Help me pick my first tarantuala !!

[phear_me]

I am a scorpion guy but I've decided to cross over and purchase a tarantula. So, I'm coming to you guys for help!

There are SO many to choose from. I'm utterly overwhelmed, so lets try to narrow this down:

• I would prefer a medium large to large species - all things being equal I will prefer the larger one
  
• I would prefer an medium aggressive to very aggressive species - all things being equal I will prefer the more venomous and more aggressive spider
  
• I would prefer a spider with interesting display behavior - I do not want an arboreal or burrowing tarantula
  
• I would prefer a spider that is of easy or medium difficulty - all things being equal the tie goes to the easiest to care and fastest growing spider
  
• I would prefer a spider with at leas reasonable availability: I want to be able to purchase it within a month of my search

Here is a list of species I am looking at so far based on pictures:

• Acanthoscurria Geniculata
• Lasiodora Parahybana
• Nhandu Chromatus
• Pterinochilus Murinus (OBT)

What I need help with is correlating the actual spider to my desired attributes so I can begin to eliminate the obvious mismatches and then concentrate on buckling down and studying each species that's left.

Picking out the spider is half the fun so thanks for your help guys!

THANKS GUYS! REALLY MEANS A LOT TO ME!

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Edits:

Removed Psalmopoeus Irminia - Arboreal
Removed A Seemani - Burrower: NO PET HOLES
Removed Phormictopus Cancerides - Display features don't appeal to me as much as other Ts'
Removed Poecilotheria Formosa / Miranda / Pederseni / Regalis / Smithi / Subfusca / Tigris: Arboreal Species are not what I'm looking for with this first T but will DEFINITELY come back for these beauties later
Removed Thrixopelma Pruriens: Too plain
Removed Megaphobema Mesomelas / Peterklaasi - REALLY like these guys but they seem to be so rare that it's not gonna happen for a tarantula newb
Removed Acanthoscurria Natalensis - Too rare
Added Lasiodora Parahybana - So much support for this T I had to reconsider
Removed Thrixopelma Cyaneum - Decided that blue wasn't as appealing as some of the other colorations
Removed Vitalius Paranaensis - Decided I liked the other colorations in this genus better
Removed Vitalius Roseus / Sorocabae / Vellutinius - I feel like I enjoy the coloration of the A Geniculata better than these

I am strongly leaning towards Acanthoscurria Geniculata & Nhandu Chromatus

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Original Thread was here: http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=116760

 

[Mushroom Spore]

Check out C. cyaneopubescens and L. parahybana. The second one is bigger, the first one's more colorful (although I think para are gorgeous too), they're both nigh impossible to kill unless you're actually trying. Grammostola aureostriata is another big, pretty spider that grows pretty quickly for a Gramm.

As far as I know, Poecilotheria are arboreal.

 

[dragonblade71]

Have you considered any of the Australian tarantulas in the Phlogius genus like Crassipes? They get fairly large, supposedly 'aggressive' (though some would say defensive) and their venom is quite strong as far as tarantula venom goes. They also tend to stay out in the open much of the time but this can vary depending on the individual.

 

[Arachnobrian]

From your list, my experience with,

A. seemani - this one burrows deep and hides for months at a time, very slow grower, nice looking spider when you get to see it

N. chromatus - stays in the open most of the time, semi-defensive, grows quick and large, nice colours

L. parahybana - jumpy, this spider is still a juvi. so I am still learing about this one

These are observations within my small personal collection.

Oh and I would also check out the C. cyaneopubescens like mentioned.

 

[The Juice]

I'd go with C. Cyaneopubescens

 

[bluefrogtat2]

definitely would say parahybana

i would say parahybana,gets huge grows quick and always out(unless bred then they stay in and brood forever,currently waiting on a sac from a 9.5" female,)and mine is quite aggressive
andy
ps.no collection should be without a genic.just grow somewhat slower

 

[gride225]

i would go with A. Genic they are big & beautiful. they do kick hairs, but i wouldn't say they were highly aggresive. they are great display T's, mine never as used her hide. welcome to the addiction!

 

[Steveyruss]

Get a L. parahybana, or Salmon pink, that seems to fit all of your wanted traits.

 

[Thrasher]

no brachypelma? man

 

[Mushroom Spore]

Removed L. Parahybana - Possibly too large for a first T and rather plain in appearance

It most certainly is not.

http://arachnophiliac.info/burrow/gallery/tarantulas/images/lasiodora_parahybana.jpg I mean look at this pretty pink-and-black thing! It meets every single one of your listed desires in a spider, really. I got mine for $4 as a baby from a major dealer. They have so many babies (thousands, not hundreds) at a time that, unless you're buying a grown sexed female, people tend to be practically giving them away.

Also if you're leaning towards A. geniculata, I hate to break it to you but they're pretty much the same size as parahybana.

 

[the nature boy]

nature boy

L. parahybana. Yes, your thoughts betray you. Your feelings for them are strong. Especially for...a female.

--the nature boy

 

[Moltar]

Will you be buying a sling, juvie, sub adult? C cyaneopubescens are just about the coolest looking slings there are IMO.

You will see A genic, L para and C cyano much more than N chromatus. They're a sweet sp but spend much more time underground than those others who pretty much just sit in the open.

