Best spiders for pets?

[Sezbang]

Hello! I am told this is the best place to ask.
i am thinking of adding to the animal family with a spider, currently researching and am not sure were to start!
ideally I'd like a large non venomous one that won't mind being handled.
Any recommendations?
If handling one is not a realistic goal by all means feel free to set me straight.
located in Victoria, as far as I can find the licensing is pretty relaxed.
Any help would be much appreciated!

 

[Leasdraco]

All spiders are venomous. We have a bird-eating spider, cressipes(sp?) and she is a cool critter. big and impressive, and easy to care for. I have heard of people happily handling large spiders but I have no experience myself. Australian tarantulas have fairly potent venom, causing pain, nausea and/or a possible trip to the hospital.

 

[Sezbang]

Of course they are all venomous, I meant ones that the venom would inflict the least damage if it was to bite.

 

[MesseNoire]

Of course they are all venomous, I meant ones that the venom would inflict the least damage if it was to bite.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but venom is a protein. There is a possibility you may or may not be allergic to the venom so all venom is potentially lethal, I guess.

 

[Lambbosbread]

All spiders are venomous. We have a bird-eating spider, cressipes(sp?) and she is a cool critter. big and impressive, and easy to care for. I have heard of people happily handling large spiders but I have no experience myself. Australian tarantulas have fairly potent venom, causing pain, nausea and/or a possible trip to the hospital.

Actually not all spiders are venomous, there are two small spiders that have no venom glands , aka not venomous .

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Yer thats correct Frac.

I have found The bird eating spider (Selenocosmia crassipes) the most placid spider. they flair up there front legs at you when they are young or u have scared them, But they tolerate handling really well.

 

[NickGeee]

The term "bird eacting spider" covers all australian tarantulas.
there is phlogius, Selenocosmia, Selenotholus and Selenotypus.
A bite is very painful, but not deadly.
one of the key factors in keeping them is that they require a burrow, which means you only really see them during the night and at feeding time.
be carefull who you buy from. Petshops usually have wildcaughtnd and extremely stressed spiders, usually because they have no idea how to keep them, and have them on 1cm of coco peat.
Check out the Facebook page inverts and herps, and post a wanted add. there is many great breeders on there.

 

[Beans]

Theres an australian spider forum much like this one.

Might wanna sign up there and ask em what the go is

 

[CrazyNut]

I keep several Arachnid's and I think that Huntsmens are by far the best beginner spiders. Banded huntsmens get a good size and can be very friendly plus they are non agreessive and venom is not that bad, the bite itself is going to be worse than the venom. I handle my huntsmens with no problems but keep in mind each spider has a diffent personality and some may be aggressive. If you are looking at a Tarantula than really no speceis is a good starting point so you may as well go with what you can afford - I say this because a all Aussie speceis are old world spiders.