Articles: Duke or Duchess?

For most collectors, acquiring a female spider is important. Why? Yes, because they can live much longer than the male... But, to some other Collector/Breeder, would very much like to have male for breeding purposes. Little that we know, in market, for some specific species, male specimen are difficult to find, which can lead into shortage in that particular species, at lease in captivity. I don’t know why? But maybe because everyone tends to only kept female spider? For keeper, please learn to sex your spider, you want female so much, but don’t even bother to learn how differentiate them, and keep posting “Sex Please/Help Me! /Male or Female? / Dude or Chick? At least try your best to sex them first and seek for confirmation. Come on you guys!!! It’s only either male or female, I hope... (Except human: we have muscular gay, petit lesbian, sexy transsexual, animalistic bisexual, NOTE: gay + gay or etc. can be mated with any specific skills, but will not producing any young-lings...haha). It’s not that hard, there are a few way to sex your specimen, each method may have their own pros and cons.

Exuvia of a 0.1 juvenile
Brachypelma klassi 
(Schmidt & Krause, 1994)

*Exuvia Method

Exuvia or molt skins are the most accurate and most definitive way to sex your tarantula. This method can be use when your spider reaches juvenile or larger stages. This is because; we need to allocate the spermatheca between the anterior book lung, which look like a flap that use to store the sperm deposited by male specimen during mating, the spermatheca is not uniform in shape, they are differ from one species to another. That why we got “Spermatheca Gallery” in Malaysian Tarantula Society FB Group Page. Haaa...Find it! This method only require you to collect the molt skin after the molting process is over, no need to neither handle or disturb the specimen especially the bad-tempered  one. But if it, a New world species, you have a chance to have a taste of Urticating Hair (Been there, done that)…Haha. I would recommend you to make yourself a homemade small 1’x 1’ lighting box for your aid. Open the light and put the Exuvia on the box. It will help you, if the spider is in early stage of juvenile.

*Ventral Method

If your tarantula keeps munching on its molt skin, then the ventral sexing can be done. These refer to inspect of the bottom of the tarantula abdomen, on the area of the Epigastric Furrow which also located between the anterior book lungs. Female tend to have longer curvy Epigastric Furrow while male are shorter and almost a straight line, and the distance between book lung for female is wider than male. This method is not 100% accurate; this is more like comparison method.  You may need certain time of practice, a lot of sexing and a pair of eagle eye or some viewing enhancement tools.

*Dimorphism Method

Sexual Dimorphism can be trace if the spider already in its ultimate molt (Mature male or female) where male can be very differing to female:

Dead Specimen of a 1.0 Psalmopeous irminia

Mating Hooks & Embolus Bulb:

When a male has his ultimate (final) molt and reaches sexual maturity, he will obtain his physical sexual organs. They are Embolus Bulb (some may call it Palpal Bulb, C in the Picture) on the end of his pedipalps that are use to deposit sperm from his sperm web into the female. We usually call it “A pairs of Boxing Glove” in the hobby. Tibial Spur/Tibial Hooks/ Tibial Apophysis or Mating Hooks (A & B in the picture) will be located on both of his bottom side of LEG I’s Tibia (Legs Segment) which are use to hooks up female’s fang during mating. But please note that there are some species which does not acquire mating hooks as it mature. Trivia: Theraphosa blondi don’t have a Mating Hooks, maybe that why they are always cranky...Haha. Some of Avicularia spp does not possess any of Mating hooks, some does, but way too small to notice.

Physical Appearance:

For some specific species or genus, mature females often to have a stockier/larger/heavier/huskier body than the small/thin/undersize mature males. The male’s abdomen is usually smaller and they possessed long leggy legs. Different coloration also occur in some genus or species, for example: Psalmopeous irminia are differ from male and female by coloration, which female are distinguish in color and the male are not.

Sexing a spider can be a lot of fun and pleasurable, why don’t you all give it a try; it’s always surprising to know the sex of your spider, wait for the incoming molt! Get some RM2 magnifying glass or worse, RM XXXX microscope for your aids.  Keeping spiders as pet is not always about having a rare species, but the knowledge and the experience you may obtain from the hobby is what that count. It is PRICELESS!

Now, go do your research and have some fun!

Cheers!

Application Review: Tarantulas by SMS Global

Apps Name: Tarantulas

Developer: SMS Global

Availability: Available on Google Play Store (Sorry Apple User)

Price: Free (But, consider to donate you guys!)

