Experience Level needed for Dolichothele diamantinensis

[Crestie57]

I am a relatively new tarantula keeper. I received my first tarantula, a 1.5 in Brachypelma boehmei, in November. She seems to be doing well I am really enjoying her. I am starting to think about a second tarantula. I have limited space and may only be able to have a few adult sized enclosures, so I am trying to pick my species very carefully to make certain that I get the ones that I am most interested in.

I find myself really drawn to Dolichothele diamantinensis. The description of the average temperament, smaller adult size, color and webbing activity somehow really make this species stand out to me. From what I can find on the boards, people seem to indicate care is similar to C. cyanopubescens (frequently mentioned as a good beginner species) but I also note that nobody mentions D. diamantinensis when they list good beginner species.

Is this a species that would be reasonable for a beginner such as myself to consider or are they so fragile and unforgiving of minor mistakes that I would be setting myself up for failure? Is there some other behavior trait that I haven’t been able to find that makes them unsuitable for a beginner (I understand that their speed and tendency to bolt will be much greater than my B. Boehmei)? Is their bite more medically significant compared to the average new world species given the lack of urticating hairs?

Thanks for the help.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

At least the (IMO and I've said IMO, eh, because it's debatable one moment) acceptable exp. level is every 'stats on 50' (lucky included)

For the rest, it's just a "different GBB" at the end of the day... here and there few drops of water in the web, mixed with the classical water dish, wouldn't harm if this is what you want to know :-s

I don't have a clue about the venom potency but I say nothing to worry. Temperament is + or - 'GBB' ones.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

One of the reasons why nobody mention this Theraphosidae is IMO because 'GBB' "arrives" always first on that issue... plus, at least here where I live, those ain't so always available.

Another reason is because when it comes to 'beginner-friendly' T's in all honesty the choice and availability in general is very good, unlike for other inverts like Scolopendridae :-s

 

[boina]

D. diamantinensis was actually one of my first Ts and I had no more than 6 month experience when I got her. Actually I think they are more easy going than a B. boehmei. Boehmei is in my experience practically the only Brachy that can be fast and skittish. Yes, D. diamantinensis is skittish, but I haven't had any trouble with her at all, even rehousing is reasonably easy - the tend to go... well race... where they are pushed. D. diamantinensis webs a lot and is out less than a GBB, so you may see her not all that often. Mine only comes out when hungry. I think they'd qualify as a beginner species, but you don't see them listed because they are rare and, at least around here, somewhat expensive. Oh, and the coloring is quite different from a GBB, at least IMO

 

[Ungoliant]

I am starting to think about a second tarantula. I have limited space and may only be able to have a few adult sized enclosures, so I am trying to pick my species very carefully to make certain that I get the ones that I am most interested in.

One nice thing about dwarf species is that they don't take up much space, even as adults. A small Exo Terra Breeding Box (8" x 8" x 5.5") provides plenty of space. (I like these, because they are clear, stackable, and have a feeding hatch.)

Is this a species that would be reasonable for a beginner such as myself to consider or are they so fragile and unforgiving of minor mistakes that I would be setting myself up for failure?

Someone asked me about getting Dolichothele diamantinensis as a first tarantula earlier on Reddit, so I'll expand on my original response.

This species is relatively new to science, having only been described in 2009.

I don't know whether my experience is typical of the species, because he is my first Dolichothele diamantinensis. I would describe him as somewhat skittish, but because of where he built his retreat (against the wall of the enclosure), I can always see him. Mine has had a good appetite.

He is very fast when he wants to be, probably the fastest of all of my tarantulas so far. When I first rehoused him, I tried the side-to-side method (within a larger bin), where you try to coax him out of the old container and into the new container. He was not cooperative. He ran frantically all around the bin for several minutes until I finally got him far into the new enclosure where I could put the lid on without crushing him.

Before he had settled in, I was wary that he might bolt out when opening the cage for maintenance or feeding. However, now that he has settled in, he tends to go into the retreat he made. (As with any tarantula, you should not leave the cage open unless someone is watching it.)

