Grammastola aureostriata info

[solaceofwinter]

So those of you that have one of these what can you tell me about them?
i know most are very gentle and timid and get pretty big. being the grammastola genus i know they arent the fastest growing but what real world growth rates can i expect? I usually feed my slings as often as they will eat. Id like to get one more for my wife, one she can enjoy to replace our rose hair. the suntiger, a. seemani and 'her' a. geniculta all seem a little much for her. I think one of these is just the ticket. dont plan on holding it. can they be kept just like rose hairs? yes i searched and read everything i could find. hardy? good eaters? boring? just lookin for real world replies.

 

[Windchaser]

I have 5 at home. One is a juvenile and the other four are slings. They appear to grow a bit faster than G. roseas, but still are not the fastest in the world. All of my slings were about 1/2 inch when I got them a little over a year ago and they are around the 1 inch mark now. I do tend to keep my tarantulas on a leaner diet though, so I am sure that is adds to their slow growth rate. All of mine have been easy to care for. The juvenile is starting to look quite nice. She is around the 3 to 4 inch mark now.

 

[Bigboy]

Very good eaters and slow growers. Mine has taken 1year 4months now to get from 1/4" to 3".

 

[angelarachnid]

Ok there are 2 colour forms Argentinian and Paraguayan (yep see future BTS article)

they get very big around 8" legspan for females.

the come from the Chaco region (obviously Argentinian form from the Argeninian Chaco etc) so read up of the climatic data for that region.

You 90% have the Paraguayan form

Ray

 

[Keith Richard]

I've had a 5.5" female for over two years and she still hasn't molted yet. She MAY be in pre-molt right now but I can't tell for sure. Always a good feeder, never shown any signs of defensiveness (but don't assume that all Chacos are this way) in fact she is unusually passive. If you're looking for a real sweetheart of a grammostola for your wife, I would not hesitate to recommend G. pulchra. Undoubtedly, the most charming and gentle of tarantulas. Keep them on dry substrate with a fresh supply of water and room temps are fine (provided it's warm enough for you).

 

[smof]

I have a 5" male. Don't know how old he is, I bought him at 4" just after xmas last year and he put on an inch in one moult. He is the one of my tarantulas I handle if I want to hold one - I know you said you won't be, but that's my vouch for their calm temperment. Dave is docile as anything. Even if I startle him he just tries to move away, I've never seen the slightest defensiveness. Very good eater, will always take food provided he's not premoult. Not very active (I've yet to see a T that is) but sits out in the open about 50% of the time. They seem to think they're semi-arboreal, Dave is usually up on the back of his tank. Looks gorgeous. They can be proper dirt-movers as well. Dave built a mountain of substrate in his old tank, tho he hasn't redecorated his new one yet.

As the others have said, dry substrate and room temps are good. I gave Dave a heatmat, mostly because it encourages him to sit out in the open.

I highly recommend this species. I love mine to bits and I want another one

 

[Keith Richard]

I have a 5" male. Don't know how old he is, I bought him at 4" just after xmas last year and he put on an inch in one moult. He is the one of my tarantulas I handle if I want to hold one - I know you said you won't be, but that's my vouch for their calm temperment. Dave is docile as anything. Even if I startle him he just tries to move away, I've never seen the slightest defensiveness. Very good eater, will always take food provided he's not premoult. Not very active (I've yet to see a T that is) but sits out in the open about 50% of the time. They seem to think they're semi-arboreal, Dave is usually up on the back of his tank. Looks gorgeous. They can be proper dirt-movers as well. Dave built a mountain of substrate in his old tank, tho he hasn't redecorated his new one yet.

As the others have said, dry substrate and room temps are good. I gave Dave a heatmat, mostly because it encourages him to sit out in the open.

I highly recommend this species. I love mine to bits and I want another one

You called your tarantula Dave???? That's priceless.

 

[stooka]

lolol@Dave thats brilliant.I have a male rosea sold to me that was called Leroy,i thought that was a gd name.

 

[solaceofwinter]

i really like the colors on the chaco. If i come across a good deal on one ill grab it. at that growth rate it wont be hard to house or feed. ill see what the wife thinks, she may not want one that slow who knows. sound cool.

