Most advanced T you can think of...

What might it be? If there was one T that you would only recommend to an expert, what would it be and why?

well i think everyone elese will name poecs and other old worlds due to venom and speed but ima go with Theraphosa blondi/stirmi..

they seem to be something no newblette should have as their care requirements are a bit too advanced for most new owners.

Poecilotheria ornata. I am still a firm believer that Tarantulas are not of medical importance. I believe that all the extreme bite reports are grossly exaggerated or allergic reactions, so I do not categorize toxicity with the level of diffculty. I am basing my opinion only on how hard the animals are for me to keep. The reason I am choosing ornata is in the twenty years I have been keeping T's, I have not been able to keep a sling or adult ornata for longer that six months. I have tried different setups and humidity options, but nothing works for me. I know lots of people keep them, but I have not been successful with these. It drives me nuts.

What is one person's advanced is another person's easy T. I keep T.gigas and for some people, especially older people, that spider is not very ideal as they are probably the fastest T known currently and are notorious for being flighty. Mine is pretty calm and easy to deal with but I know what it is capable of and I can respect other people for not keeping them. I personally do not want anything to do with S.calceatum, while many prominent members here would prefer that T than say hair flickers like some brachys and theraphosa. I think theraphosa may be a good go to answer just cause they can be particular with their care and this results in many inexperienced keepers killing them. Avic slings get a bad rap too due to bad care sheet advice, my first T was a versi sling and it has been forgiving of some of my mistakes while other people just have them die on them for no reason.

S. cal, H. mac, and theraposa sp. Also, I believe many of the large Asian arboreals would also qualify.

heteroscodra maculata. although they are drop dead gorgeous, the fact that they are the most venomous tarantula and their speed makes me believe that only the most experienced keepers should have one.

Grammastola rosea. Many keepers have died of boredom from this species.

klawfran3 said:

heteroscodra maculata. although they are drop dead gorgeous, the fact that they are the most venomous tarantula and their speed makes me believe that only the most experienced keepers should have one.

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Haven't heard they're the hottest, nor that all the other candidates have been tested and compared to one another in a controlled setting. Maculata certainly isn't the fastest or more confrontational species. Not one for beginners, but they aren't quite the holy terror you make them out to be. They were the first baboon spider I bred (back in the mid 1990's), and I never had an issue with them running or attempting to bite. They're fairly shy. A lot of people own them (slings are cheap) I don't remember seeing any horror stories about them here.

I can't pick one species, just a group. OW arboreals are the most advanced IMO. Speed, agility, nervousness and potent venom make for an advanced combination.

freedumbdclxvi said:

I can't pick one species, just a group. OW arboreals are the most advanced IMO. Speed, agility, nervousness and potent venom make for an advanced combination.

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I would have to agree with this, personally.

cold blood said:

Also, I believe many of the large Asian arboreals would also qualify.

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...and primarily these, IMO.

Since being a member here, I've seen more threads about sick and dying Avicularia versicolor than any other species. They aren't exceptionally fast or violently aggressive, but due to needing special housing & care I'd say versies belong on the advanced list too

skippydude said:

Since being a member here, I've seen more threads about sick and dying Avicularia versicolor than any other species. They aren't exceptionally fast or violently aggressive, but due to needing special housing & care I'd say versies belong on the advanced list too

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I started off with a versi with no complications. I really think people don't like researching or put too much stock into care sheets. I mist it a few times a month and provide water caps, nothing hard there, but as I said originally some people have harder times with some species than others. My h sp Columbia is a little orange terror that makes my p.muticus look like a kitten, it's currently the most challenging t I have because it's so confrontational.

True problem with A. versicolor is the landslide of horrible care info that is out there. The more research you do the more bad info you get.

I picked up P. metallica as second sling just 1 month in the hobby, and is probably the best eater and fairly easy to keep. I give him all the space he requires +more, always use long tongs through half opened lid for maintenance.

From what I gather Theraphosa sp. seem to be most specialized, and most technical.

xirxes said:

True problem with A. versicolor is the landslide of horrible care info that is out there. The more research you do the more bad info you get.

I picked up P. metallica as second sling just 1 month in the hobby, and is probably the best eater and fairly easy to keep. I give him all the space he requires +more, always use long tongs through half opened lid for maintenance.

From what I gather Theraphosa sp. seem to be most specialized, and most technical.

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I personally don't like bring haired and my bf swells up like a balloon so he prefers ow and I like pamphs better cause they are not so flicky. I will attempt to keep one some day, but I will have to find the perfect one. They are of course very large and can be confrontational along with their care. So they get my vote

Pretty much what I expected although the versicolor is a bit of a surprise. Any other interesting choices?

Python said:

Pretty much what I expected although the versicolor is a bit of a surprise. Any other interesting choices?

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I know some people won't keep taps because they are so fast. I believe Poec54 said that chasing a spastic spider all over his t room would get old very fast.

Lmao. I can understand that. I've never kept taps myself but only because the opportunity never presented itself I suppose. I've never kept a theraposa either but only because they've always been out of reach for me. I love pokies and psalmos so I'm no stranger to speed. I prefer the OW speed and attitude, not to mention the sleek look. I may look into the taps and see what strikes my fancy.

awiec said:

I know some people won't keep taps because they are so fast. I believe Poec54 said that chasing a spastic spider all over his t room would get old very fast.

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It's one thing to work with a fast arboreal; that's easier to justify when it's either big or has nice colors and/or markings. It's a different situation with a genus that's mostly small, dark spiders zipping around the cage (and the room).

I strongly disagree with the versicolor pick. As I always say, I'm a living proof that they are NOT the fragile/delicate things everyone makes them to be. I got mine as an absolute beginner, and first thing the crazy little thing does when I open the lid to feed it is to run up the tongs, my arm and as I flinched, dropping/jumping a whole foot (measure unit) down to the table. Sensitive to the moisture/ventilation ratio, which is hard to find and upkeep? Oh please. The container I received mine in had four tiny holes poked near the top. It thrived there, even before I upgraded the container with more holes.

I think I got lucky that the breeder knew what he was doing, and found a simple solution to the apparent problem. People stick the slings in tiny vials and then moan how hard is to keep the moisture and ventilation in balance. Well, duh! That's what you get for sticking the spiders in tiny vials - the very trivial solution is to give them more space to provide more easily controlled environment that also comes in with plenty of air that doesn't get stale that quickly! The aforementioned container was a 12cm height x 8cm diameter plastic cylinder, probably a lidded cup of some kind. Granted, my theory of more space = more air, environment easier to maintain was formed retroactively after observation over time, but I think it really is something to consider.

I am but a newbie, approaching my two year anniversary, so I can't compare at all to the long time keepers...but perhaps people have been in the hobby long enough to be too set in their ways to look at things from a whole new angle. Maybe it's like the fairy tale with the child who shouted that the emperor is naked.

Hydrazine said:

I strongly disagree with the versicolor pick. People stick the slings in tiny vials and then moan how hard is to keep the moisture and ventilation in balance. Well, duh! That's what you get for sticking the spiders in tiny vials - the very trivial solution is to give them more space to provide more easily controlled environment that also comes in with plenty of air that doesn't get stale that quickly!

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+1. That's a quick way to kill Avic slings, putting them in vials. Mine are in 16 oz deli cups (even at 1/2") and that's an infinitely better cage than a vial.