# need info on Psalmopoeus Pulcher?



## cloud711 (Oct 21, 2005)

i need info on this t. all i know is that it is an arboreal t. is this a good beginner arboreal t? i hope that this is a docile t. i was thinking of getting one but i dont know anything about it. please share any info's you have. thanks in advance.


----------



## becca81 (Oct 21, 2005)

_Psalmopoeus spp_ are not typically known for being docile - they are quite fast and defensive.

Unless you're comfortable dealing with the speed and/or defensiveness, I'd recommend you start elsewhere.

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## David_F (Oct 21, 2005)

I've only been keeping a couple slings of this species for about a month.  They don't seem to be docile but I wouldn't call them aggressive either.  They seem more likely to run and hide if you bother them...and, man, they can move fast.  They might bite if you don't give them an alternative though just like any other T.  If you're not used to keeping arboreals I don't know if they'd be a good beginner species.  Avicularia might be a bit better to start with but if you think you're prepared I'd say get the P. pulcher.  They're definitely nice looking Ts.  They seem to like a bit of moisture and lots of hiding places.  Mine have been big eaters, too.  Good luck if you decide to get them.  I think you'll like them.


----------



## cloud711 (Oct 21, 2005)

i see. maybe i should start with an a avic first. how big does it get? do they flick hairs as well?


----------



## greenbay1 (Oct 21, 2005)

I would definitely start with an Avicularia sp. They are great to work with and are seldom if ever defensive. Most are docile. They can be fast at times but nothing like the Psalmos. I have both plus Poecs. The Avicularia _avicularia_ is a great one to start with. Cute as a sling, nice looking as an adult, easy to care for, docile and the most important part - cheap.   Good luck!


----------



## Schlyne (Oct 21, 2005)

Psalmopeous sp. do not have urticating hairs, as far as I know.

Avic's dont' really flick hairs, they sort of "press them into you".  The urticating hair patch is on the underside of the abdomen.


----------



## Rounder (Oct 21, 2005)

my first arboreal was a p. irminia, it's never given me much attitude, it is definitely fast but retreats to it's hide quickly, rather than stand and fight me.  

if you go with an avic i'd get a versicolor, much better looking, just my thoughts


----------



## Niloticus (Oct 21, 2005)

cloud711 said:
			
		

> i need info on this t. all i know is that it is an arboreal t. is this a good beginner arboreal t? i hope that this is a docile t. i was thinking of getting one but i dont know anything about it. please share any info's you have. thanks in advance.


They are beautiful. I love the Pulcher's. They behave pretty much like any other Psalmo. They are quite fast - no where near the Poecilotheria's though.
They are usually only aggressive when you're digging around in the cage. Probably not the best beginner species, however.

Niloticus


----------



## Gesticulator (Oct 21, 2005)

I definitely would not label any Psalmo as docile. They can be defensive and are faster than fast. P pulcher may be one of the FASTER psalmos as well. I have seen them coded as "advanced", probably due to their speed alone. I have to agree with the rest who recommended an Avicularia as a first arboreal. However, if you like the Psalmopoeus, IMHO, a P cambridgei might be a better choice. Again they are quite quick and can be defensive. Let us know!


----------



## Tescos (Oct 21, 2005)

> Avic's dont' really flick hairs, they sort of "press them into you


_Avicularia versicolor_ can flick.

BERTANI, R., T. BOSTON, Y. EVENOU & J. P. L. GUADANUCCI (2003). Release of urticating hairs by Avicularia versicolor (Walckenaer, 1837) (Araneae, Theraphosidae). Bulletin of the British Arachnological Society 12 (9): 395-398.



> The urticating hair patch is on the underside of the abdomen.


not so sure about that :?


----------



## ornamentalist (Jul 10, 2011)

Tescos said:


> _Avicularia versicolor_ can flick.
> 
> BERTANI, R., T. BOSTON, Y. EVENOU & J. P. L. GUADANUCCI (2003). Release of urticating hairs by Avicularia versicolor (Walckenaer, 1837) (Araneae, Theraphosidae). Bulletin of the British Arachnological Society 12 (9): 395-398.
> 
> ...


the urticating hairs on avicularia sp are located on their palps

---------- Post added at 04:03 AM ---------- Previous post was at 03:57 AM ----------




ornamentalist said:


> the urticating hairs on avicularia sp are located on their palps


sorry no it isnt, thats ephebopus im thinking of.................im half asleep ok! lol and avics do flick iv actually had a facefull from my sp peru recently, either that or i touched my face and that rubbed them in there


----------



## Chris_Skeleton (Jul 11, 2011)

ornamentalist said:


> im half asleep ok!


Well I certainly hope that is the reason you revived a long dead thread

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## cold blood (Feb 3, 2014)

Gesticulator said:


> I definitely would not label any Psalmo as docile. They can be defensive and are faster than fast. P pulcher may be one of the FASTER psalmos as well. I have seen them coded as "advanced", probably due to their speed alone. I have to agree with the rest who recommended an Avicularia as a first arboreal. However, if you like the Psalmopoeus, IMHO, a P cambridgei might be a better choice. Again they are quite quick and can be defensive. Let us know!


please expand as to why Cambridgi would be a better starting point.  I want a Pulcher, but have recently begun to really consider Cambridgi (love psalmos).  What are the differences, as subtle as they may be.  

