I'm thinking of this for my third species... what do you think?

Garth Vader

Arachnobaron
Joined
Jun 25, 2016
Messages
427
Hi all,

So I got my first T in June, a sling A anax. His name is Nigel. He just molted and is now up to about 2.25 inches and looking lovely. I don't really know if he is a male. He's pretty shy and hangs out in a hole a lot.

Then I got Ramona, the E sp red mature female. She's lovely and curious, although she doesn't eat and is currently looking pretty gnarly as I'm guessing she's in premolt (not moving much, bald spot on abdomen, not looking chubby at all though). I also have a sling of hers that is pretty chill, doesn't eat much, has molted once.

I'd like to have another T that I can put to work for exposure therapy and honestly, I've been going through a lot of stress and would like to buy myself a new buddy. I admit it, I am addicted. I would like another one that will be fairly docile, beginner friendly, and shows well. I'm thinking of A geniculata. (The others I've considered are GBB or G pulchra.)

What do you all think? I looked around and some A geniculata slings are around, although from what I read they grow quickly, molt often and eat anything you give them. I'd really like a T that eats all this food my dainty ones turn down and a big black T would be badass to have around, especially for more challenging spider exposures. Do you think this is a good T to have for a beginner? Anything I should know about this species?
 

Chris LXXIX

ArachnoGod
Joined
Dec 25, 2014
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5,845
A.geniculata are lovely, they are like 'Slimer' of Ghostbusters. Easy to care, always out in the open.
 

Kayis

Arachnopeon
Joined
Sep 26, 2016
Messages
37
I love me them G. Pulchra's but they do grow slow so not sure how you feel about that. How about picking up all three ;)
 
Last edited:

Venom1080

Arachnoemperor
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Sep 24, 2015
Messages
4,611
id go for the GBB, their growth rate isnt glacial like the grammies, and they are usually nicer than A genics.
 

EulersK

Arachnonomicon
Staff member
Joined
Feb 22, 2013
Messages
3,292
Taco cat.

Yeah, if you want docile, then A. geniculata is not the way to go. I love this species, it's a staple, but it assumes that everything is food. It bites first and asks questions later, even as young juvies.
 

Garth Vader

Arachnobaron
Joined
Jun 25, 2016
Messages
427
Thanks for this info. So is the issue with this that I might get bit, that it would bite tongs that go into the enclosure, that it might freak me out as a beginner, etc? I can see that being a big change from my current sweethearts, I do wonder if that would be okay though. One of my arachnophobia clients found it really helpful to watch one of my Ts eat, and we had a lucky day when Nigel actually wanted to eat! I think if I have to get another sling I do want one that grows fast and eats a lot. This E sp red is still so small I can barely see him and Nigel won't reach his full size for years. Ahhh, decisions.

GBB I've read is fast and skittish. They are lovely, I do wonder if I'd do better with something that thinks everything is food vs a very fast T... I'm not sure. I wish I could go to someone's house and meet a bunch of these species. It's hard to know much from just reading!

As a side note, there is a well known therapy clinic in my city that does a lot of exposure treatments and they have a clinic tarantula. Their old one, Rosie, recently retired so they have a new one. Apparently when they were feeding the T it pounced on the food so quickly it scared everyone. I asked the therapist "Well what species is that T?" and she said no one knows. I was kind of shaking my head about this. Maybe they got a A geniculata!
 

Chris LXXIX

ArachnoGod
Joined
Dec 25, 2014
Messages
5,845
But A.geniculata aren't defensive at all :-s

They have only a great feeding response (but only if temperatures are right, they are more prone to turn sluggish when it's colder, unlike 'Grammos', 'Brachys' and 'GBB') but that's all. Everyone loves 'genics'
 

gypsy cola

Arachnoknight
Joined
Jan 16, 2014
Messages
192
I heavily suggest B.vagans. These things are cheap and Beautiful!.

•One of the faster growing brachypelmas
•Aggressive feeding response similar to A.genic
•temperament really varies, some are sweet hearts others treat everything as food.
•always out in the open when larger.
 

Kayis

Arachnopeon
Joined
Sep 26, 2016
Messages
37
Is a brachy out of the question? Kind of thinking you'd do well with B. Albopilosum.
 

Trenor

Arachnoprince
Joined
Jan 28, 2016
Messages
1,896
Hi all,

So I got my first T in June, a sling A anax. His name is Nigel. He just molted and is now up to about 2.25 inches and looking lovely. I don't really know if he is a male. He's pretty shy and hangs out in a hole a lot.

Then I got Ramona, the E sp red mature female. She's lovely and curious, although she doesn't eat and is currently looking pretty gnarly as I'm guessing she's in premolt (not moving much, bald spot on abdomen, not looking chubby at all though). I also have a sling of hers that is pretty chill, doesn't eat much, has molted once.

I'd like to have another T that I can put to work for exposure therapy and honestly, I've been going through a lot of stress and would like to buy myself a new buddy. I admit it, I am addicted. I would like another one that will be fairly docile, beginner friendly, and shows well. I'm thinking of A geniculata. (The others I've considered are GBB or G pulchra.)

What do you all think? I looked around and some A geniculata slings are around, although from what I read they grow quickly, molt often and eat anything you give them. I'd really like a T that eats all this food my dainty ones turn down and a big black T would be badass to have around, especially for more challenging spider exposures. Do you think this is a good T to have for a beginner? Anything I should know about this species?
All three of these are really great Ts. With the experience you have you should do well with any of them. I'd look at B. Albopilosum as well. Has decent growth and is quite the looker. My girl eats really well and is out all the time now that she is a juvie.
 

Garth Vader

Arachnobaron
Joined
Jun 25, 2016
Messages
427
How's the urticating hair situation with the B albo? I have extremely sensitive skin and am sure I'd have some nasty reaction to a lot of hair getting kicked around, this is the main reason I've not looked into brachys too much, although I may have made that decision without knowing enough about them.
 

Trenor

Arachnoprince
Joined
Jan 28, 2016
Messages
1,896
How's the urticating hair situation with the B albo? I have extremely sensitive skin and am sure I'd have some nasty reaction to a lot of hair getting kicked around, this is the main reason I've not looked into brachys too much, although I may have made that decision without knowing enough about them.
The hairs are no worse than my GBBs though as @Kayis said mine has never kick at me so all I have to go on is how itchy I get playing with the molts. :D
 

Crone Returns

Arachnoangel
Joined
Mar 22, 2016
Messages
990
It's individual. Mine has never kicked. She's a big, docile girlie. Others get cranky and stay that way, but majority are mellow. She moves around, looooves crics and loooooves her water dish. I got her a yr. ago when she was 3.5" dls; now she's almost 6"!!
 

gypsy cola

Arachnoknight
Joined
Jan 16, 2014
Messages
192
my albo flips temperament each molt. Docile and sweet to grouchy... like a teen telling a parent "you don't understand!!!!""
 

Crone Returns

Arachnoangel
Joined
Mar 22, 2016
Messages
990
my albo flips temperament each molt. Docile and sweet to grouchy... like a teen telling a parent "you don't understand!!!!""
Yeah, when mine hit puberty, she was a Very Bad Spider lol. Too many hormones whipping through her.
 

Kayis

Arachnopeon
Joined
Sep 26, 2016
Messages
37
Also since I brought up G. Pulchripes in a different thread...soooo what about a G. Pulchripes? lol
 
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