PLANNING my next acquisition

Okay so after the little fiasco described in my "Rehousing fast Ts" thread, I am going to be extra cautious in my next t purchase. I'm still going to wait till next spring at least. But what's the harm in at least planning it? I'm personally wanting to get another LP or Lasiodora species or another Aphonopelma since I have the most experience with those two. But like you guys have said, the T should be interesting to me so I will have more motivation to keep it alive. So, based on my predicament, what are your recommendations of Ts for me?

Depends on what you consider interesting, Driller. G. pulchra is my favourite (along with B. emilia). Easy to care for, large, hardy, very active, ferocious eater, and will mature into a 5-6" solid black T. B. smithi would be a good choice too, another large, docile terrestrial.

I should just make 'If you don't have an A. geniculata, you need one' my signature, because that's what I am always suggesting.

Yes, you need an A. geniculata. 1. They're beautiful 2. Their feeding response is wild 3. Mine hardly ever uses her hide anymore so she is always out and about for me to admire. 4. They get big. Very impressive, an 8" spider garbage disposal. 5. They're easy to find and are on the cheaper side, even for a sexed female. I know someone here on AB that had 2" sexed females for $40. I bought mine from her, and it did indeed molt out female. 6. They're fast growing.

The downsides: 1. Their urticating hair is one of the most irritating (reportedly, but individuals can react differently. Could make it worse for you, could make it less so) 2. They get very big. At 8 inches, the mechanical damage could be pretty intense if they bit you. And since they are little monster trucks, you need to be mindful of that. Don't let your guard down, and don't reach into their enclosure with their hand. Mine readily attacks water or anything else that moves.

I'd also suggest Euathlus sp. "red" but as a sub-adult or a mature specimen. Very agonizingly slow to grow, but such docile and lovely little dwarf Ts.

The problem with an A. geniculata is that som- alright I'll just flat out say who is this time, Storm76 said that they are fast, and if you read the thread I talked about you would see that my GBB almost escaped while I tried to rehouse it. So is it just his specimen that is like that or is that their general disposition? G. pulchras are too expensive

What do you have now?

Driller64 said:

The problem with an A. geniculata is that som- alright I'll just flat out say who is this time, Storm76 said that they are fast, and if you read the thread I talked about you would see that my GBB almost escaped while I tried to rehouse it. So is it just his specimen that is like that or is that their general disposition? G. pulchras are too expensive

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My girl is fast, but it has never been a personal problem for me. When I rehoused her, she allowed herself to be guided into the catch cup without freaking out or trying to run. A few gentle nudges with a parrot feather and she was in.

I've seen her speed when she is hunting, but she's never used it 'against me' so to speak. BUT the most important thing is for you to feel confident with the tarantulas you get. If you think that an A. geniculata is too fast for you, then don't get one. If you approach a tarantula with a fearful and hesitant mind set, you could very easily make a mistake that could lead to your or the spider's harm.

No one can predict how a specific specimen will react. Just because mine hasn't given me any problems, doesn't mean mine won't/can't in the future. It also doesn't mean that if you got one, it would act just like mine. But if you're waiting until spring, perhaps do some more research and maybe see if you feel up to the species. I know that A. genics are far from being the fastest T out there though.

[video=youtube;0SGo4YEpwmA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SGo4YEpwmA[/video]

Here is my girl, quick as a whip when she wants to be.

Driller64 said:

The problem with an A. geniculata is that som- alright I'll just flat out say who is this time, Storm76 said that they are fast, and if you read the thread I talked about you would see that my GBB almost escaped while I tried to rehouse it. So is it just his specimen that is like that or is that their general disposition? G. pulchras are too expensive

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well any sling you buy is going to be fast and some more then others. i don't think an A. genic sling is any faster then an LP sling. they both grow up to be very large terrestials and they are less skittish as they grow with confidence in size. they are mirror image in appetite but I think A. genics look better personally and certainly they don't have skittish GBB speed. if you can rehouse an LP, you can most certainly rehouse an A. genic.

miss moxie said:

I should just make 'If you don't have an A. geniculata, you need one' my signature, because that's what I am always suggesting......
......I'd also suggest Euathlus sp. "red" but as a sub-adult or a mature specimen. Very agonizingly slow to grow, but such docile and lovely little dwarf Ts.

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I should do the same in my signature block for G. pulchra, moxie. Yes, the pulchra slings tend to be a fair bit more expensive than the rest ($55 for 1.25" up here), but they are worth every penny.

I just received a 1/4" Euathlus sp. "red" sling. So it's gonna take Forever & a Day, Amen for it to grow, huh? That stinks, but I'll get enjoyment out of watching it grow. Mine sure likes to tunnel.

