Ready for a More Agressive T?

[marymonticle]

I've had my Avic. Urticans for about 6 months now and she has been a total blessing to me, she's such a sweetheart. I find her way easier to handle than my G. rosea's. since my a urticans let's me handle her very easily and has never shown any defensive behavior towards me, I think I'm ready for a more showy tarantula. I'm mostly saying I'm ready for a cool looking tarantula and I'm not hell-bent on handling it... If I'm not handling the tarantula, then am I ready to care for a more expert level t?

Thinking about
P. Miranda
P. regalis
P. Formosa
T. Stirmi
T. Blondi
C. Crawshayi

 

[LordWaffle]

It's really your call on whether you feel ready or not. No one can tell you the steps you personally need to take to get there. If you have any major doubts, you probably should hold off. You could also try something like a P irminia or T gigas. As far as Genus Theraphosa goes, the big challenge with them is keeping their environment to their standards. They're a bit more defensive than your current two, but they aren't packing super hot venom and blazing speed like a pokie, H mac or OBT.

Like I said, though, the big thing to determine if you're ready is you. No one else can say for sure.

 

[ClosetCollector]

I agree with the above nobody can say for sure if you are ready or not other than you. But rather than jumping right into a pokie have you considered expanding your collection in other ways? There are many species that are beautiful to look at and display that wont cause a medically significant bite or have super defensive tendencies. More information would be nice, because whats "cool" or "showy" to you may be bland and uninteresting to someone else.

 

[marymonticle]

My first G. Rosea was really pissy and erratic before he died (DKS I've assumed). The first and only time I handled him, 5 minutes into it he sprayed feces on me, so I sat him down gently to clean off my hand. He then went over to his rock, bared his fangs and excreted venom onto his water rock. I didn't get upset or freaked out, so I don't know if that means I'm just calm with defensive behavior? My new G. Rosea stood up on a paintbrush I was nudging her with and I gave her time before I tried to move her again (for housing).

What do you mean by keeping their environment to their standards? Like it needs constant upkeep?

What were your first aggressive T's everyone?

---------- Post added 01-20-2014 at 11:40 PM ----------

I also mean showy to me, I love pokie colors and their markings, but I also love T. Blondi and OBT sizes

 

[LordWaffle]

I mean they require moist substrate (not wet) and generally higher humidity and good ventilation. Maintaining their environment is the key. It doesn't require constant attention, but unless you live in a naturally humid climate a la Florida or Louisiana, you'll likely be monitoring it. I live in Nebraska and the air in my apartment is very dry due to the heat running all the time right now, so I have to pay attention to my more environmentally picky Ts.

It's good that defensive behavior doesn't put you off, but the thing that makes Pokies and the like generally considered advanced species is a combination of things, not just their temperament. My pokies aren't very cranky (more shy than anythig else) but they are very fast and their venom is very powerful. Knowing how to prevent an incident is the only defense you have that keeps both you and the T safe. No matter how fast you think you are, a Pokie is faster.

I'm a bit of an anomaly in the hobby, because I've been assisting friends and family raise all sorts of species for about 18 years, but didn't start ownig my own until about 5 or 6 months ago due to space constraints. My first defensive T was my P irminia, then I moved on to P ornata and P regalis, only very recently adding T stirmi to my advanced species. (It's worth noting genus Theraphosa has some nasty urticating hairs that they aren't shy about using)

 

[ClosetCollector]

That doesn't sound that extreme as far as defensive goes, maybe a bit irritable. I do not have any aggressive tarantulas but the most defensive one in my collection has to be my H lividum.

 

[LordWaffle]

PS if you don't have a copy of the Tarantula Keepers Guide, I highly recommend you pick it up.

 

[gypsy cola]

Brachypelma vagans is the spider you are looking for. I wouldn't say "aggressive" but feeding time is never boring. The spider has known
to be incredibly bi-polar but rehousing or any chance it escapes you wont be sweating bullets. Keep calm with them. I don't recommend
handling them even though I have done it countless of times because they can be "bi-polar". Treat that spider with respect and you will quickly see why it is a favorite among hobbyists.

