Acanthoscurria geniculata!!!

[miamc12321]

My husband comes home today. His best friend at work is also a spider papa, having a beautiful G rosea. He was telling my husband about this gorgeous tarantula that has legs that look almost like skeleton patterns that his girlfriend must have as her first. So I looked it up and found pics of Acanthoscurria geniculata. Oh, my good Gods, beautiful! Then we searched around, found a sling. We both agreed it would be nice to have another baby besides Bean (E sp red who eats like a pig but will not grow!!). I had put the payment info in, and my husband hit the 'buy' button. We are so excited!!! It's just a tiny baby right now. We have everything already necessary for a terrestrial.

My only questions are... does anyone have any experience with these babies? What other care besides terrestrial care would you use? Also, for my hubbies friend, are these a good beginner species compared to B albo, G rosea, or B hamorii?

 

[chanda]

Congratulations! A. genic's are one of my favorite species. Gorgeous spiders, almost always out in the open, phenomenal feeding response - and fast growing! (They also get big!)

 

[Theneil]

i javen't kept one personally, bit they get pretty big and from what i hear, keep your fingers clear - They think everything is food. Many consider them an intermediate skill level because they are faster and a bit more aggressive (thinking everything is food) than most of the species on the 'beginner lists' but i imagine it won't be unmanageable.

Also, i believe the sub should be kept at least partly moist throughout the entire life of the A. geniculata.

 

[miamc12321]

Congratulations! A. genic's are one of my favorite species. Gorgeous spiders, almost always out in the open, phenomenal feeding response - and fast growing! (They also get big!)

i javen't kept one personally, bit they get pretty big and from what i hear, keep your fingers clear - They think everything is food. Many consider them an intermediate skill level because they are faster and a bit more aggressive (thinking everything is food) than most of the species on the 'beginner lists' but i imagine it won't be unmanageable.

Also, i believe the sub should be kept at least partly moist throughout the entire life of the A. geniculata.

Thanks, guys! We can't wait. From what we read, this is a fantastic species. Really looking forward to our baby

We keep fingers well away from the others we have. You do not want to let our B albo see a finger! LOL! So that advice is golden to us! We appreciate it so much!

They seem like such a great species. Can't wait to get our baby. Also will let my husband's friend know all of this. We want his girlfriend's first tarantula to be a great experience.

 

[chanda]

keep your fingers clear - They think everything is food.

Definitely true! Mine will attack the water when I fill the dishes or moisten the substrate, attack the cricket bag when I go to drop in a few feeders, and of course any crickets that end up in the cage do not last long! I use tongs for all cage maintenance with that one!

His predecessor (who hooked out male and was traded for my current genic, who was a sling at the time) was similarly aggressive.

 

[Nerdsalad]

Ours is always out. A sub adult kept in a zoo med creatures low den. We spray the substrate once a week and let it dry out. Ours is a frequent drinker at the water bowl. There are a few live plants in our tank that A. geniculata likes to hang out around. There is also a cork bark hide with a premade tunnel, which is rarely used. When it is feeding time, A. geniculata watches me and then voraciously eats, we do crickets and cockroaches. To be fair the cockroaches give her more of a challenge, the crickets are snapped up in moments, she stalks the roaches. I have many favorite species, but this one is in my top five that I own. A. geniculata is almost always out and visible and gorgeous, we lovingly refer to her as spooky because she glows a little under our nearby scorpion's black light. And as I look over to her, she is currently watching me.

 

[miamc12321]

Definitely true! Mine will attack the water when I fill the dishes or moisten the substrate, they'll attack the cricket bag when I go to drop in a few feeders, and of course any crickets that end up in the cage do not last long! I use tongs for all cage maintenance with that one!

This is just awesome! We got longer tongs just for our B albo because he slaps and bites the water dish and no food is safe. However, just when you think you're ready... you aren't. We'll be extremely cautious and careful. Thank you so much for every piece of advice you give us! We are so grateful!!

