Arboreal for Beginners

20Savage

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jul 15, 2019
Messages
2
Hi!

I'm kinda new to this scene. I've been keeping my grammostola pulchripes for 6 months now and it's been a fairly good T, pretty docile and healthy. Now I'm thinking of adding a new one in my room, preferrably an arboreal. Any ideas on what species might be good for a first-timer?
 

FrDoc

Gen. 1:24-25
Arachnosupporter +
Joined
Jul 18, 2017
Messages
832
You can’t go wrong with most Avicularia species or C. versicolor. Many here also speak highly of Psalmopoeus, however, I don’t keep any of those and and I try not to comment on things with which I have no first hand experience. Ensure, however, you research the specific husbandry requirements to be found many places here.
 

ShyDragoness

Arachnobaron
Joined
Jun 7, 2017
Messages
369
This is due to husbandry mistakes. The deaths are not sudden either, you see signs weeks before they die.
I recently got a Caribena versicolor which was doing well, fed, molted and was dead the next morning.
All slings are prone to sudden death, avics more than others. Hence why people tend to bulk buy slings to a) ensure they get an adult female and b) any that do die is not a great loss, if you only have 1 caribena sling and it dies that's not a great feeling, if you've got 6 and one dies it's not as bad.
 

Goopyguy56

Arachnoangel
Joined
Nov 16, 2017
Messages
830
Psalmopeous, in my experience can be a little fast and slightly defensive. So they are probably not the best choice right now. In my experience C Versicolor is probably your best bet. Psalmopeous are more durable but can be somewhat feisty so it depends on your comfort level but my P cams have actually been pretty easy to work with. My most defensive t ever was a C Versicolor but most are pretty chill. Just have good ventilation and don't keep too moist
 

Mini8leggedfreak

Arachnoknight
Joined
Dec 21, 2017
Messages
270
I have a large A. Metallica and she is very calm. I would try an avic first.
Iridopelmas aren’t the best to start with and although my psalmo has been fairly calm I would still go with the avic first.
 

Euphoric Arboreal

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jul 15, 2019
Messages
28
I too am looking into a versicolor myself and also a beginner to the hobby. Can anyone here tell me how do you know if the humidity and ventilation is ideal for this species, I see a lot of vids saying you don’t need a hygrometer as long as you do this and that, your avic will do fine. Of course I’d still worry myself to death wondering if I got it right!!!
 

Thekla

Arachnoprince
Joined
Oct 13, 2017
Messages
1,878
I too am looking into a versicolor myself and also a beginner to the hobby. Can anyone here tell me how do you know if the humidity and ventilation is ideal for this species, I see a lot of vids saying you don’t need a hygrometer as long as you do this and that, your avic will do fine. Of course I’d still worry myself to death wondering if I got it right!!!
Read the link I posted before. :)

Basically, what you need is good ventilation and an almost dry environment with a water dish. Occasionally, you can spritz some water to the sides or on its web for drinking purposes.
 

Euphoric Arboreal

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jul 15, 2019
Messages
28
Read the link I posted before. :)

Basically, what you need is good ventilation and an almost dry environment with a water dish. Occasionally, you can spritz some water to the sides or on its web for drinking purposes.
Will do thanks a lot
 

baconwrappedpikachu

Arachnosquire
Joined
Dec 18, 2018
Messages
63
I agree with everyone else suggesting C versicolor! It's one of my favorites, got it as a 3/4" sling and it has molted twice in my care with no issues. As long as your husbandry is correct I don't see any reason to worry about the hardiness of Avicularia/Caribena versus any other genus. Proper husbandry is all you need. My versi sling is way more visible than my Psalmopoeus. I think typically they are much more beginner friendly, temperament-wise... though they can be very bolty especially as younger slings.

I keep mine in an inverted AMAC box with a ton of ventilation, like many will suggest here. It has greenery and cork bark hot glued to the side and it has webbed up the entire top of the enclosure. I use a tiny tattoo ink pot in the lower corner as a water dish. Same as what @Thekla said, I mostly keep the enclosure dry, though I occasionally spritz water and it does like to drink the droplets, but it also frequently drinks from the water dish.

Plus, the blue coloration of slings / juvies is just too cute. I'm excited for mine to keep growing but I will miss the iridescent blue when it gets adult coloration. Might just have to snag another sling at that point. :rolleyes:

Anyways, I can't say enough good things about the Caribena versicolor... definitely a 'staple' in any collection imho.
 

Andrew Clayton

Arachnobaron
Joined
Dec 19, 2018
Messages
579
In my experience my Psalmopeous Cambrigei may be slightly faster than my Avicularia but they withstand husbandry mistakes as a new keeper more than any avicularia, and also my avic teleports something I'm sure my P cam can do too but I've never witnessed which will catch a new keeper off guard so keep that in mind
 

Vanessa

Grammostola Groupie
Joined
Mar 12, 2016
Messages
2,423
Grammostola pulchripes are one of the hardiest, most tolerant, generally slow moving, species out there. Going from that species to a Psalmopoeus is not the best recommendation. Especially since a Psalmopoeus grows like a weed and it will not take long before you're in a position to rehouse them.
Personally, with only one other tarantula under your belt with a much larger window of error for husbandry, I would always recommend a slightly larger Avicularia species. Maybe one who is about 2" or a bit larger. At that size, they have a greater window of error, although not completely out of the woods.
A juvenile Avicularia avicularia M1 or M6 is a good place to start.
 

Thekla

Arachnoprince
Joined
Oct 13, 2017
Messages
1,878
I think it's over-dramatised how difficult husbandry for C. versicolor actually is. If you follow some simple directions (as I said before and as mentioned in the thread I posted), it's really not that difficult to raise a C. versicolor or any Avic by that matter. I got mine as a tiny sling back in April 2018 (when I myself was only 7 or 8 months in the hobby) as my first arboreal.

Cutest thing in the world!

Now, 15 months and 6 moults later she's becoming a real beauty and is one of the most chilled Ts I have:
She never even tried to bolt on me, and most of the times she doesn't even twitch when I open her enclosure which is quite a juddery affair, to be honest. ;)
 

Gogyeng

Arachnobaron
Joined
Jun 19, 2019
Messages
311
C. versicolor goes through amazing color changes, webs quite a bit, and yet is quite visible. Can't go wrong with this one !
 

Goopyguy56

Arachnoangel
Joined
Nov 16, 2017
Messages
830
Yeah c Versicolor is imo, one of the most beautiful t's in existence. It is also a good beginner t for the person that researches care too. It was my 2nd t and first sling. If I could raise one from sling to adult with the stupid mistakes I made back then, I think anyone could.
 

Andrew Clayton

Arachnobaron
Joined
Dec 19, 2018
Messages
579
Psalmos are a lot faster than most Avicularinae, they also have stronger venom than other NWs
I said in my experience, and I was talking of the teleports something my P Cam hasn't done with me at all yes it goes for a small bolt during a rehouse but that's it my avic jumps making it as if its teleporting. All I said was my experience not your's it may have stronger venom but that doesn't interest me I'm not planning on getting tagged off any T, it also lacks urticating hairs which may be a bonus to someone looking
 
Top