The least desireable species...

[awiec]

Well that's actually reassuring to hear - I've never had one, obviously...I hear of more deaths of Avics than nearly any other species so for someone who's never had experience with one you could understand the apprehension.

I've read recently that having a slightly lower but consistent humidity is better than a constantly fluctuating one in a fight to maintain a specific level...

avics are little tanks when you have them in the right environment, I don't pay any more attention to them then my other spiders and they are just as confrontational and hungry as the big south american terrestrials.

 

[Poec54]

As beautiful as they are, I couldn't ever get an Avic.

Something about the high rate of at-random deaths of the younger ones combined with the stringent environmental requirements put me off...which is a shame. A. versicolor is among one of the most beautiful species IMO

That's due in large part to bad advice, especially on 'care sheets' written by people with little hands-on experience. Stuffy, moist cages are the big Avic killers.

 

[Abby79]

Any species over 4 inches, I love my Dwarfs and smaller T's. I used to be a "My T is bigger than your T snob" Then i grew up.
And Male T's, I cant stand having a T mature out. to a beautiful male. the awesome changes they go through. in many cases new colouration much prettier than the female of the species, like buying a new T.
For the silly sod to now have a limited lifespan and die! Grinds my gears!

 

[Dave Marschang]

I gotta say I wouldn't take a Blondi or stirmi if they were free, just not interested in big. I need more room not less, other than that I don't like aggressive/flighty T's if I gotta worry about the damn thing flying out of the cage when I feed it, its no fun for me. feeding, cage maintenance are the fun parts since I do not hold my T's, so why add species that make it stressful?

My wife loves pokies, I think they are ugly, all the same and boring.
I have never owned a curly hair but I really want one.

 

[BobGrill]

Thereposidae and most Australian tarantulas just don't interest me.

 

[gobey]

Australian tarantulas make me apprehensive.

And I've never even met one.

 

[vespers]

Thereposidae and most Australian tarantulas just don't interest me.

Theraphosidae is the family that includes all tarantulas...

 

[BobGrill]

Theraphosidae is the family that includes all tarantulas...

My mistake.

 

[Halftrak]

I have a Phlogius sp "Stents" at about 4". Hes nothing crazy... yet.

Im not crazy about arboreals or fuzzy New Worlds, myself. They seem more finicky regarding enclosure conditions and can be a bit of a pain to feed. I am, however, a big fan of burrowers.

 

[dragonblade71]

I notice there's been some dislike of brown tarantulas in this thread, including Australian tarantulas. Some people seem to prefer more colourful species. I am Australian myself and after some time observing the native species over here, I have developed an appreciation for them. Sure, there isn't as much variety in colouration or markings compared to many of the overseas species but we do have some nice looking ones at least. And also a few exceptions from the norm like the Red Stents and the pale Phlogius Ghost.

Having said all that, extreme colouration is not an attribute that I look for in a tarantula. That's not what attracts me to tarantulas. What I like about tarantulas is their large size, bulkiness, setae and the slow, elegant and stalkerish way they move. Crazy rainbow colours may look great on some true spiders like jumpers (Salticidae) but to me, they sort of look out of place on a tarantula. A little bit of colouration can look really nice like a Mexican Red Knee (I admit they are really attractive looking.) But much more than that just looks over the top. I remember someone on this forum describing a particular species as looking like a badly dressed clown (can't recall which one.) Well to me, there are many overseas species that look like badly dressed clowns.

 

[WheelbarrowTim]

For me it would have to be H lividum. They are stunning to look at but they are mean, potent and strike multiple times. I'll take a pass on getting my booty kicked by spider Master Chief

 

[Vanessa]

Having said all that, extreme colouration is not an attribute that I look for in a tarantula. That's not what attracts me to tarantulas. What I like about tarantulas is their large size, bulkiness, setae and the slow, elegant and stalkerish way they move.

I love the more subtle earth tones as well. Aphonopelma chalcodes, hentzi, eutylenum are some of my favourites. And give me ALL the black Grammostola that you can - I just can't get enough of them.
However, I do love my purple tarantulas, but most of the time they just look jet black. It's only when you catch them in the right light that those deep purples come out. Those are my favourite.
My favourite species of all time - the huge, black, velvet tanks of the spider world, Grammostola pulchra.

