Which New World species would you say are not for beginners?

Psalmopoeus, Ephebopus, Tapinauchenius and Theraphosa are just a few.

Most South American terrestrials can be very fast, but if the keepers don't handle and raise them from a sling and gain experience with them, than I'd say they're alright.

 

Phormictopus, Hapalopus, Ephebopus, Psalmopoeus, Tapinauchenius.

EDIT: almost forgot the most obvious of all... Theraphosa. Lol!

 

Psalmopoeus and Nhandu imo and some others ect ect..
they are sold at every show to first timers and then they learn the hard way.
Mainly any NW species prone to speed, aggression, and special care requirments not easily met by novice keepers.

 

Any.

 

Pick one that you really like. Then research. Do that to the point you know everything. It's habitat , the base line demeanor and behavior ,how big if will become as an adult.
Thats what I did and i started out with a Variety of six .
- Lasiodora parahybana
-Brachypelma hamorii
-Brachypelma vagans
-Caribena versicolor
-Euathlus sp. red
-Psalmopoeus irminia

 

Phormictopus would freak me the hell out if I was a new keeper. Actually, the idea of having one still freaks me out after being in the hobby for a few years.

Go to 3:42.

 

It's almost walking on its back, that's one of the strangest threat poses I've ever seen, I can tell you this much I won't be getting any P. cancerides any time soon...well maybe for that awesome posture. Way too defensive for my liking, but strangely enough I do like it....haha....go figure.

 

A better question would be - "What species would you recommend for a beginner" that way we could let you know what is a good spider to begin with. That's a bit of an "arse over feet" question.

 

Any Psalmopoeus, Ephebopus, Phormictopus, Nhandu, Pamphobeteus, Tapinauchenius or Theraphosa sp.

 

Well, I waited to get a Psalmi but still -- even with other T experience -- that Psalmi teleporting speed gained my respect big time.
I agree with those others have listed as well.

As a beginner, I thought I understood fast. "Just a T that runs faster." Um no. Mine was faster than my eye could track. Speed demon. lol

 

I was like like that with my E. cyanognathus, I thought "yeah, I've got Psalmos and a Chilobrachys, I can deal with that", opened up its enclosure to top up its water dish and it was halfway up my arm before I'd even registered that it'd moved

 

P. irminia and P. cancerides come to mind first....both love to be nasty.

i do disagree with many here though....i dont think Nhandu sp. are difficult to deal with at all...especially chromatus....ive raised a lot of Nhandu and just dont see them as that bad...ideal beginner? No, but IMO completely workable for most beginners.

I would say most avics would be bad choices, especially as slings as they have a smaller husbandry range than most...lots and lots of avicularia die in the hands of beginners....which leads to possibly the worst beginner NW available...

Theraposa species....Its just stupid how many die in the hands of beginners...very sad indeed....no beginner should even consider one for even a split second.

 

Most of them really as most NW are tropical, so they are more picky about what they need. Even the standards such as Grammostola, Brachypelma and Aphonopelma have some oddballs that are cranky and have different care requirements. OWs beside their speed and venom are in many ways easier to care for, or at least I don't watch them as closely as I do my NW

 

I've gotta throw another vote in for Psalmopoeus as a NW not suitable for beginners.

Their speed is unreal. If I had purchased one as my very first tarantula, I probably would not have had that firsty for very long, as an escape would have been incredibly likely.

 

What kind of a threat pose is that?! It's lying on it's back! I wouldn't think that would be an advantageous position to strike from, flee or defend itself. That tarantula is crazy.

On topic, I agree with those already posted, although some are certainly more unsuitable than others! I've read that Theraphosa has more difficult husbandry in addition to be a large defensive species with the worst urticating bristles!

In contrast, Ephebopus murinus is not too demanding but definitely requires more caution than most Aphonopelma and Brachypelma species because of their speed if they decide to make a dash/leap/teleport to somewhere other than their burrow!

 

I'd imagine it'd be a better position to strike from if being attacked from above, Phormictopus sp. are pretty fast so I'd imagine that if it feels threatened enough to do that then its only concern is inflicting as much damage as it can before it gets killed.

 

Theraphosa,Phormictopus, P.irminia, Tapineuchenius, and some others are best avoided until some experience has been gained.

I agree, although some other Nhandu sp. can be very nasty as well. I have found N.coloratovillosus much more skittish and defensive then N.chromatus.

My AF P.cancerides is super defensive, not an easy T to rehouse and definitely not a great beginner species.

 

I'd personally like to mention the Xenesthis genus. Unless it was changed while I was out of the hobby. Not even speed or aggression, but simply for how easy it could be for a beginner to properly care for them.They can be -very- delicate spiders. The first tarantula I had molting problems with was a Xenesthis immanis. They have toothpick-like legs, very long and skinny. I think that makes the molting more difficult.

 

I don't get why the theraposas are getting such a bad rap on here. I have been keeping the stirmi and apophysis for about 7 years now and talk about easy tarantulas to keep in captivity. I keep both in bigger terrariums than my other tarantulas and add water to the substrate weekly to keep moist and that is it. In the 7 years I have never had a threat posture or have even heard the hissing sound they make when they feel threatened. They have been such easy tarantulas to keep, I honestly feel its the size they grow to that makes beginners feel they are to much for them. The hairs do suck though but that's what gloves and tongs are for.