Why are B. albiceps so rare?

[Vanessa]

I was fortunate enough to find a very decently priced juvenile female online out of a private collection. They are one of the most underrated, overlooked, species out there. My girl has actually grown a fair size in the time that I've had her. Once they get to be about 2-2.5", they start to have more significant size increases each moult.
My girl is always out and always hungry. She never fails to take my breath away.

 

[The Grym Reaper]

They pop up in the UK fairly often (as slings anyway, juvies and upwards are much harder to find).

They are heinously slow growing (even by Brachypelma standards), I'll have had mine for 2 years in July and she's the only Brachy I purchased around that time that still hasn't passed the 2" mark yet

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[Goopyguy56]

They have been on my radar for a while. They are beautiful but there are so many t's I want and I am driving my wife crazy with all the t's. I have phormictopus and p antinous on my radar right now and i think i can only get 2 out of three of my choices atm.

 

[StormyMyth729]

Stormy, it will be the slowest growing, worst eating sling you will ever have. Once they gain some size and start showing colors, they do become very good eaters, and growth can actually pick up.....but that is years off.

Mine, as slings, would routinely refuse food for 4-6 months at a crack.

Glaciers grow faster and eat more reliably.

Omg I'm at work and you just made me laugh out loud
Thank you for the advice! There really isn't a whole lot of information out there about them. Are they really docile? I have read that, and I think they're adorable in their own way lol
I have a funny feeling these slings are going to frustrate me more than any other!

I was fortunate enough to find a very decently priced juvenile female online out of a private collection. They are one of the most underrated, overlooked, species out there. My girl has actually grown a fair size in the time that I've had her. Once they get to be about 2-2.5", they start to have more significant size increases each moult.
My girl is always out and always hungry. She never fails to take my breath away.
View attachment 299524

Beautiful!!!!!

 

[cold blood]

Theyre not really defensive, but they can be quite skittish...much like a vagans.

 

[StormyMyth729]

Theyre not really defensive, but they can be quite skittish...much like a vagans.

Ok, thank you so much!
I'm still really new to this, but I'm already loving this hobby, and I look forward to Tuesday when my collection goes from 1 to 4! (I got a curly hair freebie too and I'm really excited about that too!)

 

[Minty]

Spidersworld EU have an adult female for sale, on their website.

Cookie? @cold blood

 

[Nightstalker47]

lol....i will say they grow super slow...theyre less common, but as pointed out...they are out there.

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• cold blood
• Apr 8, 2017
• 7

B. albiceps

Mine weren't such slow growers, and I have raised slings in multiples. I have heard they can be difficult to breed though, that may be why we dont see them around so much.

 

[StormyMyth729]

Mine weren't such slow growers, and I have raised slings in multiples. I have heard they can be difficult to breed though, that may be why we dont see them around so much.

Yes I've read that the female can often get a little hungry while breeding lol

 

[Wormtail39]

If you wanna give money to tss (I'm not sure how you feel about them) they have albiceps slings @£8 I think they're 1cm so expect it to be 1.1cm in aout 4 months

whats wrong with tss? i just bought my b albiceps from them are they bad for some reason? this is my first t hope i have nothing to worry about tss is the spider shop uk right?

 

[johnny quango]

whats wrong with tss? i just bought my b albiceps from them are they bad for some reason? this is my first t hope i have nothing to worry about tss is the spider shop uk right?

Actually I find these to be one of the best in the UK and personally I've never had an issue with them. A few other members may have had issues so you have to play devil's advocate.

Congratulations on your 1st tarantula by the way. You've.chosen a pretty good genus to start in, B albiceps are a slightly unusual place to start however but a good one they're easy to care for needing no special requirements. They are ridiculously slow growers though but worth it just look at @cold blood picture on here

 

[Wormtail39]

Actually I find these to be one of the best in the UK and personally I've never had an issue with them. A few other members may have had issues so you have to play devil's advocate.