 

[fyic]

As everyone else has said.....Think it's really up to you if you are ready or not

Have you checked out say N.chromatus........very nice looking T but can also be very pissy "defensive" haha
Also P.regalis are very kool T's

 

[marymonticle]

As everyone else has said.....Think it's really up to you if you are ready or not

Have you checked out say N.chromatus........very nice looking T but can also be very pissy "defensive" haha
Also P.regalis are very kool T's

Thanks for the awesome suggestion

 

[LordWaffle]

Any of the Nhandu genus would be a good place to start. So would a GBB (Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens). Another alternative that I've already mentioned is Psalmopoeus irminia. GBBs aren't what you'd call overly defensive, but they're definitely capable of speed.

 

[Balvala]

One of the key issues I have with your inquiry is the fact that you even contemplated asking, "If I'm not handling the tarantula, then am I ready to care for a more expert level t?" I don't want anybody feeling as if handling any tarantula proves as a gauge for determining whether or not you're ready for something with a much more sensitive response to almost anything, increased speed, immensely enhanced venom potency and almost predictably higher defensive behavior (debatable as to whether or not the vast majority of Theraphosids are even capable of reaching a position of offense enough to consider any species "aggressive"). I honestly don't mean for this to sound as if I'm scolding you or patronizing you in any way, however I'm sure there are a lot of individuals within this hobby with even more experience than I that will highly advise against any attempt at handling any specimen that you may be carrying for due to the unpredictable outcome of the matter; take into consideration that you risk harming yourself and the tarantula in event of a bite or other defensive behavior presented. You would be surprised how bold even a half inch Avicularia versicolor can be, though it's relatively rare.

Now, I'm thinking that you already know better than to go out of your way to hold any Old World species due to the sheer pain that would await you in fact you are bitten, so I really don't need to warn much more against that. It should be also be considered, however, that no matter the species, each tarantula within any genus is an individual and will behave differently from even its direct kin within said genus; even proving to have a potentially dramatic fluctuation in mood from molt to molt. As long as you respect the specimen, steer away from constantly poking and prodding at its developing home for the sake of seeing it and try your best to refrain from handling it as a leisure activity (I can guarantee your tarantula isn't thoroughly enjoying the experience), I would think you might be fine caring for almost any species you would like to given you do your homework. Now, I'm not expecting you to immerse yourself in this hobby as heavily as I have where you end up making arthropod sciences your major of study, however I do want you to be able to comprehend the basic requirements each tarantula should have at differing stages of development and the subtle changes to environment some specific species might have over others.

*Also, to address one more thing before moving on, I'd really like you to eradicate "DKS" from your vocabulary. To quote a good friend of mine,

"The definitions of these words describe the symptoms some people see in their tarantulas sometimes. But they don't describe the cause, and no scientist has ever been able to narrow down one single cause of these symptoms, which is why, while there can certainly be one fancy sounding name describing the spastic movements we see, it doesn't describe anything other than, when broken down, 'spastic movements.' Its not a diagnosis...if these things occurred in a human, they wouldn't label them with DKS and send them home. DKS would be a symptom...and the diagnosis, after research and testing and narrowing it down, would be __________. Concussion, or congenital defect, or neurological disorder, etc. This is why people who have been doing this spider loving thing for a long time (or people who just read a whole lot) really dislike DKS being thrown out as a diagnosis. We can already tell that our spider is moving erratically, having difficulty with voluntary movements. It would be like going to your doctor and telling them you have a headache, and they send you home with the diagnosis 'headache.' You can treat a symptom, but you will have a much harder time eradicating it without knowing the cause."

I'm just posting this to eliminate any further use or confusion about the issue.

Pertaining to the list of species that you've displayed above and me trying to kindly measure your experience level, I would also suggest refraining from any large, fast and highly venomous Old World tarantulas such as the Pelinobus muticus (formerly known by the junior synonym C. crawshayi before revisions took place per Gallon, 2010) or all Poecilotheria spp. (which are incredibly photosensitive and skittish) until you become comfortable with perhaps an agile, New World counterpart. By this I'm referring to the various Psalmopoeus species within the hobby. They will most definitely prove to be a novelty to you in terms of appearance, ravenous eaters, cause you to fully respect agility and speed, can prove to be a tad more defensive and still won't have "medically significant" venom that would make you wish someone were striking you in the face with a framing hammer to distract you from the pain. In fact, I'll go even further and suggest to you a P. cambridgei as an upgrade in keeping faster, arboreal specimens. They are relatively hardy, acquire a gorgeous, mossy green coloration along the entirety of their body with orange accents along the tarsal/metatarsal regions among each leg set, are capable of reaching sizes spanning over seven inches and are fairly inexpensive within the hobby. Besides, especially at larger sizes, P. muticus tend to primarily reside within their burrow system so it's not very likely you'll be seeing it much at all if what you're craving is something "showy."

