Must Have Collection Scenario

[Grey]

Sorry for the extended period that I was gone, lots of stuff changing in my life. I'm such a new member most folks won't recognize me if any do at all...anyways onto the scenario...


Okay so say that you're a big time T collector (you already are duh) but for some reason or other you can only have a certain number of Ts (let's just say for time and space constraints) okay so what in your OPINION are the ABSOLUTE must haves of the T species?

Lets say that you're only allowed 12.

 

[Neoza]

I would say: A. Versicolor, B. Smithi (or B.boehmei), G. pulchripes, G. Pulchra, T. Blondi, G. Rosea, orange baboon, L. Parabena, N. Chromatus, H. Gigas.... (These are some of the most popular species but its YOUR collection! You need to decide what YOU want! Some people love the colors of a versicolor but other rather prefer a smithi. And maybe its an exiting challenge to get rare species! For me its nice to have a T that only a few people have !

 

[Cavedweller]

Only 12? What a nightmarish scenario!

In no particular order:
Grammostola pulchra
Brachypelma emilia
Pterinopelma sazimai
Aphonopelma moderatum
Aphonopelma burica
Monocentropus balfouri
Avicularia diversipes or versicolor
Poecilotheria metallica
Psalmopoeus irminia
Euathlus sp Red
Orphnaecus sp. 'Panay Blue'
Heteroscodra maculata

That covers most of the bases, right? I only keep NWs so I'm a bit biased.

 

[ratluvr76]

I'm too new to the hobby so I guess I don't have much of anything to add to the discussion except I personally believe I will ALWAYS have a G. rosea. Also, I've got a few on my "want to get" list but most of them have already been listed. I googled the H. mac on Cavedweller's list and O M G!! SO beautiful. But Cavedweller, you realize of course that the H. mac is OW?

 

[Cavedweller]

I have an unexplained weakness for light colored tarantulas like H macs. Yeah, M. balfouri, Orphanceus sp. Panay Blue, and P. metallica are OW too. This was just a hypothetical must have list.

But my LPS just got a bunch of M. balfouri slings in and ohhh the temptation...

 

[milky]

B. Smithi
G. Pulchra
H. Maculata
P. Ultramarinus
M. Robustum
P. Metallica
A. Purpurea
M. Balfouri
A. Bicoloratum
P. Irminia
E. Murinus
P. Muticus

 

[shawno821]

B.boehmei *
B.auratum
G.pulchra *
G.iheringi *
Sulawesi Black
Borneo Black
Gbb *
T.stirmi *
X.imannis *
X.intermedia
Santo Domingo Goliath
P.sazimai *
I put * next to the ones I own,the rest is my wish list....

 

[Beary Strange]

I think everyone's must-haves will be totally different, but here are mine:

1.Euathlus sp.red
2.G.pulchra
3.A.versicolor
4.P.miranda
5.P.subfusca
6.P.ultramarinus (have not yet owned, but we're talking theoretically anyway)
7.P.cancerides
8.C.elegans
9.L.difficilis
10.A.geniculata
11.M.balfouri
12.E.pachybus (again, theoretical...I have yet to own these cuties)

Honestly though Ts don't take up that much room...especially if you use shoe boxes to house them.

 

[Ghost Dragon]

Most everybody have already stated the ones I like, but mine would be:

- G. pulchra

- B. emilia (tied with pulchra as my favourite)

- B. smithi

- GBB

- P. irminia

- One of the Ornamentals (I have 4 regalis & 1 subfusca Highland)

- G. pulchripes

- L. parahybana

- X. immanis (Don't have one but want one)

- P. metallica (Want one)

- B. albopilosum

- An Avic of some sort

That's my 2.5 cents (taking inflation into account)

 

[Grey]

My reason for this topic is because I am new to the hobby and I'm trying to contemplate an idea of what I want most (priorities) over time so that I don't have an enormous collection of Ts. I would prefer a much smaller seriously endeared collection that I absolutely love and reflects my own personality rather than 200 TS just because I love Ts in general. I know a lot of you do collect like that and there is nothing wrong with that, power to you. I'm just trying to figure out an approach for myself rather than go over aboard which looks very easy to do. I'm also big into the idea of only buying slings and raising the from slings. It's just my taste in the hobby, I've read of other ppl with similar tastes so I guess this idea isn't uncommon.

As for me...

