# Cobalt Blue v. OBT v. King Baboon



## gambite (Mar 27, 2008)

I was thinking about getting one of the 'wilder' species of T sometime, and have narrowed it down to one of these. I like the blue color of the Cobalt Blue, but I figure that I will not see it much, being a pet hole and all. On the other hand, King Baboons get pretty big, but again I am not sure how often I would see it, and it lacks some of the cool colors. It is also a slower grower, IIRC. OBT has some cool colors, but I dont think they get too big. Also not sure on how much they are visible. I thought I heard that they were more webbers than burrowers, but not sure on that one. 

Also, price is a bit of a factor. I would like to get one that is well-started, maybe somewhere around 2-3" or so. I think the OBT would be the cheapest, then the Cobalt, then the King, but I am not certain of the exact prices of each of these either....

So, what do you guys think?


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## IdahoBiteyThing (Mar 27, 2008)

*Can you guess which one I'm going to recommend?*

OBT all the way IMHO.  Great color, easy to keep, webs like crazy.  If you give it some structure in the setup, it may behave semi-arboreally and be super visible.  Or it may burrow and not be visible as much.  Who knows.  Seems like the smaller the tank, the more they web.  Keep them dry, keep fingers out of the way.  True, they don't get very big, but they pack a lot of punch in a small package.  Also, usually available for very reasonable prices.


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## cheetah13mo (Mar 27, 2008)

gambite said:


> OBT has some cool colors, but I dont think they get too big. Also not sure on how much they are visible. I thought I heard that they were more webbers than burrowers, but not sure on that one.
> 
> Also, price is a bit of a factor. I would like to get one that is well-started, maybe somewhere around 2-3" or so. I think the OBT would be the cheapest, then the Cobalt, then the King, but I am not certain of the exact prices of each of these either....
> 
> So, what do you guys think?


OBTs don't get as big as the others but I have a female that is just over the six inch mark so there is a chance you can get a good sized OBT.



IdahoBiteyThing said:


> OBT all the way IMHO.  Great color, easy to keep, webs like crazy.  If you give it some structure in the setup, it may behave semi-arboreally and be super visible.  Or it may burrow and not be visible as much.  Who knows.  Seems like the smaller the tank, the more they web.  Keep them dry, keep fingers out of the way.  True, they don't get very big, but they pack a lot of punch in a small package.  Also, usually available for very reasonable prices.



I agree. My slings like to hide a lot and I don't see them much but my adults come out of thier hide quite often. For the price, color and the attitude, I think P. murinus is the way to go.


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## gambite (Mar 27, 2008)

Cool, maybe I will go for the OBT. I did see some at the Havre de Grace, MD, reptile show, around 2-3", going for $10 each. In fact, I would have grabbed one then, but I needed money for toll....

More ideas?


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## DrJ (Mar 27, 2008)

Out of the three you chose, the King would be the calmest.  I've had four Kings and out of the four, only one has ever given me a threat display.  No  matter which way you go, make sure you do get a CB individual as WC are more fiesty and don't always trasition well into captive conditions.  Kings are my number one favourite.  They may not have the striking colorations of a cobalt or a OBT, but they are a pleasant looking rusty brown color and their hair is velvety...so they do look really cool.  I would also recommend the Pterinochilus murinus.  They are webbers and burrowers, BUT I see all of mine every single day!  The only downside is that out of the three, I've seen Pterinochilus murinus move faster and have worse side effects from the venom than the other two...However, that's not saying much compared to the Citharischious crawshayi as it's venom is almost like that of a Brachypelma!  Out of the three and what you are looking for, I'd go with the OBT if I were you.  I'm almost surprised you included the King in the group.  From my experience, they are total sweet-hearts that are calm and the most cooperative Ts I've ever had when doing tank transfers!  So, if you want something a little more on the wild side, but visible, go with the OBT.  

Let me also recommend to you the Acanthoscurria geniculata.  These guys can get 8" or more!  Plus, they are full of personality and can be rather scary at times.  Mine is territorial of her water dish, so when I go in to remove it for weekly cleaning, she charges at the tongs (sometimes biting them) and will try to get her water dish back!  That is one reason I find NW species to be overall more aggressive/defensive than OW.  I've never had an issue with an OW tarantula...but, most of my experience is with baboons (african species).

