Eupalaestrus campestratus - not very popular?

cockroach52

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From what I see, Eupalaestrus campestratus (Pink Zebra Beauty) is a very good choice for a beginner, but they do not seem to be a popular choice.

They have the same leg markings as a A. Seemani (the spider I was originally looking at purchasing), they are more calm, and get larger.

They are also a little larger than a rosea. THe only difference here being it's overall look and it requiring more humidity than the rosea.

For some reason, many people do not seem to own one or recommend one.

Is there anything I'm missing? Anyone have anything to say about the pink zebra beauty?
 

MicahHall

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Personally I like mine very much. Its always out and about, not skittish, eats voraciously, and doesnt do any threat posturing or hair kicking. That right there makes it a fantastic beginner species, but too many people want something other than a " little brown bug" so they tend to get overlooked with all the flash and color they have to compete with.
 

stooka

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personally mine is the least active spider ive ever owned,she hides under her log 24/7 and ive not seen her out since december when i got her.She also took her 1st cricket since december yesterday.All the same i would never get rid of her as wen i lift the log she is so pretty and docile,if i prod her she still wont move.Id still recommend this sp as i think i might just have a real lazy shy 1.Think she was WC so this may be something to do with it.
 

pitbulllady

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I'm very fond of my girl, though she is the least active T I have, much lazier than the laziest of G. roseas. I actually have had to prod her from time to time to make sure she's not dead! At night when the lights are out, it's a different story, since she picks that time to construct her "earthworks" and rearrange her substrate. I've just never caught her doing it. She's docile, but I have seen a threat display once in awhile, similar to that head-stand display performed by Megaphoboema robustum, complete with loud stridalating, and yes, she IS an E. campestratus.

One reason you don't see many of these around is that they're kinda hard to get. Imports have been cut off for several years now, and I guess not too many people have tried breeding them in captivity, so they just aren't very common.

pitbulllady
 

MindUtopia

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I always try to recommend E. campestratus. They are an excellent beginner T - not as easy to come by perhaps as some of the others and definitely not as flashy - but still an excellent choice. And they can really be kept the same as G. rosea on dry substrate, so they are very easy to care for, usually visible, and quite docile. I just think they aren't quite as docile as G. rosea, or as colorful as B. smithi, or as big as G. aureostriata, so they unfortunately get overlooked.
 

pitbulllady

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Mine is still a LOT more docile than any of the dozen-plus G.roseas I've had, or still have. I have yet to see even ONE G.rosea which has not, on at least one occasion, presented a full-blown threat display, complete with bared fangs and the whole nine yards, giving me no reason to assume that they would not readily bite if they got the chance! Trouble is, with that species, they can be really calm and laid-back one day, and holy terrors the next. You don't know what to expect. This is also the only species I've actually been bitten by(G. rosea), so I KNOW that they do mean business! My E. campestratus does head-stands, with her fangs down in the dirt, and the furtherest she's ever gone to in terms of a threat is to kick hairs and hiss. I've even pushed her with an envelope or brush just to see if she's serious, and she has never attacked them, but I've had G. roseas literally snatch a paint brush out of my hand. If someone is looking for a docile T, I'd be far quicker to recommend E. campestratus than a G. rosea, even though finding one can be a challenge nowadays.

pitbulllady
 

Pennywise

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My female is e-a-s-y going plus. Always visible but not that active. She's
willing to be held most of the time but we just don't handle her lately. These
are a great beginner species.

PZB Eupalaestrus Campestratus

 

finman31

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Mine is psycho....she is active,and mean as the devil. I posted that here while back,when i first got her.She dont like to be held,and she tries to nail me anytime my hand gets close to her.She's a freak!
 

AcidQueen

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I never understood why E. campestratus was first placed in the Lasiodora genus, mine are so docile whilst my Lasiodoras are everything but! I own 6 E. campestratus and I think they're a great species. Thinking about purchasing E. weijenbergi aswell :)

This is my beautiful girl :D
 

Mina

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I don't have one, not because I don't want one, but because I can't find one. About a month ago when I was at the reptile swap, Theraphosid Breeding Project had a sling that I was going to buy, and then Matthias decided he need to buy his blondi and I got sidetracked and didn't pick it up. The next time I went back they didn't have any left. I don't think there is a lack of interest, I think it is a lack of availability.
 

