@stillvicarinatutu
The best tarantulas to look for are the Mexican Red Knee, Honduran Curly Hair (me!) and the Brazilian Black. We're about the most chilled out and easy going. Many people go for a Chilean Rose for a first tarantula, but those can be tricky as they can stop eating and basically just not move........for a long time. My mum had one, but he wouldn't eat, then he died. Some can be cranky and ill tempered as well.
Handling isn't recommended because it causes us stress. Some Ts can tolerate it and even get used to it, but we don't get anything out of it and there's a risk of falling and injury if we panic and take off - usually up the shoulder and down the back.
Equipment you need would include:
A suitably sized enclosure with a secure lid. The enclosure shouldn't be too high as a fall can result in injury and death. Pile up substrate to ensure height in the tank is controlled.
A heat mat and thermostat - the heat mat should only be on half the tank. Thermostat is essential or we can cook. Some people don't use heat mats, but we come from hot countries and do best when we're kept warm. If we're too cold we can't move or digest our food.
Spray the tank with fresh water every couple of days to keep humidity up. Don't make the tank wet or we can become mouldy - literally! 😱
Substrate, a burrow and ornaments - branches, fake plants, cork and rocks and stones are good. Some Ts will burrow and others prefer a hide.
A small ceramic water dish - shallow, not deep.
Brown crickets aren't as noisy as black crickets and don't bite. Black crickets can attack a spider if the spider doesn't want to eat or is shedding. We also eat beetle larvae, but not too many. Don't over feed or we can become sick.
I enjoy my life as I'd have been eaten by now if I lived in the wild 😃