EDIT:  Plus, the Acanthoscurria geniculata has striking colorations that are undoubtably more attention grabbing than the Haplopelma lividum or the Pterinochilus murinus.  The genic is considered one of the most beautiful tarantulas in the hobby!  I'd look into it if I were you.  Well, it's just a suggestion.


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## Morkelsker (Mar 27, 2008)

Both of them are really BORING. Always hidden, you never see them. I have a 4" female king baboon and since I have her I'Ve seen her moving just once! However, it never seems agressive and I can see her always because si have dig a hole beside the glass, but you better have a picture, it costs less and it'S the same thing, it will never move.


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## DrJ (Mar 27, 2008)

Morkelsker said:


> Both of them are really BORING. Always hidden, you never see them. I have a 4" female king baboon and since I have her I'Ve seen her moving just once! However, it never seems agressive and I can see her always because si have dig a hole beside the glass, but you better have a picture, it costs less and it'S the same thing, it will never move.


I had two that were 1.5" and 2" respectively, and I'd see both every day as they'd come out for a stroll around the tank every evening and the occassional morning.  Now I have a 3" suspected female (still waiting for a molt) that I only see once a week as she tends to be under her water bowl a lot when I remove it for the weekly cleaning session.  If it weren't for that, I'm not sure I would ever see her.  My 8" female tends to come out every once in a while...more than once per week.  Sometimes I'll catch her, and those are good days!   

All are different and have their own personalities!


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## gambite (Mar 27, 2008)

Thanks for the tips! I think I might go for the OBT then, as I am kinda getting tired of burrowers now that I think about it. Plus, I think I can them a lot cheaper than the others. Can I 'force' them to web instead of burrow by only giving a few inches of substrate? 

As for an A genic, I had thought about them before, but I already have an L parahybana sling growing, and my 10g is revserved for him. While the King Baboon can get just as big, I hoped that since they spend so much time underground that a 5g would be alright for them; underground burrow=extra floor space.


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## Scorpendra (Mar 27, 2008)

gambite said:


> Can I 'force' them to web instead of burrow by only giving a few inches of substrate?


that wouldn't be a very good idea. unless i'm mistaken, they get stressed out if they can't burrow and may die.


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## Moltar (Mar 27, 2008)

DrJ said:


> ...However, that's not saying much compared to the Citharischious crawshayi as it's venom is almost like that of a Brachypelma!


Huh? For realsies? I thought they had pretty nasty venom. One of the worst bite reports i've read was when travis got tagged by his KB. Maybe he has a sensitivity to that particular venom or something...

Anyway, of the three the c crawshayi is the only one i don't have. I never (ever) see the H lividum anymore but i don't really see the 2 OBT's that much either. They both hide a lot. Although i've seen some defensive behavior from them, for the most part they're very skittish. It doesn't bother me that they're small, a smaller t means a smaller enclosure and more room for other t's.

Like DrJ said the A geniculata is pretty fun to keep too. It is far and away the boldest, bitiest and most defensive t i have. To put that in perspective that makes it feistier than 2 nhandu's, 4 haplopelma's, 2 pokies a psalmopoeus and 2 OBT's (and a bunch of tamer bugs too). What makes it even more enjoyable is that although it's quick to bite, it's not that quick on it's feet. That makes it easier to deal with, less likely to bolt across the room if you spook it. Plus they get huge and they're frikkin' beautiful.

Of the three you mentioned i'd say OBT first, crawshayi a close second (mostly because of the cost) and lividum last. Cobalts are overrated. it doesn't matter how cool their colors are if they live at the bottom of a dark hole.


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## Travis K (Mar 27, 2008)

I vote P. murinus, I see mine all the time, partly because I encouraged her to borrow in the corner of the tank, but she loves to hang out right at her borrow entrance waiting for me to toss her a roach, and she LOVES to eat.  She is turning into my favorite T, I have B. smithi's and pokies too, but I am falling in love with her.  She is an RCF and oh so gorgeous.


