Novice Species

This will be similar to my scorpion thread. What species are good for novices and which species should be avoided? I realize that this is a broad question but let's say, hypothetically, I want a fairly big one or rather one of a decent size, not some small piddly thing. Color is of no importance; general temperament, something fairly docile and not prone to agression; easy to take care of and maintain. Handling when necessary would not prove to be an issue (generally speaking), etc. etc. What would be the equivalent of the Emperor scorpion to the beginner in the tarantula world?

Edit: I would want a species that is terrestrial, something that would stay on the ground and not be prone to escaping.

Lasiodora parahybana gets quite big (8-10') and is relativly easy to take care of.

Tryris said:

Lasiodora parahybana gets quite big (8-10') and is relativly easy to take care of.

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And how is the bite? What can it be compared too? I wouldn't a T with a high venom potency.

Grammostola pulchripes.
Not as big as an LP, but still quite large. I'd say more docile in general as well.

Venom potency of NW tarantulas have often been compared to that of bee stings. I would imagine the physical bite from something that large would hurt more though.

true... L.p, and G. pulchripes are VERY EASY to care for, get larger to HUGE, and have an overall easy going disposition. if these two spark any interest, id also recommend A. geniculata. i had an 8" female not to long ago that was ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL. the L.p i used to have ended up maturing male and honestly i was scared as hell when it came time to package him up for shipping when i traded him. he was my 1st t and ( at that point ) the biggest i ever saw. i dont know if it was due to maturity, but he was downright MEAN and i daresay AGRESSIVE rather than DEFENSIVE. i think he spent all day lookin for somethin to bite....(and people think obt's are nasty:sarcasm the 2 G. pulchripes i currently have are -1" so i cant speak on them yet. cool little slings however

Vlad Tepes said:

This will be similar to my scorpion thread. What species are good for novices and which species should be avoided? I realize that this is a broad question but let's say, hypothetically, I want a fairly big one or rather one of a decent size, not some small piddly thing. Color is of no importance; general temperament, something fairly docile and not prone to agression; easy to take care of and maintain. Handling when necessary would not prove to be an issue (generally speaking), etc. etc. What would be the equivalent of the Emperor scorpion to the beginner in the tarantula world?

Edit: I would want a species that is terrestrial, something that would stay on the ground and not be prone to escaping.

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I couldn't recommend L. parahybana enough. It is one of the biggest T in the world with a gentle temperament, and most importantly it is very active and never hides as an adult, making it the best display tarantula. It also eats non-stop and a spiderling will mature in 2-3 years if provided enough food, and a spiderling costs you no more than $5-10 but it's huge appetite makes it outgrow other species in a short time.

It is not as docile as species under Grammostola, but being so big it has some attitudes for sure. For it's bite you need to be concerned about it's mechanism damage rather than its venom potency which is nothing more than a bee sting. Its huge 1" fangs can cause quite a damage comparable to the pedipalps pinchers of an emperor scorp. Remember LP will always display a threat pose if it wants to be left alone occasionally, and I can say for sure that unless you are very careless and tend to ignore warnings, you have no risk of being bitten by these gentle giants.

---------- Post added 12-26-2011 at 03:50 PM ----------

Hobo said:

Grammostola pulchripes.
Not as big as an LP, but still quite large. I'd say more docile in general as well.

Venom potency of NW tarantulas have often been compared to that of bee stings. I would imagine the physical bite from something that large would hurt more though.

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Species under the genus Grammostola are pet rocks that can be quite boring. They are slow growing too and Grammostola pulchripes in particular are one of the slowest growing Ts, requiring 5-8 years to mature. Besides, they go on months of fasting periods from time to time making them even more unpredictable on the grow rate and they will be easily forgotten for a beginner. I will only recommend juvenile and subadult Grammostola pulchripes to a beginner, but they are very expensive. To the OP, if you keep Grammostola pulchripes, expect many packs of crickets are left to rot and are totally wasted if you don't have other tarantulas to eat the crickets. You don't know when it starts it's fasting period and you don't know when the fasting ends, and the only way to tell is to buy it crickets to test.

