Price is another big consideration when it comes to purchasing a tarantula, and rightly so. As consumers, we’re often wary of being overcharged or ripped off, and hunt around until we find the cheaper options. When it comes to tarantulas, cheaper is definitely not always better. That doesn’t mean that more expensive is better either – it all has to do with what you’re getting for the price.

The price tag on your tarantula depends on a couple of factors. The time and resources spent rearing the tarantula must be recouped, so an older tarantula will cost more than a younger one. For this reason, captive-breeders charge more than wild harvesters because they have to recoup the costs of breeding, incubating and raising young tarantulas, rather than just pulling them out of the wild.

Similarly, businesses have to charge more than casual hobby breeders because they have additional costs and responsibilities, including service guarantees to customers. Under Australian Consumer Law, a business must provide guarantees that the pet you receive is healthy and meets expectations, and must be able to provide replacements or refunds in the case that something goes wrong. Specialist breeders such as Minibeast Wildlife are also able to provide detailed care information, troubleshooting and ongoing support so that your tarantula gets the best possible chance to thrive. It’s important to make sure a similar level of support and guarantee comes with any tarantula you buy, especially as a first time buyer.

Physical pet shops tend to weigh in at the hefty end of the price scale because their costs are even greater. They need to pay staff and store rental, in addition to purchasing their tarantula stock from breeders – or wild harvesters. However, not being invertebrate specialists, many pet shops are not able to offer support or detailed information on tarantula care, and may not sell their tarantulas in good condition. In the end, the difference between the cheapest and most expensive tarantulas of a similar age can amount to something like $20-30. If the tarantula is going to be with you for the next decade, then these small differences don’t amount to much over time. The most important factor is getting a healthy animal sourced from sustainable practices, and getting the support you need to raise it successfully.

That’s all for our third installment on buying your first Australian tarantula. Next week we complete our series with a round-up of keeping tips, from enclosures, substrate and feeding to some basic troubleshooting.