tarantula notes:

most likely going to go with brachypelma albopilosum!

tank measurements:
20 1/8 length x 10 1/8 width x 12 height
(most people will refer to species by scientific names, this is because there is over 900 different species! one common name can cover multiple species so latin names are a must)
scientific genera that are good for beginners:

	•	Aphonopelma
	•	Grammostola
	•	Brachypelma
(possibly avicularia if i want arboreal, but they are usually faster and less hardy, should probably stick with the first 3)
	•	out of any of those three genus, any species should be ok
	•	could get a sling, juvenile, or mature, probably going to go with mature as a starter
	•	get a female for a longer life expectancy

Enclosure:
	•	need holes, have to make sure they allow air to flow through (ex: holes on top and holes on front
	•	have to be careful with humidity, recommended to always have a full water bowl at all times
	•	once or twice per month, moist once corner of the enclosure and let it dry out completely
	•	once it has dried out completely do the other corner and circle
	•	no sponge in the water dish, never
	•	temperature: if i’m comfortable, tarantula is, however, it should usually be around (68-77°F)
	•	temperature will drop at night, it’s ok
	•	never use a heatmat or heat rock directly on the enclosure forget about it
	•	when building enclosures, have fun with it! diy is fun
Tools:
	•	dremel tool, hot glue gun, silicon gun (safe silicon must be used, look for silicon for aquariums, should be fungusite free) need tweezers!!! 10” should do! brush is useful for seeing tarantulas reaction or getting to to move. straws are good for re-housing, strong enough to push tarantula but won’t hurt it. small wooden stick for poking stuff (lol) cup is good for getting it to re-house, has to have a lid and has to have holes drilled in bottom
Feeding:
	•	feed generally once per week, slings twice per week
	•	crickets or mealworms
	•	tarantula may refuse to eat, if so after a few minutes of not eating, just remove prey item from enclosure
	•	refusing food might mean pre-molt
Molting:
	•	some species could be noticeably darker, some may have abdomen that is black inside (clear indicator)
	•	first tarantula will make a silk net, then it will turn on its back, could take hours for it to pull itself out
	•	leave it alone! let it molt
	•	some may bury or close off their hide, doesn’t exclusively mean pre-molt but could
	•	if it’s molting, no need to hydrate it, a well hydrated tarantula should molt no issue
	•	after molt, exoskeleton will be very very soft
	•	they will act sluggish and will need 1-2 weeks to return to normal
	•	do not feed after molt until acting normally, usually wait a week for slings, two weeks for adult
Handling:
	•	never handle a tarantula just for sake of handling tarantula. they do not like it. do not do it especially!!! with old worlds
Behavior Quirks
	•	what if tarantula buries itself and closes burrow off? just leave it alone, keep track of water dish
	•	possible for tarantula to lose a leg, just for whatever reason. next molt, it will have leg back, don’t stress. just be aware. same thing goes for pedipalps or fangs
	•	most new worlds (all beginner new worlds listed above) will have hairs on abdomen that they can flick off at you. they will penetrate the skin. just be careful
Common Mistakes
	•	Putting a sponge in your water dish- just unadvisable, don’t do it :/
	•	over obsessive about humidity and spraying tarantula enclose every day
	•	don’t need a heat source, if you’re comfortable your tarantula is
	•	keep enclosure out of direct sunlight
	•	not providing ample ventilation - best type of ventilation is cross ventilation
	•	don’t use mesh lids, pull the mesh out and retrofit it with plexiglass
	•	improper amount or wrong type of substrate
	•	over feeding
	•	do not feed it while in pre molt, also remove uneaten prey
	•	don’t interfere with a molt in progress

Misc info:
	•	when people are selling, usually you will see weird numbers next to name                 (ex: 1.1 Brachypelma) first # is how many males, second is females, third is slings