Dwarf Species of T's

Vanessa

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The thing I want to avoid is something like a GBB from what I understand the majority of that species just wants to escape?
It's not that they necessarily want to escape - they are skittish when startled. If you don't give them time, and/or structures to hide in, they can and will bolt out of their enclosure. Many genera and species are capable of that - especially as youngsters - it isn't a behaviour limited to a handful of them. That is why some species are considered not ideal for new people. It is better to learn those types of behaviour on a slower species, who is easier to catch and less likely to act defensively when caught, than it is to jump head first into those who move a lot faster and are more defensive on average.
The Cyriocosmus are fast and skittish - as are the majority of dwarf species. Yes, people do have individuals who are less skittish, myself included, but they are a fast and skittish lot on a whole. You should never let your guard down with them and always have hides for them to head to if startled.
All tarantulas are capable of bursts of tremendous speeds - even your lumbering terrestrials. They all have the ability to take you by surprise if they are startled... ALL of them.
The Homoeomma are a great choice for someone entering the hobby. They are fairly tolerant on a whole and are not prone to being skittish, even when they are young. While they often have a very curious nature, and mine have a propensity to try and leave their enclosure all the time, they are easy to corral and are not defensive about it. Still, you need to be careful, because they can and will take a stroll and end up out of their enclosure. That is part of their charm.
That is just the type of behaviour that you have to come to expect from tarantulas. Even your most tolerant beginner species can end up bolting out of their enclosure under the right circumstances. They are unpredictable and you have to always expect the unexpected.
 

Andee

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Sounds like some of my more anti-social hamster rescues, or anti-social aroborial gecko rescues. Sadly I have had a lot of species who shouldn't have been as skittish as they were because of where I got them. I have had a phelsuma grandis who was a rehab that when he got better and before I found him his new home kept randomly escaping on his own. Took me a while to figure it out and took me a bit to lure him back in.

I know generally T's need at least one hide, but do they need specific hides for specific things? I plan to offer more than just a hide for them to be able to hide and enjoy in their enclosures but I need to make sure I have the minimum necessities and then build on it. I have been looking at buying the book everyone recommends, is it useful?

I think it was either The Tarantulas Keeper's Guide or Tarantula's and Other Arachnids?

Could you guys recommend? I want to learn as much as possible from multiple sources like I usually do with animals or insects in general.
 

Vanessa

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Your best resource is anecdotal accounts from other hobbyists. If I am going to get a new species, one that I am not familiar with, I will usually look for YouTube videos that give a good idea of their normal behaviour. By 'normal', I mean those few hobbyists who just interact with their tarantulas on a 'need to' basis and not the yahoos who harass them and are trying to show off and look brave.
There are a number of hobbyists with videos showing general maintenance and rehousing and those are the videos which give you a good idea of how they will behave during regular interaction. Books are good to get a general idea, but do not go into detail on all the species available in the hobby and what to expect from each. Each species can differ a great deal and they are all individuals. Nothing can prepare you like a video can.
They need a place to hide. Some species, C.cyaneopubescens and some of the Cyriocosmus, tend to web a fair deal. I have two full grown GBB females. When I need to access their enclosures, I crack the lid first without opening it up. They run laps around the enclosure until they find an entrance to their web structure or hide and I don't open the lid until they do. It is just the initial startle that they get that sets them off. After they have hidden, they sometimes come out again and I can get some photos of them. Sometimes they stay in their hide and I let them. They are not a species that I fool with because of their skittish nature. I just leave them be for the most part. That is how I interact with the majority of mine. If they are out and about, I take their photo - if not, I let them be and move onto the next enclosure.
 

Andee

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Sounds right to me. Most of my anti-social animals (rodents, reptiles, birds etc.) I don't push. I am used to chameleons as my main rehabs. I don't push with them EVER, it sucks enough that usually they come to me and are need in immediate vet visit and medication. So they usually don't warm up to me for the first few months if at all. I have hamsters I can't touch not because of aggression but because of their tendency to jump and run. So these guys just sound like the usual hands off and only fuss with if medically or otherwise necessary. Let them pretty much set the pace. I am good with that. I would prefer to have a species (in the beginning) that won't bolt immediately and would prefer to just hide. And would be easier to pick up if it escapes etc. Though it's not hard to figure out a safe way to pick up a skittish species that is defensive (cups and cardboard or something). I just want to start out slow and easy so I learn some general body language that is easier to translate to most other species.

