Considering getting a Pokie!

dukegarda

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Mar 22, 2007
Messages
497
So I feel kind of left out of the Pokie club.

So... I think I'm going to get one!! Geeze, they seem kind of pricey... compared to what I've been buying... but I think the little extra cash out of the wallet will be worth it.

I've been reading some threads to a degree and am mixed up as to what level of difficulty they are to keep. I realize you can't gauge that as a number.

However, I have two roseas that are thriving, a H. lividum sling that is happy as can be, three B. smithi slings which are quite content it seems, and a P. murinus sling that just molted in my care.

I'd get the pokie as a sling for sure, just so that my experience grows as it grows. I kind of like the idea of a P. ornata...

Any words anyone want to post ehre that could be helpful?? :?
 

Alice

Arachnoangel
Old Timer
Joined
Sep 29, 2006
Messages
976
hi,

welcome to the wonderful addiction that is pokies. :clap:

i cannot recommend p. ornata as a first pokie - it was my first one and i was a bit disappointed in her. don't take me wrong, they are gorgeous. and as you have p. murinus you should be able to deal with her all right, even though ornata is one of the more nervous (and in my case, more defensive) poecilotheria species. BUT: most of them are very nervous, hence, you never see them. those a friend of mine and i got will run at the slightest disturbance (like someone tiptoing into the room), never to be seen again.

ime rufilata and regalis (and on the pricey side subfusca and metallica) are much calmer. my big regalis girl will sit on the outside of her cork tube every evening and walk the walls bold as brass. dito for the rufilata (shame i've sold her, but we'll move soon). both are very good starter pokies imo. also, perderseni seems to be ok, but the colour contrast is not as good, so i don't have one.

i forgot - care is pretty easy: not too warm (under 27° celsius seems fine for most pokies), slightly moist substrate, vertical hide, misting about twice a week, more often in summer. mine use a water dish, and they seem to do well in planted tanks, they hardly ever give the plants a difficult time.

another tip: use a hollow bamboo stick or cork tube as a hide. most pokies can be moved np within their hides into a new tank if the hides have walls on all sides.

have fun chosing! ;)
 

dukegarda

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Mar 22, 2007
Messages
497
I like the way rufilata looks... that greenish tinge. Fun fun fun.

How fast do they grow?
 

Alice

Arachnoangel
Old Timer
Joined
Sep 29, 2006
Messages
976
all pokies grow fairly fast when you're used to nw ts ;)

males can mature within 18 months, females take about 2-2.5 years. i've heard of even quicker maturity, but it depends on food and temps.
 

rosehaired1979

Arachnoking
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 14, 2003
Messages
2,900
They can grow fast. Depending on feeding and living conditions of course :) P.rufilata is one of the larger Poec. females can get up to 9"
 

Bear Foot Inc

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 8, 2006
Messages
408
If you have a OBT and H. lividum you will be fine!
All the pokies I've kept never try to bite like those two! Sure there venom is much worse, but they really are quite calm, and they usually run before trying to bite.
 

Talkenlate04

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Feb 13, 2006
Messages
8,656
They grow like weeds. I have 15 rufilata slings that I got at 1" and a month later they all molted, and about a month later they molted again. They are all around 2"+ now. I love them, great eaters and growers, and soon the color! Well worth getting one in my opinion.
 

dukegarda

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Mar 22, 2007
Messages
497
wow, thank you thank you all. All that sounds great. Great salesmen and women... =D

The only thing that deters me is the price I've been seeing on dealer sites... :wall:
 

Staley

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
May 3, 2005
Messages
487
Go with Massmorels. he has the best pokie prices i've ever seen. :D awesome guy 2.
 

Alice

Arachnoangel
Old Timer
Joined
Sep 29, 2006
Messages
976
uh, how much do pokies cost in canada? in europe, regalis slings go for about 7 bucks each, rufilata for around 10 USD... ich have about 15 regalis slings left over from my last sack, and can't find them an owner for love or money...:wall: seems there are too many of them... does anyone know if i need a permit to ship them to canada? hm, guess i'd need one, or everyone would be doing it...
 

Talkenlate04

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Feb 13, 2006
Messages
8,656
uh, how much do pokies cost in canada? in europe, regalis slings go for about 7 bucks each, rufilata for around 10 USD... ich have about 15 regalis slings left over from my last sack, and can't find them an owner for love or money...:wall: seems there are too many of them... does anyone know if i need a permit to ship them to canada? hm, guess i'd need one, or everyone would be doing it...
NOT FAIR! :embarrassed:
10 usd for a rufilata. :wall: I wish.
 

Alice

Arachnoangel
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Sep 29, 2006
Messages
976
hehe, you can get an adult female for around 80 usd here...;)
and it's a serious problem for the community of the addicted! all the spiders you must restrain yourself from buying! no honestly! :liar:
 

Talkenlate04

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Feb 13, 2006
Messages
8,656
You would need papers to ship to Canada. It would not be worth it if you were just sending a few Ts. Now if you want to work a big import deal count me in. Ill buy. :D
 

loyaluntodeath

Arachnosquire
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 5, 2007
Messages
76
hehe, you can get an adult female for around 80 usd here...;)
and it's a serious problem for the community of the addicted! all the spiders you must restrain yourself from buying! no honestly! :liar:


ahh i wish i could get those slings! *lots of love* i wish shipping from germany to the USA was easier...lol... but you probly need a license :(
i have only 1 pokie... its still just a wee lil sling...


pokies rock....
 

Alice

Arachnoangel
Old Timer
Joined
Sep 29, 2006
Messages
976
i just looked it up. it's a hell of paperwork, and due to my 'real-life' workload, i only breed a few individuals a year. so that's out of the question :(.

still, pokies rock, and i will certainly keep recommending them! :D
 

sick4x4

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Mar 3, 2006
Messages
1,775
P.miranda is probably the calmest i have ever seen as far as pokies go...very reluctant to run away, and has never given a defensive display of any kind..if there was a pokie i would suggest you hold, miranda would be it...
 

Alice

Arachnoangel
Old Timer
Joined
Sep 29, 2006
Messages
976
oh, i forgot all about miranda! of course! i had three of them and they were relatively often out in the open, not easily startled and quite calm. however, i don't like their look as much as other pokies, so i traded them for two subfuscas.
 

Steven.WK

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 26, 2006
Messages
168
I think regalis would be the perfect first poke. They are inexpensive compared to other pokes and are quite calm. I have found ornata and rufilata to be more aggressive/defensive. I also love the contrast of regalis, their whites are really white. Formosa is another beautiful and calm sp.
 

xBurntBytheSunx

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Jun 16, 2003
Messages
1,022
regalis is pretty cheap...i think about $25-$35 is the normal price i see for slings. i saw a 6" female at a reptile show for $80 and it makes me want to cry that i didn't buy her hehe. the most stunning spider i think i've ever seen, absolutely gorgeous.
 
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