I'm thinking of buying some brachy (curly hair) first and/or a chrom. Cyaneopubescens slings as my first Ts. I want to have an idea of where I want my collection to go as my experience with Ts grows. After that I'm thinking of buying some Versicolor slings and an Epheobus Murinus slings. Then later on down the road getting a P Metallica, a h. Gigas and a M balfouri.

That's just six but I'd love to have a perfect number of variety because I am one of those OCD group ppl. I love variety so I love to have an even number of OWs to NWs and arboreals to terrestrials to obligate burrowers.

---------- Post added 08-12-2014 at 12:29 PM ----------

Also keep in mind that I meant only 12 species...

Not just 12 Ts. Haha.

 

[justynh]

G. Pulchra is on everyones list. But no one said GBB yet.

 

[Grey]

Shawn and Ghost Dragon both said GBB, haha.

I'm going to get one anyways, actually the first on my list of must haves.

 

[justynh]

Woops, this phone app has such small text for me. I missed it.

 

[SpiritScale]

*feels like I'm cheating because I only have 15 so I could theoretically just say my entire collection*
If I were going to only keep 12 T's they'd have to be out often, be pretty and/or impressive.

1. Grammastola pulchripes
2. Lasiodora parahybana (seriously...I love this T...so common some consider it sort of meh...but awesome IMO)
3. Chromatopelma cyaneopubscens
4. Avicularia versicolor
5. Psalmopoeus irminia
6. Poecilotheria of your choice (my choice being either metallica or regalis)
7. Acanthoscurria geniculata
8. Nhandu chromatus
9. Brachypelma (either albiceps or boehmei)
10. Theraphosa blondi
11. Thrixopelma ockerti
12. Euathlus sp red/yellow

 

[scorpionchaos]

A.versicolor: Gorgeous, arboreal a must have
C.marshalli: If you can say no to a unicorn T then you have more will power then me
A.geniculata: Big, colourful and known for one hell of a feeding response
B.boehemi: your Brachypelma fix with the most flare
P.metallica/P.subfasca: your going to want a poec...
H.incei/hapalopus columbia large: you need a dwarf so pick your poison xD (also smaller enclosures means more room for more Ts!)
X.immanis: need a reason, look at some pictures!
G.pulchra: get your grammastola fix in a sleek jet black package.
E.murinus: lovely pet hole, when you it (rarely) it makes the encounter an experience, a treat... every fisherman needs that illusive Moby Dick!
P.murinus: who doesn't love an OBT?
P.irmania: impressive and beautiful arboreal
C.cyanneopubescens: colourful and heavy webber.

hope this helps

 

[Cavedweller]

I'm thinking of buying some brachy (curly hair) first and/or a chrom. Cyaneopubescens slings as my first Ts. I want to have an idea of where I want my collection to go as my experience with Ts grows. After that I'm thinking of buying some Versicolor slings and an Epheobus Murinus slings. Then later on down the road getting a P Metallica, a h. Gigas and a M balfouri.

Curlyhair is an excellent starter imo. Mine are out most of the time and avid bulldozers.

 

[Grey]

I'm gonna either in a start with a curly hair or a GBB.

My dilemma is that although I'm 25 I moved back in with my family to get back on my feet which I have succeeded in doing, however I'm not ready to move out because honestly, I'm saving up quite a bit of cash by living here. My family annoys the crap out of me but with two jobs I am hardly home to bother anyways, my real problem is that they wouldn't be accepting of havin a T in their home and I'm soooo going through T cravings, I know I'm gonna be a sucker for this hobby.

I just can't wait, I'm watching all the T videos I can and reading up on species and I'm gonna order the T keepers guide sometime this month and I just can't contain my excitement...

But at the same time I'm so frustrated that I can't just go out an order some slings...blah.

 

[awiec]

I'm gonna either in a start with a curly hair or a GBB.

My dilemma is that although I'm 25 I moved back in with my family to get back on my feet which I have succeeded in doing, however I'm not ready to move out because honestly, I'm saving up quite a bit of cash by living here. My family annoys the crap out of me but with two jobs I am hardly home to bother anyways, my real problem is that they wouldn't be accepting of havin a T in their home and I'm soooo going through T cravings, I know I'm gonna be a sucker for this hobby.

I just can't wait, I'm watching all the T videos I can and reading up on species and I'm gonna order the T keepers guide sometime this month and I just can't contain my excitement...

