H. mac

[Hayden]

My "dealer" and I are trying to figure out what my next T is going to be. I want to start moving into Pokies, so he recommended a H. maculata sling as a cheap intro to faster and more defensive. Thoughts? Personal experiences?

 

[Tcrazy]

I think H. maculata's are a great start in getting in to the OW. it was my second ow i ever got when i started in the hobbie. she was quite fast and very stunning to look at.

 

[Shrike]

A species from the genus Psalmopoeus might be a better choice since they don't have a "medically significant" bite. H. maculata are beautiful spiders though.

 

[Hayden]

They are beautiful, and the sling is $5. I feel like it'd be a good segue.

It's funny, after a Centroides sting nothing really seems medically significant.

 

[sbullet]

I would rather keep a poeci than an H. mac. From what i've heard, they are more defensive and skittish than most poecilotheria you will keep. But then again, each T has it's own personality so...

 

[1hughjazzspider]

From my experience my H. mac was faster than my Pocei. And from what I've read in different places their venom is considered to be more potent than a Pocei's.

 

[Hayden]

Thanks for sharing. This is the kind of stuff I wanted to know.
And it's so funny that each T has its own personality. When I got my first one I figured they'd kind of be like toys, that they'd run on automatic, but they're all their own little dudes. It's so cool!

 

[catfishrod69]

H. macs are very awesome tarantulas. But i think a good starter into old world would be a P. regalis. The H. mac is going to have worse venom from what i have read, and are more defensive. Most pokies are pretty shy, and dont throw up threats often. But as long as you respect it as a old world, a H. mac will be fine.

 

[Hayden]

I thought about P. regalis. The price was also a factor, though. What are some tips for dealing with old worlds?

 

[catfishrod69]

You can get a P. regalis sling for $10. Some tips are to always use deli cups when doing transfers, learn to know your tarantulas mood, Never under estimate the speed of your t, always be ready for the unexpected, remember that they are not thinking if its right or wrong, get some long tongs, have patience, keep both eyes on what you and your t are doing, enjoy!

 

[Hayden]

Wow, that's not bad at all! And those are really helpful. I actually just bought tongs today! I had some plastic ones for my Axolotls, but I got some metal ones for the T's because they're a little less flimsy.

 

[LV-426]

I have both, and I see my H. Mac a lot more than my P. regalis. H macs are cool Ts as long as you don't mess with them.

 

[grayzone]

JUST GET THE POKIE...

You can get a P. regalis sling for $10. Some tips are to always use deli cups when doing transfers, learn to know your tarantulas mood, Never under estimate the speed of your t, always be ready for the unexpected, remember that they are not thinking if its right or wrong, get some long tongs, have patience, keep both eyes on what you and your t are doing, enjoy!

and this is good advice. another option to transfering ts is BE SMART AND EFFICIENT. my 1st pokie (regalis) went from vial to a tall rubbermaid jar... when it started looking cramped in THAT , i built a 2.5 gal robc style enclosure and just put the rubbermaid inside it. NO FUSS.. NO NEAR accidents. IMO, a regalis doesnt need more than a 5gal on edge so you COULD go that route as well

---------- Post added 04-18-2012 at 08:56 PM ----------

oh yea.. once the jar is in the NEW enclosure just take off the lid. the pokie will make its way out with NO to MINIMAL prodding. nice and easy, and no immediate danger. only 2 rehouses its whole life is kinda easy

 

[le-thomas]

Chasing them around is a bit unnerving, trust me there.
They're beautiful and amazing Ts if you're ready. If you can't honestly say you are, consider something less aggressive. They're faster than fast.

 

[grayzone]

true... hayden get whatever youre comfortable with. I am still a bit bitter on a post i read earlier pertaining to poeci's ... somebody bought one (against requested advice and opinions) and needless to say it DID NOT end well ... you may have read the thread, but its currently locked with most replys deleted. Im not trying to start the flaming over again, just would hate to see a similar situation presented again. I hope youre happy and comfortable with ANY t you ever purchase

 

[Hayden]

Oh, I'm absolutely comfortable with them. I have no problems with learning how to care for them and doing the proper research into safely working with them. I have my eye on a P. metallica, but I was looking for something cheaper to practice working with more defensive T's. I can read every piece of literature in the world, and I have an eidetic memory so I'll retain the information, but nothing is worth more than experience.

 

[grayzone]

very true. i hope your happy....... You seem gung ho and i think thats key.

 

[jayefbe]

Is there a reason why everyone is so anxious to jump into OW tarantulas? Their venom is NO JOKE. Honestly, I'd rather get stung by a Centruroides than bitten by a pokie. It's also much easier to get tagged by a tarantula than a scorpion. They are FAST, and can be unpredictable to the uninitiated. So, why the rush? Get a Psalmopoeus, or a Tapinauchenius. They're fast and can be defensive, but their bite won't leave you in pain for two weeks. Everyone seems to be ready join the ranks of OW tarantulas without even being comfortable with the tarantulas they already have (this is not just to the OP, it's a trend I have noticed quite a bit of lately). I just don't understand the rush.

 

[Hayden]

It's not that I want to "jump into OW tarantulas." It's that I have found a T that I would really like to own. Period. I don't want it because it is an OW T, I want one and it happens to be an OW T. I'm not looking for the image or street cred or whatever that comes with OWs, I'm just fascinated by this particular species and wanted insight as to how people with years of experience manage theirs.

 

[grayzone]

its hard not to. lol. if it wasnt for me stumbling across pics of P. regalis on line, i never would have gotten into the hobby. I DO see alot of people jumpin into OW, and thats all likely due to the amount of newcomers on here. one starts out, the rest see all the buzz and responses, and follow suit. NOT THAT ITS A BAD THING.. i just wish more would do extensive research FIRST. The thread i read today REALLY upset me (more than it should have, probably cuz i even voiced AGAINST it, then congratulated him , and wished him the best later) but situations like that COULD help the ebb and flow into OW. constant reminders like that thread are a good , eye opening deterent (even if i disagree with what happened)

---------- Post added 04-18-2012 at 10:48 PM ----------

hayden, i truly feel youre going into it with the right approach and intentions. i just hope whatever you get works out. I will no longer attempt people INTO it , or AWAY from it. i will , however , offer the best info and advice i can (for what its worth) even if i dont want to.