 

[JohnxII]

Ok there are 2 colour forms Argentinian and Paraguayan (yep see future BTS article)

they get very big around 8" legspan for females.

the come from the Chaco region (obviously Argentinian form from the Argeninian Chaco etc) so read up of the climatic data for that region.

You 90% have the Paraguayan form

Ray

Of all the adult pictures I've seen, it seems to me that the Paraguayan form has shorter legs, and has a more all-over golden "knee cap" (patella). The Argentinean form has a stronger purple sheen on carapace freshly post-molt, longer legs and has more defined golden stripes on patella. Also seems to have more pink hairs?

My question is, can one tell the difference for sure when they start to show adult colors at juvenile stage?

Anyhow, I think they are probably one of the fastest growers among Grammostola spp., but probably somewhere in the middle among the common pet T's.

 

[Mina]

What are you guys feeding your chacos? I got mine the beggining of December at around an inch, now it is over 2 inches and ready to moult again. Granted, it does not grow as fast as my curlyhairs, but I think an inch in 3 months is acceptable. We feed it every other day though, and I'm not sure everyone feeds that often.

 

[PhilR]

What are you guys feeding your chacos? I got mine the beggining of December at around an inch, now it is over 2 inches and ready to moult again. Granted, it does not grow as fast as my curlyhairs, but I think an inch in 3 months is acceptable. We feed it every other day though, and I'm not sure everyone feeds that often.

I have a tiny G. aureostriata spiderling and trying to get it to eat is a chore. It's scared of everything I've tired and heads rapidly in the opposite direction as soon as any potential foodstuffs so much as twitch

I managed to get it to eat a pre-killed mealworm the other day, but it won't even look at anything bigger!

 

[pitbulllady]

I have a HUGE female, easily my largest spider, that I've had for several years. She was actually one of the first T's I acquired when I decided to get back into them, and one of my favorites. I would not describe her as "timid" at all-quite the oppposite. She never seems "ruffled" by anything, and is very calm and deliberate in her movements. She digs a bit more, and webs up her enclosure a bit more, than either my G. roseas or my G. pulchra(another favorite), but pretty much has the same laid-back temperament of the G. pulchra. She's always been reliable-no surprise threat displays like I often get from the G. roseas! That's not to say that they are all like that, but I've yet to personally see a nasty-tempered G. aureostriata. This is a BIG spider, too; she's easily eight inches, and can eat a fairly good-sized rat pup with no trouble! I have to use both hands to pick her up with, since she overlaps one of my hands. When I place her on my lap, I'm well aware of her weight there. If it weren't for price, I'd recommend this species over G. rosea anyday for a first-time T.

pitbulllady

 

[Windchaser]

What are you guys feeding your chacos? I got mine the beggining of December at around an inch, now it is over 2 inches and ready to moult again. Granted, it does not grow as fast as my curlyhairs, but I think an inch in 3 months is acceptable. We feed it every other day though, and I'm not sure everyone feeds that often.

I think you answered your own question. In essence, you are power feeding it. I tend to feed mine once every week to a week and a half. For more information on power feeding, do a search here. There have been LOTS of discussions on the topic.

 

[Keith Richard]

That's not to say that they are all like that, but I've yet to personally see a nasty-tempered G. aureostriata.

Check for postings (with pics) by DianeS, she has psycho Chacos!

 

[PhilR]

The G. aureostriata sling killed and ate a small locust last night. He dragged it into his retreat which is a quarter of a 35mm film pot. I'm so proud :clap:

 

[solaceofwinter]

cool! is there anywhere to buy locusts on the internet? they are not sold locally that i am aware...

 

[kmk]

I have 3 s'lings. They are about 18 months and coming in at about an inch. I don't power feed. All 3 of mine are so fat they look like they are gonna explode and they only get fed 1 large cricket aprox. every month. They are sweet and docile in my experience but mine at least are also afraid of nearly every food item........that is why I am still pre killing their food. When they were small even a large, dead crickets frightened them. Given their shyness I don't know if they will ever take live food :wall: . I would say tho that they are right up their with G. rosea in being good to handle.

 

[ErikH]

I have a .75" g. aureostriata sling, who takes pinheads without a problem. The cricket lasts about 4 seconds before the T. takes it. The guy I bought it from was feeding it legs of large crickets.

 

[solaceofwinter]

ill keep my eyes open for one, reptile show this weekend