Seeking A. genic Advice

I'm always taken aback at how beautiful these are when I see pictures of them. I've been researching genics for a few weeks and the information runs the full gamut of them being perfect beginner T's to them being only recommended for the most experienced of keepers.

What gives? I understand that they're garbage disposals and will crush anything you put in their enclosure (including fingers or water). Is that why the disparity in recommendations?

That being said there seems to be a common thread that they're pretty bad hair kickers. However, some say that their hairs are the absolute worst (which worries me) and the very next say that they never notice their genic's hairs.

I figured I'd ask here for your firsthand experience because I've seen a lot of posts lately that talk about their genics and how much they enjoy them. I understand that each spider has its own personality, but ranging from "perfect beginner T" to "hair kicking murder spider" seems a bit extreme. Looking forward to hearing your experiences.


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Obviously any individual may vary, but here's my take. My female is about 5 inches. I've had her for three molts now, and loved every minute of it. Her beautiful carapace is such an incredibly dark red you can only see the color with a bright light, and her leg banding is a gorgeous shade of peach. She is definitely one of my strongest eaters, along with L. difficilis and G. pulchripes. I keep her in an appropriately sized container and ensure one corner is very damp, to keep her from climbing in search of humidity. I have never once seen her kick hair, and forget about a threat pose. It is true that she will dive at anything that moves near her, so I make sure she's busy with a big cricket before pulling her dish or plucking out boluses. I've always seen it as more of an eagerness than defensive behavior. So long as you expect it, it's not a problem. I think this is a great larger spider to own and would recommend to any keeper but the true beginner, due to the slightly modified moisture requirements.

Genics aren't an advanced species. Beginner to intermediate depending on the owner. They're big, beautiful, hardy, and perpetually hungry. Feeding responses are enthusiastic. Keep your fingers away from them. Give them moist substrate, moderate ventilation, a cork slab to hide under (although they'll be out most of the time), and a water bowl. Slings are about 1/4", so you have a bit of an infant stage (feed them baby crickets or adult cricket legs).

They kick when they're unhappy with an intruder, it's a passive/aggressive defense. I haven't had a threat display from mine, but it certainly is possible. Keep disturbances as unobtrusive as possible, and they usually won't kick much, if at all. Some individuals will kick more readily. Use forceps/tweezers for maintenance, and if the hairs are an issues, wear gloves and long sleeves. Masking tape/sealing tape will remove most hairs if you haven't started scratching.

I wouldn't recommend this as a first T to the average person, but if you have some experience, they're a great addition.

Dalix said:

It is true that she will dive at anything that moves near her, so I make sure she's busy with a big cricket before pulling her dish or plucking out boluses. I've always seen it as more of an eagerness than defensive behavior. So long as you expect it, it's not a problem. I think this is a great larger spider to own and would recommend to any keeper but the true beginner, due to the slightly modified moisture requirements.

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+1....great advice. 'Eagerness' is a fantastic word for the AG. Get ready for a water dish attack dog...and don't be surprised if that fat cricket fails to reduce this species....eagerness.

horanjp said:

+1....great advice. 'Eagerness' is a fantastic word for the AG. Get ready for a water dish attack dog...and don't be surprised if that fat cricket fails to reduce this species....eagerness.

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That seems to be a trait of all the big NW tropical terrestrials.

I'd say they're not good for a first but excellent for a third. They're very hardy, great display animals and great appetites. However, they do kick hair and they really are unpleasant. I was just examining a molt 2 days ago without gloves because I wasn't thinking, I'm still itching. But all NWs kick hair so it's something you deal with. The biggest reasons I'd say it's not a good first spider is because of its sheer size plus its feeding response. Many beginners have the urge to handle their T's and this one is not really something you wanna just pick up, you will very likely get bitten because it thinks youre food. Many people also tend to over feed them because they won't refuse a meal. Whenever I'm working in it's enclosure I let it know I'm there and it bites the brush like 4 times before it realizes it's not food. I feed my juvie male one cricket a week but after it's recent molt i might have to start an adult feeding schedule (it's 4+ inches now). I have never seen a threat display from mine and it has only kicked hairs on a few occasions. They are a must have. Absolutely gorgeous, grow fast, get big, and fun to watch eat.

Rehousing a T that wants to eat the prod instead of go in the direction you want can be a frustrating experience. It's cute to watch though, and it's hard to beat the show they put on when they make a running tackle from across the enclosure the second dinner hits the sub.

Sana said:

it's hard to beat the show they put on when they make a running tackle from across the enclosure the second dinner hits the sub.

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Sure beats fussy eaters.

Mine never kicked any hairs, is docile (although i won't handle her if not needed) and indeed a ferocious eater.

Feeding response: eager, enthusiastic, ferocious, voracious, fierce, epic...

I think the species is a great early tarantula for a novice keeper. None of mine tended toward hair kicking, but they certainly have that capability. Each person's reaction to the setae will be individual. Just take precaution if you suspect yourself to be reactive.

I raised two males from wee slings, and currently have an adult female that I acquired as a subadult. My female, in one of those infamous feeding responses, recently flipped her just filled water bowl going after an errant dubia, splashing herself, me, my bed, etc. She has also shredded every bit of decor in her enclosure - plastic plants, cork bark, felted coconut coir. Things she couldn't destroy, she stuffed in her prefab burrow. I gave her a variety of things to move around (plastic lizard, ping pong ball, small round stones). She and the lizard had a stare down for a few days before she buried it. I occasionally hear her pinging the ball and the stones about. Never a dull moment. Don't plan on a nicely situated enclosure, they have their own thoughts on housekeeping.

Thank you for all your thoughtful replies. A lot to think about.


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Spaceblues said:

Thank you for all your thoughtful replies. A lot to think about.

