Sling for first ever T. Thoughts?

Tygir · Nov 28, 2014

Hi there, I've always been interested in tarantulas and recently decided to get one. I've done a lot of research about the specific species I'd want. (potentially Grammostola pulchripes or Nhandu chromatus)

What I really want to know is if a 1/2" sling is a good idea for a first T. I haven't seen anything definitive yet in my searches. If this has been answered, please direct me to the post! I don't mind if it takes a while to grow up and I actually think it would be pretty neat to say, years down the road, that 'I've had her/him since they were thiiiiis big' *holds thumb and index finger slightly apart*

Misty Day · Nov 28, 2014

I think a small, hardy sling would be okay for a beginner as long as a good bit of research is done. My first t's were all slings too, and are all alive and kicking today. A species like g.pulchripes and n.chromatus are pretty hardy (Keep in mind I have one n.chromatus still alive out of the 3 I originally bought. Two died during molt complications even though those and the one I still have were kept the exact same. So I'd recommend getting 4 or 5 to not only increase your chances of getting a female, but to ensure that natural selection, if that's what it was with mine, doesn't take place)

I also think raising slings then seeing them as an adult (for example my 6" p.regalis female I raised from 3/4 inch.) is a very satisfying feeling.

Poec54 · Nov 28, 2014

You'll want something hardy, a NW terrestrial, that grows at a good pace. Brachypelma albopilosum and vagans are great choices.

tisha · Nov 28, 2014

I agree with Poec54, I started with B. albopilosum slings and soon got a B. vagans. Both species are easy to care for and great eaters.
G. pulchripes are good too, mine loved to burrow as sling and stayed out as juvies, good eater too.

Poec54 · Nov 28, 2014

tisha said:
I agree with Poec54, I started with B. albopilosum slings and soon got a B. vagans. Both species are easy to care for and great eaters.
G. pulchripes are good too, mine loved to burrow as sling and stayed out as juvies, good eater too.

Pulchripes is another great one, although some people say theirs are slow growing. For me (with warmer temps) they're moderate growers.

IHeartTs · Nov 28, 2014

I agree with everyone else. A hardy NW sling is best. I personally started with an adult but I got an a geniculata as my first sling and that little guy has been tons of fun. G Pulchripes would be a good beginner. I don't have one, but when I come acRoss one, I'm buying it. An l parahybana might be good too. They aren't as defensive/aggressive as an a genic, but grow large, have a great feeding response and grow quickly. Good luck!

14pokies · Nov 28, 2014

I would also suggest b.albopilosum.they are virtually bullet proof,they have a moderate growth rate fast for a brachy,great feeders(my sling eats until the day it molts) and they are forgiving when it comes to substrate moisture levels.which is sometimes the hardest thing for a newb to get right. L.parahybana slings are a great choice also,I must say tho I am partial to that species so I try to advocate them as much as possible,some people may not agree. Whatever you do don't spend a lot of $ on your first sling as a newb your chances of losing it are somewhat higher.I see your from
N.H. check out zookeepers in plaistow..its by far the best petshop in the state!

Ultum4Spiderz · Nov 28, 2014

Poec54 said:
Pulchripes is another great one, although some people say theirs are slow growing. For me (with warmer temps) they're moderate growers.

Mine are just picky eaters, Otherwise they grow faster. Mine like baby dubia but not crickets.

Poec54 · Nov 28, 2014

Ultum4Spiderz said:
Mine are just picky eaters, Otherwise they grow faster. Mine like baby dubia but not crickets.

Once pulchripes get a little size on them, their appetites and growth rates increase. I have some that were 3-4" juveniles last year that have recently molted into mature males. Can't complain about that speed.

goodyt · Nov 28, 2014

You really are on the right path and asking the right questions ahead of time. My first purchased T's were a G pulchripes and a LP. Both species made it to 5"-6" in their first year and were very hardy. The LPs are a bit larger and more aggressive. So, stay on the course that you are taking and Welcome to the hobby.

tisha · Nov 28, 2014

Poec54 said:
Pulchripes is another great one, although some people say theirs are slow growing. For me (with warmer temps) they're moderate growers.

Yeah, I've always read that they are slow growers, but mine went from ~.5" to ~6" in one year, its a male though.

Sana · Nov 29, 2014

I love my g. pulchripes and it was my first T and a sling. We did well, but I had help anytime I had a stupid question or worry.