Review (5 Stars)

This is a must have apps for all tarantula's keeper, it currently developed as a free application, its free so its is better than other similar app that required money to use it. Vast number of species provided, and you may add some new or uncharted/unlisted species in your convenient. A good app to track days of molted, fed and even watered. Want to know the other excited functions? Download yourself a copy. NOW!

Description

This app helps you organize your tarantula collection. 

Keep track of your pets' molting dates, feeding schedule and a lot more!

Basic Features: 

- Add description/information about your tarantula pet 

- List feeding history, days hungry and feeder used 

- Shows molting history with option to add days hungry before the molt and days between the last molt, may help predict/assume when the next molt will be 

- Shows a popup notification/reminder of Ts that needs to be fed 

- T image gallery, can be used to look back on the progress of your Ts' growth

For a full list of features, please check out the app's website.

Note From Developer

Dear User,

This software is provided to you free of charge and free of advertisements, I'm sharing this to help make it easier for fellow hobbyists keep records of their beloved eight-legged pets.

If you find issues, please send me an email, I cannot solve your problem by leaving 1-star rating without any comments. Unfriendly comments wouldn't help either, tell me the issue and I'll do my best to solve it.

Please rate this app accordingly, leave a comment and if you like this app, please do share to other hobbyists!

If you find bugs or have suggestions to improve the app, or if you have a feature you think would help, please send me an email and I'll see what can be done.

Official Webpage

http://www.tarantulas.p3kb.com/

Frequently Ask Questions (FAQ)

http://www.tarantulas.p3kb.com/faq.php

Google Play Link

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tarantula.p3kb

Screenshots (4)

Articles: Scientific Names VS Common Names

Many spiders hobbyist, either newbie or expert, especially who have a conversation with me would be annoyed by me, forcing them to use SCIENTIFIC NAMES over COMMON NAMES. SCIENTIFIC NAMES (Binomial Names) have more advantages rather using COMMON NAMES to describe certain species. COMMON NAMES is not reliable to use, latin names are MUCH EASIER and MORE RESOLUTE. For example, COMMON MISTAKES in describing Malaysian Earth Tiger, which one do u mean? Cyriopagopus thorelli (Simon, 1901) or Cyriopagopus schioedtei (Thorell, 1891)? Isn’t that pain in the abdomen? Worse, both look alike very much to be differentiating by eye. For Your information, C. thorelli is unknown (or at least extremely rare) in captivity, and the species in the pet trade that has often been mistakenly referred to as C. thorelli is actually C. schioedtei. See, the pet trade are already confused..haish.. Let say, someone in Thailand, our neighbor find C. thorelli in the rural area of Southern Thailand, Im very certain the COMMON NAMES will be not Malaysian Earth Tiger maybe proudly RENAME as Danok Earth Tiger perhaps..Haha..

Every recognized/described species on earth (same goes with DINOSAUR and HUMAN) is given a two-part scientific name. This system is called "binomial nomenclature”, or BINOMIAL NAMES. These names are important because they allow people throughout the world to communicate explicitly about animal species, in our community, spiders. This works because there are sets of international rules about how to name animals and zoologists try to avoid naming the same thing more than once, though this does sometimes happen. These naming rules mean that every scientific name is unique. It is common to get confused with similar looking species, for example Grammostola pulchripes and Acanthoscurria musculosa, both rather look the same at a glance. And don’t be surprised if the SCIENTIFIC NAME sometime also describing the species, Grammostola aureostriata (now pulchripes), where aureostriata means “golden stripe” which referring to golden band on Chaco Golden Knee Tarantula (pfffttt!)

Examples of Scientific Classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Suborder: Mygalomorphae
Super Family: Theraphosoidea
Family: Theraphosidae
Subfamily: Theraphosinae
Genus: Theraphosa
Species: Theraphosa blondi

Hence, the binomial names are Theraphosa blondi (Latreille, 1804).

SCIENTIFIC NAMES are also designed to tell you something about the animal's relationships with other animals. The SCIENTIFIC NAMES of each species is made up of a generic name (genus) and a specific name (species). For Example, Xenesthis immanis, Xenesthis is referring to the genus (in Malay: Jenis) and immanis referring to SPECIES, the SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION is in order and it is easy to understand. As a Tarantula hobbyist, our collection mainly under the SUBORDER of Mygalomorphae, but only limited to the SUPER FAMILY of Theraphosoidea and the FAMILY of Theraphosidae,

The SUBORDER of Mygalomorphae consist of large other SUPER FAMILY, for example Ctenizoidea, this is a SUPER FAMILY of a Trap-door Spider.