As far Theraphosa blondi and stirmi are concerned, they are also not a species to ever consider handling as their type-III urticating hairs are significantly worse than most New World species. Since their natural habitat originates within and around the marshy, rain forest regions of Brazil, they naturally require higher humidity and more expansive enclosures at larger sizes to respectfully accommodate their growth. If suitable humidity levels are not properly administered for either of these species, they do tend to undergo molt issues or even death by desiccation. In stating this, I believe I would side with the the Chromatopelma cyaneopoubescens if you'd like a more colorful, tarantula that establishes incredibly elaborate web-tunnels and favors a terrestrial setup.

Aside from all of that, I just don't know where your experience lies in terms of what or how much you may have researched in regards to regional environments, behavior, nutrition, where your specimens are likely being acquired from depending on where you make your purchases, and more. I want you to know that it's definitely not impossible for you to make such a leap in wanting to care for the species you have listed, I just wouldn't advise you do so after taking into account everything you've asked thus far. Just do me a favor and make yourself at home here, don't be afraid to ask questions not only of other individuals but also question yourself. The more research you do, the more comfortable you will become with most species and you may also begin to realize the arbitrary nature of most suggested care requirements for a lot of tarantulas lying between those that require high humidity or prefer more semi-arid environments.

I wish you the best. If you have anymore questions at all, just PM me after doing some more research instead of being adamant about relying purely on superficial traits to dictate your purchases at your level of understanding and comfort within this hobby.

 

[Curious jay]

Phormictopus cancerides may fit what you're looking for.

Can be defensive, the one I own is only around 3.5" now and won't hesitate to "slap" or threat pose any intruder.

Grow to a large size, fairly fast growing I purchased mine Aug 31st 2012 as a sling. (I don't use additional heat sources except winter i have a small 65w tubular heater so the average keeping temp is around 19-22C in summer and 16-19 winter).

Great appetites, pretty bold from a small size often saw mine out and about.

Venom isn't medically significant but they do have large fangs (as do most large terrestrials).

 

[Jterry]

My first G. Rosea was really pissy and erratic before he died (DKS I've assumed). The first and only time I handled him, 5 minutes into it he sprayed feces on me, so I sat him down gently to clean off my hand. He then went over to his rock, bared his fangs and excreted venom onto his water rock. I didn't get upset or freaked out, so I don't know if that means I'm just calm with defensive behavior? My new G. Rosea stood up on a paintbrush I was nudging her with and I gave her time before I tried to move her again (for housing).

What do you mean by keeping their environment to their standards? Like it needs constant upkeep?

What were your first aggressive T's everyone?

---------- Post added 01-20-2014 at 11:40 PM ----------

I also mean showy to me, I love pokie colors and their markings, but I also love T. Blondi and OBT sizes

Just so you don't end up disappinted-- OBT's don't get that big. If you like size, G. pulchripes would be a good choice. Always out in the open, pretty golden stripes on their legs, and generally very docile and have the reputation of being "gentle giants". As fyic suggested, N. chromatus would be a great choice, too. I adore mine; every molt reveals an even more beautiful T, with white-striped legs, cream carapice and red abdomen. SUCH pretty T's! They also tend to be a bit more defensive,which seems to be what you're looking for. I also this that C. cyaneopubescens would be good, they're more on the skittish side but they're beautiful as spiderlings and even more beautiful as they mature.

Whatever you choose, do your research beforehand to make sure you know what you're getting yourself into And, as someone has already said, get the Tarantula Keepers Guide if you don't already have it. When you make your choice, let us know and then post pics of your nasty new addition!

Edit: Another one to consider would be L. parahybana. They're kind of a staple of any T collection, great eaters, grow to large sizes, and are relatively easy to care for. Although they are slow growers...

 

[viper69]

That doesn't sound that extreme as far as defensive goes, maybe a bit irritable. I do not have any aggressive tarantulas but the most defensive one in my collection has to be my H lividum.

