# Intermediate tarantulas



## mozkaynak (Jun 26, 2010)

Hello,
My understanding is that tarantulas can be categorized as those that should be kept by only experienced keepers and those that can be kept beginners.

I am neither beginner nor experienced. I started with a G. pulchra sling in July 2009 and now I have two more (B. vagans and GBB).

I was thinking of my next T and then got confused with the bi-polar beginner/experienced categorization. 

Then I found the following website: 
http://www.arachnopets.com/tarantulas/tcss.htm

On this website there is more detailed categorization. For example the experience level of G. rosea is 3, the experience level for GBB is 5, and the experience level for T. blondi is 9.

I like this very much. But I am not sure who rated tarantulas there and how accurate the experience score is.  

I would appreciate your comments.


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## Chris_Skeleton (Jun 27, 2010)

I'm not too sure what you are asking. If you are asking for a T that is inbetween beginner and experienced then maybe Psalmopoeus. They are NW that lack the urticating hairs found in other NW species and I believe their venom is a bit stronger. If you only have two Ts and are already looking for more why don't you just stick to NW for a while by getting the ones that are easily available such as Brachys Grammys and the Aphonopelma and then move on to Psalmopoeus, then after having those for a while take the step to OW. 

I'm still a beginner myself. I have all NW and wouldn't dare get an OW yet, but I do plan to get a P. irminia and cambridgei. They are awesome.


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## NikiP (Jun 27, 2010)

Honestly IMO, if you have healthy respect for your T's, are smart about where/how you do maintenance, & don't bug them, I don't think there is much difference between the "levels". My first Ts were a G. pulchripes, a B. vagans, & a C. fasciatum. Within a couple of months I also had multiple OBTs, pokies, & H. macs.

My craziest T was a RCF G. rosea. Now that thing was plain nasty, including flipping over when trying to do threat poses. I've heard plenty of other people talk about how theirs are also hit or miss on getting a non psycho one.

Figure out what you like in a T (terrestrial, arboreal, pet holes, heavy webbing, no webbing) & read everything you can find on people's experiences with them.

Reactions: Thanks 1


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## mozkaynak (Jun 27, 2010)

Actually, I am not looking for a T name here. I just want to know people's opinion about the strict distinction between beginners and experienced keepers.

I also cited a website that tries to scale the gray area between beginners and experienced. I want to know how accurate is the web site.


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## jcrow209 (Jun 27, 2010)

People should be aware what their T is capable of, but I don't believe a spiders speed or venom should stop someone from getting one.Just know what you've got and deal accordingly!


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## joes2828 (Jun 27, 2010)

mozkaynak said:


> Actually, I am not looking for a T name here. I just want to know people's opinion about the strict distinction between beginners and experienced keepers.
> 
> I also cited a website that tries to scale the gray area between beginners and experienced. I want to know how accurate is the web site.


There is not clear distinction between a beginner and experienced keeper...I would say a beginner would be someone that has maybe one or two rosies, or something like that and does not have a lot of knowledge and/or experience about T's. An experienced keeper may have some pokies, obts, haplos, etc and possibly understand more in depth information about them. As for the website, I looked at most of them and would say it's relatively accurate. Like it's already been stated, it just depends on your own attitude towards the T.


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## codykrr (Jun 27, 2010)

Personally i think there is no sure fire method of categorizing "what level of expertise a T requires".  In my opinion, i have Had Pokies calmer that G. porteri(rosea)  T's are wild animals and each one is different from the next.  i dont even like to use beginner or intermediate really because all are easy to keep even for a novice, except a select few Genus's and species.

like mentioned, it is a complete respect, and common sense thing.


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## Dyn (Jun 27, 2010)

It really depends on how comfortable you are with the animal your getting.

The first invert that I bought when I got into them was a Hong Kong giant centipede (S. subspinipes dehaani) I had read into them alot and didnt let their super fast super aggressive reputation really get to me.

For tarantulas the first one we (my girlfriend really wanted it) was a pink toe A. avic and then we jumped right into a cobalt blue H. lividum a week later.


It all depends on how you view them. If you are conserned about experiance levels then your probably slightly scared of the venom level / speed / defense response and should stick to species you feel more at ease being around.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Slappys_g1rl06 (Jun 27, 2010)

That website is accurate on the few species that I own but of course there's always exceptions.  However, as several folks have said around here, it really is up to you and how you handle yourself.  Experience isn't necessarily having "handled" - meaning cared for not necessarily held/cuddled/petted/etc -  lots of tarantulas, but what you've learned from handling.    You gotta' learn how to handle yourself when you breach their boundaries and you have a scared/angry t on your hands.  Once you learn and respect thier boundaries then you've pretty much won the war.  You just gotta' learn how to fight individual "battles" with new t's!  IMHO


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## gromgrom (Jun 27, 2010)

i jumped straight from an LP and pinktoe to an OBT. It has really given me more respect for the intermediate T's and OWer's. 