In the FAMILY of Theraphosidae (yeah, tarantula family), there are other SUBFAMILY that group a lot of GENUS under it, there are:


THERAPHOSIDAE SUBFAMILIES
Acanthopelminae
Aviculariinae
Eumenophorinae
Harpactirinae
Ischnocolinae
Ornithoctoninae
Poecilotheriinae
Selenocosmiinae
Selenogyrinae
Spelopelminae
Stromatopelminae
Theraphosinae
Thrigmopoeinae

Theraphosinae, this is most common GENUS for the New World Tarantula Species belong, at least 40 GENUS are in the FAMILY,

THERAPHOSINAE GENUS
Acanthoscurria
Aenigmarachne
Aphonopelma
Bonnetina
Brachypelma
Bumba Lennoni – New Genus, yes, lennoni after John Lennon (Why tarantula, not beetles?)
Chromatopelma
Citharacanthus
Clavopelma
Crassicrus
Cyclosternum
Cyriocosmus
Cyrtopholis
Euathlus
Eupalaestrus
Grammostola
Hapalopus
Hapalotremus
Hemirrhagus
Homoeomma
Lasiodora
Lasiodorides
Magulla
Maraca
Megaphobema
Melloleitaoina
Metriopelma
Neostenotarsus
Nesipelma
Nhandu
Ozopactus
Pamphobeteus
Paraphysa
Phormictopus
Plesiopelma
Proshapalopus
Pseudhapalopus
Reversopelma
Schizopelma
Sericopelma
Sphaerobothria
Stichoplastoris
Theraphosa
Thrixopelma
Tmesiphantes
Vitalius
Xenesthis

And only few GENUS in this FAMILY is well known in the hobby. Haaa..it a lot cooler and informative to use this method So, this is why you should use the binomial names instead of lousy unworthy confusable (hahaha) COMMON NAME..They are same anywhere in the world, so the risk of miscommunication/error in the SPECIES desired is less significant (lesser, not 0%), especially when you trying to get specific SPECIES from oversea dealer. Names are all one language and usually latin so they are universal for the entire world and all countries use them the same. That way no one organism is named more than one name. It helps classify them better that way and keep their species alike. But yeah, some common or widespread species like OBT, CGK or GBB, is well known for their Acronym. So, it okay to use them rather then lose your tongue to say Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens, use GBB instead...hahahaha..

P/S: Im not Biologist, just an Enthusiast..

Cheerss! (Sky Juice please… Im a Non Alcoholic Muslim..Hahaha)

Articles: Defensive Mechanism

Pissed off young Aphonopelma seemani
(F. O. P-Cambridge, 1897)

Most of keepers especially the newbie sees spiders only as a venomous creatures, unfortunately, that is not the only defensive mechanism build into them. There are several other mechanism that may effectively kick you out from the hobby for lack of knowledge. For New World Species, most of them possessed an extra one or two defenses against its predators (defensive mechanism), Urticating Hair and Poop Cannon. Poop cannon are merely a turd that harmless, which can buy they some time to flee, usually aiming directly to the eyes of its predator. But Urticating Hair can cause some discomfort. Some more than others, ranging from mild itching, burning and rashes. For your information, there are few type of Urticating Hair usually possessed by tarantula:

Type I (0.2-0.6 mm) - The tarantula will also kick hairs with leg IV at the face of predators, usually aiming for the eyes.

Type II (0.5-1.5 mm) - The tarantula must rub its abdomen against its target, which they must made contact to the predetor. (Avicularia spp., Iridopelma spp. and Pachistopelma spp.) Exception for some Avicularia spp. that can kick hair.

Type III (0.3-1.2 mm) - Urticating bristles are most efficient for defense against vertebrates and invertebrates (Type I kicking method). (Theraphosa spp., Nhandu spp., Megaphoboema spp., Sericopelma spp., Eupalaestrus spp., Proshapalopus spp., Brachypelma spp., Cyrtopholis spp., Iracema spp. and other genera of subfamily Theraphosinae)

Type IV (0.06-0.2 mm) - most irritating to mammalian predators. (Type I kicking method)

Type V (???-?? mm) - Urticating bristle is typical of the species of genus Ephebopus spp. They are located on the pedipalps. They are much shorter and lighter in contrast with other types of urticating bristle.

