Nhandu chromatus, anyone?

JetOoi

Arachnopeon
Joined
Mar 12, 2006
Messages
25
I'm a beginner in tarantula keeping. I got my first T last weekend and it is a rosea sling measuring 1.5cm. I love this little creature and decide to pick up another T, either N.chromatus or A.geniculata. There are very few information I can get for N.chromatus, and I know there must be some ppl own chromatus here. Mind to share with me? Any suggestion for me as well? thanks in advance.

(sorry for poor English:wall: )
 

smellyocheese

Arachnoknight
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Dec 9, 2005
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You can care for N chromatus the same way you care for you G rosea except keep the substrate a little moist. Give it some generous amount of substrate too cuz it may burrow but they are obligate burrowers. May just use a provided hideout. Even if it does burrow, it'll come out to walk around alot. The grow more rapidly than G rosea. That's about it :)

They should be more wel tempered than A genic although it can be nervous.


good luck!
 

Pennywise

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Jul 31, 2005
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A good choice.

I got my N. Chromatus at the Daytona Expo last August. It has been an
interesting and fairly active T since then. They are quite "jumpy" meaning
nervous but I have not found mine to be defensive. He (a Male) would
rather retire to his hide than threaten. He was 3 inches when I got him
and now is close to 6 inches. I put a fairly shallow substrate with a cup hide
in for him and he uses it as well as getting behind it to chill out. Recently he has
built an elaborate "tent" of webbing and substrate that he sometimes gets
into.. Sometimes he will roam and climb for hours before resting, at other
times he will remain in plain view, his attractive colors on full display.

Nhandu Chromatus
 

Amanda

Arachnolord
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Jan 20, 2006
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Convenient thread! I have one arriving on my doorstep from Scott's on Wednesday. :-D My little guy/girl is listed as only 1/4", though. I'm really excited to grow something from so incredibly tiny to so large!
 

Stefan-V

Arachnoknight
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Sep 10, 2005
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Heres my little lady!:)

Very calm, but they wont hesitate in kicking hairs if provoked.

Stefan-V
 

JetOoi

Arachnopeon
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Messages
25
Amanda said:
Convenient thread! I have one arriving on my doorstep from Scott's on Wednesday. :-D My little guy/girl is listed as only 1/4", though. I'm really excited to grow something from so incredibly tiny to so large!
at this tiny size what you feed it with?
 

JohnxII

Avicoholic
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Feb 21, 2004
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I tell ya, my girl really picks up her temper as she gets bigger... lightning fast during hunting too... for a second T, if it has to be just 1, I'd suggest A. geniculata over N. chromatus.
 

JetOoi

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Mar 12, 2006
Messages
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JohnxII said:
I tell ya, my girl really picks up her temper as she gets bigger... lightning fast during hunting too... for a second T, if it has to be just 1, I'd suggest A. geniculata over N. chromatus.
thanks for your advice. those t i will get is just 1cm sling. does chromatus poses such aggresiveness at sling stage?
 

Texgirl

Arachnopeon
Joined
Nov 7, 2004
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16
A. geniculata over N. chromatus
IF forced to choose just one. We have both and both are great. The N. chromatus is definatly more nervous though and spends a great deal of time in her hide. Most of the time we only see her little black toes sticking out (so cute). She does a great deal of tunneling as well. When she is out though, she is usually doing something interesting like moveing dirt around, webbing or showing an impressive threat display. She is very fast and in my mind would not hesitate to bite.
The first A. geniculata we had unfortunatly died, but my daughter loved her so much that we got another one. The new one is still pretty small, but already seems very similar to the first. This T tends to stay out much more in our experience and is not as shy. It seems much calmer than the N. chromatus. And we just are able to see this one much more.
Now with that said, I would still definatly have N. chromatus on my list as one to get.
Lia
 

Dragoon

ArachnoGoon
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Oct 6, 2003
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373
Wow...
All you people have chromatus and none of you got a threat display? Hmmmm...

(I have only juvies-2 inches- of these species.)
My one genic is calmer, out more, an eating machine, but not as flashy. Not aggressive, just always hungry. Mine jumps on water droplets even though it is very fat. Cute.

I have four chromatus the same size, and every single one rears up and slaps at me. They ignore food for the chance to tell me to f... off. They got the angry attitude at around the 3/4 inch mark. But they're way prettier. Mine don't dig...they have a bark shelf to hide under, maybe that's why?

Both are wonderful T's and worth having. Good luck deciding.
D.
 

tarsier

Arachnodemon
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mine used to give a threat display when i kept it in a small container without a hide. now that its in a larger enclosure, its dug a serious series of tunnels with the entrance right underneath a small log. now i rarely, if ever, see it. like texgirl, i only see its toes or the tip of its butt sticking out of the burrow. :)
 

JetOoi

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seems like geniculata has better reputation after all.
may be i should go for it at this time.
 

tarsier

Arachnodemon
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JetOoi said:
seems like geniculata has better reputation after all.
may be i should go for it at this time.

well, i hope this is incentive enough for you to get a chromatus. here's mine (around 5 inches in legspan now).

 
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PeterKlaasi

Arachnopeon
Joined
Mar 11, 2006
Messages
25
yep. got the same problem love the spider but the board members won't let me keep it :( :embarrassed:
they told me to get sommat else instead.
I think after N. Chromatus I'll be getting a M. Robustus
.don't get me wrong I love the Boehmi and it may well be added to any collection.
 

Amanda

Arachnolord
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My 1/4" N. chromatus is arriving Thursday, and I'm SO excited! It's one of 4 Ts coming, but I think I'm excited about this one the most.

On a side note... how do you pronounce Nhandu?
 

PeterKlaasi

Arachnopeon
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Mar 11, 2006
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Let me be the first one to congratulate you

We'll be wanting pictures of the 4 of them (unless you don't have a digital camera)

 

Amanda

Arachnolord
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I do and you will. ;) Does that sort of thing go in the Announcements section?
 

JetOoi

Arachnopeon
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Mar 12, 2006
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25
tarsier said:
well, i hope this is incentive enough for you to get a chromatus. here's mine (around 5 inches in legspan now).

a true beauty:drool: :drool:

u raise it from sling?
 
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