The BEAST that is A. geniculata - sizes

Sharno

Arachnosquire
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Jul 29, 2012
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Hi all,

I absolutely am loving A. geniculata after having tons of slings and juvies. I mostly dabble in smaller tarantulas and trade them when they get bigger, but aside from popular Brachypelmas, I've really taken a shine to these beauties.

My question is this -- when you see them sold at about 4.5 inches, that's still many years from full size, correct? I am assuming they are like my adult brachys and if I am lucky molt one time a year. I have read the leg span for mature A. geniculata can be 7 to 9 inches. Unless they are doubling in size at molt, is it safe to say that anything under 5 inches is still a teenager -- or, I mean, at least three molts from mature - ie, 3-4 years?

Thanks.
Sharon
 

gobey

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Jun 20, 2014
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If I'm not mistaken they grow much quicker than a Brachypelma and also have a shorter lifespan.

Comparable to LP growth rates, size, appetite and lifespan.

Only genics are more colorful.

7 inches is probably a reasonable expectation in size.

8 inches is a really big one.

9 inches was a fairytale used to sell you a spider.


Disclaimer: I am not an expert. Lol
 

pyro fiend

Arachnoprince
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Dec 29, 2013
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1,216
Yes and no? It depends on your temps, how much she eats what size your feeders are.. Alot goes into this...i got my fm A. genic at 1.5 almost 2" and in under a yr shes about 5"+ (forgot what her last molt measured) and is a female molting i think every 3 months now... Males typically grow much faster to mature out first.. I believe 7-8 is fairly possibly.. But 9? Well lets just say id need a pic by a ruler to believe that one..

In my experience with my gitl she put on about 1/2" per molt after 1" which is about normal for bigger Ts it seems..

4.5" is a sub adult im pretty sure if female it COULD breed at 5".. But not recomended and also could be a small MatureMale(5" not 4.5) so id clasify sub adult unless hooked out.. But i woudlnt exatly say 4yrs from full size its no brachy or grammy they grow fast
 

AphonopelmaTX

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If I'm not mistaken they grow much quicker than a Brachypelma and also have a shorter lifespan.

Comparable to LP growth rates, size, appetite and lifespan.

Only genics are more colorful.

7 inches is probably a reasonable expectation in size.

8 inches is a really big one.

9 inches was a fairytale used to sell you a spider.


Disclaimer: I am not an expert. Lol
Don't sell yourself short. This is spot on.
 

gobey

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Jun 20, 2014
Messages
290
Don't sell yourself short. This is spot on.
I read a lot. And I'm on here a lot.

That's all it takes ;)

But expert still I'm not lol.

I'm only about 10 months into this hobby and I don't own that species. So it feels weird to come in and say "THIS IS THE TRUTH! Trust me I don't even have one!"
 

Poec54

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I've got an adult female who had no interest in breeding at 7", but after shedding and approaching 8" she suddenly discovered romance. That tells me it's a big species.
 

AphonopelmaTX

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I'm only about 10 months into this hobby and I don't own that species. So it feels weird to come in and say "THIS IS THE TRUTH! Trust me I don't even have one!"
When I replied to your post, I didn't even realize that you were talking about A. geniculata specifically. As the years go by and you acquire more species of the South American giant species, you will start to see that
generalizations can be made fairly accurately but there will always be exceptions. That's why I said you were "spot on." Even with Theraphosa species 8 inch and 9 inch specimens are rare, but they do get that big. The 8 and 9
inchers I have had (and still have) were captive born and raised with the best care by their previous owners and were able to get to that size.

If only I knew back when I was new to tarantulas how rare 8 and 9 inch tarantulas actually are, I could have saved myself a lot of money.
 

gobey

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Jun 20, 2014
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When I replied to your post, I didn't even realize that you were talking about A. geniculata specifically. As the years go by and you acquire more species of the South American giant species, you will start to see that
generalizations can be made fairly accurately but there will always be exceptions. That's why I said you were "spot on." Even with Theraphosa species 8 inch and 9 inch specimens are rare, but they do get that big. The 8 and 9
inchers I have had (and still have) were captive born and raised with the best care by their previous owners and were able to get to that size.

