Are S.cals really that bad?

Arachnomaniac19

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How bad are Stromatopelma calceatums? I've heard they're actually aggressive but I've also seen people say they aren't any worse than pokies. What are your opinions on these guys and do they really live up to their stereotypes? Thanks, Bryce.
 

BobGrill

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I haven't keep them, but I've read conflicting information regarding their behavior as well. I read a post on another forum from a member here who specializes in OW species saying something along the lines of" They are not defensive, they are AGGRESSIVE. " I'll let him chime in if he wishes, as He'll likely know I'm referring to him. I don't want to put him on the spot or mention his name without his approval.
 

SuzukiSwift

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How bad are Stromatopelma calceatums? I've heard they're actually aggressive but I've also seen people say they aren't any worse than pokies. What are your opinions on these guys and do they really live up to their stereotypes? Thanks, Bryce.
These guys often get a bad rap for being overly aggressive but they are first flight before fight, if you corner them they will very effectively defend themselves, however they will first flee at disturbances before striking back. My calceatum has never thrown a threat pose at me, mainly because I never give it reason to. This is just from what is observed in captivity though, in their natural environment these Ts are notorious for standing up for themselves against disturbances (they love in trees mostly, native to Africa)

Despite what I've said, this species demands respect, they have some of the strongest venom of any T and are very fast, don't disturb them unless necessary. I do believe they are a fantastic addition to any collection, but I strongly suggest keep some pokies first before moving on to these guys, the care is basically the same
 

Arachnomaniac19

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These guys often get a bad rap for being overly aggressive but they are first flight before fight, if you corner them they will very effectively defend themselves, however they will first flee at disturbances before striking back. My calceatum has never thrown a threat pose at me, mainly because I never give it reason to. This is just from what is observed in captivity though, in their natural environment these Ts are notorious for standing up for themselves against disturbances (they love in trees mostly, native to Africa)

Despite what I've said, this species demands respect, they have some of the strongest venom of any T and are very fast, don't disturb them unless necessary. I do believe they are a fantastic addition to any collection, but I strongly suggest keep some pokies first before moving on to these guys, the care is basically the same
I actually have a juvie P.met and two sub adult male P.regalis. I also own a juvie (2") H.mac. This thread wasn't started to see if I could handle the species, only to see what they are actually like. Sorry for any confusion and thanks for the info.
 

SuzukiSwift

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I actually have a juvie P.met and two sub adult male P.regalis. I also own a juvie (2") H.mac. This thread wasn't started to see if I could handle the species, only to see what they are actually like. Sorry for any confusion and thanks for the info.
Yes I assumed this, I put that there for the benefit of readers who are new to the hobby =) The last thing we want are people going straight from roseas to calceatums o_O
 

Arachnomaniac19

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Yes I assumed this, I put that there for the benefit of readers who are new to the hobby =) The last thing we want are people going straight from roseas to calceatums o_O
That would be... Interesting to say the least. It would make for a pretty cool video.

[Edit]
Aren't roseas considered to be NW S.cals being that they're always moody?
 
Last edited:

BobGrill

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Not sure what you're asking in that second part. Roseas are NW, S.cals are OW. Roseas are often recommended as one of the top beginner species, and are often described as being very docile, so people are surprised when they end up with an individual who is more on the feisty side. This, combined with their frustrating habit of fasting for months, is why I don't recommend them as a first tarantula. I'd still say they're a good beginner species, but if you want something with a bit more of an appetite, stick to a Brachypelma or Aphonopelma species.
 

gobey

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I think he's exaggerating that G. Roseas have bad moods.

Mine is a real grumpy spider who will eat your fingers without hesitation.

Can't comment on the S. cal
 

Arachnomaniac19

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I think he's exaggerating that G. Roseas have bad moods.

Mine is a real grumpy spider who will eat your fingers without hesitation.

Can't comment on the S. cal
Yep, pretty much. All of mine have attacked tongs on more then one occasion.
 

gobey

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Yep, pretty much. All of mine have attacked tongs on more then one occasion.
I only have one. 5" female. WC I'd say most probably. My first T.

She was real calm for about a month. Then she just had enough. No more Ms. nice tarantula. She now attacks anything that touches her. Tongs, paintbrush, crickets, fingers..... She's never NOT in a bitey mood. And she's greeted me with a threat posture once upon opening her enclosure.

