# Large docile tarantulas??



## Steveyruss (Dec 25, 2007)

Hey guys, I'm fairly experienced in handling scorpions but would love to switch to buying a tarantula for a change. 

I was at first very interested in purchasing a larger type of tarantula. One of my friends has an extremely pretty and very large Brazillian white-knee but I was shocked at how easily agigated and aggressive she seemed under little provocation. 

The other week I was watching him move his spider into a larger container and she would attack the thermometer that he was using gently to guide her along, she must of turned around and bitten it 5 or 6 times with fangs over half an inch long! 

I'm assuming most of the very large tarantula types are aggressive?

What tarantulas would you recommend for a first timer? 

I'm not really interested in purchasing the popular Chilean Rose, I like the look of the Pinktoe I would prefer something a little larger and more adventurous.

Thanks in advance!


----------



## Frédérick (Dec 25, 2007)

Grammostola aureostriata gets to a nice size (around 7-8"), very docile in general, you can handle it pretty well and it stays a lot in the open, so great display T! if you're more interested in size, get a lasiodora parahybana, very large, beautiful, stays in the open too, but can flick hairs (and nasty ones )...


----------



## ErikH (Dec 25, 2007)

Agreed.  Grammostola Aureostriata is large and docile.


----------



## Steveyruss (Dec 25, 2007)

Thanks so far guys, I will check those types out. 

I saw this video of a pinktoe, it's incredibly pretty along with the orange baboon type, is it true that these types are capable of jumping? Jumping spiders must increase it's chances of escaping dramatically? 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIOra8HYS6o


----------



## Frédérick (Dec 25, 2007)

arboreals jump yes and they are pretty darn fast too, so you caution is advised...but avicularias aren't bad tho, they do jump but they stay pretty calm almost all the time


----------



## desertdweller (Dec 25, 2007)

My G aureostriata is the goof ball of my troop.  Talk about personality!  I too will be getting an Avic but I doubt the entertainment will be as good.


----------



## fishwithoutabik (Dec 25, 2007)

I agree with G aureostriata as far as size. Although I think that Avicularias (pink toes) make up for their smaller size with their fantastic color and outgoing ways. True, they are fast and can jump, but they are not difficult to manage, move, or handle, and are not likely to bite. Plus there is the added bonus that you are generally not going to be haired by an Avic.


----------



## Talkenlate04 (Dec 25, 2007)

I like A. genic.   You can get a nutty one sometimes though.


----------



## Steveyruss (Dec 25, 2007)

Looking around a little the Chaco golden knee (Grammostola aureostriata) looks very desirable and fairly easy to handle! 

Brazilian Salmon Pink Birdeater  (Lasiodora parahybana) looks also very interesting but it also says they are quite aggressive, apparently they are the 3rd or 4th largest species that can grow up to 11 inches and are capable of killing venmous pit vipers! 

As a jumping spider would the Pinktoe be much more sturdy if dropped by accident? How large can these ones grow to do you guys know? All I'm seeing here is 'medium sized'.


----------



## Talkenlate04 (Dec 25, 2007)

> As a jumping spider would the Pinktoe be much more sturdy if dropped by accident?


They are not really jumping spiders per say but they do like to climb and live in the trees. With that said yes they will take a fall 100 times better then any terrestrial T but you still want to avoid letting them fall really really far, or at all for that matter.


----------



## gambite (Dec 25, 2007)

I agree, for an arboreal Avicularia avicularia (Pink Toe), is great. They are quite good looking, very easy to find, cheap, and can get to a decent size. Mine just molted, and now is a gorgeous 4+". 

I think most of all the Grammostola genus is fairly docile, and most can get to a decent size IIRC. Here is a vid of a nice looking G pulchra, one of my favs:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5JzaOd7K24

EDIT: BTW, if you want a 'larger' pink toe, you can get a Goliath Pink Toe, Avicularia braunshaunseni (IIRC). However, they are not as common and not as docile.


----------



## Geography Guy (Dec 25, 2007)

Steveyruss said:


> Hey guys, I'm fairly experienced in handling scorpions but would love to switch to buying a tarantula for a change.
> 
> I was at first very interested in purchasing a larger type of tarantula. One of my friends has an extremely pretty and very large Brazillian white-knee but I was shocked at how easily agigated and aggressive she seemed under little provocation.
> 
> ...