---------- Post added 12-26-2011 at 04:10 PM ----------

grayzone said:

true... L.p, and G. pulchripes are VERY EASY to care for, get larger to HUGE, and have an overall easy going disposition. if these two spark any interest, id also recommend A. geniculata. i had an 8" female not to long ago that was ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL. the L.p i used to have ended up maturing male and honestly i was scared as hell when it came time to package him up for shipping when i traded him. he was my 1st t and ( at that point ) the biggest i ever saw. i dont know if it was due to maturity, but he was downright MEAN and i daresay AGRESSIVE rather than DEFENSIVE. i think he spent all day lookin for somethin to bite....(and people think obt's are nasty:sarcasm the 2 G. pulchripes i currently have are -1" so i cant speak on them yet. cool little slings however

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Sorry for the male LP... But don't lose fate on it. Know that male tarantulas are more aggressive and nervous. All my male G. pulchripes bolt and display threat poses all the time. Male Emperor scorps crush my fingers to bleeding and sting me all the time. Males are males, they can't be messed with. When we talk about arachnids males are never used as references.

An A. geniculata cannot compared to a L. parahybana at all in terms of temperament, size, display purposes, appetite and growth rate, and the only merit an A. geniculata has compared to an L. parahybana is its appealing white bands. Other than the pattern, everything that an A. geniculata can do will be done better by an L. parahybana. A. geniculata is too aggressive for a beginner. The documentary portraying a T. blondi killing the most venomous fer-de-lance viper used L. parahybana as the stunt. If you ask me I regard L. parahybana the king of pet tarantulas, being massive, inexpensive, hardy, fast growing, confident, reluctant to hide, active, dangerous to preys but friendly to owners, having a huge appetite and readily taking food from you and crushing them in front of you. What else can you ask for a perfect pet T?

Why not settle for a Brachypelma Albopilosum? It's not that big, very gentle and hardly needs close care and attention?

G. pulchripes, G. pulchra, and E. campestratus are the most docile beginner species. Also quite hardy and easy to care for.

Guys, before you reply please check the requirements of the OP. He is looking for a BIG beginner spider. So please don't suggest something outside his requirements and waste the OP time to do research on G. pulchra/E. campestratus/B. albopilosum etc.

I'm going to second just about everybody and say L. parahybana. If you do go for one, get a smaller one, because they grow extremely quickly. G. pulchripes also works and was my first T, but they aren't quite as big as LPs. Good luck!

Earth Tiger said:

Guys, before you reply please check the requirements of the OP. He is looking for a BIG beginner spider. So please don't suggest something outside his requirements and waste the OP time to do research on G. pulchra/E. campestratus/B. albopilosum etc.

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Really, now you're lecturing people about their suggestions for a good newbie species?!

Technically the OP's requirements were

Vlad Tepes said:

hypothetically, I want a fairly big one or rather one of a decent size, not some small piddly thing. Color is of no importance; general temperament, something fairly docile and not prone to agression; easy to take care of and maintain.

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so if G. pulchra doesn't count as something "of a decent size, not some small piddly thing" then I don't know what would fit the OP's criteria other than Lasiodora parahybana (your suggestion, funny enough). I would consider "G. pulchra/E. campestratus/B. albopilosum etc." all to fit the poster's intentionally vague and open-ended requirements. Just because others don't agree with your preferences, doesn't mean you need to criticize them for it by any means necessary.

I think G. pulchripes fits your requirements. Although not a large as L. parahybana, I would think handling would be a bit easier.

But I am by know means an expert. There is a lot of info on the boards on caring for both, which helps. But I think both are handsome and good large beginner Ts.

jayefbe said:

Really, now you're lecturing people about their suggestions for a good newbie species?!