Well I haven't tested out fingers.... But I'm not going to. You can if you'd like. I'm certainly never touching her again though. Which I did when I first got her. So yeah there's that.

Anyways.

S. cals.... yeah....
 

freedumbdclxvi

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I actually have a juvie P.met and two sub adult male P.regalis. I also own a juvie (2") H.mac. This thread wasn't started to see if I could handle the species, only to see what they are actually like. Sorry for any confusion and thanks for the info.
Juvies and subs aren't anything like an adult.
 

DrJ

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I, personally, hate recommending any NW specie to a newbie. I am an OW lover through and through. Mainly specializing in African Ts. As mentioned already, roseas pose many frustrations to a new T owner, but they are commonly available and cheap. I think we all have different ideas on the best first T, but when it comes down to it, the best is actually the one you want as long as you have the desire and wherewithal to learn as much as possible BEFORE taking ownership. The most common Ts I've started people on are OBTs or Pokies. Why? They are visually pleasing and have personalities that draw people. If you can learn, you can keep anything. Of course, I do a lot of education with people just starting out. But, there is no mystical "level" you have to unlock or achieve like a video game in order to start keeping any specie.

With new keepers in particular, my philosophy is that if it's not a specie they are really interested in, they are less likely to take proper care of it and are also more likely to lose interest. Instead, help them learn and feel comfortable getting what they want. The idea that we don't want people jumping up from roseas to calcs is the mentality we don't need or want in this hobby and is what keeps a lot of potential keepers out. They think that the species they want are out of their reach. No. That is wrong.
 

pyro fiend

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i have also read conflicting information. tho i dont keep them. i know a local keeper who has a few s.cal his are all 3 puppy dogs quick to run and hide. no worse then a NW, maybe a lil mouthy/fangy on a post molt day. but iv heard some can be pretty testy.. but then again some nw can too[without packing a punch ofcourse]

as for the roseas being moody i personally cant atest for that mine are all calm. 2 run when i try to spot clean lol. [they know im there i full water and look at them for a good 5mins first] only my lp and a boehmei have reared up at me both premolt and i scared the bajeezus out of them with a feeder dropped a little close [boehmei got hit in the head by a flailing leg and he reared like 1.5 seconds and then snacked]

i also agree that juvies arent like adults at all. juvies are quick to run no matter what typically an adult will rear and strike, seems first instinct of any sp.

kinda cringing at the thought of starters with poec and obts.. personally i think one of the best starters are A.geniculata. they get a good size which most newbs want. arent going to cause you too much harm. and they are little machines so not much stress period..they arent the brightest colored but thats where number 2 kicks in. my 2nd recomendation would be a gbb. cant go wrong with a pretty T. now it may not have the color contrast of white/cream and blues. but the bright blue legs, orangey abd and tealish carapas seems to catch the attention of even some of the most arachnophobic people plus they are also machines and arent too tiny. as i feel tiny T's stress out new keepers [being a new keeper i can understand i hate slings but raising them is kinda fun]
 

gobey

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i have also read conflicting information. tho i dont keep them. i know a local keeper who has a few s.cal his are all 3 puppy dogs quick to run and hide. no worse then a NW, maybe a lil mouthy/fangy on a post molt day. but iv heard some can be pretty testy.. but then again some nw can too[without packing a punch ofcourse]

as for the roseas being moody i personally cant atest for that mine are all calm. 2 run when i try to spot clean lol. [they know im there i full water and look at them for a good 5mins first] only my lp and a boehmei have reared up at me both premolt and i scared the bajeezus out of them with a feeder dropped a little close [boehmei got hit in the head by a flailing leg and he reared like 1.5 seconds and then snacked]

i also agree that juvies arent like adults at all. juvies are quick to run no matter what typically an adult will rear and strike, seems first instinct of any sp.

kinda cringing at the thought of starters with poec and obts.. personally i think one of the best starters are A.geniculata. they get a good size which most newbs want. arent going to cause you too much harm. and they are little machines so not much stress period..they arent the brightest colored but thats where number 2 kicks in. my 2nd recomendation would be a gbb. cant go wrong with a pretty T. now it may not have the color contrast of white/cream and blues. but the bright blue legs, orangey abd and tealish carapas seems to catch the attention of even some of the most arachnophobic people plus they are also machines and arent too tiny. as i feel tiny T's stress out new keepers [being a new keeper i can understand i hate slings but raising them is kinda fun]
Slings are why I have so many Ts so quick! I think that's a good way to get started in OW species. Although I started working with a friend's adult OBT and rehoused it even. And unpacked and housed another. They're ok if you're smart and have the tools you need.

