Avicularia Metallica (Formerly Known As)

[zeeman]

Happy Friday folks. I need your help in identification. There are 3 Pink Toes at my local exotic pet store, approximately 3-4" DLS. They are labeled as Avicularia Metallicas, which is probably my favorite arboreal T next to the Purpurea. I understand that A. metallica is no longer a thing but is referred to as A avic morph type 6 (correction) . I didn't feel like debating the guy I spoke with since I'm pretty sure the C versicolor there is in fact not a versicolor.

All that said, I plan to snag some pictures when I go back for crickets on Sunday, but I was hoping you more experienced keepers that have seen the metallica through various growth stages could tell me what to look for to know for sure what I'm seeing is in fact a metallica and not just Avic avic. For me, I expected it to be bushier in appearance but perhaps that doesn't happen til they get closed to full adult size.

The asking price is $125 which I thought was pretty good considering the size and if its a true A metallica. (Avic morph type 6). The other T's are too high priced in my opinion but my focus is on this one as one of my favorites.

Thanks so much!

 

[jaw6053]

Seems expensive for an Avic.

 

[zeeman]

I'll try to get photos Sunday when we go for crickets.

I agree it seems a bit high, but if I'm paying $65 - $80 for a sling that I've been unsuccessful with I'm hoping the more adult version will be hardier. That and I haven't found a metallica for sale anywhere I've looked. Not that I'm not willing to wait. Just thought it was a perfect storm of opportunity. Size, species, and close to home.

 

[Liquifin]

A. avicularia M6 is what you would call now based on the 2017 revision. But honestly $125 is very high and you can get a female of that species for $40-$65 if you look around. I saw females selling for $60 per female at the most recent local show event.

I agree it seems a bit high, but if I'm paying $65 - $80 for a sling that I've been unsuccessful with I'm hoping the more adult version will be hardier.

Slings for A. avicularia M6 is usually $20-$30 a sling, so $65 for a sling is outrageous if that price tag is what you actually bought a sling for. I believe you can find better prices in due time, so I would let this opportunity pass for now.

 

[zeeman]

A. avicularia M2 is what you would call now based on the 2017 revision. But honestly $125 is very high and you can get a female of that species for $40-$65 if you look around. I saw females selling for $60 per female at the most recent local show here.

Damn I'm jealous. That'd be awesome.

 

[Scarabyte]

I thought A. met was morphotype 6?

 

[Liquifin]

I thought A. met was morphotype 6?

Thanks, I forgot on my part... Big Oopsie. I corrected it.

 

[Arachnopets]

I'll try to get photos Sunday when we go for crickets.
<snip>

When you do get pictures, please do NOT post them in this thread. ID threads can not be posted in the discussions section. They can only be posted here: https://arachnoboards.com/gallery/categories/tarantula-identification.11/

Thanks,

Debby

 

[zeeman]

When you do get pictures, please do NOT post them in this thread. ID threads can not be posted in the discussions section. They can only be posted here: https://arachnoboards.com/gallery/categories/tarantula-identification.11/

Thanks,

Debby

Apologies, would you be so kind to move the thread to that section? I'm not sure i can do that and remaking the thread might lose traction.

 

[The Grym Reaper]

I understand that A. metallica is no longer a thing but is referred to as A avic morph type 2.

A. avicularia Morphotype 6*, A. avic M2 is what used to be braunshauseni.

Apologies, would you be so kind to move the thread to that section? I'm not sure i can do that and remaking the thread might lose traction.

She's just saying that when you get the pic of the spider you should upload it to the gallery that she linked in her reply, not in this thread

 

[viper69]

Price too high

M6 not M2

Take many pics at different angles, the smaller it is the harder it will be to ID

It’s not a smart idea to ID almost all Avics by pics esp slings.

 

[zeeman]

Thank you all for the polite correction. Ive edited my original post now that I've figured out how to do that.


The T's are all 3-4" or more DLS so hopefully that will make ID easier. Is there anything you guys can share prior to me taking pictures that I can look for myself?

As for price, the formerly known A metallicas for sale at $65 would be great, but I dont think we have much of a T presence at our local reptile shows. Figure any animal I might find has a $45 shipping fee added.

 

[The Grym Reaper]

They often get mixed up with M1 (standard Avic avic), both of the specimens shown are around the 4" mark so you can see the differences.

A. avic M1
View media item 67115
A. avic M6

Avicularia avicularia

(Hobby metallica) Adult Female

arachnoboards.com

 

[zeeman]

Thanks Grym!

If those are around 4" both then I have to lean on the Avics at the store being M1, not M6.

They didn't seem particularly bushy at all in appearance. Is it possible since they have the type of hairs they rub off that they've rubbed off a lot or are those hairs purely located on the abdomen?

The other difference I see is the color of the abdomen. The pinkish/ reddish is the M1 and the grayish blue is M6.

 

[NukaMedia Exotics]

The metallica has shinier almost silver hairs look up images of both species and look at them side by side.

 

[StampFan]

Am I correct that most of the Avic metallicas available, especially in a retail shop, are still wild caught?

 

[zeeman]

Supposedly these came from a breeder as this particular reptile store goes to lots of shows and knows a lot of people. There are 4 A avics (of some morph type) all the same size and supposedly female. So eirher they came from a clutch or they were all raised from slings as the size similarities are too close.

Hi all, hope your weekends have been going well. I got 11 pictures of the 1 T which is listed as A metallica (morph type 6). I apologize ahead of time that the pics are not these beautiful high res photos. Trying to take pictures through glass and from a height with a cell phone only does so much.

To follow the guidelines from the admin, I went to the link for T ID's. I see the option to add media, but am I able to add all my pics to one thread or link, or are they going to pop in as 11 different photos? I dont want to spam the ID forum.

Thanks!

 

[zeeman]

I've added the photos. A couple of people have given feedback but most are trying to offer help on enclosure setup.

I did get two replies saying its not a morph type 6, but I havent seen any input from the folks who so kindly offered input in this thread. I'd like to know how we can tell it is / isn't.

 

[Smotzer]

couple of people have given feedback but most are trying to offer help on enclosure setup.

My bad on that didn’t realize it was from you in this thread.

 

[zeeman]

No worries. I wasn't sure how people from here found the pics there without being told they were present. And it seems like any media pics get presented to everyone so its understandable.

I'm also trying to figure out if that T is female. Trying to determine from the couple ventral pics I got, but they might be too blurry. Fortunately, that T just molted so as long as the molt is still in their enclosure when I go back tomorrow should be able to definitely confirm.