Considering getting a P. Metallica.. Thoughts?

[Flutterbat]

I mentioned the age part here on your thread only for a reason: because (IMO, and for my views about life issues, views that aren't exactly anymore, in general, the same of this modern world one) at 18 years someone is (supposed) "old" and "wise" enough for decide how and where to spend his/her money.

Therefore considering even the idea to bring home a fast as light, potent venom spider.

It has nothing to do with a "age" alone issue (meaning, what's written in the ID card of someone) of course, because only experience matters. Therefore, if someone lacked a 'certain' experience 20/30 or 60 makes no particular difference when performing/dealing with something "new".

The sense of my comment was this: I have reasons to believe that you have, more or less, a somewhat idea of how fast they are, and that they have a potent venom. I'm certain that you are aware to lack the supposed/proper experience needed. I have no doubts that you considered everything, including the other pets/people living with you (if any).

So, after considering everything stated above, what remains is your choice and your choice only.

The main reason this scenario crossed my mind is because one of my friends recently decided to get his first T.. A full grown, female P. Metallica. He chose only on colors and did little to no research. Fast forward a few days into having it and he gets bit after trying to handle it. He refused to keep her and insisted I took her. With some advice from @cold blood, I was able to get in contact with a local and much more experienced keeper to take the Metallica. I was briefly considering keeping her for myself, but I really would not be able to handle anything like that for a long time.

 

[TownesVanZandt]

The main reason this scenario crossed my mind is because one of my friends recently decided to get his first T.. A full grown, female P. Metallica. He chose only on colors and did little to no research. Fast forward a few days into having it and he gets bit after trying to handle it. He refused to keep her and insisted I took her. With some advice from @cold blood, I was able to get in contact with a local and much more experienced keeper to take the Metallica. I was briefly considering keeping her for myself, but I really would not be able to handle anything like that for a long time.

That´s a wise decision . How is your friend doing? Was it a wet bite?

 

[Flutterbat]

That´s a wise decision . How is your friend doing? Was it a wet bite?

He's alright now! And honestly I'm not sure. He says it was but shows no symptoms to it haha. He went to the hospital and insisted he was looked at. All they really did was clean the bite and give him an antibiotic. I don't think it was a wet bite, but if it was there wasn't much venom. He is fine now, just is terrified of spiders for life.

 

[Poec54]

He's alright now! And honestly I'm not sure. He says it was but shows no symptoms to it haha. He went to the hospital and insisted he was looked at. All they really did was clean the bite and give him an antibiotic. I don't think it was a wet bite, but if it was there wasn't much venom. He is fine now, just is terrified of spiders for life.

Thank you for handling this situation so well and sharing it with us. This is exactly why I always recommend that people work their way up in stages with the species they choose. For some it's all about the pretty colors, most do little real research, and for others there's ego wrapped up in the decision. Yes, some people can get OW's early on and not have an incident, but for the vast majority of people coming into this hobby, an OW can soon be a nightmare. Escapes involve everyone living in, and visiting the house.

 

[Toxoderidae]

But age plays a role in physical development. If you are 15 and still have the body of a child a bite by a potent species will affect you way worse than if you were a grown man. Age does not automatically mean being more knowledgeable but in my eyes young people shouldn't own dangerous animals.

YO! I keep dangerous animals. My collection is almost all OW. I understand that I may not be part of the norm, due to the fact that I've been around "dangerous" inverts my whole life, and are now getting into keeping them a lot, but generalizing like that.. isn't, perhaps the best? Yeah, I understand what a wet bite from my Haplos or my P. regalis would do, and that's why I plan to never get bit, but if I did, I have a protocol to ensure the least amount of damage happens.

 

[Vanessa]

You might want to get some new friends. I'm partially joking with a bit of serious mixed in. I wouldn't be insisting my, equally inexperienced, friend take my dangerous spider off my hands after it had bitten me. That is doubling up on the irresponsible behaviour quota.
Your friend got off lucky. I hope that his experience will enable him to be more responsible in the future.

 

[Flutterbat]

You might want to get some new friends. I'm partially joking with a bit of serious mixed in. I wouldn't be insisting my, equally inexperienced, friend take my dangerous spider off my hands after it had bitten me. That is doubling up on the irresponsible behavior quota.
Your friend got off lucky. I hope that his experience will enable him to be more responsible in the future.

I do too. Trust me, I would not take something like that while I am so inexperienced. Apparently he thought since I have had one little G. rosea for a few days I'm automatically a professional..lol. If he ever gets back into the hobby (which I doubt he will) I hope this experience was enough to urge him to at least learn more first.

 

[Hellblazer]

But age plays a role in physical development. If you are 15 and still have the body of a child a bite by a potent species will affect you way worse than if you were a grown man. Age does not automatically mean being more knowledgeable but in my eyes young people shouldn't own dangerous animals.

