An 8-Legged Touch Of Nature
Arachnoiden has velvet spiders and tarantulas for sale. A few have called us the Internet’s best kept spider secret. Experienced keepers know us and intrepid new keepers find us, as do breeders and a few resellers. We ship FedEx Priority Overnight from Massachusetts.
Keeping live spiders is a growing pastime. Every species introduces a new look and behavior. Easy husbandry promotes collection building, which for some of us becomes a never-ending pursuit. Interest in the animal’s natural history extends learning to the fields of geography, climate science and conservation, to name a few.
Whilst some of your friends won’t understand the obsession, others will get it without explanation. We’ve noticed many enthusiasts have had interest in animals since childhood—catching lightning bugs after dark or searching the backyard for frogs and toads. Parents may have been nonplussed, never quite understanding the attraction. For the lucky few, small mammals, goldfish or reptiles were already in the home.
If you are in this animal-loving group and have read this far, do step onto the webbed mat for your first spider pet. You’re guaranteed to observe spider activities not see before. Enjoy sharing spider observations with others.
Now and then we offer other arachnids too. We welcome new keepers.
We aim to find the spiders you want to keep. As time, availability and breeding allow, we add new species to the Store. We import regularly and look forward to receiving customer wishlists. For newcomers we try to stock good-tempered species like the curly hair tarantula (Tliltocatl albopilosus) and Arizona blond (Aphonopelma chalcodes). Advanced beginners may look for species in other New World genera such as Acanthoscurria, Brachypelma, Grammostola and Psalmopoeus. We nearly always have these tarantulas for sale. Velvet spider availability tends to be seasonal, but we’re doing our best to keep up with demand. Eresus is popular now, while interest in their cousins, Gandanameno and Stegodyphus, is increasing. Other Eresidae genera may join the lineup soon.
As far as tarantulas, as your experience grows, interest may shift to the larger species in Pamphobeteus, Theraphosa and Xenesthis, or perhaps smaller “dwarf” species in Cyriocosmus, Hapalopus and Neoholothele. Somewhere along this advancing front the hobbyist may undertake Old World species, notable for no urticating (itchy) hairs, but also defensiveness and higher venom potency. We carry Old World tarantulas for intermediate and advanced keepers, many of whom specialize in this area.
Velvet spider keepers are a unique group. Velvets are docile, small and beyond cute. Yet we see overlap between velvet spider and tarantula keepers. It’s not unusual for tarantula specialists to become interested in velvet spiders (Eresidae), jumping spiders (Salticidae) or huntsman (Sparassidae), and vice versa. Occasionally we stock invertebrates beyond those mentioned above. Let us know your preferences (contact us).
Guidelines
The Store format is list-based, with items listed in categories on a single, scrollable column. You won’t find “sold out” after a series of time-wasting clicks. Quick View shows details in a pop-up window, saving your place on the column. You don’t even have to use Quick View–for a photo, just tap (mobile users) or hover (desktop users) over a name. You can tap/hover down the list to see each species’ photo. Tap/hover elsewhere to close.
The Learning Curve
Using scientific names (genus species) may be awkward or intimidating at first, but we recommend getting used to them. The common name system is fraught with duplications and inaccurate references. You’ll find most experienced keepers using scientific names exclusively. Talking with them (and us) will help you learn the names. With repetition you’ll use them without thinking. Remember, the first letter of the genus is always capitalized and that of the species never capitalized.
Online sources for information are abundant, but beware. Still an authoritative source is The Tarantula Keeper’s Guide by Stanley A. Schultz. A Kindle version is available. The basics and some advanced topics are covered, as well as seeds for further learning. We recommend having this book on hand and may refer to it to answer questions you send our way.
Smart Shopping
Spiderlings (slings) are the most economical species form. Like any young animal they require more attention. Many hobbyists derive extra satisfaction from raising a tarantula from an early stage. Others prefer starting with grown-out specimens; usually that means sexed. Female spiders live 3-5x longer than males so non-breeders prefer females. Females cost more due to low demand for males and the time needed to raise a sling to a sexable size. We are often able to sex females at relatively small sizes (juveniles) with 100% confidence.
The Search Is On.
Trade-Ins
As your slings grow and you learn their sex, you’ll find about half of them are male. You’ll develop favorites or may decide to collect in a different direction. You may find the New World tarantula’s urticating hairs too irritating and so decide to switch to Old Worlds. You may discover enjoyment and reward in breeding. In each case, excess specimens result. What to do with these? There are various forums on which you can post them for sale (Arachnoboards, Tarantula Forum, Fauna Classifieds). Some posting there have a side-gig business to support their hobby, something you may also want to consider. If these options are not for you, trade/sell them back to us. Sub-adult/mature males, females or slings are fine. We’ll help with shipping instructions and supplies if needed.
Keeper’s Corner
In cases where we have no current need to trade or buy we can post your specimen’s photo, size & price and you can ship from your location. If someone purchases we’ll send you a shipping label. When the customer reports satisfaction according to our LAG terms, we’ll send you their payment. Think of Keeper’s Corner as a nationwide classifieds with protections in place. Reviews can be posted here.
Those who decide to buy from Keeper’s Corner are covered by the terms of our LAG. We post specimens from trusted customers. Sellers confirm they’re sending healthy, eating specimens. If the seller wishes, we’ll post their direct contact information to answer questions, negotiate prices or bypass our role entirely. Keeper’s Corner will run on a trial basis, pending customer satisfaction and review. See Terms of Service for more details.
Please contact us with questions and comments.
Thank you everyone.
Denizens of Forest Wilderness
(velvet or ladybird spider)
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(Bach Ma earthtiger)
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(Colombian sungod birdeater)
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