Talk to me about P. irminia...

This is a gorgeous tarantula and am giving some thought to getting a ~1/2in sling (it would be a freebie along with some other T's I'm ordering) I currently have a couple OBTs, two Pokies, rufilata and regalis, H. lividum and P muticus. I have others as well but these are the "big hitters", as it were, in my collection. They are all slings/juvenile the biggest being an OBT that is probably 3ish inches. I never see it so I can't be sure. The Pokies are very quick to retreat to their hides so I don't feel very threatened by them. The other "defensive" Ts immediately go down into their deep burrows when disturbed so there's not the concern of them leaping at my face when opening their enclosures like there is with these lightning fast arboreals, I am very hands off with my Ts and only do 1 - 2 rehouses, depending on size when I get them. I like starting with little slings because my experience can grow as they grow not to mention they are with me longer.

What are your opinions on this T? Is it a must have? cause that grey/black with the orange striping is just so pretty! I'm also considering instead of the P irminia, maybe the P cambridgei as well. That soft fuzzy olive green is very pretty too.

Thanks for your input!

Get the irminia! Get a few!

Poec54 said:

Get the irminia! Get a few!

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I only have room for 1 though! my collection will hit 31 with this order and that's one more than I told myself I could have lol.

Why do you think I should get it? Do you keep them? Is there anything in particular about them that you feel should earn them a spot in a collection?

When they are slings they are very cute! They are also very interesting to look at because they web alot. Mine webbed a whole tunnel system! Amazing! They are also good eaters! They attack very quik! Its a very fast species! The yellow stripes on the abdomen are just soooo beuatiful! There are people who say that they are pet holes but mine experience with them is different. I see them minimum once in 3 days, so for this species its a lot! They grow also very fast! Nice species to see growing up!

I just paired my female with a mm that matured in April, I love the contrast of Irminias! I don't get to see my female much as she's always in her hide but always worth it when she does venture out of her hole. I actually find the males pretty too, they're super fluffy..

Thanks for the replies. Do you find that they are "in your face" with their defensive behavior? Or do they prefer to flee rather than fight?

I recently bought 5 slings of them, after figuring out they're a gorgeous genus by looking at my P. cambridgei grow up and getting absolutely stunning. Besides of that, they are ferocious eaters too My little ones prefer to flee (or run up my arm^^) rather than display defensive poses.

David VB said:

I recently bought 5 slings of them, after figuring out they're a gorgeous genus by looking at my P. cambridgei grow up and getting absolutely stunning. Besides of that, they are ferocious eaters too My little ones prefer to flee (or run up my arm^^) rather than display defensive poses.

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Up your arm? My right arm decided it no longer wanted to function about 8yrs ago so I'd be screwed if a T ran up my left arm. I'd have no way of controlling it! lol My wife held her first T, a wee little A. versicolor sling, because it started crawling up my arm and I couldn't stop it :biggrin: I must say, my little physical inconvenience makes keeping these fast, aggressive Ts a bit more interesting. I have to exercise extra cautions and precautions. So far so good. I just respect the little buggers, give them their space and enjoy them for what they are without trying to handle or otherwise mess with them.

Saark said:

Thanks for the replies. Do you find that they are "in your face" with their defensive behavior? Or do they prefer to flee rather than fight?

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I raised two irminia sisters. Both started out in their sling vials building web tunnels that extended out of their burrows. When moved into juvenile enclosures, one went fossorial and the other strictly arboreal. Through sling and juvenile stages, both were more inclined to flight than fight. Almost a year ago, at ~4.0 inch dls, I moved the arboreal one into her permanent arboreal type enclosure where she decided to burrow. Several months later she decided to move into and heavily web her elevated cork round (where she has molted twice), but has not made any of the expected 'dirt curtains' to connect a pathway to her burrow. She just sometimes comes down from her loft to hang out in her burrow. I see her rarely, but it is always a treat.

I traded the sister, Miss Fossorial, and let me tell you, it was the most difficulty I ever had packing a tarantula for shipment. She hissed, spit, bared fangs, dripped venom, slapped, called me foul names, wedged herself in the packing funnel and refused to budge, and was extremely unpleasant and uncooperative. (Her attitude probably wasn't improved by me laughing at her...) Upon arrival at her destination, I'm told she strolled out pretty as you please into her new enclosure and never made the first bit of fuss. Go figure. I never saw a threat pose or any other defensive behavior from either of them until the Packing of the Witch.

Some individuals are more visible than others. Same with defensive behavior and decorating schemes, it will vary.

