Avicularia Versicolor or Brachypelma Smithi

What tarantula to get

  • Brachypelma Smithi

    Votes: 27 61.4%
  • Avicularia Versicolor

    Votes: 17 38.6%
  • Any other moderatly priced and docile t's

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    44

Jacobchinarian

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 2, 2010
Messages
255
My grandma wants to get me a tarantula in memory of my grandpa. I want to get either an Avicularia Versicolor or a Brachypelma Smithi. I like the Avics color but I like the B Smithi's long life. What do you guys think. Also what other tarantulas do you think I should get instead of those two. As long as it isnt extremely expensive (Poecilotheria Metalica) or mean (Cobalt blue)
 

malevolentrobot

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 21, 2010
Messages
310
you'll probably end up owning both at some point in time, so go with whichever you like best or find the best deal on.

i've found that raising the smithi(s) from sling was much easier than my versi sling was, and are generally easier to care for, but thats my experience.
 

Treynok

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
May 17, 2009
Messages
202
If it is one of your first T's I would recommend a female B. smithi as it is a fairly hardy T and doesn't require humidity beyond a water dish. These are also fairly long of life on average compared to most T's.

Do you prefer arboreal or terrestrial or have no preference?
 

Jacobchinarian

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 2, 2010
Messages
255
i dont mind arboreal or terestrial i find good things in both. It is not one of my first tarantulas.
 

satanslilhelper

Arachnodemon
Old Timer
Joined
May 24, 2009
Messages
734
I'm gonna vote for a B. smithi since your grandma is getting it in honor of your grandpa. Seeing as how it should live for a loooong time it seems more fitting to me.
 

Jacobchinarian

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 2, 2010
Messages
255
satanslilhelper I'm gonna vote for a B. smithi since your grandma is getting it in honor of your grandpa. Seeing as how it should live for a loooong time it seems more fitting to me.
That is exactly what made me think about this one. It makes sence he was 89 years old. So 20-40 years in tarantula is like 100-200 in human years.
 

Andrei

Arachnopeon
Joined
Dec 2, 2010
Messages
9
Smithi. They are the icon of our hobby, docile, nice, and hardy tarantulas.
 

Jacobchinarian

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 2, 2010
Messages
255
As long as it isnt extremely expensive (Poecilotheria Metalica)
why not?
Well when my grandpa died they set up a "frank fund" at her church. It was made for giving things to people just to make them happy because my grandpa always liked to buy us things and give us money. So she can't blow all the money on a $400 tarantula.
 

barabootom

Arachnolord
Old Timer
Joined
Mar 1, 2008
Messages
644
B smithi is very hardy, easy to keep, long lived, colorful, out in the open a lot and docile. Smithi would be my first choice. A versicolor is also a great choice but they require a little more care, don't get as large as smithi, and oftentimes are hidden in white webbing. I keep both and think both are great but the versis definitely take more care. Maybe you should get both at the same time and save shipping costs. :) I don't think you'd regret it.
 

Jacobchinarian

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 2, 2010
Messages
255
I think I'll go with b smithi because it seems Hardy and won't just die randomly like avics at a younge age which is when I want to get it. I do also want it to be a garunteed female because this tarantula will be very important to me and my grandma. So I'll probly get it at the youngest age I can while still being pretty sure it's female.
 

Treynok

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
May 17, 2009
Messages
202
Awesome choice, I don't think you could go wrong with the female B. smithi as a remembrance T for your grandpa. If I were you I'd go for the Avic as a personal buy later on though :clap:

Congratulations and good luck on your soon to be new T.
 

Jacobchinarian

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 2, 2010
Messages
255
I definitely will get an a versicolor soon. I have had it on my mind a while. That is why it was an option. Do you know anywhere I can get a garunteed female b smithi. Maybe I'll go to a pet show.
 

Treynok

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
May 17, 2009
Messages
202
People on her sometimes sell sexed B smithi that are juvenile. Just look through the For sale/trade/Want to buy section. They are usually more for guaranteed but in a case like where you really want to make sure it is female because it is one specifically to remember your Grandpa then it is worth it unless you get like 3-4 unsexed juvenile and sell all but a female later on. I know there was someone on the boards selling one.

The best idea might be to post in the For sale/trade/Want to buy section and post that you are looking for a Female B smithi around 3 inch dls or just put juvenile. This should give you a few options and may result in a better price for it.

Edit: link to For sale/trade/Want to buy - http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/forumdisplay.php?f=24

Edit: I also can't give you much good advice for Michigan but I hear you guys have some decent shows out there, I have the Hamburg, PA show but never been to it as it's a good 3 hours from where I live, some day... lol
 
Last edited:

Chris_Skeleton

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 31, 2010
Messages
1,309
Well I can't think of any tarantulas that like chevis
How about a Trinidad Chevron? P. cambridgei. Lol just had to say it because of the chev.

Anyway, B. smithi are easier to care for, but I think A. versicolor look better. I'd get the B. smithi and just get the versi later.
 
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