Beginner Poecilotheria

[cold blood]

OP should get a few Psalms and then a slow OW to build up respect towards it and he should be good to go in a year or so.

There's no such thing as a "slow" OW, at least not that I've ever seen or heard of. OW just plain = fast.

I agree that a few Psalms for a year or two will be excellent preparation for OW arboreals, especially poecs.

I clearly can't read then lol. I just like chromatus because of the colors. The genus in general doesn't interest me all the much. White carapaces really get me

I got a thing for lighter colored carapaces, too The off white carapace of the chromatus is quite beautiful.




Op, smart people never handle their pokies:wink: Handling them, at least in my view, is a clear sign of low intelligence.

 

[Felidae]

Cannot everyone agree with me, but I'm still in the point that doesn't matter if he get 1-2-3 years of experience with psalmos, if his siblings still kids under x years.
They cannot feel the responsibility what he must have instead of them, (and not every young big brother ready for it). The smaller ones listen more their parents than a brother. Time will tell if it'll working for him, or not... Many of us who have kids near potent Ts, I think know what I'm speaking about.

 

[IHeartTs]

There's no such thing as a "slow" OW, at least not that I've ever seen or heard of. OW just plain = fast.

I agree that a few Psalms for a year or two will be excellent preparation for OW arboreals, especially poecs.



I got a thing for lighter colored carapaces, too The off white carapace of the chromatus is quite beautiful.




Op, smart people never handle their pokies:wink: Handling them, at least in my view, is a clear sign of low intelligence.

They really are. I love it on my c fim. She is one of the most interestingly colored tarantulas I've seen.

 

[lalberts9310]

Cannot everyone agree with me, but I'm still in the point that doesn't matter if he get 1-2-3 years of experience with psalmos, if his siblings still kids under x years.
They cannot feel the responsibility what he must have instead of them, (and not every young big brother ready for it). The smaller ones listen more their parents than a brother. Time will tell if it'll working for him, or not... Many of us who have kids near potent Ts, I think know what I'm speaking about.

I agree with you 200%, I think at his age it would be completely irresponsible (especially if your experience level doesn't allow and it's against your parents wishes) to get a hot T, especially with the presence of young children.

 

[cold blood]

Cannot everyone agree with me, but I'm still in the point that doesn't matter if he get 1-2-3 years of experience with psalmos, if his siblings still kids under x years.
They cannot feel the responsibility what he must have instead of them, (and not every young big brother ready for it). The smaller ones listen more their parents than a brother. Time will tell if it'll working for him, or not... Many of us who have kids near potent Ts, I think know what I'm speaking about.

I agree, but also assume the op won't be living at home forever, but yeah, his own place is yet another thing he should be waiting for before going down that road.

 

[lalberts9310]

I agree, but also assume the op won't be living at home forever, but yeah, his own place is yet another thing he should be waiting for before going down that road.

But till then, I personally wouldn't own any hot Ts, psalmos are as far as I would go in such situation.

 

[awiec]

There's no such thing as a "slow" OW, at least not that I've ever seen or heard of. OW just plain = fast.

I agree that a few Psalms for a year or two will be excellent preparation for OW arboreals, especially poecs.

Even my big fat C.darlingi can get down and boogie, she probably out-speeds all of my NW except my taps and I have some feisty NW specimens. OW are just high strung and will not hesistate to act, with NW you can usually see a slight pause but OW don't mess around. Granted I'm not trying to be a killjoy, my C.darlingi is a very nice tarantula but I'm still not going to hold her or let my guard down.

Cannot everyone agree with me, but I'm still in the point that doesn't matter if he get 1-2-3 years of experience with psalmos, if his siblings still kids under x years.
They cannot feel the responsibility what he must have instead of them, (and not every young big brother ready for it). The smaller ones listen more their parents than a brother. Time will tell if it'll working for him, or not... Many of us who have kids near potent Ts, I think know what I'm speaking about.

I didn't keep potent OW at my house due to the fact I had younger sisters, yes they would never mess with the spiders but if just one were to get away from me and they got bit I nor my family would never forgive me for it. I kept my potent stuff at my boyfriend's instead as everyone in the home was an adult and gave me permission to do so. I think 3 years with a psalmo would be perfect for him as A)He'll be an adult and can get his own place and B) Thats enough time to raise and spend time with an adult psalmo making the OW jump more "easy".

 

[Angel Minkov]

CB, my balfouri is slowish. Ceratogyrus is probably not one of the fastest compared to Taps, Pokies, P. murinus and so on. In all honesty, there is no "slow T", all are faster than our reflexes. There are just some which are slower than others overall or are less prone to using their speed.