GG80 · Nov 30, 2014

I'd recommend an A. geniculata. Hardy, good eater and decent grower. I got a 1/2" sling 5 months ago and after 3 molts it's almost an inch DLS and showing some colour on the legs. All you need to do is to make sure there is constant access to water, I use a very small water dish and leave a few drops of water on the substrate, and feed it every 3-5 days.

Ultum4Spiderz · Nov 30, 2014

GG80 said:
I'd recommend an A. geniculata. Hardy, good eater and decent grower. I got a 1/2" sling 5 months ago and after 3 molts it's almost an inch DLS and showing some colour on the legs. All you need to do is to make sure there is constant access to water, I use a very small water dish and leave a few drops of water on the substrate, and feed it every 3-5 days.

Yeah Mine was really easy to care for , and is around 3" now I think female.

Tygir · Nov 30, 2014

Thanks for all the great info! I've ordered the Tarantula Keeper's Guide and it should be here next week. More research ahead!
There is a reptile expo coming to my town in January so I'm gonna wait till then to make my move

Shawq0x01 · Nov 30, 2014

This hasn't been mentioned yet and I'm not sure what everyone else's thoughts are but I am pretty fond of Hapolopus sp. Columbia lg. (Pumpkin patch) If you don't want a T that gets big. I have had several from 1/4" slings that have all done great! They grow pretty fast and have huge appetites. I really love their orange color and pattern!

Poec54 · Nov 30, 2014

Shawq0x01 said:
This hasn't been mentioned yet and I'm not sure what everyone else's thoughts are but I am pretty fond of Hapolopus sp. Columbia lg. (Pumpkin patch) If you don't want a T that gets big. I have had several from 1/4" slings that have all done great! They grow pretty fast and have huge appetites. I really love their orange color and pattern!

Nice species, but probably too zippy for a first spider.

Tim Benzedrine · Dec 1, 2014

Yeah, mine is a lightning bolt. I have thought a couple times that I'm glad it wasn't my first tarantula. It's my first particularly fast one, though. I like the little guy. Too bad it just recently moulted into a MM.
On the other hand, I kind of think they might make nice "training wheel" T's to keep in preparation for keeping the quicker, hotter ones. A poor response to an escape won't end up a potentially painful experience for the keeper. Physically, of course. Any escape can be emotionally painful if things get out of hand and the spider is lost or injured.

But thinking about it, my juvie genic, parahybana sling, and even my B smithi sling aren't exactly tortoises and can zip pretty well. I've not really seen the G. pulchripes or E. campestratus make any really quick moves yet though. The campestratus just darts into its tunnel,and the pulchripes tends to sort of huddle up when startled.

Ultum4Spiderz · Dec 1, 2014

Tim Benzedrine said:
Yeah, mine is a lightning bolt. I have thought a couple times that I'm glad it wasn't my first tarantula. It's my first particularly fast one, though. I like the little guy. Too bad it just recently moulted into a MM.
On the other hand, I kind of think they might make nice "training wheel" T's to keep in preparation for keeping the quicker, hotter ones. A poor response to an escape won't end up a potentially painful experience for the keeper. Physically, of course. Any escape can be emotionally painful if things get out of hand and the spider is lost or injured.

But thinking about it, my juvie genic, parahybana sling, and even my B smithi sling aren't exactly tortoises and can zip pretty well. I've not really seen the G. pulchripes or E. campestratus make any really quick moves yet though. The campestratus just darts into its tunnel,and the pulchripes tends to sort of huddle up when startled.

+1 Yeah your correct , slow Ts are a rare breed

:

:. Curly hair is about my Only slow T, A avic also does not do much but sit there.
My sub adult female LP can run pretty quick for 6.5" , and so can all sizes of My Lp's.:biggrin:

problemchildx · Dec 1, 2014

I feel like all terrestrial slings are pretty slow. They do have some speed, but nothing close to an adult OW arboreal. So I feel like anyone can keep a terrestrial NW sling as their first T. They are usually super hardy, I've never had one die..

When I first got into this hobby the dwarf species weren't very well known. I still haven't owned any of them, but I would not recommend them either for a first tarantula. They do grow very fast and are pretty hardy, however they will be available at quite a small size and I think that feeding these tiny things is the true challenge of raising slings. I remember when I first started raising Latrodectus slings they were so small that I literally couldn't feed them anything. Looking back on it, springtails are readily available now.. But even flightless fruit flies were too big for them. I have raised true spider slings successfully since then, but it can be a challenge for new people to keep in mind.

Sling for first ever T. Thoughts?

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