Care-wise, I think their needs are within the range of what a beginner can provide. I got mine three months ago, and his care regimen has not presented any difficulties. I set him up on peat substrate with a hide (which he doesn't use), a water dish, and lots of anchor points for webbing. Although I live in a humid climate, I periodically moisten some of his substrate to raise the humidity a bit.

Advantages of this species:

• lacks urticating hairs
• colorful (and iridescent)
• grows relatively fast, especially if male
• makes interesting web structures
• does not need a lot of space (As a dwarf species, it maxes out at around 3" in diagonal leg span.)

Here are the qualities that are not so newbie-friendly:

• speed (when rehousing, I would work within a bin or other walled space and have a backup person with a second catch cup on hand)
• visibility: depending on where your tarantula makes its retreat, you may not see it very often. (Mine spends most of his time in his web retreat.)
• pricing/availability: Because this species is relatively new to the hobby, it can be hard to find them for sale. Additionally, they are somewhat expensive, so if something goes wrong, you are out more money. (I paid $80 for mine.)
• If you are looking for something colorful that is easier to find and less expensive, consider the Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens (greenbottle blue tarantula). It's not quite as fast as the Dolichothele diamantinensis, but it's still a webber. (It does have urticating hairs though.)

In conclusion, I would say that if, after reading this, you still want a Dolichothele diamantinensis, go for it.

Is their bite more medically significant compared to the average new world species given the lack of urticating hairs?

I have no idea what their bite is like. I searched the bite reports, but I didn't find any on this species.

 

[boina]

He is very fast when he wants to be, probably the fastest of all of my tarantulas so far. When I first rehoused him, I tried the side-to-side method (within a larger bin), where you try to coax him out of the old container and into the new container. He was not cooperative. He ran frantically all around the bin for several minutes until I finally got him far into the new enclosure where I could put the lid on without crushing him.

Hmmm, I've a female and I can't confirm this. I've yet to see this speed from mine and I've had her several years from juvenile to AF. I've rehoused her a few times and it was easy every time. She moved in very short bursts and ended up exactly where I wanted her without much fuss every time. (I mostly do the side to side method, except with arboreals). Maybe males are more difficult? My male B. boehmei is much more of a pain in the behind to rehouse.

Although I live in a humid climate, I periodically moisten some of his substrate to raise the humidity a bit.

Be careful with too much humidity, though - the Germans figured that out the hard way when the spiders became first available in 2010 or so. Too much humidity (like Theraphosa humidity) will kill them fast. They are pretty resilient in dry conditions, though.

visibility: depending on where your tarantula makes its retreat, you may not see it very often.

Ok, mine will spend a lot of time in her retreat, but when she's hungry she's out. I wouldn't exactly consider her a pet hole or a pet web. Again, that may be a difference between a female and an immature male, or just between different idividuals.

 

[Bugmom]

I have a female that I got from sdsnybny and she's never tried to bolt for me. I'm not sure if she ever did for him, either. She's a heavy webber though so I don't get to see much of her. I don't see any reason for a newer keeper to not have one, based solely on my experience.

 

[Ungoliant]

Maybe males are more difficult? My male B. boehmei is much more of a pain in the behind to rehouse.

With a sample size of only one, I don't know, but he was a little speed demon when I tried to rehouse him. I should have used the bag method.

He has been very nice since he settled in; it's just the rehousing that gave me any trouble. He doesn't react when I open the cage for maintenance or feeding.

Be careful with too much humidity, though - the Germans figured that out the hard way when the spiders became first available in 2010 or so. Too much humidity (like Theraphosa humidity) will kill them fast. They are pretty resilient in dry conditions, though.

It's way below Theraphosa-level. I just dampen a small patch of substrate away from his web once in a while. (Given how humid it is here, I could probably get away with not doing this at all.)

Ok, mine will spend a lot of time in her retreat, but when she's hungry she's out. I wouldn't exactly consider her a pet hole or a pet web. Again, that may be a difference between a female and an immature male, or just between different idividuals.