If only I knew back when I was new to tarantulas how rare 8 and 9 inch tarantulas actually are, I could have saved myself a lot of money.
I bought 2 LPs with the promise of 9 or 10 inch spiders....

Poec here first gave me my dose of truth.

Now I know better.

And honestly I don't care. A 7 inch spider is a sight to see anyways.

I'm happy enough my remaining LP has a,great personality. Sadly her big brother passed after molting. He was a really entertaining tarantula!

If I were to get another to replace that one... I'd have to go the geniculata route. I looked at Pamphobetus... But boy they are pricey.

But I'm pretty good on tarantulas for now.

We'll see how big the LP gets. She grows slower than her sac mate did. Hence I suspect he was male and she appears female.
 

Poec54

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Even with Theraphosa species 8 inch and 9 inch specimens are rare, but they do get that big. The 8 and 9
inchers I have had (and still have) were captive born and raised with the best care by their previous owners and were able to get to that size.

8" Theraphosa rare??? I don't know what you've seen, but with a local reptile dealer I've seen, and have, a number of w/c stirmi, and 9-10" is the norm for adults. I wouldn't put too much faith in 'captive born getting the best care' and producing the biggest sizes. In the wild they get a far more varied diet, undoubtedly with more nutrients.
 

shawno821

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I looked at Pamphobetus... But boy they are pricey.

Worth every penny. Absolute bulldogs when they hit prey.I love all of mine.Maybe not a super colorful bug,but personality lasts longer than a pretty face.
 

Poec54

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I looked at Pamphobetus... But boy they are pricey.

Worth every penny. Absolute bulldogs when they hit prey.I love all of mine.Maybe not a super colorful bug,but personality lasts longer than a pretty face.

Pamphos are great spiders and deserve to be much more common in the hobby. Phormics are similar in many regards.
 

AphonopelmaTX

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8" Theraphosa rare??? I don't know what you've seen, but with a local reptile dealer I've seen, and have, a number of w/c stirmi, and 9-10" is the norm for adults. I wouldn't put too much faith in 'captive born getting the best care' and producing the biggest sizes. In the wild they get a far more varied diet, undoubtedly with more nutrients.
I didn't say providing the best care produces the biggest sizes for all especially when "best care" is highly subjective. Just the T. stirmi and T. apophysis I have were kept with the intention to produce the largest size possible. The methods in which the two individuals kept the those spiders to reach their huge sizes may not constitute "best care" by some, but to me it is. If you want more details, let me know in a PM.

All of the wild caught T. stirmi I have seen on the pet trade have been around the 7 inch mark and really didn't get much bigger in my care. If the reptile dealer you know regularly imports 9-10 inch T. stirmi, send me the contact info so I can see about acquiring a few of those.
 

Exoskeleton Invertebrates

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They do get quite large (the back leg was fully stretched to the start but he moved it before I could snap a pic)

:) View attachment 135413 View attachment 135414
Ah mature male photo, I have never been a big fan on how some people measure their spiders the way you did to me is a little mis leading. I know it's just my opinion. Also a clear photo of your mature male would be great, Am I correct that is a mature male?


Jose
 

Poec54

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Ah mature male photo, I have never been a big fan on how some people measure their spiders the way you did to me is a little mis leading. I know it's just my opinion. Also a clear photo of your mature male would be great, Am I correct that is a mature male?
It has to be with those skinny legs.
 

Tfisher

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Sep 28, 2014
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251
Ah mature male photo, I have never been a big fan on how some people measure their spiders the way you did to me is a little mis leading. I know it's just my opinion. Also a clear photo of your mature male would be great, Am I correct that is a mature male?


Jose
it was clear but every time I load pics they get blurry. Yes this is the mature male.
 
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