I need your help !

[Austin S.]

Very true Skippy, but if June decides to get a campestratus sling, they will be waiting several years for it to even get to 3".

 

[skippydude]

Very true Skippy, but if June decides to get a campestratus sling, they will be waiting several years for it to even get to 3".

Raised my female from a 2i sling. She is 2 years old, 3"+ now, gorgeous and worth the wait

 

[Austin S.]

I hear ya. I miss my girl. Got rid of her several years ago

 

[awiec]

I'd suggest the gbb if you can get it on this order as it has everything you want, good looking, active and eats well. The lp will have a great response too but they are very sudued on color

 

[June Jupiter]

What about the flick factor ? I heard just from you guys and other sources that they are amongst the worst.

 

[lacrosse5001]

The hairs can be pretty irritating, but these are T's that don't flick quite as much as Brachypelmas. My LP has only flicked at me once during a very stressful transfer and I just backed up for a few seconds. Given how infrequently they kick, I feel that it's a bit if a non issue.

 

[awiec]

What about the flick factor ? I heard just from you guys and other sources that they are amongst the worst.

There are worse hair flickers with hairs that cause worse reaction. My gbb is more apt to pounce and slap than anything. They are pretty good beginner ts unlike the obt you were contemplating. A little research goes a long way, other genus like theraphosa and xenes are way worse hair flickers with some nasty hairs.

 

[June Jupiter]

Some from experience GBBs are more prone to kick than these guys ? That is what "slapping"is referring to ?

 

[BobGrill]

Slapping refers to slapping at it with the front pair of legs and/or biting as well.

 

[awiec]

Some from experience GBBs are more prone to kick than these guys ? That is what "slapping"is referring to ?

They will use their font legs to hit things like your tongs or the water you are putting in their bowl. It's a way of them investigating what they think might be prey and it's a way to defend themselves. My GBB must be a very well behaved specimen because he'd rather just hit my tongs instead of trying to throw hairs, my G.pluchripes is the only one to ever try to hair me. M.robustum are some of the worse hair flickers from what I've heard from breeders in my area.

 

[MagicalLobster]

Has anyone noticed a lot of threads recently with novices wanting to get OBTs?

Yes. Partially, I think it has to do with sheets like this: http://tarantulakeeper.blogspot.com/2008/12/top-10-beginners-tarantulas.html
Like many online caresheets, these are full of good and bad information and new keepers don't yet have the ability to siphon out the good stuff. What's the first tarantula that appears on the list that's supposedly "the 10th best for beginners?" OBT!

Oh, boy.

To take some responsibility ourselves, I think it also has a little to do with the way hobbyists deal with talking about OBT's in a humorous fashion. We playfully say things like "Haha. Oh, he wants a hug" in regard to threat displays and, despite the best (often playful) intentions, I don't think this point gets through enough: THESE ARE DANGEROUSLY DEFENSIVE AND TERRIFYINGLY FAST AMBUSH PREDATORS. Do not be fooled by the humor. It's all in good fun but shouldn't take away from the gravity of this sort of animal. Don't believe me? Ask the people who've been bitten:

http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/sho...ochilus-murinus&highlight=murinus+bite+report

Lemme tell ya, my first OBT grew up fast and it was a real trial by fire. All those Youtube videos of OBTs that I thought were funny aren't as funny when you are actually facing a spider that is giving you a threat posture or bolting across the room. I had actual nightmares about rehousing it. Don't get me wrong, it's a great species and definitely one of my favorites NOW, but to compare it to an LP or a Pink Zebra Beauty is like comparing a Buggati to a Razor scooter. JJ, think long and hard about this. There will be a time for the defensive old worlds.

 

[June Jupiter]

Thanks for clearing things up, I did get a mixed interpretation initially thinking it was just a more defensive expressive T, that's more passive aggressive.

 

[awiec]

Thanks for clearing things up, I did get a mixed interpretation initially thinking it was just a more defensive expressive T, that's more passive aggressive.

T's don't mess around, they go full out when they feel like it. The only passive aggressive T I could think of was my pamph and that was during a rehouse, a lot of thumping and warning slaps. Which it will slap and bite at water often though, so even a T I'm comfortable working with I respect a lot because I know she/he means business. I think the only reason why OBT's are on those top 10 lists are because they are hardy, pretty and cheap, nothing else about them is beginner friendly. I would stick to genus like brachys, grammies and the GBB, they are all hardy and are less likely to put some holes into you. Granted I do have a G.pulchripes that is very cranky but most of the time I would recommend one to beginners. G.ihringi is also nice because it basically improves upon everything that people have issues with grammies: They are colorful at small sizes, stuff their face, don't act like a rock all the time and grow at a decent clip.

 

[Monkeyock]

FWIW: I have two GBBs and they have been very prone to hair flick at minor disturbances. I have never seen threat pose from either of them. I currently have 4 LP slings and while 1 or 2 have flicked, it has been much less frequently and under much more stressful circumstances (rehouse). But they are just reaching 1.5-1.75" so I can imagine the fun is yet to come with them! As has been repeated many times, the GBB would be a great addition to your collection, they pretty much have it all, great looks, easy care/housing requirements, great web skills, and (I'm told) without the potency and likelihood to bite that most OW possess. I would choose a GBB over an LP every time I couldn't choose the obvious third option: "both".

 

[awiec]

FWIW: I have two GBBs and they have been very prone to hair flick at minor disturbances. I have never seen threat pose from either of them. I currently have 4 LP slings and while 1 or 2 have flicked, it has been much less frequently and under much more stressful circumstances (rehouse). But they are just reaching 1.5-1.75" so I can imagine the fun is yet to come with them! As has been repeated many times, the GBB would be a great addition to your collection, they pretty much have it all, great looks, easy care/housing requirements, great web skills, and (I'm told) without the potency and likelihood to bite that most OW possess. I would choose a GBB over an LP every time I couldn't choose the obvious third option: "both".

Yeah my GBB didn't get the hair flicking memo he prefers to bite first, which he doesn't go out of his way to do, only attacked my tongs once because my clean-up was irritating him.

 

[gobey]

I can't speak for GBBs but I've got an L.P. that's now equally inclined to bite or kick an annoying hair. He's also a bit of a wussy after he tries to e a bully though.

---------- Post added 09-08-2014 at 04:43 PM ----------

Although my smaller one is a total scardy cat. We'll see if her attitude changed after this molt though.