Technically the OP's requirements were


so if G. pulchra doesn't count as something "of a decent size, not some small piddly thing" then I don't know what would fit the OP's criteria other than Lasiodora parahybana (your suggestion, funny enough). I would consider "G. pulchra/E. campestratus/B. albopilosum etc." all to fit the poster's intentionally vague and open-ended requirements. Just because others don't agree with your preferences, doesn't mean you need to criticize them for it by any means necessary.

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Wrong, since the OP began by emphasizing on getting a BIG one, and the logic follows that getting a decent size is somewhat a compromise. He also made an analog to getting an Emperor scorpion which is one of the biggest scorpions by any standard. Hobo, an experienced breeder here, only suggested a giant to the OP too. That you can't interpret the OP meaning correctly doesn't mean we are wrong.

Most importantly, nearly ALL docile and calm species are of decent sizes according to your definition on "decent sizes". G. rosea, G. pulchra, B. smithi, B. auratum, B. albopilpsum, an endless list. Why made a specific suggestion if nearly all docile species fit into his requirements?

Earth Tiger said:

I couldn't recommend L. parahybana enough. It is one of the biggest T in the world with a gentle temperament, and most importantly it is very active and never hides as an adult, making it the best display tarantula. It also eats non-stop and a spiderling will mature in 2-3 years if provided enough food, and a spiderling costs you no more than $5-10 but it's huge appetite makes it outgrow other species in a short time.

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I'd have to agree with Earth Tiger. L. parahybana is most definitely the best choice out there for large beginner Ts(that don't have to be super docile). Quick growing, great display tarantulas, even though they are not the most colorful they are still beautiful, and always willing to eat. One word of caution I'd like to mention about L. parahybana is that I've heard of many that are prone to kick hairs quite easily and mine definitely fits this description. However, the OP might not get one that does kick since there are differences among individuals. Even if the OP does get a kicker this might not affect them since reaction to the hairs truly varies from individual to individual and there's only one way to find out... I know the hairs bug me a bit but not enough that as long as I don't come heavily in contact I'll be fine.

Earth Tiger said:

I will only recommend juvenile and subadult Grammostola pulchripes to a beginner, but they are very expensive.

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Earth Tiger, I see your location says you're in Hong Kong. How much are G. pulchripes there? Here in the US, they are actually rather cheap & plentiful as juveniles and sub-adults. In fact, at all the local reptile/pet shows I've been to, I'd say the most commonly sold tarantula is juvenile/sub-adult G. pulchripes, especially by vendors who do not breed or deal heavily with tarantulas. I'd say those who specifically vend invertebrates are the only ones I would be able to find a L. parahybana to purchase(at a show that is).

Earth Tiger said:

Know that male tarantulas are more aggressive and nervous.

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Very interesting observation Earth Tiger. Thanks for making that point since I had never considered that before and it matches my experiences. It would make sense that they need to be more reactive than females since they are the ones going out looking when they mature. Would be better for survival that they are quick to respond to stimuli in order to stay alive.

High_Rolling_T said:

Earth Tiger, I see your location says you're in Hong Kong. How much are G. pulchripes there? Here in the US, they are actually rather cheap & plentiful as juveniles and sub-adults. In fact, at all the local reptile/pet shows I've been to, I'd say the most commonly sold tarantula is juvenile/sub-adult G. pulchripes, especially by vendors who do not breed or deal heavily with tarantulas. I'd say those who specifically vend invertebrates are the only ones I would be able to find a L. parahybana to purchase(at a show that is).

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Thanks High_Rolling_T. Although I am located in HK I got most of my NW spiders from Europe. However, a few species like G. pulchripes, G. pulchra and G. rosea I got them locally. Prices vary depending on the availability:

G. pulchripes sling <1" = USD40
G. pulchripes juvenile 2"+ = USD70
G. pulchripes juvenile 4"+ = USD100

G. pulchra sling <1" = USD30
G. pulchripes juvenile 2"+ = USD60

I just checked the above prices yesterday with a local reptile pet store. I checked a few sellers here and they are indeed less expensive in the States, and hopefully I will purchase some from US dealers who can ship to my region. After I move to my new home I plan to further expand my collection.