There a some new world species, does not possessed any type of Urticating Hair:

Acanthopelma spp.
Catumiri spp.
Guyruita spp.
Hemiercus spp.
Holothele spp.
Ischnocolus rubropilosus
Oligoxystre spp.
Proshapalopus spp.
Psalmopoeus spp.
Schismatothele spp.
Sickius spp.
Tapinauchenius spp.

For Old World Species, they did not possessed any of these fancy mechanism, they only rely on their speed (e.g: Stromatopelma calceatum are very fast) and very potent venom (e.g: Poecilotheria spp. known for their potent venom) which store beneath their fang. Most of the species, prefer to flee rather than stand in a fight. Note that, there is no such thing as aggressive in tarantula vocabulary, it defensive, which there are actually very fearless species that seeks out a fight, usually when cornered. The only warning that they possessed are the threat pose and some of other species may hiss (e.g: Pelinobius muticus actually hissing) to warn the predator. If the threat pose or hissing doesn't effective, then they will show you their only way to say "fucking leave me" with a quick bite and retreat.

Now you know why they're so serious..=)

Articles: Hygiene is the best policies!

Did you ever caught your spider fondling (grooming of course) them self?haha... some might wonder how the heck does they grooming them self?? Like the other animal, spider(s) do groom themselves to clean. They are like the other creature on this earth who love hygienic environment (except for some ass hole!).

If you notice, if there any leftover feeder, some spider(s) might roll the leftover (sometimes with the substrate) to the edge of their enclosure...and stay off the effected area. Some might left it just like that and climb to the wall or even roof of the enclosure just to avoid the smelly left over. haha...

Like human (for god sake!), every spider(s) deserve a comfy enclosure that they call home, some need a low temp, some need a high humidity,climate is the vital issue to ensure the HAPPYNESS! "deep or shallow" and "dry or damp" (not wet, S is for spider(s), not tortoise) substrate, proper hiding, floor area (ground dweller), ceiling height (arboreal) etc. Some species can adapt and bare with the slight different on the climate, but some just simply die UNHAPPYLY...

Please do a bit research (again, for god sake!) on the species before you get any. Different spider(s) have many different needs. Make sure you fully understand their diet (not your diet, your gluttonous bastard!haha...),climate, temperature requirements and humidity percent that your specific species needs. Also don't forget to ask Mr. Google, where your type of spider(s) typically lives. Some tarantulas live on/in trees where height is more important than ground area. If you have a spider(s) that lives on the ground, then it's more important to have large floor area for the spider(s) to walk around and digging around (if needed).

It is IMPORTANT to remove any leftover whether live or dead within 24 hours. I always offer food late at night and removing it first thing in the morning if not eaten. Leftover feeder can be stressful for the tarantula, and have been known to damage and even kill tarantulas if not eaten, just imagine leftover Mc Chicken lay around for a week on the coffee table (Euwww for some, ............ for most of you, hahaha..). Food remains will attract ants, pests and mold. It is advisable to remove the remains of any prey items from your tarantula's enclosure so that they do not cause unhealthy conditions for your pet.

NOW! go clean up your room!! =)

Cheerss!!

Phormictopus Cancerides - Hispaniolan Giant Tarantula

Common Name: Hispaniolan Giant Tarantula, Haiti Brown Tarantula

Scientific Name: Phormictopus cancerides (Latreille, 1806)

Synonyms: Mygale cancerides, Mygale Erichsonii, Eurypelma cancerides, Schizopelma Erichsoni


The Hispaniolan Giant Tarantula (Phormictopus cancerides) is a tarantula native to the Dominican Republic, where it is called Cacata; Haiti, where it is called Araignée-crab; and Cuba, where it is rare. It occurs from the West Indies to Brazil. During the day they hide under rocks and debris and come out at night to look for prey. Their fangs are quite formidable at more than 2 centimetres long, and when they pierce the body of its victim, venom is injected which paralyses and breaks down the body tissue of the prey, allowing the tarantula to suck up the liquefied insides. Its venom is very painful to humans, however, no healthy adult has ever died after it.