My such rose colored glasses we have of that Cobalt Blue aka Demon Blue Hell Spawn , your Cobalt Blue ran up your fiancée's arm and bit him in the face- that's not defensive, that's offensive. Defensive would be running out the container or up his arm and then off hahahah

 

[marymonticle]

Thank you so much for all the advice! I actually do want to go into this area of study, but I know I have a very long way to go before being considered an "expert." My tarantulas that I have are kept in my room, which is quiet, dark (old house so no installed lights), and relatively comfortable temparture/humidity wise. I do understand your concerns about handling. Since getting my Avic I've only handled her about a handful of times. When I am handling her, I understand not to poke/prod her, speak too loudly, etc.. At this point I try to read their body language as best as I can, and believe me, she won't even let me take her out of her cage if she doesn't want to and I don't force her. What I meant by "not handling," and I also understand your concern by that statement, is just simply taking care of it and not trying to disturb it. I'm not itching to hold a more "expert level" tarantula is what I meant, and at the very least I believe I'd be able to keep up with its housing requirements, keep it hydrated, and and feed it (even if I have to wear gloves). If I had a T. Blondi for example, I know better than to just lie my hand down and nudge it to crawl onto it. Not because of what I've heard but because of many factors. I don't know what it would do, I or the t could get hurt, etc.. I'm not afraid of the challenge of taking care of a more "expert level" tarantula, but I do as much research as I can every day to just learn about species, behaviors, etc.. I'm new to the hobby, very new, but I have a passion for it like I see you definitely have. I don't mind a moody tarantula with an attitude as long as I know I can feed it and take care of it. As for the "DKS," I understand what you're saying and I know that you have much more knowledge of it at a deeper level. Erratic leg movement, very sensitive to any vibration, light, and he eventually died with no signs of dehydration or external damage, and I know I hadn't ever injured him. As for your suggestions, thank you I will definitely look into them. Again, thanks so much for the very detailed advice.

 

[viper69]

I've had my Avic. Urticans for about 6 months now and she has been a total blessing to me, she's such a sweetheart. I find her way easier to handle than my G. rosea's. since my a urticans let's me handle her very easily and has never shown any defensive behavior towards me, I think I'm ready for a more showy tarantula. I'm mostly saying I'm ready for a cool looking tarantula and I'm not hell-bent on handling it... If I'm not handling the tarantula, then am I ready to care for a more expert level t?

Thinking about
P. Miranda
P. regalis
P. Formosa
T. Stirmi
T. Blondi
C. Crawshayi

Well if I was you and was concerned about the speed of a T and the strong venom of OW Ts, I'd try a P irminia. Unlike most NW Ts, like OW, they don't posses urticating setae. They are lightning fast and have fast growth rates, plus they are only about 20$

However if the strong OW venom is a non-issue for you, Id get a Poki, probably a regalis because they are not as pricey as metallica. Another great Poki is rufilata, females up to 9" leg span. I think Pokis are more shy than anything, it's just their venom that is a primary concern flowed by their lightning speed.

Only you know if you are ready or not. I find my irminia and rufilata equally as challenging when it comes time to interact with them.

Passion is great ! And it's no substitute for experience! And even experience is not enough at times, Steve Irwin is proof of that.

 

[Ghost Dragon]

I have a P. irminia sling, can't wait for it to grow, the colours are awesome. If you're looking for something bigger than your rosea that you CAN handle, I'd recommend G. pulchripes, as others above have. G. pulchra is a good choice too, a big jet black T that is usually very docile. I'm hoping to get get a P. regalis & P. metallica later this year, if you end up getting one, let me know how it turns out.

 

[McGuiverstein]

Edit: Another one to consider would be L. parahybana. They're kind of a staple of any T collection, great eaters, grow to large sizes, and are relatively easy to care for. Although they are slow growers...

Uhhhh.. Do you own an LP?

Anyway, someone along the line mentioned Psalmopoeus cambridgei. I think that's just what you're looking for OP. It's an absolutely beautiful spider; IMHO even more attractive than P. irminia. My ~6" female is frequently out, especially when the apartment is quiet for a while. A cambridgei would also work well as an intermediate spider. Lightning fast with a short temper, but without the venom that usually comes with those traits. The Psalmopoeus genus is just great as a whole. I have a total of five, including irminia, pulcher, and cambridgei.

 

[Alltheworld601]

Get what you like, and don't touch it.

Realize that most old world spiders are really super duper fast, but there are threads on here detailing easier ways to transfer and rehouse these critters so you don't have to chase them across your ceiling.

The TKG is a bit outdated. There are now better books on the market than that one. Try this one for example: http://www.amazon.com/Tarantulas-An...qid=1390312823&sr=8-1&keywords=michael+jacobi

Good luck!