I'd say if you have a GBB and respect its defensiveness, an OBT is intermediate. 

im new to tarantulas too, i've only had them since march, but i see some common genuses as such

beginner: Avics, grammostola, Aphonopelma, Lasiodora
intermediate: OBT, GBB, Ephebopus genus, Haplo's
expert/venomous: Poecilotheria, H. macs, S. Cal


tell me if anyone disagrees. Although some of the order can be mixed in between, I've seen others recommend haplos and OBTs as second T's or a jump up, and always warning new people over Poecilotheria, and the more quick and venomous baboons.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Steve Calceatum (Jun 27, 2010)

T's are NOT difficulty levels in a video game. Barring the S. cal (a sp. I kept within my first year of the hobby), and care-specific spp. (_T. blondi, H. gigas_) there's nothing to really worry about.

Sure, Pokies are venomous as all hell.....but that is, by no means, a mark of "Expert-Only" status. In fact, I'd HIGHLY recommend one as a second T (after an Avic) if you wanted to go into OW arboreals. Just skip the "Trainer-Pokies" (IME, Psalmos have a FAR nastier temper), and dive right in.

H. macs, and OBT's aren't that bad either. If you can keep a Psalmo or a GBB, you most certainly can keep one of these.

In all honesty, most spp. get a rather undeserved bad rap. I'm fully convinced that it's from a lot of fearful owners trying to look all Billy-Badass, and wind up accomplishing nothing more than frightening new and prospective hobbyists.

Get what you want, but research the hell out of it. And do yourself the favor by finding people that are willing to educate newbies, and who don't soil themselves when their _C. fasciatum_ leaps out of the deli cup.


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## NikiP (Jun 27, 2010)

xsyorra said:


> who don't soil themselves when their _C. fasciatum_ leaps out of the deli cup.


You mean this shouldn't make me soil myself?


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## evicton (Jun 27, 2010)

xsyorra said:


> T's are NOT difficulty levels in a video game. Barring the S. cal (a sp. I kept within my first year of the hobby), and care-specific spp. (_T. blondi, H. gigas_) there's nothing to really worry about.
> 
> Sure, Pokies are venomous as all hell.....but that is, by no means, a mark of "Expert-Only" status. In fact, I'd HIGHLY recommend one as a second T (after an Avic) if you wanted to go into OW arboreals. Just skip the "Trainer-Pokies" (IME, Psalmos have a FAR nastier temper), and dive right in.
> 
> ...




I agree with this, cause every ts temperment is different you can see videos of people handling pokies and you can see straight up demonic rose hairs. Any attempt to catagorize t's is gonna be different from anothers experience.


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## Tindalos (Jun 27, 2010)

the way i see it, three classes

the beginner-  which is pretty much any tarantula that a kid can play with and be forgiving of the owners mistakes, example rose hair-easy to take care of, just put dirt in a cage with a water bowl and your good to go. docile nature 

expert- any tarantula that requires extreme cage maintenance and attention-t.blondi for example

intermediate-everything in between, from avics-to haplopelma
i put avics here because of caging requirements 


if your intent is breeding is some tarantulas will require more care


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## BrettG (Jun 27, 2010)

xsyorra said:


> T's are NOT difficulty levels in a video game. Barring the S. cal (a sp. I kept within my first year of the hobby), and care-specific spp. (_T. blondi, H. gigas_) there's nothing to really worry about.
> 
> Sure, Pokies are venomous as all hell.....but that is, by no means, a mark of "Expert-Only" status. In fact, I'd HIGHLY recommend one as a second T (after an Avic) if you wanted to go into OW arboreals. Just skip the "Trainer-Pokies" (IME, Psalmos have a FAR nastier temper), and dive right in.
> 
> ...


Awesome post.................We have a large LP,and it is a nightmare.I would not touch it with a ten foot pole.Goes to show that even some of the more "even tempered" T's can still be a P.I.T.A if they want to be. Look at rosea,those things are so hit or miss that it isnt even funny. Calm one moment,and a hairball of terror the next.


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## brian abrams (Jun 30, 2010)

*"Intermediate" T's*

I still dont understand how GBB's are ranked in the same intermediate category as OBT's & Haplo's.


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## Isaax Critterz (Sep 27, 2022)

a god intermediate would be a p mettelica ( correct me if im wrong)


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