Welcome and thank you for choosing TarantulaCanada

Welcome and thank you for visiting Tarantula Canada !

Martin Gamache & Amanda Gollaway

Canada's tarantula dealer and breeder since 2002!

We normally answer our e-mails every day, but some people seem to have problems contacting us through our website. If this is the case, please reach us on our yahoo e-mail account: tarantulacanada@yahoo.com. You can also reach us at 514-484-4101. Service in English available from 14:00 to 19:00 EST Monday to Friday, and from 10:00 to 19:00 EST Saturday and Sunday. Service in French available from 17:00 to 19:00 EST Sunday to Thursday, and from 10:00 to 19:00 EST Friday and Saturday. Ask for Martin or Amanda.

Scroll down for "About Tarantula Canada", FAQs, Reviews, and Links.

About Tarantula Canada

Martin Gamache, founder of Tarantula Canada, was born in Rimouski, Quebec. He has been keeping tarantulas and other exotic animals since 1994. In 1994, Martin earned his Diplôme en Sciences de la Santé (Health Sciences Diploma) from Ahuntsic College. In 1998, he earned his Diplôme en Techniques de Thanatologie (Embalming Diploma and license) from Rosemont College. In 2002 he founded Tarantula Canada with the mission to promote the hobby by providing healthy, captive bred tarantulas and to import new and rare species for the Canadian tarantula hobby. In addition to running Tarantula Canada, Martin also works as a licensed embalmer and funeral director in Montreal.

Martin pointing to an Ephebopus murinus burrow : French Guyana 2006

Amanda Gollaway was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. She has been keeping tarantulas and other inverts since 1997. In 1999, Amanda earned her Associate of Applied Science degree from the University of Cincinnati. While attending the university she worked as a lab assistant for the Biology department. In 2000, Amanda earned her Bachelors of Mortuary Science degree from the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science. She worked as a licensed embalmer and funeral director until 2005, when she moved to Montreal. She now operates Tarantula Canada full time.

Amanda : Port-of-Spain, Trinidad 2004

In 2003, Martin and Amanda met on the tarantula forum www.arachnoboards.com. They began a friendship, as they had much in common: they were both tarantula enthusiasts, nature lovers, and worked in funeral homes as licensed embalmers. In December of 2004, they were married in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, while on their first expedition to study tarantulas. They now reside in Montreal, Quebec.

Martin & Amanda: Trinidad 2004

Martin and Amanda travel to observe tarantulas in their wild habitats and to collect specimens for captive breeding. Their first expedition in December 2004 was to the island of Trinidad, where they observed Psalmopoeus cambridgei, Holothele incei, Avicularia spp., and Metriopelma trinitatis (a species not yet available in the tarantula hobby). They returned to Trinidad in April 2006 and were fortunate to observe Cyriocosmus elegans and Holothele sanguiniceps (two species they were unable to find on their first trip). In November 2006 they traveled to French Guyana where they observed Theraphosa blondi, Ephebopus murinus, E. rufescens and several undescribed species. In August 2007, they traveled to Suriname where they observed Ephebopus murinus, Avicularia spp., and an undescribed tarantula species, as well as several species of scorpions, amblypygids, true spiders, and other arachnids. In November 2008 they returned to French Guyana. They observed many of the species found on their first expedition, as well as Ephebopus cyanognathus, Holothele spp., and other unknown species. In August 2009 they visited French Guyana for the third time, revisiting many of the localities from their first trips and exploring some new locations. In the next few years, Martin and Amanda plan to continue their work in the Guyanas.

Martin with Holothele sanguiniceps burrow. Amanda says "There is DEFINITELY something in there!"

Back at home, Martin and Amanda are busy working with the tarantulas and breeding projects. They have bred over 30 species of tarantula and average around 35 eggsacs per year. They volunteer their time working for Sklipkan Journal, a non-profit, quarterly published magazine that is sponsored by the Zoological and Botanical Garden of Plzen, Czech Republic. They are members of the editorial board, and also submit articles for publication. Martin and Amanda have worked with the Insectarium of Montreal, the Insectarium of Quebec and the Vancouver Aquarium on several projects as consultants and have provided them with specimens. They are members of the Montreal Herpetological Association (Association Herpétologique de Montréal), the British Tarantula Society, and the German Arachnological Society (DeArGe). In addition to arachnids, Martin and Amanda also have two furry friends: Kittie and Ragamuffin.