Congratulations on your 1st tarantula by the way. You've.chosen a pretty good genus to start in, B albiceps are a slightly unusual place to start however but a good one they're easy to care for needing no special requirements. They are ridiculously slow growers though but worth it just look at @cold blood picture on here

thanks man! im loveing my little sling so far he has not eaten since i have had him though 3 days now but i think thats because its cold my heating will be set up by tommorow hopefully though so maby he will eat soon after!! as for unusual place to start... i wanted to get a begginer friendly species but i also dident want a hamori or a smithi as they look so common, i wanted a unique looking spider that most people (who are not in the hobby) wont have seen before, and the albiceps really stuck out too me. If i had more money id get myself a g pulchra sling aswell and watch them both grow up together! but alas 1 should be fine

 

[johnny quango]

thanks man! im loveing my little sling so far he has not eaten since i have had him though 3 days now but i think thats because its cold my heating will be set up by tommorow hopefully though so maby he will eat soon after!! as for unusual place to start... i wanted to get a begginer friendly species but i also dident want a hamori or a smithi as they look so common, i wanted a unique looking spider that most people (who are not in the hobby) wont have seen before, and the albiceps really stuck out too me. If i had more money id get myself a g pulchra sling aswell and watch them both grow up together! but alas 1 should be fine

Don't worry about your sling not eating for a couple of days Brachypelma have an habit of going on an hunger strike. My advice just keep offering food at least once per week and leave it 24hrs then remove if uneaten.
I have an adult female G pulchra and I absolutely love her so if you get a chance to own one take it

 

[SonsofArachne]

it will be the slowest growing, worst eating sling you will ever have.

I definitely agree with slow growing part, But I've never had problems with my 2 eating, although they prefer not to be watched. I started mine with live new born Blatta lateralis roaches and after a year they're 1 inch dls and eating roaches up 3/8 inch. I usually drop in a roach and when I check the next day it's gone. The only time they've refused food is pre-molt. So what are you feeding yours?

 

[cold blood]

The only time they've refused food is pre-molt. So what are you feeding yours?

was....raised slings years ago....literally tried everything to get them to eat...actually had best luck with houseflies i tried out of sheer desperation.

 

[SonsofArachne]

was....raised slings years ago....literally tried everything to get them to eat...actually had best luck with houseflies i tried out of sheer desperation.

That is odd. B. albiceps do seem less "bullet-proof" than other Brachys. I originally had 3, all kept exactly the same way, but one just wasted away and died after a couple of months for no apparent reason.

 

[Wormtail39]

i

I definitely agree with slow growing part, But I've never had problems with my 2 eating, although they prefer not to be watched. I started mine with live new born Blatta lateralis roaches and after a year they're 1 inch dls and eating roaches up 3/8 inch. I usually drop in a roach and when I check the next day it's gone. The only time they've refused food is pre-molt. So what are you feeding yours?

am feeding them micro crickets there pinhead size, this is my first t so i sort of just pick one out and drop it next to the t and the t seems terrified of them even tho they are tiny!! she moves to the opposite side of the enclosure. I have tried killing them and dropping them in but she doesent eat them. Its also hard to find them again to remove them afterewards because black substraite and tiny titny black dead crickets....

 

[SonsofArachne]

i

am feeding them micro crickets there pinhead size, this is my first t so i sort of just pick one out and drop it next to the t and the t seems terrified of them even tho they are tiny!! she moves to the opposite side of the enclosure. I have tried killing them and dropping them in but she doesent eat them. Its also hard to find them again to remove them afterewards because black substraite and tiny titny black dead crickets....

Mine will sometimes back off the roaches but usually just ignore them while I'm watching. Once in awhile they grab them while watch but most they're gone after a day or two. This is one of the reasons I prefer roaches, you don't have to worry about leaving them with your T for a few days.

 

[Wormtail39]

Mine will sometimes back off the roaches but usually just ignore them while I'm watching. Once in awhile they grab them while watch but most they're gone after a day or two. This is one of the reasons I prefer roaches, you don't have to worry about leaving them with your T for a few days.

The issue is the pinhead crickets are so small they can escape through the air holes in my ts enclosure lol but i have only seen it happen once... how many crickets should i drop in there btw?

eddit: SHE ATE!!! OMG SHE ATE SHE ATE SHE ATE first time she has eaten since i got her!!! (hopeing its a she) today i installed a heat mat on a larger enclosure with hers inside of the larger enclosure so i guess the increased heat really helped huh? she even took it down infront of me aswell how considerate!!!

 

[Wormtail39]

Mine weren't such slow growers, and I have raised slings in multiples. I have heard they can be difficult to breed though, that may be why we dont see them around so much.

may i ask a few questions? what size did you get them at, what temp did you keep them at, what food did you feed them to get them to grow a bit quicker, i know its down to the individual and so on and so on but still.... any advice for me? my first and only t is a 0.38 inch b. albiceps i am keen to get her atleast one more molt allong asap