If you want to save up a little I could suggest a Thrixopelma, they aren't particularly common but they aren't obnoxiously expensive either. Both myself and coldblood have T.cyaneolum and we've both observed our specimens to be very calm and move at a very methodical pace. They don't get very big as my AF is probably 4.25-4.5 inches and that's as big as shes going to get. Basically if you want a more colorful and less moody rosea then that's what this spider is. I have no idea how the genus is as slings but T.ockerti is the most common one but I think may be a little more skittish. The genus is quite unique in that they will shake their abdomen when irritated, my girl never has but apparently they can do it.

If you want to stick to what you know then why not try Aphonopelma seemani Blue Color Form? Basically you get a very interesting colored T for a decent price and gets to a decent size of around 6 inches if I recall. I've only had my sub-adult for a month but she is a very pretty gal who I think may molt soon. The slings of this species are pretty reasonable so you can get a decent sized one if you wait long enough.

Ghost Dragon said:

I should do the same in my signature block for G. pulchra, moxie. Yes, the pulchra slings tend to be a fair bit more expensive than the rest ($55 for 1.25" up here), but they are worth every penny.

I just received a 1/4" Euathlus sp. "red" sling. So it's gonna take Forever & a Day, Amen for it to grow, huh? That stinks, but I'll get enjoyment out of watching it grow. Mine sure likes to tunnel.

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I haven't had the pleasure of a G. pulchra-- just yet. I actually have a 2.25" female coming in the mail tomorrow! Very excited over that, I searched for about 2 weeks to find a female that wasn't over $200.

And yes, I have two .25" Euathlus sp. "red" slings so I've got a long wait ahead of me too. I also have a MM and a MF Euathlus sp. "red" pair, which is what inspired me into the slings. I love the species so much, I wanted to raise some personally. Mine don't really tunnel too much. They both have very shallow burrows against the wall of their enclosure, but when I open the top their little bums are always sticking out. Very good job at hiding, haha.

I've heard from Storm76 they take several years to hit maturity, I can't remember how many. But I joke that by the time my sling pair mature, they can go to the nursing home with me.

Driller -- I also have a B. albiceps sling I'm awfully fond of. Got it as a freebie, and it has grown on me immensely. Also cheap slings, but Brachypelma is a slow growing genus too. Not as bad as the Euathlus sp. "red" of course. I haven't worked with any B. albiceps adults though. I'd suggest a G. pulchripes too, but mine is very moody and I've heard they can have moodswings. One minute they're 'content' and the next they're attacking tongs. Mine has a very intense feeding response, much like my A. geniculata. But they're on the slower side.

miss moxie said:

I'd suggest a G. pulchripes too, but mine is very moody and I've heard they can have moodswings. One minute they're 'content' and the next they're attacking tongs. Mine has a very intense feeding response, much like my A. geniculata. But they're on the slower side.

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Mine is very "spirited", as soon as I touch the container it's running and bouncing around. It's also one of the only Ts that has attempted to bite and hair me and is very intense in the feeding department. My G.ihringi is calmer in comparison but does like to attack the water and will tackle whatever is put in there. Of course it's nothing I can't handle, it just makes my day a little interesting when it's feeding day.

awiec said:

Mine is very "spirited", as soon as I touch the container it's running and bouncing around. It's also one of the only Ts that has attempted to bite and hair me and is very intense in the feeding department. My G.ihringi is calmer in comparison but does like to attack the water and will tackle whatever is put in there. Of course it's nothing I can't handle, it just makes my day a little interesting when it's feeding day.

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YES. Exactly. My G. pulchripes has less hair on her abdomen than my A. geniculata does. She's a very flicky and skittish girl. I wanted a docile one, but I love the feisty gal I got instead just fine. The other day I went to feed her a superworm and was lowering the tongs in to drop it. She had other plans and practically leapt at my tongs for the wiggling worm.

My G. Iheringi is still a sling, 1.5"-2" in size. He or she is quick to run away or do the 'bashful' curl where they pull their knees in close to their 'face'. But he or she also readily eats anything I offer as well.

miss moxie said:

Driller -- I also have a B. albiceps sling I'm awfully fond of. Got it as a freebie, and it has grown on me immensely. Also cheap slings, but Brachypelma is a slow growing genus too. Not as bad as the Euathlus sp. "red" of course. I haven't worked with any B. albiceps adults though. I'd suggest a G. pulchripes too, but mine is very moody and I've heard they can have moodswings. One minute they're 'content' and the next they're attacking tongs. Mine has a very intense feeding response, much like my A. geniculata. But they're on the slower side.

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I don't know whether I should buy B. albiceps slings from Paul Becker since he has and probably still will have them in stock by next spring. But they are 1/2"ers and I'm not sure I could keep them alive. Also the shipping is $39.00 so I would probably have to slit my wrists if I bought only one sling. So yeah, probably a pair. And they are a species that I REALLY want to own so I will have motivation to take care of them.

