# Grammostola Actaeon vs Iheringi



## Envoirment (Feb 17, 2016)

Hi everyone,

So I recently noticed some _G. acteon_ slings up for sale and quite tempted to buy one. I've read up on them and they appear easy enough to care for and such. My main issue is that there seems to be conflicting information about the size they can grow to and seems that they get mixed up with _G. Iheringi _at times (both look very similar when slings/juveniles).

I was wondering if anyone here owns either of the species and could clarify how large they can get? I've seen people say that _G. acteon _grow to 7-8", whilst some say it's _G. iheringi _that gets to 7-8" and _G. acteon_ maxes out at around 6". Any other interesting information on either species would also be appreciated!

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## Exoskeleton Invertebrates (Feb 18, 2016)

Here are a couple of photos of my females. Size I'm not positive which one gets bigger I've never bother to try to find out. 

*Grammostola acteon - Female





*
_*Grammostola iheringi - Female*
*




*_

Reactions: Like 5 | Love 1


----------



## viper69 (Feb 18, 2016)

_G. iheringi _(lower case i on the species name, not capitalized) is a great T IME. I have a male. The research I have done indicates the females can reach 8" DLS. As you MAY know, they are completely different looking in morphology and color from the typical rose hair. Also, not sure if you know, they are high strung and ferocious eaters like a Green-Bottle Blue, more so in my opinion in both cases. My AF GBB is much more "docile" than my iheringi, and slower, hard to believe, but true.

As the above post indicates, iheringi has a build more like a GBB than a Rose Hair, and acteon is more like a traditional Gram. that we are familiar with.

Also, at least the male iheringi grow very fast. They eat like there's no end, more so than any male T I have ever owned.

I've read similar information regarding size of acteon as you have, maxes out at 6".

You could contact Kelly Swift, he's the first person in the USA to breed _G. acteon_.

Reactions: Like 3


----------



## Envoirment (Feb 18, 2016)

viper69 said:


> _G. iheringi _(lower case i on the species name, not capitalized) is a great T IME. I have a male. The research I have done indicates the females can reach 8" DLS. As you MAY know, they are completely different looking in morphology and color from the typical rose hair. Also, not sure if you know, they are high strung and ferocious eaters like a Green-Bottle Blue, more so in my opinion in both cases. My AF GBB is much more "docile" than my iheringi, and slower, hard to believe, but true.
> 
> As the above post indicates, iheringi has a build more like a GBB than a Rose Hair, and acteon is more like a traditional Gram. that we are familiar with.
> 
> ...


Thanks! _G.iheringi_ is top of my list due to their unusual appearance/apetite and growth rate compared to most Grammostolas. I have someone looking into getting me one. Good to know the comparison to GBB. Although my GBB seems to be different to most decribed on here/other places. It's very docile and not skitish - although it's only a juvenile and has been in premolt so that could change.

I'll try to contact the sellers of the _G.actaeon_ slings - there appears to have been a recent batch bred or imported in the UK as I've noticed about 3-4 different tarantula sellers now have them in stock. They're quite unusual as they look similar to _G.iheringi_ but then develop a look similar to the _G.pulchra _as they mature. So you sort of get a 2 for 1 in terms of colouration.

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## viper69 (Feb 18, 2016)

Envoirment said:


> Thanks! _G.iheringi_ is top of my list due to their unusual appearance/apetite and growth rate compared to most Grammostolas. I have someone looking into getting me one. Good to know the comparison to GBB. Although my GBB seems to be different to most decribed on here/other places. It's very docile and not skitish - although it's only a juvenile and has been in premolt so that could change.
> 
> I'll try to contact the sellers of the _G.actaeon_ slings - there appears to have been a recent batch bred or imported in the UK as I've noticed about 3-4 different tarantula sellers now have them in stock. They're quite unusual as they look similar to _G.iheringi_ but then develop a look similar to the _G.pulchra _as they mature. So you sort of get a 2 for 1 in terms of colouration.


Agreed on actaeon morphology. I like the stocky appearance as well. If iheringhi was as laid back as pulchripes, it wold be a winner hands down. It's so high strung. i can't say for the females, but the male slings are huge, and each molt the size gains are tremendous compared to other Ts I've owned.

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## Exoskeleton Invertebrates (Feb 18, 2016)

viper69 said:


> _G. iheringi _(lower case i on the species name, not capitalized) is a great T IME. I have a male. The research I have done indicates the females can reach 8" DLS. As you MAY know, they are completely different looking in morphology and color from the typical rose hair. Also, not sure if you know, they are high strung and ferocious eaters like a Green-Bottle Blue, more so in my opinion in both cases. My AF GBB is much more "docile" than my iheringi, and slower, hard to believe, but true.
> 
> As the above post indicates, iheringi has a build more like a GBB than a Rose Hair, and acteon is more like a traditional Gram. that we are familiar with.
> 
> ...


 I can't remember wether my female was the one that was the mother of the babies that Kelly produced. I know that part of those babies were also mine.