I also have an adult female P. cambridgei that I raised from a sling. When moved into her adult enclosure, she created the typical Psalmo tube web from burrow to loft and later accented with dirt curtains, but is visible most of the time. She filled in her burrow a couple of years ago. While not as strikingly colored as P. irminia, P. cam are gorgeous spiders in their own right. P. cam has also been more prone to flight than fight, and I've never experienced any defensive behavior from her. None of them ever attempted to flee out of their enclosures, only into their hidey holes. IME, P. cam grows faster and bigger. Both species are voracious eaters. You can't go wrong with either species.

I currently own both species cambridigei and irminia, one of each for now x). They are both very beautiful, great eaters, & extremely fast! If given enough height with about 1 1/2 to 2 inches of substrate you won't see that "pet hole" thing. Both mine are at the 3 inch mark and can tell by they're coloration that they are females. The two are very distinctive from each other. (male&female) They are meant for intermediate experienced keepers because of they're skittish behavior and lacking the urticating hairs most NW species have these NW T's are much faster and ready to bite but would much rather flee then pick a fight. If I were to choose one or the other I wouldn't be able to, they both have amazing color but I think the Chevron beating the suntiger out on that & the suntiger besting the Chevron with it's intricate webbing system. Ultimately both great must haves in a collection & great to watch grow! Good Luck choosing

RamRod said:

If given enough height with about 1 1/2 to 2 inches of substrate you won't see that "pet hole" thing. Both mine are at the 3 inch mark and can tell by they're coloration that they are females. The two are very distinctive from each other. (male&female)

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The males of both species will show no sexual dimorphism until their maturing molt. Until then, both sexes look the same. I'm told they are very difficult to sex ventrally. I suck at ventral sexing anyway, so rely on molt sexing.

I have owned both species for a short time however they are already two of my favorites. Something everyone should get. Plus they are stunning.

I've had a P. irminia for about two years, and it's up there with one of my favorites. Not a display tarantula at all, but the once a week I'm able to see the spider is well worth it. As others have said, very ferocious eaters, though I can't say mine is a huge webber. It simply lays a layer of webbing on all surfaces, but never makes web-tunnels of its own.

Saark said:

Thanks for the replies. Do you find that they are "in your face" with their defensive behavior? Or do they prefer to flee rather than fight?

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+1 for everything formerphobe mentioned!


Their behavior is very much like the pokies you already have. Splendid Genus, I love em! They eat like pigs and grow as fast as anything and make great web tube systems. They seem to get bolder and more "in the open" as they gain size...P. cams tend to be more visible than irminia IME.

Saark said:

Up your arm? My right arm decided it no longer wanted to function about 8yrs ago so I'd be screwed if a T ran up my left arm. I'd have no way of controlling it! lol My wife held her first T, a wee little A. versicolor sling, because it started crawling up my arm and I couldn't stop it :biggrin: I must say, my little physical inconvenience makes keeping these fast, aggressive Ts a bit more interesting. I have to exercise extra cautions and precautions. So far so good. I just respect the little buggers, give them their space and enjoy them for what they are without trying to handle or otherwise mess with them.

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Dunno if it's allowed (coz it wasn't really handling^^) but here is proof of the running



@mods, let me know if i have to remove it

Why wouldn't it be allowed? Some might disagree with it, but there's no rule on the forum that says you can't post pics of you handling your tarantula.

BobGrill said:

Why wouldn't it be allowed? Some might disagree with it, but there's no rule on the forum that says you can't post pics of you handling your tarantula.

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There is on the FB page which is probably for the best.

I do not own any psalmo (my tap fulfills my fast NW needs) but if I were to own one it would be P.reduncus as A) the name makes me smile and B) The blending of the golds, browns and blacks make me happy. BUT you certainly can't go wrong with irminia, with your pokie experience you should be just fine. Note though that the genus venom causes your nervous system to react the same as if you ate a very hot pepper would so it will not be pleasant to be bit.

Saark said:

I only have room for 1 though! my collection will hit 31 with this order and that's one more than I told myself I could have

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You don't keep several. You sell the others once you can sex them, and keep a female. That way the one you do keep is 'free.' A lot of people spend more on the hobby than they need to.

The irminia was my first arboreal, and a great introduction to the pokies I eventually acquired. It is indeed a great species, and a fantastic addition to any collection. Just be warned: they are EXTREMELY quick.

Good luck.

Poec54 said:

Get the irminia! Get a few!

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This! 200%! All the way! Get at least 3...or better 5!

All you Poecie Lovers can go home, nothing beats the contrast on a freshly molted, adult P. irminia female! Their "nike stripes" seemingly glow! No offense guys, I do love P. subfusca "lowland" to death too, but P. irminia is just -the- most beautiful and interesting arboreal to me. (Probably the reason why I keep two females completely different in behavior...)

Ok, downsides? A few...very reclusive, most quite defensive, extremely fast and can jump quite far and accurate But considering what you keep - don't hesitate and pick 'em up.