My boy made a long U-shaped tunnel with an exit on each end, and he likes to sit at the main entrance by the water dish when he is hunting. Fortunately, I always have a good view of him even when he is in his retreat.

Having started with web-dwelling true spiders, I'm not all that bothered by pet webs. YMMV, but it's worth pointing out the possibility that they may not be as visible as @Crestie57 was anticipating if that aspect is important to her.

 

[efmp1987]

D. diamantinensis was actually one of my first Ts and I had no more than 6 month experience when I got her. Actually I think they are more easy going than a B. boehmei. Boehmei is in my experience practically the only Brachy that can be fast and skittish. Yes, D. diamantinensis is skittish, but I haven't had any trouble with her at all, even rehousing is reasonably easy - the tend to go... well race... where they are pushed. D. diamantinensis webs a lot and is out less than a GBB, so you may see her not all that often. Mine only comes out when hungry. I think they'd qualify as a beginner species, but you don't see them listed because they are rare and, at least around here, somewhat expensive. Oh, and the coloring is quite different from a GBB, at least IMO

Whats the difference in coloration between GBB and D. diamantinensis? Is GBB brighter under natural light?

 

[aphono]

I only have one diamantinesis and three GBB. The coloration is pretty close, the major difference would be the markings and far more red on GBB. Abdomen is blue with red setae(the longer hairs, right?) and a small patch of red where abdomen meets carapace. No obvious markings.

Pictures are with flash, however both were taken at same time and are right next to each other- same lighting conditions.

View media item 44527View media item 44510
I would give the diamantinesis an edge as for the blue coloration. @miss moxie gave me the perfect word for it: teal. It To my eyes, depending on the molt cycle and lighting, the GBB legs can be dark purple or black tinted blue/blue tinted black. Diam is sometimes lighter sometime darker but always teal-ish. One more picture taken on a different day and with less flash effect:

View media item 44528

 

[efmp1987]

I only have one diamantinesis and three GBB. The coloration is pretty close, the major difference would be the markings and far more red on GBB. Abdomen is blue with red setae(the longer hairs, right?) and a small patch of red where abdomen meets carapace. No obvious markings.

Pictures are with flash, however both were taken at same time and are right next to each other- same lighting conditions.

View media item 44527View media item 44510
I would give the diamantinesis an edge as for the blue coloration. @miss moxie gave me the perfect word for it: teal. It To my eyes, depending on the molt cycle and lighting, the GBB legs can be dark purple or black tinted blue/blue tinted black. Diam is sometimes lighter sometime darker but always teal-ish. One more picture taken on a different day and with less flash effect:

View media item 44528

Is the Dolis blue hue visible without flash like the GBB or they are more the "flash-type"?

 

[aphono]

I am a relatively new tarantula keeper. I received my first tarantula, a 1.5 in Brachypelma boehmei, in November. She seems to be doing well I am really enjoying her. I am starting to think about a second tarantula. I have limited space and may only be able to have a few adult sized enclosures, so I am trying to pick my species very carefully to make certain that I get the ones that I am most interested in.

I find myself really drawn to Dolichothele diamantinensis. The description of the average temperament, smaller adult size, color and webbing activity somehow really make this species stand out to me. From what I can find on the boards, people seem to indicate care is similar to C. cyanopubescens (frequently mentioned as a good beginner species) but I also note that nobody mentions D. diamantinensis when they list good beginner species.

Is this a species that would be reasonable for a beginner such as myself to consider or are they so fragile and unforgiving of minor mistakes that I would be setting myself up for failure? Is there some other behavior trait that I haven’t been able to find that makes them unsuitable for a beginner (I understand that their speed and tendency to bolt will be much greater than my B. Boehmei)? Is their bite more medically significant compared to the average new world species given the lack of urticating hairs?

Thanks for the help.

