Avic. Azuraklaasi or P. Metallica

Whaagh

Arachnosquire
Joined
Jun 5, 2013
Messages
63
Hi all

I am going to ask for more advice. There will be a reptile expo middle next month and i am looking to either get into Pokies or stick to Avics. I am getting a avic. avic this weekend and i already have a avic. Versi and i love the avics. I have read that the Pokies have similar requirements for holding. Thanks for all the help in advance.
 

Sana

Arachnoprince
Joined
Oct 26, 2014
Messages
1,139
How long have you have your avic and do you have any other T's or just one?
 

Whaagh

Arachnosquire
Joined
Jun 5, 2013
Messages
63
ive had my avic about a month and i have 11 other T's getting a Brachypelma emilia also on saturday.
 

Sana

Arachnoprince
Joined
Oct 26, 2014
Messages
1,139
I've been told that avics are a reasonable beginner arboreal while poecs are definitely for someone with experience (and a lot of it IME). I've got an a. metallica and my gentleman friend recently got a p. vitatta. First thing the poec taught me was that I absolutely did not have enough experience to keep one based on my experience with my avic. Poecs move so quickly that they make an avic look like a g. rosea in comparison. The p. vitatta I'm learning from has a feeding response that is so intense that it will rush the movement of the door when it's opened if it's hungry. Much different from my avic who patiently waits for her meal to come to her. I don't even try to feed her by myself anymore after the number of close calls with that door. One of us operates the door and watches the poec while the other gets the prey into the terrarium. It's almost a comedy act to see I'm sure.

Based on those experiences I would have gotten something that was a step between an avic and a poec first if I had it to do again. Maybe something that was super fast and temperamental without the significant venom of a poec.
 

BobGrill

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 25, 2011
Messages
1,669
A.diversipes and a few others can actually move extremely fast and are rather defensive.

Psalmos make a great intermediate species, as they have the speed of pokies, but lack the extremely potent venom. Avics I cannot recommend to a beginner simply because they are less forgiving of mess ups on the keepers part. You may notice that there's more dead Avic threads around than any other genus.
 

Poec54

Arachnoemperor
Joined
Mar 26, 2013
Messages
4,745
I've been told that avics are a reasonable beginner arboreal while poecs are definitely for someone with experience (and a lot of it IME). I've got an a. metallica and my gentleman friend recently got a p. vitatta. First thing the poec taught me was that I absolutely did not have enough experience to keep one based on my experience with my avic. Poecs move so quickly that they make an avic look like a g. rosea in comparison.
Actually Avics are only recommended for beginners because they don't have the speed of other arboreals, and many aren't defensive. But the downside is that they have a narrower range of acceptable conditions and many beginners have killed theirs by keeping them too moist and stuffy. Avics are really more of an intermediate species, for people that have some feel and experience for how to care for spiders.

The other arboreals can live in a broader range of conditions, but as you have seen, they can move pretty fast when they want to. I have a lot of Poecs and can help you with advice on keeping them.
 

Whaagh

Arachnosquire
Joined
Jun 5, 2013
Messages
63
I actually wont lie, my A. Versi almost died a couple of wees ago but that was due to user fault (the water bowl had run drie and i didnt notice), the one lucky part for me is that we have fairly high Humidity so building humidity isnt that big a issue and since i sorted out the water problem for my Versi she has been a lot better. A friend of mine (who actually helped me get my first T) bought a P. Metallica around a month ago and she is having great success with hers as hers just recently molted. The main reason im really asking is that i want to get myself a poec at some point and P.Metallica might be on special at a expo (same with the Azuraklaasi). So i want to get suggestions befor i make a desition on an certain one of them.
 

cold blood

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jan 19, 2014
Messages
13,223
I actually wont lie, my A. Versi almost died a couple of wees ago but that was due to user fault (the water bowl had run drie and i didnt notice), the one lucky part for me is that we have fairly high Humidity so building humidity isnt that big a issue and since i sorted out the water problem for my Versi she has been a lot better. A friend of mine (who actually helped me get my first T) bought a P. Metallica around a month ago and she is having great success with hers as hers just recently molted. The main reason im really asking is that i want to get myself a poec at some point and P.Metallica might be on special at a expo (same with the Azuraklaasi). So i want to get suggestions befor i make a desition on an certain one of them.
Personally if I were you I would get the avic, and while there, find a nice cheap P. cambridgei sling (or really any Psalmopeous species). They're pretty common and inexpensive. As Bob mentioned, they are exactly what you are looking as a stepping stone. They share much of their tendencies with pokies, are as fast, or faster and have what is as good or a maybe better feeding response. They grow like weeds, so in a year you will have gone through many molts....all my psalms sp. molt every 30-45 days and the P. cams are actually closer to a month. Everything you are looking for with your future pokie, without the potent OW venom as they are a NW from Northern S. America. Even the same basic care as a pokie.

Good luck, hope the show turns out to be a good one for ya.:)
 

Ultum4Spiderz

Arachnoemperor
Arachnosupporter
Joined
Oct 13, 2011
Messages
4,545
Hi all

I am going to ask for more advice. There will be a reptile expo middle next month and i am looking to either get into Pokies or stick to Avics. I am getting a avic. avic this weekend and i already have a avic. Versi and i love the avics. I have read that the Pokies have similar requirements for holding. Thanks for all the help in advance.
I do not suggest any of these I suggest P regalis, P miranda, or P striata they are my current favorite Pokies. H mac are nice also but take years to grow, and are worth the wait.
Good luck buying 1 T , Its impossible.

