# An OBT as a good beginner's species?



## CoinJar (Sep 25, 2015)

From what I've read on here, the OBT is one of the most difficult in the hobby. But this keeper seems to think different:

http://tarantulakeeper.blogspot.com/2008/12/top-10-beginners-tarantulas.html?m=1

I figured this would be something fun to get you guys talking

Reactions: Like 1


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## Angel Minkov (Sep 25, 2015)

All I can say is... RIP.

Reactions: Like 3


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## le-thomas (Sep 25, 2015)

Here comes a storm...

I'm out.

Reactions: Like 2 | Agree 1 | Funny 1


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## CoinJar (Sep 25, 2015)

Angel Minkov said:


> All I can say is... RIP.



To me? Have I said a bad thing... :/


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## 14pokies (Sep 25, 2015)

Love how it goes from murinus to albopilosum.. What a jump.. Junk article author is a moron..

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Angel Minkov (Sep 25, 2015)

CoinJar said:


> To me? Have I said a bad thing... :/


No, about the upcoming ragestorm, OW and or handling debates which are usually pretty heated.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Ellenantula (Sep 25, 2015)

I think I have seen that site before -- I saw a site somewhere recommending OBTs for beginners due to their hardiness.  They are so readily available and inexpensive (plus gorgeous, imo), I can see why so many newbies end up with one.  
An OBT was my second T.


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## 14pokies (Sep 25, 2015)

Ellenantula said:


> I think I have seen that site before -- I saw a site somewhere recommending OBTs for beginners due to their hardiness.  They are so readily available and inexpensive (plus gorgeous, imo), I can see why so many newbies end up with one.
> An OBT was my second T.


Mine too and the cause of my obsession with Ts.. Got hit by one that was in my buddys collection and was so amazed at the potency of it's venom that i had to take it home.. My first was a boring but pretty A.hentzi years earlier. Allthough i don't really recommend murinus to most keepers it really opened up the world of tarantulas for me..  

Honestly though with all the gorgeous species out there that make calmer captives and are easily aquired and cared for i dont understand why people gravitate to the obt.. 

It may be inpart that the general public still things that all tarantula bites feel similar to a bee sting..  That may of been somewhat true in the U S pet trade up till the mid 1980s but its not any more.. Theres a few hot species out there now and obts are real close to the top..

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## roman (Sep 25, 2015)

It has a bad attitude and dangerous venom. It is also small (5" adult size) but extremely fast and ready to bite. Yes, nr1 beginner T.

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## Tomoran (Sep 25, 2015)

I read that list a when I first began researching new species to get, and it was the one that opened my eyes to the fact that there was a lot of contradictory information the web about tarantula keeping. A quick Google search for "OBT" produced dozen of articles and posts that completely debunked that a P. murinus would make a good beginner tarantula. Hardiness alone is not a good criteria. Sadly, it's still out there for all to see, and I've had a few people point to it when arguing why they thought they were ready for one.

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## lalberts9310 (Sep 25, 2015)

OBTs IMO are one of the worst to start out with.

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## Ratmosphere (Sep 25, 2015)

Wow haha. That's crazy!


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## KristinaMG (Sep 25, 2015)

Ellenantula said:


> I think I have seen that site before -- I saw a site somewhere recommending OBTs for beginners due to their hardiness.  They are so readily available and inexpensive (plus gorgeous, imo), I can see why so many newbies end up with one.
> An OBT was my second T.


It was my second T as well.  Though retrospectively I was NOT ready for it and got lucky that my clumsy rehouse did not result in a bite or escape.

Reactions: Like 2


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## Sam_Peanuts (Sep 25, 2015)

I'm sure I'll get rocks thrown at me, but, in my opinion, it kind of had its place on the list back when the article was written.

First off, it's number 10 so it's the last one recommended and he very clearly describe it as having strong venom and being very fast and aggressive/defensive so people have a good idea of what they're getting into. They can't say they though their bite was like a bee sting or stuff like that.

As a first tarantula, it's not a good idea in my opinion, but if someone has some knowledge about them and wants a more aggressive/defensive species, then the OBT was a good choice back then for the reasons mentioned. Personally, I would have said it was a list for beginners(meaning not only their very first one) and not for people new to the hobby(which implies it's for their first one, but might not have been what he meant) though.
I'm sure my own experience makes me quite biased on this since I got an OBT as my second one and never regretted the decision even once, but I feel like if you have basic tarantula experience and are searching for something more challenging(meaning you think have the skills to handle it), it wasn't that bad of a choice back then.

Nowadays(since that article was made in December 2008), there's a lot more old world species available than back then and at much better prices so a more chill old world could be recommended instead.