 

[lalberts9310]

CB, my balfouri is slowish. Ceratogyrus is probably not one of the fastest compared to Taps, Pokies, P. murinus and so on. In all honesty, there is no "slow T", all are faster than our reflexes. There are just some which are slower than others overall or are less prone to using their speed.

Read awiecs post above, you probably have slow moving individuals, or individuals less prone to use their speed, either way I have heard of ceratogyrus and balfouri can sometimes be lightning bolts

 

[windscorpions1]

Not for a beginner. They're rare and expensive. Not a good place to start with arboreals.

thanks was thinking more along the lines of it being a bit rarer alternative to psalmos but psalmos seem like the better option. Personally don't plan on getting into arboreals for a while anyways...prefer to keep my collection small as possible.
Edit: just to clarify not saying psalmos for beginning...avics then psalmos. Figured what I said might be took the wrong way by someone.

 

[cold blood]

CB, my balfouri is slowish. Ceratogyrus is probably not one of the fastest compared to Taps, Pokies, P. murinus and so on. In all honesty, there is no "slow T", all are faster than our reflexes. There are just some which are slower than others overall or are less prone to using their speed.

Even my big fat C.darlingi can get down and boogie, she probably out-speeds all of my NW except my taps and I have some feisty NW specimens. OW are just high strung and will not hesistate to act, with NW you can usually see a slight pause but OW don't mess around. Granted I'm not trying to be a killjoy, my C.darlingi is a very nice tarantula but I'm still not going to hold her or let my guard down.

I also have an adult female C. darlingi. Generally its chill, feet out of the hole, or even out and about. Most of the time when I touch the sides she's right under the hide...occasionally though, she'll run circles around the sides of the enclosure (its a round enclosure) and she's fast (it also makes a lot of noise, sounds like a herd of t's coming to trample me). But when there is either food or something to investigate, she's a lightning bolt, flying out, tagging the cricket (generally not killing it, as it its not hunting), or my tweezers or the water as I fill the dish...she strikes first every time, then bolts under the hide. I would almost guarantee if you got a finger in there you would get tagged more times than not.

I think OW just make their fight or flight decision much quicker than NW, leading to the appearance that the NW are hesitating. Almost everything an OW sees is potential danger...food is seemingly everywhere for a t in places like rainforests, or even the temperate areas that some, like B. smithi prefer, have a huge abundance of insects and small vertebrates.

More abundant food probably makes them more likely to think "food" first, while less food and more predators would cause a fight or flight response first instead. I have a lot of OW (Africans in particular are what I am leaning toward) that initially spook when food is introduced, then they quickly turn and eat (or wait a bit), while I would say most of the NW practically catch the prey as o drop it to them. You could say the food to predator ratio is much more favorable in, say South America than in Africa. Just my thoughts based on what I've observed anyway.

 

[BobGrill]

My darlingi is pretty fast.

 

[Yanose]

the food to predator ratio idea is rather interesting that could explain the Urticating hairs over potent venom in NW or perhaps the hairs are such a potent evolutionary advantage they no longer needed the speed and venom.

 

[gobey]

I also have an adult female C. darlingi. Generally its chill, feet out of the hole, or even out and about. Most of the time when I touch the sides she's right under the hide...occasionally though, she'll run circles around the sides of the enclosure (its a round enclosure) and she's fast (it also makes a lot of noise, sounds like a herd of t's coming to trample me). But when there is either food or something to investigate, she's a lightning bolt, flying out, tagging the cricket (generally not killing it, as it its not hunting), or my tweezers or the water as I fill the dish...she strikes first every time, then bolts under the hide. I would almost guarantee if you got a finger in there you would get tagged more times than not.

I think OW just make their fight or flight decision much quicker than NW, leading to the appearance that the NW are hesitating. Almost everything an OW sees is potential danger...food is seemingly everywhere for a t in places like rainforests, or even the temperate areas that some, like B. smithi prefer, have a huge abundance of insects and small vertebrates.

More abundant food probably makes them more likely to think "food" first, while less food and more predators would cause a fight or flight response first instead. I have a lot of OW (Africans in particular are what I am leaning toward) that initially spook when food is introduced, then they quickly turn and eat (or wait a bit), while I would say most of the NW practically catch the prey as o drop it to them. You could say the food to predator ratio is much more favorable in, say South America than in Africa. Just my thoughts based on what I've observed anyway.

That is probably the best explanation I've heard from anybody.
Most of my OW are African too. They actually seem a bit braver than my 2 P. regalis. But my regalis are also only 1.5"

I have no Asian species or anything other than 4 baboons and 2 Poecilotheria.

