Help me choose species

[Dick Longfellow]

An n. Incei is a must. B. Horridas are pretty hearty and out quite a bit. I love the smaller ts. A. Geniculata is my biggest t and the absolute best display in my opinion

 

[zsiciarz]

Thanks! Do you know how visible the P. Victori is by chance?

My male was often out, but very skittish and sensitive to any disturbance until he matured. Now he's always in the open.

Psalmopoeus victori

• zsiciarz
• Nov 8, 2024
• arboreal mature male new world psalmopoeus psalmopoeus victori victori

Skade, my mature male. Another bunch of pipe cleaners came out of hiding.

 

[kestrel123]

My picks off your list:
Brachypelma (any)
Genic
Phormictopus (you should also consider auratus, they’re gorgeous)
Versicolor
At least one pokie
Xenesthis
balfouri

Pics of some of mine:
View attachment 487532 View attachment 487533 View attachment 487534 View attachment 487535 View attachment 487537 View attachment 487538 View attachment 487539

Thanks for answering the question and suggesting the auratus - they weren't on my radar but are now. Beautiful!
I've read mixed reports on the balfouri - is yours frequently visible?

An n. Incei is a must. B. Horridas are pretty hearty and out quite a bit. I love the smaller ts. A. Geniculata is my biggest t and the absolute best display in my opinion

Thank you! I haven't looked into B Horridas at all, so I'll check them out, too. I'm excited to have smaller ts in the group, too.

 

[corydalis]

A little additional appetizer for some of the species mentioned.

 

[Cmac2111]

I'll share the one's I'd pick from that list:

Brachypelma - I don’t think the list would be complete without one, and I love their looks. My favorites are Smithii, Klaasi, and Boehmei. I LOVE the look of the Boehmei, but it sounds like they’re kind of kicky assholes. Thoughts on these 3?

My fav genus, all look good. IMHO & IME, smithi & klaasi are not only among the best looking but also the largest of the brachys (my true smithi ex annitha dwarfs my hamorii), they're out on display all the time and have to be seen IRL to be appreciated

Brachypelma klaasi

• Cmac2111
• Oct 14, 2024
• 4
• brachypelma brachypelma klaasi mexican pink beauty new world tarantula pictures

B. klaasi large AF. Developing a whopping great abdomen, hopefully an egg sac's on the way in...

Brachypelma smithi (ex annitha)

• Cmac2111
• Sep 25, 2024
• 4
• adult female brachypelma brachypelma smithi mexican giant orange knee new world tarantula pictures

'Agni', b. smithi AF out on the prowl. This girl is just pure wrath for her would-be-prey haha...

Phormicoptus - (purple or full green?) Quick to be comfortable, on display, Would be one of the few purple / green ones. Terrestrial.

Never owned full green but sp. Dominican purple is a real eye-catcher, huge & vibrant, very easy to care for, mine is a pet rock but others report much more skittish and defensive behaviors which could be daunting for a new keeper along with the size. Maybe one to pick up at a smaller size later on as phormics grow at a reasonable pace

P. Subfusca (high/lowland) Love how these look, would be a unique one in the collection, a calmer pokie, often on display. Arborial.

The best pokie bar none for looks IMHO, my adult female matches up with your description & is fairly calm but I wouldn't use that as a general descriptor for the species. It would be wholly irresponsible to recommend any pokie to someone who has never kept tarantulas before, but defo one to get when plenty experience with these animals has been built up. C. versi makes a great 1st arboreal.

Poecilotheria subfusca "lowland"

• Cmac2111
• Nov 14, 2024
• 1
• adult female lowland ivory ornamental old world poecilotheria poecilotheria subfusca "lowland" tarantula pictures

'Gojira', p. subfusca LL adult female. Out this morning near the base of her favorite piece of...

T. Cyaneolum - Some colors similar to a few others here. Read that they’re curious, and out and about. Terrestrial.

Quite simple for this one; T. cyaneolum is one of my 2 favorite species of all time, my AF is gorgeous, docile and a good eater. She goes through spells of being more active and 'curious', and then will at other times be more of a pet rock but she is ALWAYS out & about. They can be hard to find but are a must have T IMO, if the opportunity to get one arises, do it!

Thrixopelma cyaneolum

• Cmac2111
• Nov 21, 2024
• 2
• adult female new world tarantula pictures thrixopelma thrixopelma cyaneolum

T. cyaneolum AF. One of the best T's there is IMHO

 

[Olan]

Thanks for answering the question and suggesting the auratus - they weren't on my radar but are now. Beautiful!
I've read mixed reports on the balfouri - is yours frequently visible?