I've had only one for a couple months. So far it has been a very easy keeper.. kept similar to GBB but I noticed in a video of amac box solidly webbed up so I decided to give mine a rather large enlosure(5x5x5 cube) so I could give some sub as it seems some said they dig, but I suspected they liked to web high(and experiencing that with the GBB and wishing I'd given them taller enclosures...) It also is slightly less skittish than GBB, they do run fast when they finally react. Usually my GBB react at the lid opening, this one usually does not react at all but it does 'skit' if I've been struggling to open the lid.....

Here's a picture a couple weeks after rehousing. First thing it did was to make a web tube half way up in one corner.. then top and bottom sections going all the way to the lid and substrate- no digging. Then it decided to move to the opposite corner and repeated the same pattern- web tube halfway up, then up to the top.. finally to the bottom(again no digging). It soon started to sit in a web tube on top of substrate and molted a few days later. It stayed ground level for a few days then it was back up off the ground.

Rehousing was easy- it came in a pill tube and fit inside the enclosure so I just took the lid off tube and let it come out on its own time- took it a whole night, it would take a few steps out then back in.. rinse repeat.. when I caught it fully out, took away the tube.




View media item 44529

 

[aphono]

Is the Dolis blue hue visible without flash like the GBB or they are more the "flash-type"?

Hope someone can answer natural light as I'm photophobic and have to close out all outside light and they are on a dark wood shelf.. looked just now with only one very dim room light on- it looks "teal-gray" to me. GBB looks just black in comparison.

 

[boina]

Is the Dolis blue hue visible without flash like the GBB or they are more the "flash-type"?

No, diamantinensis is always blue/teal, they don't need a flash to show colors.

 

[Ungoliant]

Whats the difference in coloration between GBB and D. diamantinensis? Is GBB brighter under natural light?

Dolichothele diamantinensis looks more iridescent all over, especially as a juvenile.

penultimate male (taken with a flash)

A Handsome Dandy (♂ Dolichothele diamantinensis 2.25")

• Ungoliant
• Feb 21, 2017
• 4
• brazilian blue dwarf tarantula brazilian blue tarantula diamantinensis dolichothele dolichothele diamantinensis juvenile male male oligoxystre diamantinensis wallflower

Wallflower, my 2.25" male Dolichothele diamantinensis.

the same spider as a mature male (taken with a flash)

Mature Male Dolichothele diamantinensis (3")

• Ungoliant
• Aug 21, 2017
• 1
• brazilian blue dwarf tarantula brazilian blue tarantula diamantinensis dolichothele dolichothele diamantinensis male mature male oligoxystre diamantinensis wallflower

Wallflower, my male Dolichothele diamantinensis, matured three weeks ago and is finally...

 

[ErinM31]

Dolichothele diamantinensis looks more iridescent all over, especially as a juvenile.

penultimate male (taken with a flash)

A Handsome Dandy (♂ Dolichothele diamantinensis 2.25")

• Ungoliant
• Feb 21, 2017
• 4
• brazilian blue dwarf tarantula brazilian blue tarantula diamantinensis dolichothele dolichothele diamantinensis juvenile male male oligoxystre diamantinensis wallflower

Wallflower, my 2.25" male Dolichothele diamantinensis.

the same spider as a mature male (taken with a flash)

Mature Male Dolichothele diamantinensis (3")

• Ungoliant
• Aug 21, 2017
• 1
• brazilian blue dwarf tarantula brazilian blue tarantula diamantinensis dolichothele dolichothele diamantinensis male mature male oligoxystre diamantinensis wallflower

Wallflower, my male Dolichothele diamantinensis, matured three weeks ago and is finally...

I'd thought D. diamantinensis were closer to all-over blue like this lovely T of @John2097

D diamantenensis

• John2097
• Oct 8, 2017
• 5

Or is it just males or when taken with a flash that there is so much color and they look more like GBBs?

 

[Ungoliant]

Or is it just males or when taken with a flash that there is so much color and they look more like GBBs?

I only have my one male, so I don't know. Without the flash, he still looks colorful, but the iridescence is not as obvious.