Its colour makes the spider, despite the fact they can defend themselves by biting or more commonly by kicking the urticating hairs from its abdomen, an attractive pet. They can be kept easily in a terrarium that measures at least four times its leg span in length. The terrarium should be furnished with a substrate, a water dish and a hiding place, otherwise they will dig a burrow. They should be kept at temperatures of between 22 and 28 °C which can even decrease under 20 °C in the night which is uncommon in tropical tarantulas – the difference between temperature during the day and the night is important if one wants to breed this species, and a diet of four to six crickets every two weeks.

General Information

Regions Found: Dominican Republic, Haiti and Cuba. Also found in Caribbean, San Domingo, Puerto Rico

Type: New World Terrestrial Opportunistic Burrower
Lastingness: Medium to Fast Growth

Adult Size: 7-8 Inches
Temperament: Bold and Defensive

Urticating Hairs: Yes

Venom Potency: Not dangerous but very painful

Tarantula Housing: Floor space is more important than height, a deep substrate should be provided for burrowing. A good retreat is may required

Temperature: 25-28°C (76°-82°F)
Humidity: About 65-75%
Special Requirements: No special requirements
Experiences Needed: Moderate (Novice->Moderate->Advance->Expert)
Breeding Difficulty: Unknown
Egg Sac Size: Unknown
Danger to Male: Tarantula females will sometimes cannibalise the males
Diet: Slings: Pinhead Crickets or Meal worms. (Meal worms must have to cut into two)
Larger specimens: Crickets, Meal worms, Pinky, Roaches, or Other Large Insects.

Recommended Pet Supplies
- An appropriately sized Terrarium/Vivarium/Aquarium depending on sizes
- Substrate (3 to 4 inches thick of peat moss/coco peat/potting soil etc for larger specimen)
- Heating equipment e.g. heat lamps, heat mats and thermostats
- Large shallow water dish as it maybe drinks from it and it help to control the humidity (All tarantulas that have at least a 3 inches leg-span may drink from a shallow, wide water dish. Pebbles may be put for safety)
- Decorations and hiding places (e.g. drift wood, stone or ornamental features)
- Live-food (NOT for Slings/Spiderlings) as it may injured your T, Half Dead or Cut Meal worm is recommended) 

Remarks
- Simple mist the wall of the T Terrarium everyday and feed once or twice a week
- A large spider from the Caribbean islands. Once they were imported in huge quantities from Haiti and was a common spider in captivity. They are found near villages under logs and old junk, and in burrows in the rainforest. Opportunist burrower, she sits on top of the cork bark and occasionally goes under it for shelter. Place a water-dish in the cage. Adults are often for sale. A aggressive and ferocious eater - a nice species! Sometimes captive bred and the Spiderlings grow fast.

Source: Internet, Wikipedia, Wikipets

Articles: Beginner's First Tarantula(s)..

To some whose looking to be a tarantula keeper always wondering, "hurmmm...which species am i suppose to get?"..the words like Arboreal (Tree Dwellers), Terrestrial (Ground Dwellers) or maybe Burrowers (Duhh!) always shows up during the Internet research..Basically, the most common tarantula anyone could suggest to them is Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula (Grammostola Rosea)..Well, it is true..but please people..everybody know how boring Rosea is..hahaha..

Above all, the North/South American (New World Tarantula) species is the best choice for beginner, there a few selection that can be considered. Why? This is simply because "tarantula" is a general word like the word "human"...we know every man like women..but what kind of women do u guy like most? educated? kinky? cute? and which levels of lunatic you dare to go to get your dream women? (to gay, change the word women as you like!)...hahaha...same goes to tarantula some are really crazy and some quite calm..personally, we doesn't like the word "Aggressive Tarantula"...we prefer, Very sensitive (like women mehh...)...like i say the personality of each species is differ form the other....

FAQ

Terrestrial or Arboreal?
I would suggest the terrestrial one, Arboreal?? Nah!! some of you may end splatting (SPLATT!!!) RMXX Avicularia Versicolor on your nose..they are tree dweller , so they jump a lot and some of the are good runner. No need to find burrowing one..trust me..because once the burrowing..you'll see nothing rather than your beautiful substrate and if lucky..your decoration...haha..take the Parahybana for example..they almost never eat in their hideout (but eat like a DRAGON), and grow well (very fast grower), quite large ( 9-10 Inches), almost no urticating hair, less powerful venom (yes, tarantula is venomous, not poisonous) and not bad looking too..and if there is a crazy newbie try to handle them...Parahybana is considered as handle able..slow speed, and prefer to flee rather than to stand in a fight..also..got a cute common name (who the hell give that common name, must be like sushi a lot).