12+ yrs experience with t's, just not arboreals or really any sporting superior speeds.   But I'm older, careful and very deliberate in my t dealings and am not too concerned with the speed personally as I think I can deal with it.  I worry about t's with tentencies to flee or maybe charge.  I also supply a generous amount of hiding places.

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## Shrike (Feb 4, 2014)

cold blood said:


> please expand as to why Cambridgi would be a better starting point.  I want a Pulcher, but have recently begun to really consider Cambridgi (love psalmos).  What are the differences, as subtle as they may be.
> 
> 12+ yrs experience with t's, just not arboreals or really any sporting superior speeds.   But I'm older, careful and very deliberate in my t dealings and am not too concerned with the speed personally as I think I can deal with it.  I worry about t's with tentencies to flee or maybe charge.  I also supply a generous amount of hiding places.


You've unearthed an ancient thread and discovered evidence of one of our AB forerunner civilizations, the Gesticulators.  Nobody knows why they disappeared, or why signs of their return show up periodically.  Who knows, perhaps your summons will be answered? 

I think if you can keep one Psalmo, you can successfully keep them all.  If pulcher is the one you want, go for it.  Providing an adequate hide will definitely help avoid bolting issues, and being deliberate and respectful will work in your favor.  That being said, Psalmopoeus (along with many other genera) really is a step up in the speed department.  Just be ready for a "wow" moment or two.

Reactions: Like 2


----------



## cold blood (Feb 5, 2014)

thanks, yeah, I realized I was resurrecting a long dead thread and may not get answers from the original posters, but im not too concerned with who has answers, just that someone does.  I am not one to start new threads when theres already one asking my same or similar questions.

And I'm looking foreward to "wow" moments, its kinda why I want to explore arboreals a little more, their speed, quick growth with a generous dose of aggressiveness and healthy deeding responses are all something I am looking toward enjoying.   I will prolly end up with a bunch of psalmos i'm guessing, they are such a cool looking genra.

Thanks to anyone helping with any extensive info on them!


----------



## Yentlequible (Feb 5, 2014)

You sound like you have plenty of experience for a Psalmo. In my opinion, they aren't as bad as people make them out to be. Not that they are made out bad, but mine are always very calm unless you surprise them a little too much. Even then, mine have never moved that fast in their enclosures. A quick scurry into their hide, and that's that. I've never had one escape though, and only once or twice have I seen their true speed. Very quick Ts, but nothing that can't be dealt with. 

I've never seen much aggression either. I had one or two threat poses from my first irminia, but he was about to molt, and then one strike at my tongs when I transferred my second 4" irminia into a new home. My cambridgeis have both been very calm, and my 4 reduncas slings are still small enough that they act like every other sling out there.

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## Poec54 (Feb 6, 2014)

Shrike said:


> I think if you can keep one Psalmo, you can successfully keep them all.  If pulcher is the one you want, go for it.  Providing an adequate hide will definitely help avoid bolting issues, and being deliberate and respectful will work in your favor.  That being said, Psalmopoeus (along with many other genera) really is a step up in the speed department.  Just be ready for a "wow" moment or two.


+1.  I have cambridgei, irminia, and pulcher, and all are pretty much similar, except that irminia are a bit more confrontational, but not excessively so.  All are fast and all will bite if threatened.

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## Shrike (Feb 6, 2014)

Poec54 said:


> +1.  I have cambridgei, irminia, and pulcher, and all are pretty much similar, except that irminia are a bit more confrontational, but not excessively so.  All are fast and all will bite if threatened.


I've found that to be true as well.  

Psalmopoeus was my first foray into the more challenging genera (I don't mean they're challenging to care for, but rather, they command a bit more respect and awareness)  Prior to that I'd only kept Brachypelma, Grammostola, Avicularia and Chromatopelma.  I'd read that Psalmopoeus were quick, but until a saw it myself, I didn't really have an appreciation for just how fast a tarantula could get from point A to point B.

Early on, I had a couple of sweat inducing adventures rehousing my irminias.  These reality checks were a good thing for me because they equipped me with a better understanding of what "speed" really looks like, and more importantly, how to avoid a tarantula bolting on you.  In that sense, once you're comfortable keeping Psalmopoeus, you're probably prepared for just about anything.  Poecilotheria, fire breathing centipedes, chupacabras, even Sauron himself.  The sky's the limit.