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## Travis K (Mar 27, 2008)

gambite said:


> Thanks for the tips! I think I might go for the OBT then, as I am kinda getting tired of burrowers now that I think about it. Plus, I think I can them a lot cheaper than the others. Can I 'force' them to web instead of burrow by only giving a few inches of substrate?
> 
> As for an A genic, I had thought about them before, but I already have an L parahybana sling growing, and my 10g is revserved for him. While the King Baboon can get just as big, I hoped that since they spend so much time underground that a 5g would be alright for them; underground burrow=extra floor space.


i can only speak for the one OBT that I have, if it doesn't get substrate it will build lots of web.  with two entrances, mine always builds a main entrance and then has a "secret" one too.  Mine prefers substrate at this time so if I were you I would put substrate with a starter hole near the side of the tank and also put a piece of bark propped up against the glass and then you can let the T decide.  I like to give mine naturalistic habitats so I can witness their natural behaviors.  I find T's so extremely fascinating.


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## smof (Mar 27, 2008)

Just a word of caution, if you get an OBT that is already around 3", try and make sure it's female. I got one that size which turned out male, and males of this species don't last long. He moulted twice in my care, got to just under 4", matured and then died 4 months later


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## gambite (Mar 27, 2008)

DrJ said:


> The only downside is that out of the three, I've seen Pterinochilus murinus move faster and have worse side effects from the venom than the other two...However, that's not saying much compared to the Citharischious crawshayi as it's venom is almost like that of a Brachypelma!


Really? Is that from experience? Because I was talking to JnSinverts a few weeks ago, and he spent 9 hours in the hospital after one of his KB got him. He said it was really bad, but there was little the doctors could do.


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## DrJ (Mar 27, 2008)

gambite said:


> Really? Is that from experience? Because I was talking to JnSinverts a few weeks ago, and he spent 9 hours in the hospital after one of his KB got him. He said it was really bad, but there was little the doctors could do.


No...I've never been tagged, and I take all precautions so it won't happen.  However, I've talked with a lot of people and worse side-effects of King Baboon venom I've ever heard was pain and itching in the area of the bite.  So, to me, it didn't sound any worse than a Brachy.  I also figured that with adult size and having 1" fangs, that potent venom was really unnecessary...however, that was just a theory I had since I had never heard of a bad bite report from one. 

Yeah, all a doctor can do for any bite is give you steroids.  I'm amazed they kept him in the hospital so long.  I've never heard of that happening...even with the likes of H. mac and Poecilotheria!  That's pretty severe from something I considered nicer than a Brachy - same bite, no hair.  Haha!  I've talked with at least 5 people that were envenomated by a Citharischious crawshayi, so I find it odd that somebody else would have such a horrible reaction.  Well, that's two with bad reactions as etown mentioned that Travis had a bad reaction.

Oh, etown, is that bite report on this site?  I didn't find it under the Citharischious crawshayi bite reports.


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## Moltar (Mar 27, 2008)

DrJ said:


> Oh, etown, is that bite report on this site?  I didn't find it under the Citharischious crawshayi bite reports.


I found it. It wasn't one of the Travises, it was Austin.

It linked to a thread at ATSHQ

http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=105268&highlight=crawshayi+bite

I haven't re-read it yet but if i recall correctly; the bite was not defensive, rather intended for a prey item... Perhaps C crawshayi often dry-bite for defensive purposes? Just a guess.


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## Travis K (Mar 27, 2008)

I think it is safe to say that no one would like to get bit by any of these.

WOOT - this is my 400th post, well actually my 400th countable post that is, causse the watering hole just doesn't count.


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## SNAFU (Mar 27, 2008)

I own one of each of those. The H. Lividum rarely comes out of her burrow-but she has dug down in the front left corner of her enclosure so I get to watch her--doing nothing. She is gorgeous though----doing nothing.

My little P. Murinus just molted week ago and she will come out of her pile of sub & web sometimes. She's very quick & max aggressive. I was attempting to take pics of her after her molt and she got loose for a minute before she stopped next to the wall and hit the classic threat pose. SO-she's fun and was a bargain price.