----------



## viper69 (Feb 18, 2016)

Exoskeleton Invertebrates said:


> I can't remember wether my female was the one that was the mother of the babies that Kelly produced. I know that part of those babies were also mine.



Oh really? I didn't know that. Quite cool mi amigo! What's this species disposition like??


----------



## johnny quango (Feb 18, 2016)

I have both species and what as been said about growth rate is true and where the G iheringi eats like a pig the actaeon follows suit they are both fantastic eaters ( compared to other Grammostola)  another worth looking at is Grammostola anthracina these are another faster grower. The other differences are the fact the iheringi keeps the brilliant red abdomen whereas the actaeon loses it in adulthood and infact looks more like a fluffy G pulchra if you will, you can see from the pictures

Reactions: Like 3 | Informative 1


----------



## Exoskeleton Invertebrates (Feb 18, 2016)

viper69 said:


> Oh really? I didn't know that. Quite cool mi amigo! What's this species disposition like??


 Both acteon and iheringi are gentle not skittish compare to some other Grammostola species. I've heard that both get fairly good size. Yes acteon red bristle/hairs intend to fade away as they get older as for the iheringi the red bristle/hairs stays visible from young to adults.
As for the babies that Swift hatched out I know he posted a breeding report but can't locate the thread. From what I remember the female was small in size when she was bred, I want to say she was 4" but not sure. The egg sac it was small as well, my half of the babies was only about 12 of them. I believed I loaned out my female to Swift I don't believe I had a mature male I just can't remember. You may want to ask Swift if the female was mine or the male.


----------



## viper69 (Feb 18, 2016)

My iheringi has always been a high strung, far more than GBBs, very similar to young Pumpkin Patches.

Your female is docile???

Here it is, I found it below under Similar Threads of forum page

http://arachnoboards.com/threads/grammostola-actaeon.161658/


----------



## Exoskeleton Invertebrates (Feb 18, 2016)

Never mind it was right in front of me didn't realize you posted a link to the thread.


----------



## Exoskeleton Invertebrates (Feb 18, 2016)

viper69 said:


> My iheringi has always been a high strung, far more than GBBs, very similar to young Pumpkin Patches.
> 
> Your female is docile???
> 
> ...


 Thanks!


----------



## Envoirment (Mar 19, 2016)

Just bringing this up to ask about differences in the slings? I've recently come across _G.iheringi_ slings for sale and am extremely tempted to get one, but the image looks exactly like my _G.actaeon_ sling. Is there some feature which distinguishes the two at that stage? Perhaps differences in their mirror patches?

Reactions: Sad 1


----------



## Vezon (Mar 20, 2016)

How big is your sling and how big is the sling that you're looking at? Really though, if the seller is reputable, you can probably trust them. If it turns out to be an actaeon, you still got a really cool T (and maybe even a breeding pair at some point in time). I've got about a 2" iheringi that has a green/silver colored mirror patch and smoke black carapace/appendages, but it is in pre-molt.

Reactions: Like 2


----------



## Envoirment (Mar 20, 2016)

Vezon said:


> How big is your sling and how big is the sling that you're looking at? Really though, if the seller is reputable, you can probably trust them. If it turns out to be an actaeon, you still got a really cool T (and maybe even a breeding pair at some point in time). I've got about a 2" iheringi that has a green/silver colored mirror patch and smoke black carapace/appendages, but it is in pre-molt.


Mine's 2" in DLS and they're selling 1" slings. It was more so a general question as well, given how similar they look when younger! Adults are easily distinguished between the two species, so the seller should be right in their identification. Although I haven't bought from them before. My _G.actaeon _could give my _A.geniculata_ a run for its money it terms of apetite at the moment, such great tarantulas! 

Mine has a silver mirror patch with a black caparace and its appendages are black with a slight blue metallic look to them. 

I'd certainly like to breed the species in the distant future - you certainly wouldn't think of them as _Grammostolas _at first glance! Need to get more of them out there.


----------



## Exoskeleton Invertebrates (Mar 21, 2016)

I know this aren't slings but I figure I post the two photos of the two different species. I know I posted the acteon photo before and since my female iheringi molted and was a nice day outside had to take a photo of her.

*Grammostola acteon- Female*





*Grammostola iheringi - Female*

Reactions: Like 2 | Love 2


----------



## Vezon (Mar 21, 2016)

I just love the smoke color of the iheringi, it shows super well in that picture of yours. Natural sunlight pictures really are magnificent.


----------



## Envoirment (Feb 14, 2021)

I know this is old, but thought I would update. I did buy the _G.iheringi_ sling at 1" in addition to my _G. actaeon_ 2" sling. They were both voracious eaters and grew quite fast. Particularly in the summer. The last 4-5 summers have generally been warmer than usual. 2017 in particular was a very hot summer. Both my slings were males and matured end of 2019/beginning of 2020. The _actaeon _was ~5.5" and the _iheringi _~7". Unfortunately both passed away last year. I had them for just over 4 1/2 years. I thoroughly enjoyed keeping both species and if the opportunity presented itself, I would definitely love to buy a confirmed female at some point for both species!

Reactions: Like 3


----------