My opinion on this is based on assuming people aren't idiots though which is sadly not always the case so some people may get them for the wrong reasons because of such a list.
Some people do make mistakes and realize they aren't cut out for it after the fact, but that won't make them idiots as described above, just to be clear, it happens when it's something you haven't actually experienced yet.


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## cold blood (Sep 25, 2015)

I truly hate these beginner t lists, they are all too often put together by someone with an obvious lack of experience...like this one.  

His preface shows this with the line that ALL tarantulas can cause serious medical consequences....right there you can see he has no clue what he's talking about and has no business trying to help newbies.   He lists 3 reasons why OBT is a good beginner, one is that they're hardy....yeah, so is EVERY SINGLE BEGINNER NW T...c'mon man, they can all go a month without food if healthy.   The next 2 reasons are simply TERRIBLE reasons for a beginner to make a purchase.   1.  Grows fast...yeah, this means that the t will easily outgrow the newbies experience level in no time.  Slow growing is clearly better for a newer t keeper.   And 2. pretty colors....sheesh, what an idiot...newbies shouldn't EVER be buying ts based on pretty colors, that's the most ridiculous thing this dude could have written....especially considering all the pretty t's that ARE actually good beginners, like the red-leg Brachys.  Heck 6 or his beginner t's are NOT even what you'd call a pretty t.

OBTs have no business in the hands of inexperienced keepers.

Reactions: Like 5 | Agree 1


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## sezra (Sep 25, 2015)

no way would i ever recommend an OBT to a beginner. Ive been keeping T's for years and have had experience with quite a broad range of species so decided to get an OBT about 3 years ago (it was male and died earlier this year), and to be honest i dont think i would keep them again. I had more than one occasion where i was re-housing or doing general cleaning and it teleported out of the enclosure and onto the ceiling 

Bear in mind, im not scared of spiders at all, however my respect for my OBT was verging on fear and that is not a good thing. they are just way too aggressive and too fast for my liking tbh.

I'll stick to the more docile, less venomous species haha

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## Chris LXXIX (Sep 25, 2015)

Ah ah, i remember that list. Well, except for _Pterinochilus murinus_, that list IMO isn't so bad. Here _Lasiodora parahybana_ was considered, prior to the ban, a _Theraphosidae_ "more" into the begginner ones rather than an intermediate like a _Phormictopus cancerides_ for instance. But here, as i've said, the hobby was/is a very niche one with no YT "bravados" nor impulsive buyers.

It's not a secret that i view _Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens_ as a good beginner one. Had yet to see a "Psycho" GBB, unlike sometimes with _Grammostola rosea_, one of the most used/abused T when it comes to beginners. 
I mean.. yes, they are somewhat speedy (not so much for my point of view) but they aren't defensive.. if someone is really interested in T's keeping, a GBB speed shouldn't be a problem, otherwise.. fish.

_Acanthoscurria geniculata_ isn't the best as well for a complete beginner, maybe, but not even impossible for someone with, at least, a decent "T basics".

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## awiec (Sep 25, 2015)

Chris LXXIX said:


> Ah ah, i remember that list. Well, except for _Pterinochilus murinus_, that list IMO isn't so bad. Here _Lasiodora parahybana_ was considered, prior to the ban, a _Theraphosidae_ "more" into the begginner ones rather than an intermediate like a _Phormictopus cancerides_ for instance. But here, as i've said, the hobby was/is a very niche one with no YT "bravados" nor impulsive buyers.
> 
> It's not a secret that i view _Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens_ as a good beginner one. Had yet to see a "Psycho" GBB, unlike sometimes with _Grammostola rosea_, one of the most used/abused T when it comes to beginners.
> I mean.. yes, they are somewhat speedy (not so much for my point of view) but they aren't defensive.. if someone is really interested in T's keeping, a GBB speed shouldn't be a problem, otherwise.. fish.
> ...


I had a GBB whom would yo-yo between skittish and "I want to eat your finger", it didn't phase me much as I worked with various lycosids before I took up tarantula keeping. Which there are some people this type of attitude wouldn't phase either but if you are a bit arachnophobic or are surprised easily, some of the "potato" genus would be much better choices. I feel the attitude of no OW for beginners mainly stems from the fact that our hobby is now getting into the public aka the government eye. Normally I wouldn't care if some moron got bit by a potent OW but we are currently in a time where that moron could get all of us who keep our animals responsibly in trouble and our animals destroyed.


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## 320TONY (Sep 25, 2015)

No.........

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## Chris LXXIX (Sep 25, 2015)

awiec said:


> I had a GBB whom would yo-yo between skittish and "I want to eat your finger", it didn't phase me much as I worked with various lycosids before I took up tarantula keeping. Which there are some people this type of attitude wouldn't phase either but if you are a bit arachnophobic or are surprised easily, some of the "potato" genus would be much better choices. I feel the attitude of no OW for beginners mainly stems from the fact that our hobby is now getting into the public aka the government eye. Normally I wouldn't care if some moron got bit by a potent OW but we are currently in a time where that moron could get all of us who keep our animals responsibly in trouble and our animals destroyed.


