Any info on Heterothele Villosella?

[TheRealJoePesci]

I currently have 4 NW ts, was looking at finally making the jump to OW and these really catch my eye. Good beginner OW?

 

[andy1997]

Yes, I would say that they are a decent introduction to old world tarantulas. I don't keep H. villosella, but I do have two H. gabonensis, so I assume they are going to be similar in behavior. My two specimens are not defensive at all, preferring to hide at any disturbance. They are also very heavy webbers and make extensive web tunnels throughout their enclosures. Something to keep in mind is that they are ridiculously fast and skittish, however, their small adult size means that you don't have to rehouse them very often. In fact, I've only rehoused mine one time, from a 5.5oz container to a 32oz container, which I think is going to be large enough to be their permanent enclosures.

 

[The Grym Reaper]

What NW species do you keep? What size are they? How long have you kept them?

 

[viper69]

I currently have 4 NW ts, was looking at finally making the jump to OW and these really catch my eye. Good beginner OW?

There’s better starter OW- Ceratogyrus.

Plenty of info on Hv, just search for it.

I own its cousin- H gabonensis. LIGHTNING fast for an OW- Nervous too

Def one of THE fastest Africans out there, and ranks up there with some Asians.

My AF quite small, smaller than H chilensis.

 

[TheRealJoePesci]

What NW species do you keep? What size are they? How long have you kept them?

Tliltocatl kahlenbergi, tliltocatl albopilosum, avicularia avicularia, and brachypelma boehmei. They range from about 3/4" to 3 1/2 inches. Got my first one about 6 months ago.

 

[viper69]

Tliltocatl kahlenbergi, tliltocatl albopilosum, avicularia avicularia, and brachypelma boehmei. They range from about 3/4" to 3 1/2 inches. Got my first one about 6 months ago.

You’d be better off getting a fast NW T first given your lack of experience.

A GBB or a Tapi- often regarded as a the fastest genus out there

Any specimen out of Ephebopus would be a good NW example in terms of behavior without the OW venom. Better than GBB

 

[TheRealJoePesci]

You’d be better off getting a fast NW T first given your lack of experience.

A GBB or a Tapi- often regarded as a the fastest genus out there

Any specimen out of Ephebopus would be a good NW example in terms of behavior without the OW venom. Better than GBB

Ephebopus murinus looks like something I'd be interested in! Any special things to know about it?

 

[TheRealJoePesci]

There’s better starter OW- Ceratogyrus.

Plenty of info on Hv, just search for it.

I own its cousin- H gabonensis. LIGHTNING fast for an OW- Nervous too

Def one of THE fastest Africans out there, and ranks up there with some Asians.

My AF quite small, smaller than H chilensis.

In what ways are ceratogyrus good first OW?

 

[viper69]

Ephebopus murinus looks like something I'd be interested in! Any special things to know about it?

All the members in the hobby are quite nervous and very fast. I’ve owned the Blue Fanged member, not Murinus, but care is the same. They appreciate a bit of damp sub, that they can make deep burrows in. I’ve tended to keep the sub a bit damp, as they mature less so.

They do come out but quickly retreat at the slightest disturbance.

In what ways are ceratogyrus good first OW?

For one, they aren’t expensive, decent eaters with decent growth rates.

They are not quite as defensive, nor is their venom as strong, as some other OWs. They are still very fast like all OWs.

Their response to disturbance doesn’t typically result in a T doing laps around the containers. Some OWs are not like Ceratogyrus in this way.

Also, they are easy to care for and pretty hardy as a genus. Other OWs are less forgiving of husbandry errors.

 

[TheRealJoePesci]

I really appreciate the information everyone! It's one thing to read a care sheet, hearing people's first hand experiences helps me alot more.

 

[The Grym Reaper]

Tliltocatl kahlenbergi, tliltocatl albopilosum, avicularia avicularia, and brachypelma boehmei. They range from about 3/4" to 3 1/2 inches. Got my first one about 6 months ago.

I'll basically echo what @viper69 said, none of what you have will really prepare you for an OW, get something faster like an Ephebopus and see how you get on with that first, they have similar speed/behaviour to some OW species but without the venom potency.

Ephebopus murinus looks like something I'd be interested in! Any special things to know about it?

I've only kept cyanognathus and rufescens but they tend to construct similar style burrows to Asian fossorials with funnels at the entrance (they usually incorporate moss and leaf litter in them), they appreciate deep/moist sub, they're stupidly fast, and can be quite defensive. They're also the only genus that has urticating hairs located on their pedipalps AFAIK.

 

[viper69]

I'll basically echo what @viper69 said, none of what you have will really prepare you for an OW, get something faster like an Ephebopus and see how you get on with that first, they have similar speed/behaviour to some OW species but without the venom potency.



I've only kept cyanognathus and rufescens but they tend to construct similar style burrows to Asian fossorials with funnels at the entrance (they usually incorporate moss and leaf litter in them), they appreciate deep/moist sub, they're stupidly fast, and can be quite defensive. They're also the only genus that has urticating hairs located on their pedipalps AFAIK.

This is true re urticating setae location and the only genus with that.