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Driller64 said:

I don't know whether I should buy B. albiceps slings from Paul Becker since he has and probably still will have them in stock by next spring. But they are 1/2"ers and I'm not sure I could keep them alive. Also the shipping is $39.00 so I would probably have to slit my wrists if I bought only one sling. So yeah, probably a pair. And they are a species that I REALLY want to own so I will have motivation to take care of them.

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You know, that's where I got my freebie sling from and it seems more like 3/4" to me. Not a huge difference, but. He or she isn't hard to look after, I pre-kill crickets and rip their legs off and leave it in overnight. The problem with planning is you don't know what the stock will be like when that time comes around, but for the most part there always seem to be some species that are readily available. If I were you, I would start putting away a little bit of money every month until you have about $150 in the spring time. That is enough for multiple slings of 1-3 different species -and- you'll also get a freebie for spending over $100. I don't find the point in buying 1-2 slings when shipping is usually around $30-40 dollars.

if you're looking for another Lasiodora species, you absolutely can not go wrong with a Klugi. they are the prettiest in the genus IMHO. they are a big spider with a big appetite. they are thickly built and chunky and i think they are the heaviest tarantula and rival the big 3 Theraposa for sure. +1 on G. pulchra. they are a medium to large size spider and they are a flat out gorgeous as adults. beautiful blue black tarantula...very sweet disposition. the calmest Grammastola in the genus hands down. big chunky black teddy bears. they supposedly have the largest fangs of all tarantulas. sweethearts really. G. inheringi is my 2nd favorite in the genus and the largest in the genus as well. they are pricey and rare but some sacs must have hatched in the last year because I've seen some spiderlings making the rounds and I know someone who has them for less then $50. One of the big 4 vendors has them for $150 a sling so you know a steal when you see one. +1 on A. genic. Love them to death. My dubia hate them. lol you can't go wrong with the Brachypelma genus. so many hobby classics in this genus. no collection is complete without a Smithi, Auratum, Emilia or an Albiceps. The genus is hardy and long lived. I mean can you imagine having a female T in this line for 20+ years? there are marriages that don't even last this long. i can just see it now. "You want a divorce? FINE! I'm taking my Smithi!" lol I personally have 6. Ditto on Aphonopelma. Long lived...durable and hardy. Lastly you can not go wrong with Eupalastrus Campestratus....the Pink Zebra beauty. Super docile super sweet. very gentle. this tarantula will not bite you. you can pick these up, turn them over they just won't do anything remotely hostile. this is a tarantula you could take to a class room show and tell. freaking 8 legged angels. lol oh well....i've rambled long enough.

Driller64 said:

I don't know whether I should buy B. albiceps slings from Paul Becker since he has and probably still will have them in stock by next spring. But they are 1/2"ers and I'm not sure I could keep them alive. Also the shipping is $39.00 so I would probably have to slit my wrists if I bought only one sling. So yeah, probably a pair. And they are a species that I REALLY want to own so I will have motivation to take care of them.

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If you look around the classifieds everyone is either giving them as freebies or are selling them dirt cheap. As much as I like Paul's selection and service, his shipping is very high and he's been involved in some not so kosher dealings in the past. I'd suggest just saving up and come spring time when everyone is hatching out sacks you can probably nab some some really cheap or the leftovers from the previous year on AB.

miss moxie said:

If I were you, I would start putting away a little bit of money every month until you have about $150 in the spring time. That is enough for multiple slings of 1-3 different species -and- you'll also get a freebie for spending over $100. I don't find the point in buying 1-2 slings when shipping is usually around $30-40 dollars.

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I am trying to get a job soon and also I have discovered this magical thing known as a prepaid credit card so payments towards Ts will be much easier if I get one of those.

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Akai said:

i can just see it now. "You want a divorce? FINE! I'm taking my Smithi!"

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I'm absolutely dying.

+1 Pink Zebra beauty. I haven't worked with one personally but I've never heard anything bad about them. I have one on the wish list for sure.

---------- Post added 10-01-2014 at 02:47 PM ----------

awiec said:

As much as I like Paul's selection and service, his shipping is very high and he's been involved in some not so kosher dealings in the past.

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Interesting, I didn't know that. I've purchased from him once and everything went smoothly. But yes, it was the highest I've ever paid for shipping.

i usually shut it down before thanksgiving when it comes to ordering online. winter is here by then in most places and the heavy traffic of mailing packages picks up especially as you near x-mas. FED-EX, UPS, USPS are hammered this time of the year and the Polar Vortex crippled most of the U.S. i just can't risk the little guys. i have at least 3 more orders in me before I shut it down maybe 4 seeing that I might take advantage of some black friday tarantula sales that will undoubtedly turn up. lol

Get a P.Irimia...if you can handle fast species, they are fast but stunning, I got mine a few days ago and its only used its hide a few times. Its got strong venom so that's one down point. And its pretty defensive..