantula:

• Species of tarantula
• Type of tarantula
• Sex of tarantula

Watch the video for an explanation, or continue reading below:

Species of tarantula

There are a few species of tarantulas that are recommended for beginners due to their docile and hardy reputations. These are typically Avicularia avicularia (pink toe), Brachypelma smithi (mexican red knee), Brachypelma albopilosum (curly hair), and sometimes Grammostola rosea (chilean rose hair). Chilean rose hairs are sometimes cautioned against due to the random fasting periods they go through and their touchy temperaments, but I have had a great experience with my tarantula Spidey. She definitely does refuse food a lot, which was stressful at first, but she has been very docile.

Type of tarantula

The next thing to think about is whether you want a ground-dwelling tarantula (terrestrial) or tree-dwelling tarantula (arboreal). Terrestrial tarantulas are more recommended for beginners because they are a bit easier to manage. They tend to be slower and have easier enclosure setups than arboreals. Arboreal tend to be more active as they love to climb, and many are quite fast. A beginner getting a skittish arboreal may have the unpleasant experience of chasing down a runaway spider on their first day!

Sex of tarantula

Many beginners don’t think about this, but the sex of the tarantula is very important. Males live significantly shorter lives than females. While males only live about 3-5 years, dying not too long after reaching sexual maturity, females can live up to a few decades. For this reason, females are more expensive thanks to their high demand for breeding and longer lifespan.

It’s always good to do your research before welcoming a living creature into your care. I hope these tips have been helpful and have given you a few good tips on how to choose the right tarantula to welcome into your home! If you’d like to know a few more critical things about tarantulas (such as illness prevention and care tips), you can find all that info (and way more) in my tarantula guide!

Also, if you are having an issue with your tarantula, feel free to shoot me a message – patti (at) beutifulmagazine.com! You can also go on great forums such as Arachnoboards and TarantulaForum for advice from other experts.

And if you’d like more free spider tips, sign up for my weekly tarantula newsletter or subscribe to my tarantula YouTube channel!

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