Tank/Case?
Depending on the size mehhh, if u get your first tarantula is a 9 Inches leg span Parahybana,duhhh!!! so get your self a bigger gallon tank...but if you get a slings, please don't buy fancy looking Exoterra Desert Den, please don't..ever hear about deli cup? disposable container? what ever you call it..depending on the size, use the container to take care of your slings..if the word "why" with multiple question marks appear on your mind, it is more easier to care & maintain them..small and hide-able (for under 18), translucent and visible from every angle..easy for the tarantula to find the "fresh" food you offer...cheap, just throw away if give up raising them (disclaimer:not with the tarantula inside..) Don't forget to poke a few small air-hole on the topside of your container, not the cap..later you will know why..no need a fancy rock or hideout and currently Exoterra  doesn't yet launch their 1cm slings water bowl..so get your self a water sprayer and spray the case wall as a water source and automatically, humidify the case..

Substrate?
Coconut Peat (Full Stop)...hahaha
Put a sufficient amount of substrate for ground dweller..these to prevent the sling from fallen to high if it decide to climb the wall as the abdomen is very delicate and easily erupt..puft!!some species may need the substrate to be a bit moist (please don't make a swamp decoration) and some species don't..please ask for advice from dealer or expert keeper or even mister Google for the best result..=)

Food?
Again, I would suggest a delicious meal-worm Tenebrio molitor (Linnaeus, 1758), as a life food. Depending on size of the tarantula, if the slings is very very very small nymph, you may cut the worm into half (as the worm seller usually sell the worm at bigger size)..please do not challenge your 0.5cm nymph with live 2cm worm..i prefer to kill the worm first before feeding it..remember, the worm is wiggling and may injure your slings..these worm are easy to get, aquarium shops or local pet store, cheap, breed-able (level:easy)..but unfortunately..you cant buy it in a small quantity...so, if u decide to keep tarantula as a pet, luckily you will end up to get a meal worm as your pet also..haha..to keep them alive..just use a bran or oat as their substrates and don't forget to offer the any kind of vege or fruit you may get in the fridge..they will be fine..=)..after the slings grows bigger, you may consider Super-worm, Zophobas morio (Fabricius, 1776), or Crickets (to smoker, it is not a lighter) (who give a damn for its taxonomy..haha) as a feeder..yes yes..roach also can if you can afford it..preferably Gromphadorhina portentosa (1 roach = +-RM10/each, u thinks?haha)..fuhh!!Please remove the balance of the food (if any) from the container after a day or two..if not..it will grow moult and these will make the tarantula uneasy..

Molting?
these process is when your tarantula change its exo-skeletal, usually, during pre-molt, the tarantula will refuse any food given, i say just feed them like normal, but do remove the uneaten ASAP..at some point, your tarantula will lay on its back..these where the point the shred their old skin to get new one, the time taken usually varies depending on size and species. if u lucky just enjoy the fascinating process, i think it don't mind a few snaps of picture, even with flash..hahaha..if some of your slings legs (disclaimer: head or abdomen loss tarantula doesn't molt) "accidentally" missing..it will grow back..after the molting done..it will take sometime for the tarantula to eat, since all its body, including the fang are soft and unable to digest..u may try to feed them..but please be sure the feeder is 100% death!

Venom and Urticating Hair?
Most of New World Tarantula have less powerful venom to compare with the Old World Tarantulas(Asian & Africans Tarantula) venom, it is comparable to bee stung..these are why we don't encourage you to handle Your tarantula..urticating hair is a flick of tiny hair usually from its abdomen that have been kicked out by the tarantula as defensive mechanism..if it end up on ur skin..you may feel itchy..but most of the tarantula prefer to flee rather than try to fight..although, tarantula venom not dangerous to human, it is always good to be careful at all time to ensure your own safety..

Here, Im not trying to suggest any tarantula as your first, but to share my experiences when I was a noob!haha...If you still have definite ideas about your beginner tarantula, then the best studied in the Internet for pictures and care-sheets, some may wanting something colourful, and some may prefer XL size of tarantula. we tried our best to give basic detailed of information you need to know as a keeper. but the best is to ask experience keeper..i trust they will answer your questions..ask everything, Does she always hiding? Is it defensive? Etc. I think this is the best solution for all involved...sometime you will end up having 10 first tarantulas like me..hahaha

Cheersss!!