Maybe try the Laisodora Parybhana (something like that). Grows between 8-10 inches and it has never attacked me - will flick hairs though


----------



## pitbulllady (Dec 25, 2007)

_Grammostola aureostriata_ is what immediately comes to mind when I see "large docile tarantula" in print anywhere.  An eight-inch diameter tarantula is far larger and more impressive than you think, and they are heavily-built, as well.  I have a _L. parahybana_, and while she's yet to give a threat display, she's extremely skittish and kicks hairs like nobody's business, so I definitely would not consider her to be "docile", but a likely candidate for being dropped if I tried to handle her.  I've had some big _Avics_, but none come close in size to my Chaco Gold-knee, and the largest of them, an _A. braunshauseni_, is downright nasty.  I think as far as consistent docile nature, combined with large size and ease of care goes, it's gonna be really tough to beat _G. aureostriata_, except with another _Grammostola_ species, like _G. pulchra._  Yeah, there's gonna be the occasional nut-case among them, but one of these will be a better bet than taking a chance of an individual of genus being calm and docile.  

One more thing, though-docile or not, the bigger the spider, the harder it can be to handle it due to size and balance.  I really don't handle my large _Grammostolas_ any more than I have to due to their size in relation to the size of my hands, and their weight, since it would be much easier for such a large spider, whose overall size is greater than one of my hands, to become off-balance and fall.

pitbulllady


----------



## gambite (Dec 25, 2007)

Steveyruss said:


> ....
> 
> What tarantulas would you recommend for a first timer?
> 
> ...


By the way, I forgot to mention that if you arent satisfied with a regular Pink Toe's beautiful coloring, you could go for an A. versicolor, minatrix, purpea, bicegoi, or metallica. Of those, the cheapest would probably be metallica, followed by versicolor and maybe minatrix. All of them are gorgeous!


----------



## jeff1962 (Dec 25, 2007)

Talkenlate04 said:


> I like A. genic.   You can get a nutty one sometimes though.


 I have a Genic. ,and she certainly does not come under the category of docile.Maybe others have had different experinces with theres. I agree with everyone about G. Aureo, I have a 4 inch female thats a real sweat heart.


----------



## whitehaze2008 (Dec 25, 2007)

*A genic*

hum my big girl was never aggressive....she just tried to eat everything that was in reach...and i mean that literally.


----------



## Steveyruss (Dec 25, 2007)

Thanks for the info guys I'm dicing between the Grammostola aureostriata and prettier but smaller Avicularias! The bird eater is an option but I'm not keen on hair flicking tendencies when I'm used to a limited stinger! 

Can these types live with more than one of the same?


----------



## whitehaze2008 (Dec 25, 2007)

*comunal*

avicularia avicularia is communal by listing, but they always end up eating a few.
However when i move on my own i will set a biosphere of maby ten adult females and a couple males with plenty of hides, and LOTS of crickets and geckos, in a 150 gallon terrerium.
think it would work out wonderfully but with me in college and still living with my parents (sigh) i dont have the time or resources right now.

- so many people are against this type of set up, but you have to remind yourself that this is the way they live in the amazon, clustered with lots of hiding spaces, with ample food.

So it can work.


----------



## Mushroom Spore (Dec 25, 2007)

Steveyruss said:


> Can these types live with more than one of the same?


You will never, ever have a guarantee that you won't suddenly lose all but one of the tarantulas in such a setup. Maybe the day you do it, maybe eight months later, maybe three years later. So first question is, are you okay with that?

If you are, you'll have a lot of research to do on how to set this up, and it is NOT recommended for those who are completely new to tarantulas. I don't recommend it at all myself, because I personally cannot say yes to the first question, but I definitely don't think newbies should try to co-habit. Get the hang of properly caring for and interacting with ONE tarantula first.  (Especially on the "interacting" note, because nothing will ruin your day like ten tarantulas zipping out of the enclosure during cage maintenance. Get used to one first.)


----------



## Steveyruss (Dec 25, 2007)

Mushroom Spore said:


> You will never, ever have a guarantee that you won't suddenly lose all but one of the tarantulas in such a setup. Maybe the day you do it, maybe eight months later, maybe three years later. So first question is, are you okay with that?
> 
> If you are, you'll have a lot of research to do on how to set this up, and it is NOT recommended for those who are completely new to tarantulas. I don't recommend it at all myself, because I personally cannot say yes to the first question, but I definitely don't think newbies should try to co-habit. Get the hang of properly caring for and interacting with ONE tarantula first.  (Especially on the "interacting" note, because nothing will ruin your day like ten tarantulas zipping out of the enclosure during cage maintenance. Get used to one first.)


It sounds very much like many types of scorpions! Archnids will turn to cannibalism if needed, even their young in desperation!

Thanks for the info guys, much appreciated!


----------