Edit: Funny little side note for those who are gamers. I told my husband all of this. He said 'our baby is a tank!' So I said he/she will be like a dragon age warrior! He got this teary look in his eyes and said 'he/she must be named Fenris!' Fenris... Dragon Age's tank of an elf... hmmm... So, our new baby is Fenris. Pictures will be a plenty when the baby gets here.

 

[Arachnophoric]

Very awesome species, definitely doable for those with less experience. You should do just fine with basic terrestrial sling care, just make sure you always use tongs for maintenance unless you're wanting to get nibbled on.

Fast growers, great eaters, and awesome for display if you wish to do so. I have a preference for N. chromatus (essentially a toe-to-toe matchup for A. genics), but my A. geniculata is only second by a hair... or should I say setae?

Fresh Out The Dryer

• Arachnophoric
• Oct 16, 2018
• 1
• acanthoscurria acanthoscurria geniculata brazilian whiteknee tarantula exuviae geniculata giant whiteknee tarantula molt whitebanded tarantula

All done! Happy - 0.0.1 A. geniculata

 

[miamc12321]

Very awesome species, definitely doable for those with less experience. You should do just fine with basic terrestrial sling care, just make sure you always use tongs for maintenance unless you're wanting to get nibbled on.

Fast growers, great eaters, and awesome for display if you wish to do so. I have a preference for N. chromatus (essentially a toe-to-toe matchup for A. genics), but my A. geniculata is only second by a hair... or should I say setae?

Fresh Out The Dryer

• Arachnophoric
• Oct 16, 2018
• 1
• acanthoscurria acanthoscurria geniculata brazilian whiteknee tarantula exuviae geniculata giant whiteknee tarantula molt whitebanded tarantula

All done! Happy - 0.0.1 A. geniculata

Thank you we're ready for the baby... or hope to be. I love all of the pictures. So beautiful! I wanted to name him/her Jack... until the Dragon Age stuff...

 

[The Grym Reaper]

I usually recommend them as a 2nd T (the feeding response might startle a newbie if you get a larger one) but they're perfectly do-able for a beginner, they're basically a much prettier LP with less irritating hairs and more stable temperament. Long tongs are your friend due to the feeding response.

 

[weibkreux]

I keep my genic sling in a delicup, with some sphagnum moss as hide. Half moist and half dry setup. Mine dug its own burrow but spends most of its time out, waiting for food to drop from the sky.

 

[miamc12321]

I really appreciate all of the good advice. Baby is on the way! So excited!

 

[Olan]

Welcome

 

[miamc12321]

Thank you

 

[boina]

I got two geniculata slings very early in my tarantula keeping career, not my first but among my first 10 tarantulas. Both turned out female and are long since adult and both are among the few tarantulas I've named (Jeanie and Candy). I find it somewhat difficult not to overfeed them because they'll eat everything and always. From larger juvenile on they do very well on constantly dry sub, at least if you live in a perpetually humid area as I do.

Jeanie:

A. geniculata, AF

• boina
• Apr 10, 2017
• 1

Jeanie, one of my first Ts :). Outside photo shoot in natural daylight

 

[MissouriArachnophile]

I have 2 little slings from the same sac 1 has molted twice, whole the other just molted recently, picture of it mid molt in my gallery. Pretty new myself and I enjoy watching them chase down baby b. Lats.

 

[FrDoc]

This buxom girl I obtained about a year and a half ago as a 2” juvie. She is now at least 5.5” DLS. Just a portent of things to come your way.

 

[miamc12321]

Those pictures you guys posted made my morning such a beautiful species, and we're so excited! Can't wait! Hurry up, Mr. postman! LOL!

 

[MissouriArachnophile]

Have you checked out the sling appreciation picture thread yet?

 

[miamc12321]

Have you checked out the sling appreciation picture thread yet?

I just looked through it So many cute babies it's almost unbearable... but only almost. LOL! It for sure put a smile on my face.