By the way cold blood, I don't bring up the speed factor to scare you off in any way.  It's completely manageable, but something to remain aware of when you're doing enclosure maintenance, rehousing, etc.  If you want the specifics on caring for Psalmopoeus, they don't need anything fancy, and will all thrive in the same type of setup.  Here's mine, in a nutshell:

I use acrylic containers with screen vents.  I prefer the kind that open from the top since this genus spends quite a bit of time burrowing and building dirt curtains (yes, Psalmopoeus have a knack for interior decoration), especially as slings and juveniles.  Coconut fibre substrate.  Cork bark leaned against the wall of the enclosure.  This is the attachment point for the dirt curtains and will essentially become the tarantula's hide.  Make sure your tarantula has a place it can feel safe.  When you're doing enclosure maintenance, that's where the tarantula will usually go, instead of rocketing to freedom.  Other than that, I keep them at room temperature.  No supplemental heat or humidity, although I do let the water dish overflow slightly (my one disclaimer here is that I provide small slings with more humidity as they're vulnerable to dessication).  Feed them once a week, or if you're feeling crazy, twice! 

Not much to it.  Go get a Psalmo.

Reactions: Like 5


----------



## cold blood (Feb 6, 2014)

"





Shrike said:


> I've found that to be true as well.
> 
> Psalmopoeus was my first foray into the more challenging genera (I don't mean they're challenging to care for, but rather, they command a bit more respect and awareness)  Prior to that I'd only kept Brachypelma, Grammostola, Avicularia and Chromatopelma.  I'd read that Psalmopoeus were quick, but until a saw it myself, I didn't really have an appreciation for just how fast a tarantula could get from point A to point B.
> 
> ...


----------



## Duke1907 (Jul 28, 2022)

I know I'm resurrecting an old thread here, but I wanted to share my experience with this species as I have a _P pulcher _sling that I got about 6-7 months ago.
In MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, this T does well in the classic arboreal setup relative to it's size. My sling seems to have a medium growth rate. It's a good eater but it doesn't seem to take food once a week. I feed based on abdomen size, so at the most that ends up being every two weeks for now.
It seems to enjoy longer molting or antisocial periods, building elaborate dirt curtains behind it's bark and staying hidden for several weeks or maybe only a few days. I placed in a piece of half-round cork that I cut to fit, buried it about an inch in the sub and leaned it against the back wall at a °45 angle. I put some good amount of loose sub behind it along with some small pieces of moss and it used all of it to make a dirt curtain that was almost airtight.
I hot glued a water dish on the bark close to the top (if you do this, make sure dish stays level), gave it about 2.5 inches of sub (sorry...don't know the metric measurement for that) with a moist bottom layer of about an inch. Also moistened the top too but only just. Im not big into "misting," but I'll mist this one every now and then. This sp likes a little dampness.
I provided fake leaves at the bottom of the cork and small pieces of moss all around. I've found that mine will stay visible more when it has these things to quickly bolt under if it feels threatened...that is if it wants to be visible in the first place. So if it disappears for a week or three months, don't worry. Just keep it's moisture good as usual and offer a wounded prey item. Sometimes that prey will disappear, sometimes not. Of course you know to remove any uneaten prey within 24-48 hrs. Also, I put in a few small cork chips around and behind cork to avoid throwing away stuff I paid for. I'm a cheapskate. Got no problems admitting it.
Make sure it's got some cross vent as well as some top vent. You don't have to go crazy with any of it, but it does better (again in my own experience) with both.
This species seems to be a little more on the tractable side than other Psalmo species, but it is fast...really fast. I think my D pentalorus may be a faster NW sp, but when this one gets a little more size on it, it's gonna be a quick one, no doubt. I've had to rehouse it once, (and this is an important point), it never bolted, never posed or slapped. I just had to "ask" it to move where I wanted rather than "demand" it to move, if you see what I'm saying. If you try to force this one, you'll lose it in less than the blink of an eye and you'll never be able to see where it goes if it gets away from your workstation. Have multiple, clear catch-cups ready where you can grab in a hot second if you have to.
But I believe with the proper husbandry these spiders are quite comfortable and easy to get along with. I believe there's a little "myth" surrounding them, kind of like the OBT, just not as much. But no doubt this is one fast NW. Just respect it, as with any animal, especially a possibly high-strung tarantula. Maybe I just got lucky and got a chill one. Or maybe I'm speaking too soon. Temperament between molts and all that.
Rt now my specimen is about an inch dls, maybe slightly over.
So as long as you've got the tools you need, a larger tote to rehouse inside of with a good arboreal set up, moisture, water dish and fake plants and some moss at the base, you should be fine.
Like I said...classic arboreal setup. Also, no need to go bioactive. You could , I guess, but this one doesn't need it. Just some moisture.

Again I know this is an older thread but wanted to share my own exp with this beautiful species, in case someone comes looking.
If nothing else, this species is magnificent, awesome to see with a great feeding response and has been no trouble to me whatsoever. My _G pulchra _is far more skittish and runny-aroundee than this one has been so far. I would defo buy another.
Is it a good beginner species? Controversial question, I know, but In my personal opinion , no it not a good beginner.  But I feel like it is an excellent "intermediate" species, or a good one to try out if you're looking to getting into OW's.

Reactions: Helpful 1


----------