I had my most troublesome experience shipping a hair kicking happy medium sized usually calm NW T.

But I'm glad I started with my Rose hair. Because she was a cheap impulse buy. I finally dcided to get my tarantula at a convention because she was so cheap. And I only began extensively researching right after bringing her home. But it was then I realized I had entered a hobby. Not just bought a pet. And entered a whole new world. Where S. calceatums and such exist.

Now I have 16. It'd be 17 But a 1/4" B. albo sling is MIA
 

pyro fiend

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Slings are why I have so many Ts so quick! I think that's a good way to get started in OW species. Although I started working with a friend's adult OBT and rehoused it even. And unpacked and housed another. They're ok if you're smart and have the tools you need.

I had my most troublesome experience shipping a hair kicking happy medium sized usually calm NW T.

But I'm glad I started with my Rose hair. Because she was a cheap impulse buy. I finally dcided to get my tarantula at a convention because she was so cheap. And I only began extensively researching right after bringing her home. But it was then I realized I had entered a hobby. Not just bought a pet. And entered a whole new world. Where S. calceatums and such exist.

Now I have 16. It'd be 17 But a 1/4" B. albo sling is MIA
yea but me and you both have had some exotic animal experience you with the bay me with hot herps.. immagine some run of the mill average john/jane doe trying to get into T's with an obt or poec.. kinda a bad idea iv known many hobbiest who started with them and got bit, or coudlnt handle the speed or defensive nature so rehoused. thats not a way to introduce them.. now if you say started somenoe on a genic and they then thought a sling obt would be okay. well they now know kinda what to expect. its not a brand new ball field :p
 

freedumbdclxvi

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I, personally, hate recommending any NW specie to a newbie. I am an OW lover through and through. Mainly specializing in African Ts. As mentioned already, roseas pose many frustrations to a new T owner, but they are commonly available and cheap. I think we all have different ideas on the best first T, but when it comes down to it, the best is actually the one you want as long as you have the desire and wherewithal to learn as much as possible BEFORE taking ownership. The most common Ts I've started people on are OBTs or Pokies. Why? They are visually pleasing and have personalities that draw people. If you can learn, you can keep anything. Of course, I do a lot of education with people just starting out. But, there is no mystical "level" you have to unlock or achieve like a video game in order to start keeping any specie.

With new keepers in particular, my philosophy is that if it's not a specie they are really interested in, they are less likely to take proper care of it and are also more likely to lose interest. Instead, help them learn and feel comfortable getting what they want. The idea that we don't want people jumping up from roseas to calcs is the mentality we don't need or want in this hobby and is what keeps a lot of potential keepers out. They think that the species they want are out of their reach. No. That is wrong.
Nothing says long term survival of the hobby like encouraging kids who are interested in tarantulas to get the fastest, most potent and defensive species.

There are no words on this board no matter how comforting and sugarcoated that are going to replace experience. I can talk a person with no snake experience into getting a gaboon viper as a first.snake cause, man, do they look good and aren't they cooler than a corn snake? I mean,gaboons are.generally slow - who isn't comfortable with a slow snake? So, they strike fast, and strike in any direction and can nail you as you hold their tail - as long as the person gets the animal they want, all is good!
 

Arachnomaniac19

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I, personally, hate recommending any NW specie to a newbie. I am an OW lover through and through. Mainly specializing in African Ts. As mentioned already, roseas pose many frustrations to a new T owner, but they are commonly available and cheap. I think we all have different ideas on the best first T, but when it comes down to it, the best is actually the one you want as long as you have the desire and wherewithal to learn as much as possible BEFORE taking ownership. The most common Ts I've started people on are OBTs or Pokies. Why? They are visually pleasing and have personalities that draw people. If you can learn, you can keep anything. Of course, I do a lot of education with people just starting out. But, there is no mystical "level" you have to unlock or achieve like a video game in order to start keeping any specie.