 

[dragonblade71]

Vanessa: "My favourite species of all time - the huge, black, velvet tanks of the spider world, Grammostola pulchra."

Oh wow, nice choice!

 

[Colorado Ts]

I don't know that there is a species that I like the least, disdain or hold in contempt...I do have species that are near and dear to my heart.

 

[Tim Benzedrine]

I've never been able to work up a real interest in arboreals, but I consider that a flaw on my part. Dwarf species never caught my interest either, less so than arboreals. I had a Pumpkinpatch large, (can't recall the proper name at the moment Hapalopus?) and I more or less considered it a garden spider. pretty, but not my idea of a tarantula. Mind you, I would not necessarily say no to any of the above, I just would not go out of my way to get one.
I do favour big a bit, but I'm fine with intermediates.
I used to say that I would not own any OW species, but changed my mind and have one now. Whether that was a good decision remains to be seen.

 

[Arachnophoric]

Dwarf species never caught my interest either, less so than arboreals. I had a Pumpkinpatch large, (can't recall the proper name at the moment Hapalopus?) and I more or less considered it a garden spider. pretty, but not my idea of a tarantula.

I'm in the same boat, but only with this specific dwarf species. I have a few dwarfs that I love very much, such as my N. incei and Cyriocosmus sellatus, but Pumpkin Patches just really don't catch my attention because it looks like a wolf spider with prettier colors to me...

 

[Urzeitmensch]

I notice there's been some dislike of brown tarantulas in this thread, including Australian tarantulas. Some people seem to prefer more colourful species. I am Australian myself and after some time observing the native species over here, I have developed an appreciation for them. Sure, there isn't as much variety in colouration or markings compared to many of the overseas species but we do have some nice looking ones at least. And also a few exceptions from the norm like the Red Stents and the pale Phlogius Ghost.

Having said all that, extreme colouration is not an attribute that I look for in a tarantula. That's not what attracts me to tarantulas. What I like about tarantulas is their large size, bulkiness, setae and the slow, elegant and stalkerish way they move. Crazy rainbow colours may look great on some true spiders like jumpers (Salticidae) but to me, they sort of look out of place on a tarantula. A little bit of colouration can look really nice like a Mexican Red Knee (I admit they are really attractive looking.) But much more than that just looks over the top. I remember someone on this forum describing a particular species as looking like a badly dressed clown (can't recall which one.) Well to me, there are many overseas species that look like badly dressed clowns.

For some reason I really like "plain" brown spiders. I have Nhandu Tripepii, Theraposa blondi, P. Cancerides and Chilobrachys sp. Dry and while they are all "just" brown (actually the T. Blondi is still rather grey) I rate them among my most beaautiful Ts. For me the unicoloration amplifies the Ts features more thann the multicolored ones. E.g. the Nhandus hairy look or the Chilobrachys sleek appereance.

But it is just personal taste, really.

 

[Tim Benzedrine]

I'm in the same boat, but only with this specific dwarf species. I have a few dwarfs that I love very much, such as my N. incei and Cyriocosmus sellatus, but Pumpkin Patches just really don't catch my attention because it looks like a wolf spider with prettier colors to me...

I thought of my pumpkin patch in the same way. A wolf spider that was out on the town.

 

[ComputerDellLI]

Theraposa stirmi. Because I have wicked sensitive skin and a lack of space. And all pokies, for some irrational superstition.

 

[Eukio]

I don't dislike her, but she is just rather...boring. My Aphonopelma seemanni spends her entire life in a deep burrow, and her coloration isn't exacting striking. Her personality isn't striking. Nothing about her really stands out. The B. hamorii is always hidden, but she is pretty. The T. vagans is always hidden, but she is pretty, and when she is out, she wants to MURDER me; that behavior makes her beautiful. The A. hentzi is plain brown, but she comes out and isn't defensive at all. You could scoop her up in your hand if you wanted. Etc.