I agree. My 13 year old son has been around my snakes and Ts his whole life, but I wouldn't let him keep a large constrictor or an OW T unsupervised. That's just irresponsible in my opinion. People worry about how adult new keepers getting bit by OWs could jeopardize the hobby, someone that age getting tagged would be worse. I'm not saying that no one that age is capable of keeping them, I just think it's a bad idea.

 

[Poec54]

I agree. My 13 year old son has been around my snakes and Ts his whole life, but I wouldn't let him keep a large constrictor or an OW T unsupervised. That's just irresponsible in my opinion. People worry about how adult new keepers getting bit by OWs could jeopardize the hobby, someone that age getting tagged would be worse. I'm not saying that no one that age is capable of keeping them, I just think it's a bad idea.

It's not fair to the kid. If he gets bit it's going to be a rough few days, and hard to keep under the radar if he has to miss school because of it.

 

[Tenevanica]

I made a thread a while back that details the progression one might take to move on to more advanced species. (Though it is far from complete.) http://arachnoboards.com/threads/the-tarantula-keeping-pyramid.280817/

This thread will be useful too: http://arachnoboards.com/threads/ranking-tarantulas-by-their-care.280833/

 

[KezyGLA]

If you are looking for a 2nd T then all Poecs are a no-go.

I would recommend looking at :-

B. boehmei
B. vagans
C. cyaneopubescens
T. cyaneolum
T. okteri
L. parahybana
B. cabocla
Hapolopus sp. Colombia

Stick to NW until more experienced

 

[Ceymann]

I going to agree with others, take it from me getting bit by a pokie is not fun at all. They literally teleport when spooked too.
Need to be comfortable with quick, defensive, challenging NWs before getting into pokies.

 

[cold blood]

If you are looking for a 2nd T then all Poecs are a no-go.

I would recommend looking at :-

B. boehmei
B. vagans
C. cyaneopubescens
T. cyaneolum
T. okteri
L. parahybana
B. cabocla
Hapolopus sp. Colombia

Stick to NW until more experienced

Good list, but I would omit 2 of them...Hapolopus sp Columbia are way too fast and small for a beginner....and T. okerti are way way too skittish.

 

[Poec54]

I would recommend looking at :-

B. boehmei
B. vagans
C. cyaneopubescens
T. cyaneolum
T. okteri
L. parahybana
B. cabocla
Hapolopus sp. Colombia

Stick to NW until more experienced

I agree, except with Hapalopus. Those damn things are so high strung and so fast, they can zip out of cages in the blink of an eye. They're like Lycosids. On all other counts they're a good choice (hardy, colorful, small), but because of their speed, when I'm working with them I have to carefully pry open the lids just a crack to keep them from getting out and running across the floor. That can be annoying.

 

[KezyGLA]

Good list, but I would omit 2 of them...Hapolopus sp Columbia are way too fast and small for a beginner....and T. okerti are way way too skittish.

I agree they are very fast. I have had boehmeis and vagans that are extremely quick and defensive at times. Not every T is what others elsewhere say it is. I would say LP is at the more advanced end of beginner T too.

It was a list with a bit of variety so they can advance a little bit, but not go overboard.

If the right amount of research is done and care is taken while working with them then I reckon they are a good second T..

..but then again everyone has an opinion.

 

[Vanessa]

I think that the main cause of the bite, in this case, was that he was trying to handle it. That is what Jamie's comment says - he was bit after 'trying to handle it'. This was not a case where the original owner had a mishap during maintenance and didn't have enough experience to be prepared for the results - they were being completely irresponsible and trying to handle it. This could have turned out realms worse than it did for the friend and everyone around him. This was no accident.
I am not trying to be unfair to younger people, because I know countless young people who are responsible and capable and lots of older ones who fail miserably at being an adult, but I think that statistics might show that younger people are more inclined to try to handle the more challenging, and dangerous, tarantulas.
That is the impression I get from all the handling videos on YouTube, anyway.

 

[Poec54]

I think that statistics might show that younger people are more inclined to try to handle the more challenging, and dangerous, tarantulas. That is the impression I get from all the handling videos on YouTube, anyway.

Probably not a lot of YouTube videos of senior citizens at nursing homes tormenting tarantulas, at least not OW tarantulas.

 

[DeanK]

Good list, but I would omit 2 of them...Hapolopus sp Columbia are way too fast and small for a beginner....and T. okerti are way way too skittish.

So far my T. ockerti hasn't shown any of the skittishness I've heard about. Guessing that's the exception though

 

[Vanessa]

Probably not a lot of YouTube videos of senior citizens at nursing homes tormenting tarantulas, at least not OW tarantulas.

True, but I know of one man who is closer to being a senior than a teenager, who was irresponsible and posting his handling of the more dangerous tarantulas on YouTube. And posting that he was subsequently bitten a couple of times by his Poecs.
Not a good example to set by any stretch, but lots of members of this forum have praised him and his videos.

 

[cold blood]

So far my T. ockerti hasn't shown any of the skittishness I've heard about. Guessing that's the exception though

it will