---------- Post added 11-26-2014 at 09:22 PM ----------

Actually Avics are only recommended for beginners because they don't have the speed of other arboreals, and many aren't defensive. But the downside is that they have a narrower range of acceptable conditions and many beginners have killed theirs by keeping them too moist and stuffy. Avics are really more of an intermediate species, for people that have some feel and experience for how to care for spiders.

The other arboreals can live in a broader range of conditions, but as you have seen, they can move pretty fast when they want to. I have a lot of Poecs and can help you with advice on keeping them.
+1 My pokies aren't bitey at all, except P ornata.
Pokies are way hardier in captivity, Avic's aren't a beginner T Period.
 

Whaagh

Arachnosquire
Joined
Jun 5, 2013
Messages
63
Awesome thanks for the suggestions, me and a friend are going to order from a supplier and they have a Togo Starburst (Het. Maculata) for relatively cheap, cheaper than the P. cambridgei. I have read that they tend to be very aggressive but is a good start to getting into "Poecs" as well. I will also look out for the P. Cambridgei at the expo
 

Poec54

Arachnoemperor
Joined
Mar 26, 2013
Messages
4,745
are going to order from a supplier and they have a Togo Starburst (Het. Maculata) for relatively cheap, cheaper than the P. cambridgei. I have read that they tend to be very aggressive but is a good start to getting into "Poecs" as well. I will also look out for the P. Cambridgei at the expo
Maculata aren't aggressive; they may get defensive when you prod them, so don't prod them. Common sense. Animals get scared and bite when you mess with them. Respect them and their territory. With any arboreal (except Avics) keep the lid close by in case you have to put it back on quickly, and keep a catch cup in arm's reach. Use tongs or forceps for cage maintenance, not fingers. Maculata growth is moderate to fast, depending on temp and food. You can get males maturing in 18 months, females 3 or 4 years. By 3", maculata get their classic chalky white color.

Cambridgei grow a little faster, males can mature 12 months. They're prone to fast dashes as slings and juveniles, but calm down by the time they're subadults. Again, not defensive if you don't prod them. They're enthusiastic eaters, and a bite is more likely from a feeding response than defense.

Whether Heteroscodra, Psalmopoeus, or Poecilotheria, their care is the same: slightly moist substrate (better too dry than too moist), cross ventilation, water bowl (even as 1/2" slings), cork slab to hide under, and plastic plants. I use long fiber sphagnum for my slings, under a piece of plastic plant, and they build their retreats with it.
 

viper69

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 8, 2006
Messages
17,851
I'd get azura only because I rarely see them, like a couple times a year if that. Metallica I could always get.
 

cold blood

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jan 19, 2014
Messages
13,223
Awesome thanks for the suggestions, me and a friend are going to order from a supplier and they have a Togo Starburst (Het. Maculata) for relatively cheap, cheaper than the P. cambridgei. I have read that they tend to be very aggressive but is a good start to getting into "Poecs" as well. I will also look out for the P. Cambridgei at the expo
If you are really looking for a species to work up to pokies, the H. mac isn't the right t. I'd say get a few pokies, then go for the H. mac as they are definitely for the more advanced keeper. They will always be there and they will always be dirt cheap as well.

How much is the P. cam...they're super-cheap over here, in fact I got mine as freebies.
 

Whaagh

Arachnosquire
Joined
Jun 5, 2013
Messages
63
If i had to convert it to Dollar it would be about $16 (R160) where the H mac is $8 (R80). We normally get the red rump as freebies
 

CEC

Arachnoangel
Arachnosupporter
Joined
Feb 28, 2011
Messages
952
(the water bowl had run drie and i didnt notice), the one lucky part for me is that we have fairly high Humidity so building humidity isnt that big a issue and since i sorted out the water problem for my Versi she has been a lot better.
Don't worry about humidity, Avics need constant access to drinking water, whether that's a full water bowl or a light misting of the web or side wall on the reg. or both(especially during pre-molt and post-molt).

There is not much difference in azuraklaasi and metallica. They are both larger, bulkier, and a different shade of blue than Avic. avic. Although, Avic. azuraklaasi are a little closer in appearance to the type species.

Here are my girls, both are around 5" in the picture, you decide.

A. azuraklaasi
image.jpg



A. metallica
image.jpg

If you are ready for OWs, I suggest P. metallica. I love Avics, don't get me wrong but azuraklaasi is not one of my favorites, whereas, metallica is one of my favorite pokies.
 
Last edited:

Whaagh

Arachnosquire
Joined
Jun 5, 2013
Messages
63
I have a question about Poecs, do they web as much as the Avic or do then just climb and hid?
 

viper69

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 8, 2006
Messages
17,851
My rufi doesn't web nearly as much as any of my Avics.
 

Poec54

Arachnoemperor
Joined
Mar 26, 2013
Messages
4,745
I have a question about Poecs, do they web as much as the Avic or do then just climb and hid?
Poecs will spin varying amounts as slings, but less as they grow. This could be one reason they've evolved some tolerance for each other. Unlike Avics and some other arboreals who spin their own retreats as adults, Poecs tend to prefer holes and nooks in trees, and have fewer places to live.
 

Whaagh

Arachnosquire
Joined
Jun 5, 2013
Messages
63
Cool Thanks, i think the one thing that really caught me about the avics is the way they web. I have decided to get a P. Regalis as a start to Poecs. I should be getting it middle next week.
 
Top