I will look for some videos like you said ^^ I am excited to add some T's to my love of insects and arachnids, since I have been hesitant in the long run with them. It's about time I break down that wall ^^
 

EulersK

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P. scrofa is.
Not their juveniles! They're some of the most skittish of my collection. At least in my experience. How do you keep them? Dry with a hide? They never scurry out of their enclosure, only make circles on the substrate. They seem stressed. Any advice on adult husbandry?
 

Vanessa

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I am excited to add some T's to my love of insects and arachnids, since I have been hesitant in the long run with them. It's about time I break down that wall.
Personally, although not a dwarf, I would start with the tried and true best beginner species on the planet - Brachypelma albopilosum. They will get to be about 5" full grown. That really isn't that much bigger than a Homoeomma species who can reach about 3.5".
B.albopilosum have everything going for them. They are hardy and forgiving of mistakes and have a wider range of conditions that they can thrive in. They never fast unless very close to moulting. They are fairly fast growing and can reach almost full size within about 3-4 years on average. I have a female who went from 1/4" to almost 2" in just over a year. They are one of the most tolerant species out there and rarely bolt, even as youngsters. They are easy to find and are inexpensive. You could even go for a juvenile female and she won't break the bank (which is probably the best route for someone just starting in the hobby). I ADORE mine and I have four - three females and one male. I love them so much and they are just so darling. They are a far better option than the dwarfs and Homoeomma sp. for your very first tarantula... especially if you plan on only having one.
Is there a reason that you are not considering an average size tarantula?
My youngest, Sage.
DSC00425-2.jpg
My darling boy, Basil.
DSC00263-2.jpg
 

Deb60

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Well I generally know escapes are possible, they are with any animal, trust me I have dealt with it with rodents, reptiles, and the insects, etc. I already have. The thing I want to avoid is something like a GBB from what I understand the majority of that species just wants to escape? If I am wrong that'd be nice XD. But I plan to keep all my dwarf T's in a minimum sized enclosure of something similar to 10 gallons. Or even more. As long as more room isn't detrimental for an adult t? I know it likely would be for a sling. I raise everything I would feed. They would get a huge variety as long as they would eat it.
My GBB hasn't come out of her / his hide since February , actually , all I've seen is their backside sticking out of the hide . Would actually like to see them do a runner ( well not out of the set up ) I've heard some of the small Ts can be fast ( just do what I do always have a catch cup on hand ) or put the set up in a larger bowl or box when ) I'm getting old now . So can't keep up with anything with great speed, I'm sure your be fine . I find with my wee slings in a viral can be a wee bit harder as theirs not much room from the substrate to the top , just always do feeding etc on the floor and as I mentioned above , a lot of my dawrfs web up their set set ups , and tend to stay in the web a lot of the time when I need to do anyway which is handy , during the day they tend to be less active which makes things easy as well . It's always the one that you least expect to escape that catches you out
 

Deb60

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Actually, they are in the captive trade.


This species, other than being a dwarf, is exactly the opposite of what the op is looking for.

Op, if the sp. reds aren't available (they tend to be scarce and a little expensive) another to look for that would be great is P. scrofa. Cheaper, a little easier to find, a better feeding response and the same calm demeanor....and only get to about 3" tops.
I think I'm going to end up with one of these soon , hopefully next T show I go to has one , told so many good things about them .
 

Andee

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Personally, although not a dwarf, I would start with the tried and true best beginner species on the planet - Brachypelma albopilosum. They will get to be about 5" full grown. That really isn't that much bigger than a Homoeomma species who can reach about 3.5".
B.albopilosum have everything going for them. They are hardy and forgiving of mistakes and have a wider range of conditions that they can thrive in. They never fast unless very close to moulting. They are fairly fast growing and can reach almost full size within about 3-4 years on average. I have a female who went from 1/4" to almost 2" in just over a year. They are one of the most tolerant species out there and rarely bolt, even as youngsters. They are easy to find and are inexpensive. You could even go for a juvenile female and she won't break the bank (which is probably the best route for someone just starting in the hobby). I ADORE mine and I have four - three females and one male. I love them so much and they are just so darling. They are a far better option than the dwarfs and Homoeomma sp. for your very first tarantula... especially if you plan on only having one.
Is there a reason that you are not considering an average size tarantula?
My youngest, Sage.
View attachment 246817
My darling boy, Basil.
View attachment 246816

I actually plan to get multiple of at least the dwarf. And I am focused on dwarves because of my mother currently. I mean I wanted to do brazilian blacks, but they take up far more room than I can afford right now.
 