My 6+" female C.Crawshayi, stays in her burrow almost constantly but, she too dug out a good viewing window in the corner of her tank so I get to watch her scoop up crickets as I drop them to her. She will go into a threat readily and if I happen to get a few squirts of water down on her she will back up and stridrulate. She was probably wild caught but is in perfect condition but she's not a cheap date- cost right at $100.00.

But-you could always go with one of my favorites, Lasiodora Parahybana (Salmon Pink Birdeater). Fairly inexpensive, aggressive, fast growers, and adult females can get up to 10". Not very flashy so if your wanting colors, you may want to skip this one. If you want to see a feeding frenzy from a T that attacks anything on her turf however, get one of these!

This is my 5" L.Para, Sasha. Hard to tell in this pic but she has 3 crickets!


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## gambite (Mar 28, 2008)

I actually already have an L para, he molted just the other day and is at about 1.5". I cant wait for him to get large, as I catually like the colors on them. G pulchra was actually the first T I 'fell in love with', but I will happily settle for an L para. Though I am hoping that he doesnt turn out to be _too_ aggressive, as I had hopes of being able to handle him...


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## Moltar (Mar 28, 2008)

I have an L para around 4". I haven't tried to handle him but not because he's mean. It's because he's rediculously jumpy. He flips out all over the place when i open his cage so i think there'd be a serious jump-fall-splat risk or escape risk with any handling attempt.

Btw, it was only at this last 4" molt that he started getting his adult coloration. They hit puberty late...


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## Travis K (Mar 28, 2008)

I forgot to mention that my OBT was a freebie, and I LOVE hers SOOOOOO FREAKIN MUCH.  Thanks RYAN you rock like a rockstar!


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## the nature boy (Mar 28, 2008)

My big L. parahybana is as docile as they come ONCE I get her out of her enclosure.  Sits quietly on the hand, allows her abdomen and legs to be stroked...pretty much the same routine as my E. campestratus.  Good eater, annihilates anything you care to doom to the confines of her enclosure.  No need to retrieve boluses the next day.  You'll enjoy yours.

--the nature boy


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## gambite (Mar 28, 2008)

etown_411 said:


> I have an L para around 4". I haven't tried to handle him but not because he's mean. It's because he's rediculously jumpy. He flips out all over the place when i open his cage so i think there'd be a serious jump-fall-splat risk or escape risk with any handling attempt.
> 
> Btw, it was only at this last 4" molt that he started getting his adult coloration. They hit puberty late...


Thats really odd, because mine, which went from just under 1" to just over 2" with this past molt, already has most of its colors.


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## ballpython2 (Mar 28, 2008)

gambite said:


> I was thinking about getting one of the 'wilder' species of T sometime, and have narrowed it down to one of these. I like the blue color of the Cobalt Blue, but I figure that I will not see it much, being a pet hole and all. On the other hand, King Baboons get pretty big, but again I am not sure how often I would see it, and it lacks some of the cool colors. It is also a slower grower, IIRC. OBT has some cool colors, but I dont think they get too big. Also not sure on how much they are visible. I thought I heard that they were more webbers than burrowers, but not sure on that one.
> 
> Also, price is a bit of a factor. I would like to get one that is well-started, maybe somewhere around 2-3" or so. I think the OBT would be the cheapest, then the Cobalt, then the King, but I am not certain of the exact prices of each of these either....
> 
> So, what do you guys think?


Hands down you need to start with an OBT because anyone who loves Ts has at least  one of these babies because they grow fast, beautiful orange colors, easy to breed, very inexpensive even as adults and have that basic defensive personality and they web a lot..not many Ts have all these great things about them get an OBT here are my male and female if you need more of a convincing lol...


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## gambite (Mar 28, 2008)

Well, I am definitely convinced! OBT is now on my "NEED TO BUY!!" list.


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## josh_cloud (Mar 28, 2008)

i just wanted to mention a few defensive t's that were passed over. 
h. maculata and s. calceatum, that pair will get your blood pumping!
obt's are fun, and you never see h. lividums.


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