Thank you! I haven't looked into B Horridas at all, so I'll check them out, too. I'm excited to have smaller ts in the group, too.

My balfouri is visible. She didn’t burrow, just did a lot of webbing

 

[darkness975]

GBB if you want a webber.

Mine webs so much I have to clear the lid just for feeding and watering.

 

[Pillenslikker]

I would add a Hapalopus formosus (pumpkin patch) to that list if i was you.

 

[kestrel123]

A little additional appetizer for some of the species mentioned.
View attachment 487570
View attachment 487571
View attachment 487572
View attachment 487573
View attachment 487574
View attachment 487575

Wow, thank you so much for the gorgeous photos! What species is the last photo?

T. cyaneolum is one of my 2 favorite species of all time, my AF is gorgeous, docile and a good eater. She goes through spells of being more active and 'curious', and then will at other times be more of a pet rock but she is ALWAYS out & about. They can be hard to find but are a must have T IMO

Thanks for the photos! Beautiful. So.... what is your other favorite species of all time?

I would add a Hapalopus formosus (pumpkin patch) to that list if i was you.

The second to mention them - thanks. What is it that you like about them?

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

Vitalius chromatus .75” another good choice.

 

[Cmac2111]

Thanks for the photos! Beautiful. So.... what is your other favorite species of all time?

Nhandu tripepii

Nhandu tripepii

• Cmac2111
• Nov 23, 2024
• 5
• brazilian giant blond tarantula new world nhandu nhandu tripepii tarantula pictures

'Rust', n. tripepii large AF. Been too long since I got a good pic of this girl, she's an...

Nhandu tripepii

• Cmac2111
• Aug 16, 2024
• 3
• adult female brazilian giant blond tarantula new world nhandu nhandu tripepii tarantula pictures

'Rust', n. tripepii AF. Girl came to pose haha, one of my 2 all time favorite species and one of...

 

[corydalis]

Wow, thank you so much for the gorgeous photos! What species is the last photo?

Xenesthis intermedia (juvenile female)

 

[Pillenslikker]

The second to mention them - thanks. What is it that you like about them?

I like their colours, the fact that they are heavy webbers and mine is in the open most of the time

 

[sparticus]

The second to mention them - thanks. What is it that you like about them?

Pumkin patch is a great species- hardy, fast growing, lovely colors, heavy webbing, great appetite, always out on display. I don't have a Davus species so can't really compare to the D. Pentaloris for you. I prefer the colors of the pumpkin patch so it was an easy choice for me.

 

[kestrel123]

I like their colours, the fact that they are heavy webbers and mine is in the open most of the time

Pumkin patch is a great species- hardy, fast growing, lovely colors, heavy webbing, great appetite, always out on display. I don't have a Davus species so can't really compare to the D. Pentaloris for you. I prefer the colors of the pumpkin patch so it was an easy choice for me.

Thanks! It sounds like they might be out and about more than the Pentaloris, then..? They've been added to the list.

It seems like a lot of dwarf species aren't visible all that often (which makes sense - hide cuz small.)

 

[Pillenslikker]

Thanks! It sounds like they might be out and about more than the Pentaloris, then..? They've been added to the list.

i don't know i never had a D. pentaloris.

 

[IntermittentSygnal]

My Davus sp Panama is out all the time and full of character.

 

[sparticus]

My Davus sp Panama is out all the time and full of character.
View attachment 487952

If I were to get a Davus species, it would be this one.

 

[Matt Man]

Personally "Never had a T before" and "Setting up Vivariums" are mutually exclusive terms. Bioactive T enclosures are tough, you have a TON of extra things to be mindful of to maintain the health of the T.
Start with basic enclosures, no bioactivity, get really good with that part of husbandry before diving into bioactivity.
Second: P. subfusca are extremely difficult to come by, expensive and well beyond a beginner species.
I'm not trying to be Debbie Downer here, I'm just trying to add some realism.
From your list, I have trimmed it down for better starters, removing some for excessive price, difficulty finding and husbandry reqs.

