How long before a 1/2" A. Chalcodes starts to show adult colors?

cduma

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jun 9, 2017
Messages
2
Hi, I'm new to the hobby and thinking about buying my first tarantula. I was considering getting an A. Chalcodes, but I heard they are slow growers. If I get a 1/2in sling, how long will it take before it starts to show its adult colors, or any color at all? Thanks!
 

BishopiMaster

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 12, 2007
Messages
356
Hi, I'm new to the hobby and thinking about buying my first tarantula. I was considering getting an A. Chalcodes, but I heard they are slow growers. If I get a 1/2in sling, how long will it take before it starts to show its adult colors, or any color at all? Thanks!
Generally 3 to 4 years
 

KezyGLA

Arachnoking
Joined
Apr 8, 2016
Messages
3,013
Some Aphono rarely show colouration until large juvenile/subadult size. And as they grow painfully slow it takes around 3-5 years or so, depending on conditions of keeping.
 

Walker253

Arachnobaron
Joined
Jun 12, 2016
Messages
554
I love the A chalcodes and it's my favorite Aphonopelma, but a chalcodes sling as a first T? You will have to have the patience of Job. The growth is so slow. I'd think you'd be happier finding either a larger specimen or make the A. chalcodes sling your 2nd or 3rd tarantula. There are many more choices that grow much faster and fulfill that satisfaction of having a large spider. For a first T, I'd suggest finding a juvenile tarantula in a beginning species. If you can get a confirmed female, even better.
 

BishopiMaster

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 12, 2007
Messages
356
I love the A chalcodes and it's my favorite Aphonopelma, but a chalcodes sling as a first T? You will have to have the patience of Job. The growth is so slow. I'd think you'd be happier finding either a larger specimen or make the A. chalcodes sling your 2nd or 3rd tarantula. There are many more choices that grow much faster and fulfill that satisfaction of having a large spider. For a first T, I'd suggest finding a juvenile tarantula in a beginning species. If you can get a confirmed female, even better.
LP or nothing
 

cduma

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jun 9, 2017
Messages
2
I love the A chalcodes and it's my favorite Aphonopelma, but a chalcodes sling as a first T? You will have to have the patience of Job. The growth is so slow. I'd think you'd be happier finding either a larger specimen or make the A. chalcodes sling your 2nd or 3rd tarantula. There are many more choices that grow much faster and fulfill that satisfaction of having a large spider. For a first T, I'd suggest finding a juvenile tarantula in a beginning species. If you can get a confirmed female, even better.
What would you suggest as a fast-growing beginner species?
 

Walker253

Arachnobaron
Joined
Jun 12, 2016
Messages
554
What would you suggest as a fast-growing beginner species?
Like said above, the A genticulata is a great choice. The L parahybana is very good (BTW, those were my first two. I still have them and would never sell them). I can't believe @Moakmeister didn't mention the G pulchripes, phenomenal first T. I'd still say get a juvie. If you find a juvie A chalcodes, I wouldn't hesitate there either. A female may still live another 30 years with proper care.
 

Moakmeister

Arachnodemon
Joined
Oct 6, 2016
Messages
741
Like said above, the A genticulata is a great choice. The L parahybana is very good (BTW, those were my first two. I still have them and would never sell them). I can't believe @Moakmeister didn't mention the G pulchripes, phenomenal first T. I'd still say get a juvie. If you find a juvie A chalcodes, I wouldn't hesitate there either. A female may still live another 30 years with proper care.
He said "fast-growing", and even though the G pulchripes grows fast for a Grammostola, it's still like drying paint on a glacier.
 

Walker253

Arachnobaron
Joined
Jun 12, 2016
Messages
554
He said "fast-growing", and even though the G pulchripes grows fast for a Grammostola, it's still like drying paint on a glacier.
True, but from sling to juvie, it's somewhat quicker. Slows way down after it it is a juvenile. The A chalcodes is always slow
 

aphono

Arachnobaron
Joined
Mar 11, 2017
Messages
481
Great pick! Two of my first tarantulas are a juvenile A. chalcodes and a tiny sling of A. eutylenum. the others were a GBB and G. pulchripes slings.

I would agree with the advise of grabbing a juvenile chalcodes if you would like see a fuzzy/colored specimen sooner than later. They're fairly available and not too high in price. Got my juvenile for 30 and last week, saw one for 24.99.

The others keep mentioning their glacial growth rates but then, they are an extremely easy species to keep. No real concerns as for temperature, keep substrate dry, have a water bowl... I don't even worry about the eutylenum sling, even when it was less than half of an inch.

The one I have is an easy eater.. it readily took on whatever was thrown in there- a giant hornworm, dubia, red runner, crickets.... even tiny little wax worms- was struggling with finding local pinhead crickets for the slings so tried a tub of them(mixed reception btw).. there were so many I just impulsively threw one in with the chalcodes.. she eats them! Loves them even though they are so tiny compared to her. Be aware, some will go through periods of not eating for weeks or months on end, which is not a concern at all as long as their abdomens are plump but can be disconcerting to a person who thinks a pet should eat regularly. It's not just them, a lot of species can fall into this- G. rosea is a well known example.

I also think she is beautiful, even if she doesn't have the flashy coloring.
 
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