Ever since I were knee ‘igh to a grasshopper, I’ve wanted to keep tarantulas as pets. For some inexplicable reason, my Mum wouldn’t allow it. I dunno, apparently they freaked her out or something, can’t imagine why.

But anyway, in 2008, I decided to bite the bullet and bought a spiderling (that’s a baby spider to the layman) Mexican Red-knee tarantula (Latin name brachypelma smithi) from The Spider Shop.

Raising my new found friend was fun, and in early 2009 I bought a sub-adult Chilean Rose tarantula (Latin name grammostola rosea) from them, too.

Unfortunately, my Mexican Red-knee (Smithy) died in mid-2010, but Rosie (the Chilean Rose) is still going strong!