Tarantula owners and lovers! Advice?

[Corona]

I'm looking into buying my first tarantula. As adorable as I find pinktoes, I don't want an arboreal species since they're fast with setups I don't have room for.

I'm looking at red knees (B. smithi) and Chaco golden knees (G. pulchripes) since I want something slow, docile, terrestrial, and minimally handleable. I've heard good things about zebras and rosehairs too. I know terrestrial tarantulas can be hair kickers and nippers, but I'm not too worried about that. I've had hairs kicked at me before.

Any tarantula owners on the Arena have advice on species for beginners, care, or cautionary words?

[kaoskat]

Rosehairs are great. Sweet little things. Hubby has one right now and she's a doll. My little boy was more shy. Hubby says that's normal for the boys. He also says rosehairs are the best for beginners. My current baby is a Salmon Pink though. Don't recommend those unless you want a tarantula who wants to eat you, but she is super cute!

[invaderhorizongreen]

If you are going to feed them june bugs are ok for them to eat if you can catch any but stay away from any other beetles. I will also say they can eat spring peeper frogs as well but no more than ONCE A YEAR! more than that will make molting much harder. Field crickets are also ok to feed to them as well unless the yard is treated with pesticides that could make the spider sick. 

[Corona]

Rosehairs are great. Sweet little things. Hubby has one right now and she's a doll. My little boy was more shy. Hubby says that's normal for the boys. He also says rosehairs are the best for beginners. My current baby is a Salmon Pink though. Don't recommend those unless you want a tarantula who wants to eat you, but she is super cute!

I've had my share of exotics who wanted to gnaw my hand off (my dad's iguana comes to mind) but rosehairs are looking promising. They don't look that expensive either which is good.

If you are going to feed them june bugs are ok for them to eat if you can catch any but stay away from any other beetles. I will also say they can eat spring peeper frogs as well but no more than ONCE A YEAR! more than that will make molting much harder. Field crickets are also ok to feed to them as well unless the yard is treated with pesticides that could make the spider sick. 

I plan on buying crickets and meal worms at the pet store. I save garden bugs for my venus flytraps. c:

[melodys_angel]

Sounds like you have some good advice.  Goodluck