But at the same time I'm so frustrated that I can't just go out an order some slings...blah.

Well one little sling can be easily hid but why not just feed the local wild spiders until you can own Ts?

As for a list everyone has their own personality, my collection is based on my personal tastes and some of the species I have are not valued by others like other species are.

T.gigas (or any tap in general)- While these are not beginner friendly as they are the fastest T genus in the world, they are very fun to watch do acrobatics on a cricket. Mine is pretty well behaved but others have reported theirs of being very flighty.
A.versicolor- The rainbow tarantula, there is a reason why they are on everyone's list, they are colorful and the whole genus is very quirky.
G.ihringi (or really any grammie)- This species in particular are very colorful even as babies and the genus is generally easy going, hardy and are very suitable for beginners.
Pamphobeteus genus- Very bulky NW tropical Ts. These can have attitude but just enough to make it fun to own them. The males are extremely pretty so you won't be so upset that you have a male instead of a female.
GBB- This is a pretty standard fare for any collection as they are colorful, hardy and grow reasonably well.
A. moderatum- medium sized gold tarantula, how can you beat that? Also the genus has very mild venom to where most people have little to no reaction to a bite.
Poecilotheria genus- All of them act similar so just pick the one you like the best, I have metallica, regalis and vittata and the metallica seems like the most laid back of the 3.
P.muticus- What this species lacks in bright color they make up in attitude. These have no issue standing up to you when they are slings and are very industrious tunnel builders, mine remodels once a month.
H.gabonensis- I don't have one personally but they are fabulous little OW dwarfs with lots of gold colors.
Orphnaecus genus- I have spec Panay Blue but the whole genus is very fascinating but are more on the shy side, making them not as intimidating as other asian OW Ts.
M.balfouri- While I have only had mine for a short time, it is a very industrious webber and digger and those adult colors are stunning.
H.gigas- Very bulky, love to dig and they are talented swimmers.


I either own or have heavily research my suggestions, I have species not on this list but I feel this list lets you get a good variety of the T world.

 

[Grey]

I appreciate your post.

I've seriously considered purchasing a couple curly slings and hiding them up in my closet but I don't think it'd be responsible or fair to the Ts because if my family did find them they would probably react hastily and violently. My family have hard hearts like that and no respect for nature.

That said, I'm also wanting to read the tarantula keepers guide front to back before I purchase a T because I want to be as knowledgable as I can. Eventually I know that as my experience grows I will most likely want to try breeding Ts. I mean why spend $1000 on Ts then not breed them for other fellow hobbyists and to get friends interested in them as well and not to mention out money back in my own pocket as a reward for a success in the hobby. Idk, I'm really interested in raising slings and then later on down the road getting into breeding. I think it'd be awesome.

As for my selection...

Avicularia Versicolor
Psalmopoeus Irminias
Chromatapelma Cyaneopubescens
Brachy Albopilosum
Ephepobus Murinus
X Immanis


Pokie Metallica
Pokie Ornata
Mono Balfouri
Pteribochilus Murinus
Hysterocrates Gigas
Haplopelma Lividum

I think these twelve would be an awesome collection indeed.

As said before, I'm not really interested in collecting them all but would rather a smaller selection that I can raise from slings and breed and just have fun with instead of wondering what to get next of course I wouldn't ever turn down a free sling no matter what the species, haha.

 

[Kibosh]

*Ephpebopus cyanognathus- Blue Fangs and yellow bands on legs make this spider unique
Psalmopoeus irminias- The legend, this is too awesome with its contrast orange and black
Poecilotheria metallica- Don't need to say anything, just stunning
*Brachypelma albopilosum- Furry docile little pet, too cute not to have
*Megaphobema robustum- Beautiful orange with a unique spiky leg defense mechanism, and it gets HUGE
Xenesthis immanis- Once again I dont need to say anything
*Eurcratoscus paphypus- Tarantula with boots on?! too hilarious not to own
*Idiothele mira- Blue footed boobie of spiders, and a trapdoor species... so cool
Monocrentropus balfouri- very very unique colors and tufts on its legs
Encyocratella olivacea- Black and yellow baboon?!
A. Purpurea- cause everyone needs an avic, this one is my favorite. Could also switch it with A.Diversipes or A. Minatrix
*Euathlus sp red- Another cuddly little pet but with really cool black and red color

*Are the ones I own