• A. Geniculata - I think this is a must for me. People love them, I think they’re gorgeous, and they sound like they’re a nice display animal. Larger terrestrial. GREAT T
• Brachypelma - I don’t think the list would be complete without one, and I love their looks. My favorites are Smithii, Klaasi, and Boehmei. I LOVE the look of the Boehmei, but it sounds like they’re kind of kicky assholes. Thoughts on these 3? Go with Smithii Boehmei and Klaasi too more hair
• C. Versicolor - Beautiful, supposed to be pretty visible. Arborial & webber. Perfect Starter Arboreal
• 
  
• 
  
• T. Albopilosum - Can I NOT have one? I’ve read a lot of reports of people loving these guys - they can bulldoze things around and can be characters. Unique look. Terrestrial. Agreed, kind of a must
• T. Vagans - Supp. active, out in the open, ‘spunky’. Nice looking. Terrestrial. Go with T. kahlenbergi , better color on the rump and just a tiny bit more expensive
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• P. Victori - Love the black/red, but am reading mixed reports on visibility. Arborial, webber. Second Arboreal, super cool, but like all Psalmos, fast, skittish and pack a good bite. So this one is a bit risky
• 
  

Dwarves / smaller:

• D. Pentaloris - Love the colors. Sounds like they’re fun to feed. Opportunistic burrower with some webs.
• D. Diamantinensis - Beautiful, fast, inquisitive, fun. Terrestrial (but like some height), webber. Similar-ish colors to C Versi…. Do I pick one or the other? Both good, pick the Diamantinesis
• N. sp. Panama - Supposedly out a lot. Terrestrial. Another similar-ish color to C Versi/D Diaman
• N. Incei - People love these, and they’re a different look /color scheme. Terrestrial, webber. Short life, but cool Ts
• I'll add any of the Ceratogyrus for an OW Fossorial and GBB because of all the Blue Ts they are out the most and IMO have the best color

 

[kestrel123]

Personally "Never had a T before" and "Setting up Vivariums" are mutually exclusive terms. Bioactive T enclosures are tough, you have a TON of extra things to be mindful of to maintain the health of the T.
Start with basic enclosures, no bioactivity, get really good with that part of husbandry before diving into bioactivity.
Second: P. subfusca are extremely difficult to come by, expensive and well beyond a beginner species.
I'm not trying to be Debbie Downer here, I'm just trying to add some realism.
From your list, I have trimmed it down for better starters, removing some for excessive price, difficulty finding and husbandry reqs.

• A. Geniculata - I think this is a must for me. People love them, I think they’re gorgeous, and they sound like they’re a nice display animal. Larger terrestrial. GREAT T
• Brachypelma - I don’t think the list would be complete without one, and I love their looks. My favorites are Smithii, Klaasi, and Boehmei. I LOVE the look of the Boehmei, but it sounds like they’re kind of kicky assholes. Thoughts on these 3? Go with Smithii Boehmei and Klaasi too more hair
• C. Versicolor - Beautiful, supposed to be pretty visible. Arborial & webber. Perfect Starter Arboreal
• 
  
• 
  
• T. Albopilosum - Can I NOT have one? I’ve read a lot of reports of people loving these guys - they can bulldoze things around and can be characters. Unique look. Terrestrial. Agreed, kind of a must
• T. Vagans - Supp. active, out in the open, ‘spunky’. Nice looking. Terrestrial. Go with T. kahlenbergi , better color on the rump and just a tiny bit more expensive
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• P. Victori - Love the black/red, but am reading mixed reports on visibility. Arborial, webber. Second Arboreal, super cool, but like all Psalmos, fast, skittish and pack a good bite. So this one is a bit risky
• 
  

Dwarves / smaller:

• D. Pentaloris - Love the colors. Sounds like they’re fun to feed. Opportunistic burrower with some webs.
• D. Diamantinensis - Beautiful, fast, inquisitive, fun. Terrestrial (but like some height), webber. Similar-ish colors to C Versi…. Do I pick one or the other? Both good, pick the Diamantinesis
• N. sp. Panama - Supposedly out a lot. Terrestrial. Another similar-ish color to C Versi/D Diaman
• N. Incei - People love these, and they’re a different look /color scheme. Terrestrial, webber. Short life, but cool Ts
• I'll add any of the Ceratogyrus for an OW Fossorial and GBB because of all the Blue Ts they are out the most and IMO have the best color

Thank you so much for all of the information. By vivarium I just meant a nice looking enclosure - I'll be doing naturalistic. I didn't realize by using that word that I was implying bioactive, so thanks for calling that to my attention.

And I am just gathering a list of species I want to consider over time, not now. I am planning on starting with just a couple, easier species and moving up the 'ladder' to pokies, etc.

I'm about to go to bed but will definitely come back and read your comments / recs on the species listed. I appreciate the time you took to reply.