Uncle Charlie wrote: ... Now just waiting for Uncle Stan with his legendary intros!...
Hold onto something sturdy! Here goes!
Purple Virgo Vixen wrote: ... I am new, ...
BINGO! YOU SAID THE MAGIC WORDS!
To make sure that you're starting out on the right foot and have been introduced to all the basic issues, I'm going to begin with my soon-to-be-world-notorious
NEWBIE INTRODUCTION. If I'm mistaken, I apologize. But, even if you aren't a newbie I suggest that you read through it for review. (I just
LUVS doing this!)
Please stand by while I load the canned message.
HEY PEOPLE! WE'VE GOT ANOTHER NEWBIE HERE!
Cue the mariachis, the confetti, and the clowns. Let's start the party! :happy:
Purple Virgo Vixen, please don't be offended! I've been messing with tarantulas longer than most people on this forum have been alive, and I still consider myself a newbie. I'm just having a little fun with you.
:laugh:
Okay, let's get down to business. First, the pleasantries:
"Welcome to the hobby!"
"Welcome to these forums!"
Read, READ, READ! Now, to get you started on the right foot I urge you to read the following webpages.
Stan's Rant
- A little initial boost in the right direction.
BE SURE TO READ AND HEED THE WARNINGS! They'll save you a bundle of cash and maybe a few dead tarantulas!
BE SURE TO READ THE BOOKS! The books will not only answer all your questions, but will also answer all the questions you hadn't thought to ask!
Myths, Misconceptions, and Mistakes Perpetuated by Tarantula Enthusiasts
- A growing list of bad information in the hobby.
Be sure to explore all the links.
And then, you should read
Substrate
to get to the
down and dirty of the situation. (Yeah. It's a bad joke. Sorry. :blush:
Additional Thoughts:
Good Starting Philosophy:
Most newbies start out trying to make tarantula care as complicated as possible, fretting over all sorts of silly things. For the beginner at least, and for most of us experienced aficionados as well, the best philosophy is,
SIMPLE IS BETTER! As long as it supplies the basic necessities, the simpler your tarantula's cage is, the less there is to go wrong.
The Search Function:
Don't take this as a criticism, but if you don't already know about it, please learn to use the
Search function at the top of the page. It'll save us all a lot of time and effort. Most novices and even many seasoned enthusiasts fail to appreciate that 95+% of all tarantula issues have already been addressed, sometimes
ad nauseam, on these forums. All you need do is look for the discussions.
A Basic Operating Principle:
If you can't find an answer to your concern using the
Search function (after all, search engines are far from perfect), by all means ask us. Remember,
"The only dumb questions are the ones you don't ask."
"And, dumb questions are always easier to deal with than dumb mistakes!"
Fire away! "We aims to please."
Basic Goals in Keeping Tarantulas:
1)
The primary goal in keeping tarantulas is NOT to keep them alive, BUT RATHER TO AVOID KILLING THEM! Generally, if you leave them alone, they'll usually do just fine.
2)
The other goal in keeping tarantulas is seeing how many tarantulas will fit in your home. Hence, the following:
Also, has no one told you?
THE TARANTULA KEEPER'S LAMENT
Like those potato chips,
you can't have just one!
You've been warned!
(And, we offer a tip of the ol' hat and our profound thanks to the
Frito-Lay Company
for institutionalizing the progenitor of this little joke.)
Visit the webpages. Read the warnings. Read the books. Watch these forums. Do the searches.
DON'T DO ANYTHING ANYBODY TELLS YOU UNLESS ITS CONFIRMED IN ONE OF THOSE BOOKS, OR WE CONFIRM IT HERE!
IGNORE THE !@#$%! CARE SHEETS!
Then, get back to us with any concerns you may have. We're here to help.
Lastly, it would help a lot if you would post several photos of your tarantula
from several different angles, and several photos of its cage
from several different angles. A few cell phones work okay, but most can't focus well enough, and proper focus is very important. If at all possible use a better camera. Maybe borrow one from a family member or friend? A picture is worth 1000 words! Besides,
"We LUVS pichers!"
End Canned Message
Purple Virgo Vixen wrote: ... I am new, this site was suggest to me by a friend Happynoddleboy, I have two Tarantulas, a Curly Hair (Jessi) got her 31 June 2012 and a Fringed Ornamental (Mental) got her as a birthday gift (hoping both is females), and I am looking to grow my collection as I find these creatures unique and awsome.
What more can I say?
There! I've done enough damage. Best of luck!
YOU NEEDS TO DO YOUR HOMEWORK!
Your little 8-legged buddies are going to be giving you spot quizzes daily!
:laugh:
:happy: 
