Thanks for the information there. I haven't worked with Brachys before, as I went all in the hobby and got a bird eater as my first, and a cobalt blue as my second. The OBT was my third- and had to get rid of her due to the high strung tension, which really just wasn't for me. (call it being ultra-paranoid but with that kind of venom the remote possibility of a bite and the acid trip that comes with it just wasn't worth having the species to me). The reason I asked about this is that the boyfriend wants a B. Smithi, and is relying on me to show him the ropes on how to deal with her.
Generally, handling should be kept to a minimum, and done with caution. I can see you understand that, but this is a disclaimer for anyone seeing this. If you plan to make a coke bottle into a catch cup, I would suggest watching a rehousing video on Tom Moran's channel on youtube, as he has an innovative design that allows the user to both coax the spider out of said catch cup using a brush from holes drilled in different sides of the cup, as well as a cardboard flat attatched to the surrounding mouth of the cup in order to prevent escape. Also, you may be referring to Brachypelma hamorii, unless you are certain you're specifically searching for a B. smithi.
The listing we were looking at from the suplier stated that B. smithi and B. hamorii were synonomous species as of 2017 (which of course is bunk) so its really no telling. What I found with my C. lividus is that, while she is quick to move, she isn't super agressive really unless she is disturbed. (she hates being cupped, but she will feed off the tongs without being too much of a problem other than trying to bolt. I've yet to see her teleport, but its only a matter of time, as she is quite fast indeed.) The P. murinus was a total nutcase that struck several times at just about everything that got dropped in the terrium, including inanimate objects. (what happened to a banana, not to mention her favorite pastime of striking at the water bowl apparently for giggles was enough to say that it just wasn't for me.) It was also constantly trying to bolt on me at the slightest possible occasion. In terms of aggression and behavior (though by no means venom) I would say the difference between P. murnis and A. robustus, is that at least A. robustus can be contained. (noting that A. robustus can't climb smooth surfaces due to lacking tibial spurs).
Ask for pics focusing on the tibia and carapace, you can't use the carapace to tell them apart but it'll get you a good look at the trochanter which can be used to tell them apart (pretty much solid orange is hamorii whereas orange separated by a clear black strip is smithi), the hairs on the tibia will be off-white in hamorii and orange in smithi.
Gotcha. Given that, it was definitely B. hamorii that was pictured in the ad, though they are selling it under the name B. hamorii/B. smithi - therefore there's no telling what I'm liable to receive in the mail, if in fact the seller thinks that two are synonymous. The real question is whether or not there is any reason we definitely want a B. smithi as opposed to B. hamorii given his first (other than perhaps aesthetic factors) . I've heard that B. hamorii is a wee bit more aggressive and has a bit more of a bite propensity.
It'll be a hamorii then, they're not synonymous but the labelling is technically correct (in it's own ham-fisted way) in that what used to be sold as B. smithi is actually B. hamorii (and what used to be sold as B. annitha is now B. smithi).
Thanks for clearing up the confusion there.
Its really just wondering whether or not one has to be particularly conscious about where their hands are on the bottle itself in terms of the remote theoretical bite potential if the spider decides to have an aversion to being temporarily rehoused. I can see that for the beginner it's probably better to use a lightweight glass cup to further minimize the bite potential.
I wouldn't be too worried about it. They have to raise up their front end to really extend their fangs and the catch cup/bottle doesn't allow them to do that. I think it's the least of your worries during a rehouse.