C cyano has great webbing behavior but is verrry zippy. 6" tops.

1.5" sling

A genics are feisty yet sorta sluggish (for a t) making them easy to work with in spite of the attitude. 8-9" tops.

My 4.5" girl.

L para is generally the tamest of the three and potentially the largest. They get about 9" w/ tales of 11" monsters but i've never seen one personally, nor do i know anyone who has. They're pretty boring looking brown t's until they get their adult coloration which is beautiful. My 3" guy is still mud-on-mud colored. Sorry, i don't have a good pic of him up on photobucket.

 

[gambite]

Never had one, but P murinus is supposed to be a bit of a pet hole.

 

[DrJ]

From what you are wanting, do not go with a Chromatopelma cyanopubescens! These little guys are very pretty, but they web so much of a hiding place that you really hardly ever see them. They remind me of Pterinochilus murinus, but shyer. However, that is just my experience. If size is your goal, as well as beauty, I'd definitely stick with the Acanthoscurria geniculata. It's got the prettiest coloration with the largest size of any tarantula out there! The Grammostola aureostriata is nice, but it is VERY docile...I believe you said you didn't want that? The Nhandu cromatus is nice as well, more vibrant than the geniculata, but not as big, and not as big an attitude. So, go with the genic! You will be pleased with it!

 

[thedude]

Never had one, but P murinus is supposed to be a bit of a pet hole.

my P. murinus is usually out at night sitting infront of her hole.. she doesnt even run into her hole when i come ove to the cage, i can move it around all i want but as soon as that lid comes off she's gone into her burrow.... i sitll havent gotten the guts to stick my hand infrotn of her to try and handle her though lol



my vagans is alwase visable and handleable and doesnt kick a single hair... she likes running onto my back and give her best cute attempt at a threat pose though lol, she's my favorite NW T i have ..... but ive also heard of some that are like supper aggro or just plain schizoid, nice one moment tear your face off the next

my G. aureo is still a sling but ive heard so many good things about them i couldnt leave it out, they get big they have beautiful markings aswell

my L. para isnt big yet but from what ive read they can be sweet hearts that will eat any cricket you put in front of them to the temperment of a haplo

i just love every thing about my P. murinus becouse well ^^^^

i think you should really reconsider getting a pokie dude there great i love my P. regalis, she's alwase visable

T.blondi is also fun, i handle mine every so often, i know crazy right?? lol but some times it's worth the itch.... mine wont hesitate to give me a threat pose when she's in her tank but after i get her out of her tank she's a doll.


ive seen some people who set up there E. murinus like a regular terrestrial T and not a burrower.. sorta like how some people keep there A. seemani..... i could handle mine if i tried but the way he puts his's legs up to flick hairs off his palps makes it so i cant get fingers around him :\



any one think Sericopelma rubronitens would fit his bill? this on my to get list lol

 

[Moltar]

This seems to vary quite a bit from one specimen to another. I have 2 and one is total pet hole and I see the other maybe once or twice a week. In fact just a few minutes ago she was out waving at me with her front legs and blowing kisses at me with her fangs.

As for meeting your stated goals, P murinus is on the smaller side, maxing out around 5" and unlike the genic very speedy and spookable. Thus they represent a higher risk of both bites and ascapes during cage maintenance and transfers, particularly with the less experienced keeper. That being said, dealing with speedy, defensive t's isn't THAT hard if you just excercise proper care and technique.

 

[phear_me]

Am posting the latest update here since I can no longer edit the O.P.

* Took the L.P. off the list - It takes too long to get the pink for the display purposes I am looking for.
* Took the Pterinochilus Murinus (OBT) off the list - the combination of lightening speed and super strong venom make it a bad choice for my first T. I have no intention of handling them but am worried about escapes during feeding and tank maintenance. These you tube videos made me want the species even more as what attracts me to T's is thir place near the top of the insect/arachnid predatory pecking order and the OBT is a stunning example of this. But these same vids also made me decide I wasn't ready: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2IMc-k3nFQ and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxXrHc9sflA)

So it's down to:

* Acanthoscurria Geniculata
* Nhandu Chromatus

The very first tarantula I liked just looking through pictures and videos was the Genic and as of now I am leaning that way. I am going to meet up with Chris from krazy8's Invertebrates tomorrow near his home and he's going to show me a 4 1/2 inch chroma and a 3 1/2 inch genic and bring along a couple 2 inchers for me so I can make my decision between the species and purchase my first T!

I'll repost tomorrow and let you guys know the outcome. Thanks for all the help!

 

[Moltar]

They're both awesome t's. N chromatus is a little less common than A genic but seemingly becoming more available every day. A genic will get bigger and IME is less skittish. Whenever i open the lid my N chromatus skitters for it's hide. My A genic doesn't even recognize the existence of it's hide and stays right in the middle of the enclosure until i give it something to bite or throw threats at.

 

[phear_me]

Could not resist a beautiful 3 inch male Genic from krazy8's.

Fed him 2 crickets about an hour after he got home and he DEMOLISHED them. Jumped 5 inches out of his hide and tackled the first cricket in about 10 seconds. Then he nailed the second cricket from about 4 inches out 10 seconds later.

I could not be HAPPIER with my choice - though the Chromatus was very hard to turn down.

Thanks so much for all the help!