Earth Tiger said:

Wrong, since the OP began by emphasizing on getting a BIG one, and the logic follows that getting a decent size is somewhat a compromise.

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I'm wrong? Really? Empirically I am wrong about a subjective measurement? Where did he say the tarantula must be x cm in size and anything less is unacceptable?

Furthermore, there is always a compromise when it comes to picking tarantulas. You compromise temperament for size with an Lp and size for temperament with G pulchra. Neither is "right" but both still fit within his general criteria. I'm not saying that Lp is a poor suggestion only that suggesting NOT TO SUGGEST other species is a poor suggestion. I think every single species mentioned in thread is a perfectly reasonable species given the poster's criteria. Let him do the research and make the final decision.

Earth Tiger said:

He also made an analog to getting an Emperor scorpion which is one of the biggest scorpions by any standard.

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Or is considered one of the "best" beginner scorpions, so mentioning it is not the same as saying I want the largest spider.

Earth Tiger said:

That you can't interpret the OP meaning correctly doesn't mean we are wrong.

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I never suggested you were wrong (ironically enough, if you read your own post, you are the one suggesting that I am wrong) only that you were being overly critical of other's opinions (which you tend to do frequently). Examples: Grammostola are pet rocks and A. geniculata offer nothing that an Lp does. Or worst of all, suggesting that other posters' suggestions don't fit the OP's vague and subjective criteria. You tend to post in absolutes when we are referring to subjective opinions. I agree with some of what you say, but not the tone and manner in which you present it.

Earth Tiger said:

Most importantly, nearly ALL docile and calm species are of decent sizes according to your definition on "decent sizes". G. rosea, G. pulchra, B. smithi, B. auratum, B. albopilpsum, an endless list. Why made a specific suggestion if nearly all docile species fit into his requirements?

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Because this is tarantula chat and that's what we do here.

I'm pretty sure most T's are of a decent size other then the dwarf species. I've always heard that the Grammastola genus is a good starter. Mostly docile, hardy and attractive. My G. rosea is wonderful. She's not always friendly but she's always out and about. She doesn't just attack either. She'll kick hairs without asking questions but they haven't affected me at all. I have also handled her on many occasions. She might make a small protest (kick some hairs, short burst), but once she's safely secure on my hands, she usually doesn't move and when she does, it's very slow and carefully. I have read about people having threat poses thrown at them while handling them though.

Jayefbe, you do have your points in your last post, but your points are valid only if you apply them to your research. I would only do what you were saying when I was writing my PhD thesis or submitting a paper. Remember the OP is rather new to this hobby and his wish to get a BIG beginner tarantula is pretty obvious, and by common standards most other Ts suggested in this thread are of average sizes only. Yes, you can argue that 4-6" spiders are pretty big, but most keepers would agree that 2-3" are dwarf Ts, 4-6" are medium sized Ts and 7-9"+ are big Ts. My size definitions have a general consensus here, and yes, you can't make these statements when submitting a paper, but this sub forum is tarantula chat only. For really serious scientific talk, please do it in T question and discussions.

Finally, I have to repeat once again that you are dealing with a beginner who looks for a big T. If you want to confuse him with a huge list of docile Ts, exceptions, definitions, tech jargons etc and expect him to do some serious scientific research like what you are doing and what I was doing, you are just posting in a wrong place. To you tarantulas mean science, but to the OP and the rest, they mean a hobby here. I once talked like you but only in newsgroups forums where everyone was scientists, Kenneth Carpenter, Thomas Holtz, Gregory Paul... But this is not such a forum, and this thread isn't about science. No matter what our backgrounds are, here we talk like humans. We can express our love and even our bias on our beloved pets. As you said, you didn't think I was wrong in my points, only that you didn't like the way I expressed them. That's because tarantulas are no longer a subject of science to me, they are all my beloved pets.