None of them are aggressive. Heck they're not very "defensive" even. Just shy and skittish. Spooked easily. As long as you don't poke around you're good.

I've had more issues doing maintenance with Lasiodora and Grammostola honestly. And my Avicularia used to be my #1 escape planner.


I've yet to see a threat posture from any of my OW. Even during unpacking and housings and rehousings. I hope it stays that way. Wishful thinking I'm sure.

I've been threatened and haired by my NWs multiple times.

My darlingi is pretty fast.

My marshalli shot out of the shipping vial like a bat out of hell.

 

[Poec54]

I think OW just make their fight or flight decision much quicker than NW, leading to the appearance that the NW are hesitating. Almost everything an OW sees is potential danger.

That's true of all tarantulas" danger is everywhere. The edge NW's have is a passive defense system that can be propelled at intruders from a distance. It's like having guns versus fighting with fists. It's an incredible advantage. That allows them to have a greater margin of error, and sometimes that translates to being able to get away with being less alert. My Aphonopelma and some of my NW terrestrials aren't all that alert by tarantula standards. I can do cage maintenance and they're slow to sense it and respond. Arboreals and OW's pay much more attention. When you invade their territory and personal space, OW's can't leisurely kick hairs to keep you from getting closer; they have to run, hide, or bite, often in an explosive burst, intended to confuse their predators. For them, defense frequently means direct physical contact, and there are many risks to that. OW's do have some relentless predators, like mongeese, honey badgers, and baboons, but NW's aren't immune from predation by any means.

Picture a troop of baboons moving thru an area, flipping rocks and snacking on tarantulas. Once that rock is exposed, the spider has a second or two to react, or it's dead. They have to be alert, they have to make the 'fight or flight' decision in a split second. The slow and indecisive don't get another chance.

 

[cold blood]

I agree...also look at the areas they both have to hide. Aside from rocks, roots and holes in the ground, the vegetation is often limited to small areas, whereas in a rainforest, a good hide is practically always very close by. They can disappear into thick foliage quicker than just about anything following....Africans can go down until they run out of room...otherwise its run or bite. I wonder how often a typical baboon gets tagged in a lifetime....I wonder what the effects are on a baboon...hmmm

 

[antinous]

I have no Asian species or anything other than 4 baboons and 2 Poecilotheria.

Just a question, don't mean to nitpick or anything, but Poecs are Asian species, and baboons are only classified as African species (if I am correct).
But in any case, I'm jealous, Poecs are pretty nice to have haha. One of my younger cousins called them the jewels of India, wouldn't mind having a few jewels of my country when I'm more experienced haha

 

[awiec]

Just a question, don't mean to nitpick or anything, but Poecs are Asian species, and baboons are only classified as African species (if I am correct).
But in any case, I'm jealous, Poecs are pretty nice to have haha. One of my younger cousins called them the jewels of India, wouldn't mind having a few jewels of my country when I'm more experienced haha

When people think Asian they think of Haplos and the such, pokies are pretty chill by Asian standards so people kinda forget about that grouping.

 

[Angel Minkov]

Like I said - speed in Ts is a very subtle term. My L. striatipes is faster than my Pokies, but I prefer if I get bit by it or haired for days rather than feeling miserable for several weeks. They can all be lightning fast, it just comes down to how often and to what potential they decide to use their speed and also to the spider itself. I've never seen a threat pose from my OWs, but I can tell you my B. vagans female makes them look like little puppies. I should film her some day.

Lolla, my Ts can't always be the exceptions in this forum. Truth is, there are much worse OW spiders than Ceratogyrus. Hence why people pick the genus most of the time as a first OW.

 

[awiec]

Like I said - speed in Ts is a very subtle term. My L. striatipes is faster than my Pokies, but I prefer if I get bit by it or haired for days rather than feeling miserable for several weeks. They can all be lightning fast, it just comes down to how often and to what potential they decide to use their speed and also to the spider itself. I've never seen a threat pose from my OWs, but I can tell you my B. vagans female makes them look like little puppies. I should film her some day.

Lolla, my Ts can't always be the exceptions in this forum. Truth is, there are much worse OW spiders than Ceratogyrus. Hence why people pick the genus most of the time as a first OW.

Ceratogyrus was being used as more of a point, it's an ideal and normally calm starter OW but is still faster than most NW besides the aboreals (mine is probably faster than my avics) and maybe some of the dwarfs. Yes every spider is pretty fast but if you were to piss off both your LS and a Pokie you would learn real quick who is faster. My OW aren't just zipping around the container all the time but the one time they do decide they prove they are faster than most NW.