Miss Kittie Ragamuffin ('Muffin for short)

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

Q: How do I place an order? (Canadian Residents)

A: To place an order, send us an email (tarantulacanada@yahoo.com) and include in your message the animals requested (including size and quantity) and your postal code (used to calculate shipping fees). We will then email you a detailed quote including all taxes and shipping fees.

Q: Do you ship to the USA?

A: Yes, we can ship to the USA, but shipping fees, importation taxes, and United States Fish and Wildlife (USFW) regulations and inspection fees apply. Please inquire for more information. A minimum order of 1000$ is required for shipments to the USA.

Q: Do you ship internationally?

A: Yes, we can ship internationally as long as all laws regarding the importation of animals to the destination country are respected. It is the importer's responsibility to research the local laws, as we will not be responsible for animals confiscated by authorities due to improper importation. We only ship international orders via air freight . When the animals arrive at the destination, the importer will need to clear the box with customs and pay any applicable importation taxes/ customs fees. A minimum order of 1000$ is required for international shipments.

Q: Why are most of the animals on your price list babies and juveniles?

A: Most of the animals on our price list are babies and juvenile because we specialize in captive bred invertebrates. We try to discourage the collection of wild animals for the pet trade and promote captive breeding instead.

Q: What does "WC" mean on your price list?

A: "WC" indicates a "wild caught" animal.

Q: Why are there no common names listed on your website?

A: The use of common names when making tarantula purchases can be problematic. One reason is that sometimes a common name is used for more than one species (Example: Red Rump can refer to both Brachypelma vegans and Megaphobema robustum). Another reason is sometimes one species may go by several common names (Example: Aphonopelma seemanni goes by Striped Knee, Zebra Knee, Striped Leg, etc.). Sometimes it is easy to confuse common names, as they can be very similar (Blood Leg, Fire Leg, Red Leg, Red Knee, Flame Knee, etc.). For these reasons, we do not use common names on our website. When only the scientific names are used, there is no question as to which species is requested and we can be sure that the buyer is getting the exact species he or she is looking for.

Q: Why is there not a form to place an order directly on your website?

A: There is no form on our website to place an order because shipping fees and methods vary depending on the location to which we are shipping, and the shipping methods need to be researched for each client who contacts us. Once we know a client's postal code, we explore the different shipping methods to find one that is safest for the animals AND most economical for the client.

Q: I have a mature male tarantula. Can I send him to you?

A: We are always on the lookout for mature males for our breeding projects. If you have a mature male and you would like know if we can use him for breeding, please email us at tarantulacanada@yahoo.com. If we need the male, we can make arrangements for a breeding loan with 50/50 split of the offspring, or if a 50/50 is not wanted we may consider making a trade for the male. Please remember that we cannot take every male that is offered to us, as sometimes we already have males that we are working with or our females may not be ready to breed.

Q: I have recently bred tarantulas (scorpions, true spiders, etc.). Are you willing to buy them?

A: If you have bred a species of tarantula, scorpion, etc., we may be willing to take some or all of the offspring if we have need of them for our inventory and if they are offered to us at a reasonable wholesale price. If we are interested in the offspring, we can offer a cash deal or a store credit.

Q: I will be in Montreal. Is it possible to stop by to see your facility?

A: Yes, we welcome visitors and receive guests frequently. If you plan to be in Montreal and would like to visit our facility, please call or email us to make an appointment to stop by.

Q: Do you make presentations at schools, parties, businesses, etc?

A: Schedule permitting, we can make educational presentations at school, businesses, parties, etc. Please contact us for rates and availability. If the event is outside of the general Montreal area, travel fees may apply.

Q: How much is shipping to my city?

A: If you send us a message and let us know your postal code, then we can send you an exact quote for shipping . If you live in one of these cities, here are estimates of what you can expect to pay for shipping fees:

Calgary, AB: 35$

Cambridge, ON: 10$ for next day service, or 20$ for guaranteed delivery by noon.

Edmonton, AB: 35$

Halifax, NS: 35$

Hamilton, ON: 10$ for next day service, or 20$ for guaranteed delivery by noon.

Kingston, ON: 20$

Mississauga, ON: 10$ for next day service, or 20$ for guaranteed delivery by noon.

Montreal, QC: 10$ OR free pickup at our facility

Ottawa, ON: 10$ for next day service, or 20$ for guaranteed delivery by noon.

Quebec, QC: 10$ for next day service, or 20$ for guaranteed delivery by noon.

Red Deer, AB: 35$

Regina, SK: 35$