IguanaMama

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I got a PZB slingy about two weeks ago and I'm expecting a tiny E. weijenbergi in the mail today.:D I figure they are overlooked because they aren't very colorful, but I like to have some Ts around that I can handle. I mostly had to get the PZB because, well, it even though it doesn't get very pink, any pink is a good thing for me.
 

cockroach52

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cool cool.. so it's more of an availability issue. the less pink the better if you ask me!
 

Vys

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I always thought the main reason was spelled 'Chaco' :/
They are, like P.scrofa, slightly overlooked but cute nevertheless.
 
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JohnxII

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finman31 said:
Mine is psycho....she is active,and mean as the devil. I posted that here while back,when i first got her.She dont like to be held,and she tries to nail me anytime my hand gets close to her.She's a freak!
I too have a psycho female! My ultimate male is normal and my juvenile girl is a pet rock...

BTW I don't think the biggest of A. seemani or E. campestratus can out grow a big old G. rosea girl.
 

omni

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From what I see, Eupalaestrus campestratus (Pink Zebra Beauty) is a very good choice for a beginner, but they do not seem to be a popular choice.

They have the same leg markings as a A. Seemani (the spider I was originally looking at purchasing), they are more calm, and get larger.

They are also a little larger than a rosea. THe only difference here being it's overall look and it requiring more humidity than the rosea.

For some reason, many people do not seem to own one or recommend one.

Is there anything I'm missing? Anyone have anything to say about the pink zebra beauty?
I know this is an old thread, but I just stumbled on it in a search :)

I pretty much agree w/ all the replies. "Calm" is an understatement. I used to mark my lrg female's position in the tank to see if she actually moved, lol. There were times she'd be in the same place not moving for weeks. Her movement is slow and very stately. Crickets would sometimes get near and she'd merely lift a leg and hold it up if it touched her. Now my rosea, if not hungry would whirl and stomp it(!), or run away.
I think PZB are one of the longer lived T's, because they expend so little energy. I also have a 2.5" juvie, that's an active little T, very cute, and light color form. Pounces on food, avoids my hand in the tank, and can run pretty fast. My newly aquired male, is a dark color form, and hasn't ventured but 4" from the spot I placed him in rehousing. He's very leggy as opposed to bulky like my female.

All 3 of my PZB's have shown me they can climb the glass. I didn't expect that since the're somewhat opportunistic burrowers. They don't climb often, maybe just exploring bounderies.

Availability is so much less than the other T's everyone lists as beginner T's. I've even seen a small sling list at 60 bucks. I hope this will change as more come into the hobby. Hopefully I can pair my two adults this Fall. Not finding much on others' breeding efforts w/ this sp., and if I do introduce them, I'll document and post my efforts.
I'd tell everyone I could that this sp. is good for new T owners. Although not my most fav species, My female, "SB" is my favorite pet T of the ones I have. IMHO, brachys are variable in temperament, and if my g. rosea, "Goldie" is typical of that sp. she has "issues" like may I hear about. Topic for another thread!
High fives to all future and current PZB owners, here's to a very special species! :worship:
 

Mina

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Things have changed since my last post. I now have two of them. One adult female and one sling. My adult female, Piper, is super laid back, very sweet, calm and gentle. She is beautiful as well.
She doesn't move much unless she is hunting, but they are a really wonderful T and I adore her. I also have an E. weijenberghi sling now as well, but I can't tell you much about temperment with them, it is so tiny I can't tell much.
 

LimaMikeSquared

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I had a Eupalaestrus campestratus "Dark Form"
Black Zebra, and I moved her on. She hid all day and she was a deadful hair flicker and so looked permanently tatty. I got her to show around the Cubs and Beavers but she was so unpredictable, she was quiet and unmoving one second then whoosh she'd be off. I couldn't leave the lid off the tank so they could have a really good look.Never gave any signs of aggression though. I prefered my rather tempermental rosie who was guarenteed never to get off her flower pot whatever happened, and they could look really closely so long as they didn't touch, also she never flicked a single hair, a must if you have other peoples children near.
 
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