Aphonopelma chalcodes "New River" vs Aphonopelma chalcodes "Arizona Blonde"

Exoskeleton Invertebrates

Arachnoprince
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Jun 17, 2007
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IMG_4795.JPG IMG_4794.JPG Two tarantulas from different locality with different characteristics under the same species name.

If you like please post which one is the prettiest and which one would you own?
 

nicodimus22

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I prefer the more pronounced tan of the New River, but they are both handsome in their own way.
 

Paiige

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Oct 2, 2016
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I'd pick the Arizona Blonde, definitely. The ashy coloring looks almost white in the photos I've seen and is kind of "angelic" looking :D I've been on the hunt for a juvenile/AF for a while but am always scared I'll get the New River if I order online, since most sellers don't differentiate and they all seemed to be labelled A. chalcodes and nothing more.
 

aurusantula

Arachnopeon
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Mar 1, 2015
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49
I think I have a New River, but I would definitely own both. They're just so pretty <3
 

boina

Lady of the mites
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Mar 25, 2015
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Bottom one. Why are they impossible to get in Europe? :arghh::bigtears:
 

Goodlukwitthat

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Mar 10, 2015
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I own the bottom one (arizona blonde) She's pro at refusing to eat for 6 months at at a time, making me think she was an old female on her last limbs with scraggly looking legs that were hairless which turned out to be her in premolt. She will either be out in plain view for the world to see, or she will be completely buried (hide included) and all ya see is a water dish and substrate lol. Oh and skittish.... oh my is she skittish....slightest movement and she either bolts in her hide, or raises her butt as high in the air as it will go..99% of the time she hides lol....for the longest time she was afraid of dubias...then I switched my colony to red runners and she has no issues with them.
 

Blue Jaye

Arachnobaron
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Sep 16, 2013
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I own both. And both are quite pretty but very different lifestyles. My just chalcodes is never out except at night and then she digs. She eats well and drinks lots. Very easy going temperament.

My new river is a bit prettier but rather boring. She's always out. Never moves. In fact I don't think I've ever seen her actually move. She's always in one of two places so it does happen. She rarely eats but stays plump. And only eats when it's dark. I've never seen her eat either. The foods just gone. Rarely drinks. Just sits there. I've even given her a nudge because she's been in the same spot for so long. She doesn't even react to the nudge. And she looks cross eyed up close. I named her Mary.
 

nicodimus22

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My experience has been a little different. This new river female was very active with landscaping at first, and now that she has her enclosure the way she wants it, she has settled down, and is often hanging out in a hunting pose. I have learned that removing the lid to her enclosure often makes her zoom around seemingly in a panic, so I'd classify her as pretty skittish. She does eat very, very well though, and in the daytime. Dubia and crickets.
 

Blue Jaye

Arachnobaron
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Sep 16, 2013
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339
That's definitely different. Mine used to move about a lot as a sling. Once it hit 2 1/2 - 3 inch mark every thing came to a literal stand still lol. She's also one of my slowest growing Ts I got her as a 1/2 inch sling in 2012 she's still just about 3 inches. Even my G.pulchra has passed her up.
 

nicodimus22

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Well, you know how they are...even slings from the same sac who are raised an inch apart can behave quite differently.
 

Dovey

Arachnobaron
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Apr 9, 2016
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541
Come on y'all, they're slight variations of the same species. They are BOTH ARIZONA BLONDES! It's like saying Miss Texas and Miss Hawaii don't belong in the same beauty pageant because they aren't the same species.

If we get too twee about localities, we're going to start being compared to those grey banded kingsnake fascistas! Won't breed a snake that came from one road cut to a snake that came from the next road cut a mile up the road! Total elitist nutters, and meanwhile the captive gene pool closes in narrower and narrower.

I bred my really beautiful male that I picked up in the driveway of our house in New River to a stunning female that the plumber unearthed in front of my dorm in Sedona, and the babies are gorgeous! And no, they aren't hybrids. 80 miles, two mountain ranges, and 3500 feet of elevation may eventually lead to a chalcodes species deviation, but we're millenia from that point right now. We just grow 'em extra pretty in New River--what else need be said? :happy:
 
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