With new keepers in particular, my philosophy is that if it's not a specie they are really interested in, they are less likely to take proper care of it and are also more likely to lose interest. Instead, help them learn and feel comfortable getting what they want. The idea that we don't want people jumping up from roseas to calcs is the mentality we don't need or want in this hobby and is what keeps a lot of potential keepers out. They think that the species they want are out of their reach. No. That is wrong.
I'm going to have to disagree with beginners getting S.cals just do to their venom and speed. If you have training with someone knowledgable on this species and have worked as a student under said teacher supervision and have done well with this species then go for it but most beginners don't do that much research on a T and they usually don't go top speed on video. So I wouldn't recommend one early on. That's just my ten cents though plus this is from the mentality of a teenager so it has a good chance of changing.
 

z32upgrader

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Back on topic... No, in my experience, from raising an S cal sling to maturity, they're skittish, and run and hide when disturbed. Mine has never shown any aggression except toward those unlucky roaches of mine. I only rehoused it once when it was 3" or so, and was actually in premolt, moving rather sluggishly. He's a good 6" now and mature. He's still flighty, and I'll see how he is when it's time to ship him to a breeder.
 

freedumbdclxvi

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What most people fail to grasp is the species' reputation isn't an indicator of its constant behavior but worst case scenarios. Generally speaking, even the most disreputable spiders will be quite tractable a majority of the time. It's the times when they aren't genial but living up to the reputation that make the warnings justified. Is an S cal.going to attempt to kill everyone you love? No. But should an inexperienced keeper own a spider with an incredible combination of agility, speed, defensiveness and potency that can be set off without warning? Also no.
 

DrJ

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Nothing says long term survival of the hobby like encouraging kids who are interested in tarantulas to get the fastest, most potent and defensive species.

There are no words on this board no matter how comforting and sugarcoated that are going to replace experience. I can talk a person with no snake experience into getting a gaboon viper as a first.snake cause, man, do they look good and aren't they cooler than a corn snake? I mean,gaboons are.generally slow - who isn't comfortable with a slow snake? So, they strike fast, and strike in any direction and can nail you as you hold their tail - as long as the person gets the animal they want, all is good!
Most potent and defensive species? Since when did we all agree that Stromatopelma calceatum were the most BA animals out there? Comparing a S. calcwith a Bitis gabonica is a rather arrogant statement, I'd say. You seem to be missing the point that EDUCATION is a vital and essential element when taking on the responsibility of life for a living thing. Any living thing. That being a dog, spider, snake or even your own kids. Not every good parent grew up having gerbils, graduating to rats, to fish, to a cat, to a dog, to a monkey, to a bird, and FINALLY being given the privilege to reproduce and have a human child. What do you have to say about that? Are they unqualified? No. A good parent does research, educates themselves, and PREPARES for the undertaking they are about to face. Granted, even the most advanced education will not replace experience...but, that does not mean one is not ready. It just means that some things have to be experienced, and some never will. Look at what I've presented you. Going so far as your extreme example of an animal that has the potential to kill a person, it all has to do with education. Work with a mentor and learn what you need to know and gain a skillset. Do that and I'll have no qualms if you want that Gaboon for your first or not. When going with an animal like that, though, you knowingly take on the responsibility knowing the dangers. The same dangers are not nearly present in a Stromatopelma calceatum. I've educated many people who have successfully taken on varying species of Poecilotheria and other so-called "unconquerable-Old-Worlds-that-should-be-reserved-only-for-the-elite-of-us" as their first tarantulas. I've also educated many people on proper husbandry and care of Morelia viridis, Corallus caninus and Corallus hortulanus to see them take off as very successful keepers of their first snakes, and go on to have successful breeding operations with these species and produce many healthy babies. A little education goes a long way. Remember the quote that says something along the lines of give a man a fish and he eats for a day; teach him to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. Education. If you keep telling people the fish are too advanced for them, they'll never fish. By now, YOU should be the advanced mentor, helping those that come to you with questions and quelling fears and misconceptions that arise. Instead you seem to be perpetuating the myth that S. calceatum is some sort of mythical beast that will devour any person found unworthy. Truth be told, S. calceatum really aren't that special. They are an arboreal OW tarantula. Get over it. I don't sugar coat anything, but I'm certainly not going to embellish and play into the false stereotype many people like to fall into. The mentality that you have portrayed is no better than those who advocate breed specific bans against pit bulls based solely on the breed. Education. Again, it's important.
 
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