Vanessa

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I actually plan to get multiple of at least the dwarf. And I am focused on dwarves because of my mother currently. I mean I wanted to do brazilian blacks, but they take up far more room than I can afford right now.
Yes, but Grammostola pulchra can get up to 7" and the Brachypelma albopilosum are around 5" - with males being even smaller. They don't take up much more room than the Homoeomma do. I'm just concerned that if you only have the Homoeomma, you are going to be bored to tears with them. I know that I would be if they were my only tarantula. I adore them, but their growth rate brings me to tears.
You should consider maybe getting less Homoeomma and add one albo to the mix. You won't regret it. :)
 

Andee

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Why would I be bored? lmao growth doesn't worry me, I have plenty of species currently and in my past that were not handlable pets and I never saw regularly XD. I devoted an entire 110 gallon aquarium to 30 hermit crabs, which I usually only saw around 10pm at night before I was going to bed. I don't take animals of any type on lightly.
 

Vanessa

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I love learning about them - all their different quirks and personality types. You need a broader range of species to be able to experience those things. If I were to take my Homoeomma as an example, as much as I love them, I would never learn anything about tarantulas from them. They are all pretty much the same and I would have lost out on all the fabulous experiences that I have had with the other species I keep who are worlds different to them. My B.albo have taught me so much and shown me so much of their world - probably more than any other single species. That is why I love them so much.
Keeping just one species wouldn't allow me to have learned what I have about them and their little arachnid world.
 

Ungoliant

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I mean I wanted to do brazilian blacks, but they take up far more room than I can afford right now.
Grammostola pulchra grows at such a glacial pace that by the time it's bigger than a dwarf species, that may no longer be an issue. (This docile species typically doesn't get much larger than 6", but it makes up for that in bulk and velvety black coloring.)


I actually plan to get multiple of at least the dwarf.
If you have money/space for multiple dwarf species, you could easily afford one pulchra.

Please pardon my evangelism for this great species. :angelic:
 

Andee

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I can't even find any G. Pulchra currently, trust me I looked originally. My heart fell a bit, because I orginally planned to get a couple dwarves of one kind when I settled on them, and then starting out with one G. Pulchra... but I honestly can't find ANY at all right now. So I just gotta keep looking and wait for the magical lucky moment I guess XD
 

Ungoliant

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I can't even find any G. Pulchra currently, trust me I looked originally. My heart fell a bit, because I orginally planned to get a couple dwarves of one kind when I settled on them, and then starting out with one G. Pulchra... but I honestly can't find ANY at all right now. So I just gotta keep looking and wait for the magical lucky moment I guess XD
Grammostola pulchra can be hard to find, but if you haven't already been doing so, I would try periodically searching the two classifieds boards for the term "pulchra." Sometimes you will see options from members that aren't available from the more established vendors.

Keep an eye out for any exotic pet shows (like Repticon) in your area. Since there is some overlap between the reptile and invertebrate hobbies, one can often find tarantulas for sale at those shows. (That's where I found Bulldozer, the pulchra pictured in my previous post.)
 

Andee

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I am going to a reptile expo in august there is one around 2-3 hours away from me, which is why I am doing all the species research I am doing now, so depending on what I find and what is on my list etc, I will be able to choose. I have searched the classifieds a bit... not much I probably should do a bit more now that I have settled upon some species.
 

Ellenantula

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E. pulcherrimaklaasi is actually a case of mistaken identity. It's a bit confusing.

What is in the hobby as E. truculentus is most likely actually an E. pulcherrimaklaasi, and what is in the hobby as E. pulcherrimaklaasi is actually either E. sp. "Green" or "Blue". E. truculentus likely has never existed in the hobby.
Cool! I rarely see these mentioned. I bought my female in 2014 -- sold as a Euathlus pulcherrimaklaasi sp blue.
Anyway, just happy to see this one mentioned. Mine is fairly chill, mostly a pet rock, never uses hide, usually just sitting topside. Mine has a decent feeding response.
And peeking in on her this evening -- I noticed she has an extremely huge rump (esp for her overall size). She took food weekend before last -- but definitely looking like she could moult anytime she wants....
 

EulersK

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I bought my female in 2014 -- sold as a Euathlus pulcherrimaklaasi sp blue.
That's a first, never heard of that labeling before. To be clear, E. pulcherrimaklaasi and E. sp. "Blue" are not the same species. They don't even look remotely similar.
 

basin79

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Not a true dwarf but Idiothele mira is an exceptional small tarantula.
 

miss moxie

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If you have money/space for multiple dwarf species, you could easily afford one pulchra.

Please pardon my evangelism for this great species. :angelic:
No one needs pardoned for their adoration of G. pulchra! They're neato burrito.
 
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