I share your concern about that issue. I'm a perfect example of that. I live in a nation who banned ALL arachnids in 2003.

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## Kittylicious (May 1, 2020)

Chris LXXIX said:


> Ah ah, i remember that list. Well, except for _Pterinochilus murinus_, that list IMO isn't so bad. Here _Lasiodora parahybana_ was considered, prior to the ban, a _Theraphosidae_ "more" into the begginner ones rather than an intermediate like a _Phormictopus cancerides_ for instance. But here, as i've said, the hobby was/is a very niche one with no YT "bravados" nor impulsive buyers.
> 
> It's not a secret that i view _Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens_ as a good beginner one. Had yet to see a "Psycho" GBB, unlike sometimes with _Grammostola rosea_, one of the most used/abused T when it comes to beginners.
> I mean.. yes, they are somewhat speedy (not so much for my point of view) but they aren't defensive.. if someone is really interested in T's keeping, a GBB speed shouldn't be a problem, otherwise.. fish.
> ...


Actually A. Genic was one of my first T's. I'd never kept them before, but it was too "pretty" to pass up. I started out keeping T's with a mindset that these are wild animals, and therefore required a healthy dose of respect and a strict adherence to safety precautions. I guess I learned this attitude keeping a Burmese and Reticulated python. So... This mindset being in place... Is an OBT really that bad? Or am I utterly naive?


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## Royalty (May 1, 2020)

I got an OBT as my first tarantula. I have kept other spider species and some fast/potentially dangerous "bugs". I would not recommend them to anyone that has not had experience with "bugs" in general.  I started with a sling, and it has been my most chill but that might change when it is larger. They can change molt to molt.

 I have noticed a lot of  'heavy webbers" seem to have a bit more defensiveness. I know T's generally consider their whole container "home" but perhaps the disturbance they feel on their web is a bit more personal to them? Just a theory based on what I have read from people.


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## Kittylicious (May 1, 2020)

Royalty said:


> I got an OBT as my first tarantula. I have kept other spider species and some fast/potentially dangerous "bugs". I would not recommend them to anyone that has not had experience with "bugs" in general.  I started with a sling, and it has been my most chill but that might change when it is larger. They can change molt to molt.
> 
> I have noticed a lot of  'heavy webbers" seem to have a bit more defensiveness. I know T's generally consider their whole container "home" but perhaps the disturbance they feel on their web is a bit more personal to them? Just a theory based on what I have read from people.


You know.... Your opinion echoes something I was just discussing with my husband. I was of the opinion that housing them in a much larger habitat than the minimum requirements and letting them "grow into it", would be better.
OBT: Acts like a survivor with PTSD.
Me: A survivor with PTSD.
Could be a perfect match?


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## Royalty (May 1, 2020)

Kittylicious said:


> You know.... Your opinion echoes something I was just discussing with my husband. I was of the opinion that housing them in a much larger habitat than the minimum requirements and letting them "grow into it", would be better.
> OBT: Acts like a survivor with PTSD.
> Me: A survivor with PTSD.
> Could be a perfect match?


OBTS are semi arboreal and I am thinking I want to let them have more "clearance" . The ones I see threat posturing are usually kept more terrestrial with less "headspace".


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## Kittylicious (May 1, 2020)

Royalty said:


> OBTS are semi arboreal and I am thinking I want to let them have more "clearance" . The ones I see threat posturing are usually kept more terrestrial with less "headspace".


Yes! Exactly. My impression is they aren't "mean". Just easily scared. Years ago I got a Nhandu Tripeppi when it was so new it didn't have a latin name yet. People had em dying left n right. I gave it a habitat offering arboreal, terestrial and fossorial features and "Teddy" thrived. It even tore apart it's old molts and used the pieces to make the walls in it's tunnels! 
 Point is... They need room and care to express themselves, thus feeling more free to be chill. Look at how Richard from Tarantula Collective houses his OBT... No wonder she's so amicable.


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## Royalty (May 1, 2020)

Kittylicious said:


> Yes! Exactly. My impression is they aren't "mean". Just easily scared. Years ago I got a Nhandu Tripeppi when it was so new it didn't have a latin name yet. People had em dying left n right. I gave it a habitat offering arboreal, terestrial and fossorial features and "Teddy" thrived. It even tore apart it's old molts and used the pieces to make the walls in it's tunnels!
> Point is... They need room and care to express themselves, thus feeling more free to be chill. Look at how Richard from Tarantula Collective houses his OBT... No wonder she's so amicable.


Oh, I like him, I need to check that. I probably have seen it a while back but do not remember. I do remember him talking about how his was not a meanie.


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