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I's a great species when you feel you're ready for it.

I agree with all the above. I sort of think of them as leaning towards intermediate, just because a novice might forget that they think everything that comes within striking distance is food. Mind you, I'm far from an authority on the species, I've only had mine going on four months. Like you, I thought they were awesome in appearance the first time I saw a photo of one.

I don't think that their urticating hairs- er, setae, is that big a factor in the experience level rating, apart from the fact that many are reputed to flick very readily. But as far as their irritation factor, I've seen several people claim that the more traditional beginner species. like some of the brachys gave them all kinds of grief as well. I plan on taking precautions with mine if it grows up to be one of the notorious flickers. It's over two-inches now, and I've seen it kick a few times when I disturb it, but it doesn't do it constantly A first tarantula? Sure, as long as you do your research, which one should do for any species before obtaining it. At least I know i would have taken it open as a complete begginer after spending some time on here and other places learning the ins and outs of their care. But I'm not sure that they are the ideal first spider for the completely wet-behind the ears beginner. In that case, I'd call it a second species. Another small consideration is that like all of the big guys, a bite could be unpleasant from the mechanical damage that their fangs could be capable of inflicting.

The humidity requirements are over-exaggerated. I was a little concerned about that as well when I was contemplating getting one. But it didn't take much research to learn that overflowing the water container on one end of the container, maybe an occasional light misting in the same vicinity, suffices. And really, the misting is probably very optional, if not totally unnecessary. Especially after the exit the sling stage. (I skipped that stage by purchasing a 1.5 inch, I wanted to raise my success rate as high as possible, since this particular spider was one I had long-desired.)
Like Poec54 said, great species when you feel you are ready.

When I first started out I got three slings: a G. rosea, an L. parahybana, and an A. geniculata. And of course the one that ended up not making it was the G. rosea (exhibited symptoms of twitching and uncontrollable movements, death curled a month after exhibiting symptoms. I believe it was some how exposed to chemicals. : ( ) The other two have done very well and are both now 2-3 inches DLS and my genic is one of my favorite spiders. I don't see why they would be considered anything above a beginner spider... Unless that beginner did 0 research before purchasing and the decided they wanted to handle the spider. They are great eaters, fast growers, easy maintenence as they do not need high humidity (in my case I sprayed half the substrate whenever it dried out and have had no issues thus far). They are gorgeous to look at once they get their colors in and trust me your breath will be taken away when you see that first post-baby-colors-molt. Mine is fairly defensive and has thrown several threat displays at me when I've tried to poke it away from what I was trying to pick up out of its enclosure, or when I was trying to transfer it, but after the initial feeding/defense response (as I've found it always goes in that order: first it will attack thinking you're food, then it will threaten thinking you're trying to kill it) I've found that they are flighty. Mine will retreat to their hides/the corner of the enclosure and then hunker down hoping you'll leave them alone. I've never had any genuine fleeing attempts. My LP is MUCH more flighty. Mine does kick hairs fairly readily, often times when I open the container it will do that, though it really depends on how stealthy I've managed to be. Mine had a molt once a month up until it reached 2-3 inches dls and has not had one since so I'm really looking forward to seeing it molt again.

Overall this is one of my favorite species and I cannot recommend them enough. I have two and both of them have followed the above outlined behaviours, just one is a molt behind the other. : ) They really are awesome!

A very timely post for me personally. I'm going to a reptile show today and planned to get my first a. geniculata. I'm hoping to get juvi. A female would be a big plus.

Good luck HungryGhost. :3

I absolutely love my A. geniculata. She was my second/third (I picked up two during my second T acquisition) and while she unnerved me at first (first T to ever kick hairs) I grew accustomed to her. She doesn't kick anymore, but then again I leave her be. As has been said-- their feeding response is very enthusiastic, and there is something beautiful about a ravenous tarantula.

[video=youtube;0SGo4YEpwmA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SGo4YEpwmA&list=UUS841ECdoRh7GL2iVf416Vg[/video]

+1 to going for it, if you feel up to it. I don't find A. geniculatas to be a challenge. Then again, mine has never given me any trouble and temperaments can vary slightly from specimen to specimen.

Thanks again for the replies! I've still been doing tons of research and I've yet to come across anyone write that they regretted getting their genic. As a matter of fact, several accounts state that their genic turns out to be one of their favorite if not their favorite T.

Good luck today HungryGhost - please come back and let us know how you did!


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miss moxie said:

I absolutely love my A. geniculata. She was my second/third (I picked up two during my second T acquisition) and while she unnerved me at first (first T to ever kick hairs) I grew accustomed to her. She doesn't kick anymore, but then again I leave her be.

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A couple observations about the cage:
- It needs more substrate. It's too far of a fall from the upper sides.
- The oversize waterbowl is a serious hazard. A fall onto a hard object like that can kill the spider.
- A water bowl should be in the middle of the cage, and soft substrate near the sides.
- You don't need pebbles in a water bowl, as they need regular cleaning too, which is unnecessary work. I don't use pebbles in any of my water bowls, from 1/2" slings to 10" adults.

A. Genic was one of my first few sp. My gal was purchased at 2" and now pushing 4.5-5 (a ways to go before adult tho) only thing i regret.. is not buying her sister xD i love this gal. Mines rather well mannered with exception of filling tye water dish wiel in premolt.. last 2 molts she attacked the water (didnt open enclosure just shot it in from a syrenge directly into bowl) worst mines done besides eating water when premolt is jumping up a few inches grabbing the roach wiel still lowering with tongs.. but with a species that eats like its starving, thats slightly expected lol. My girl hasnt haired or reared on me. So i cant give any bad remarks on the sp period but i know some have a bad attitude.. but then again some individuals have a Satan T xD