Inexpensive advanced arboreal

[EulersK]

Budget is tight - I've bought a MM along with a few slings. But I'd like another, preferably an adult specimen.

So here is a question to those with the experience. A list of arboreals I've kept past the sling stage is below. It's not long, but I think I've got the hang of this. A good chunk of my collection is OW, I'm just not a fan of arboreals... yet.

P. irminia, A. avicularia, P. striata (MM and AF), H. maculata

That being said, I'm looking for a relatively inexpensive adult/subadult specimen that would be a challenge. Great feeding response, defensive of its home, always on display, possibly a fast grower if I have to settle for a sling. I'm a huge fan of baboons in general, but I know those are slim pickings with arboreals.

Well there we are. I don't have a specific price range, but I'm looking to stay under $100-$150. Any ideas?

 

[mistertim]

How about a T. gigas? Though I'm not sure how expensive they are...definitely a challenge I'd think because of the F1 speed, but without the Pokie or H. mac venom.

If you're feeling daring, S. calceatum are pretty inexpensive from what I've seen.

(Note: I don't own either...just throwing out possibilities)

 

[Andrea82]

+1 for the Tappies! Orange, blue, purple, or striped...healthy eaters, I see mine out at evenings and mornings.
Rehousing can be...fun, but at least their venom is weaker than pokies or baboons.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

S.calceatum. Here in Europe are very, very cheap. As far as experience/challenge level is concerned, IMO nothing match them. Nothing.

Still I remember when I was chasing a jumping high strung bolt of light on walls during a cage upgrade (a S.calceatum of a friend) years ago. Christ, my man. Christ

 

[Thistles]

Adult female Psalmos are generally under $100, so there's an option. You could also get some AF Poecs other than striata within that price range. Tim already suggested S. cal, which seems to fit almost every criterion: cheap, nasty, fast growing, baboon... the only hitch is the "always on display." In general arboreals aren't exhibitionists like Brachypelma. I do have a few AF Poecs who are always out, though.

You might have to do some searching, but Encyocratella olivacea juveniles can be found within your price range. Not commonly, but they're out there.

The Tappies aren't defensive, but they're beautiful and so fast!

Asian arboreals will mostly be outside that price range and rarely on display. I have seen some WC violaceopes at good prices, but you'll never see them.

 

[magicmed]

Some of my favorite arboreals are psalmopoeus cambridgei and psalmopoeus irminia, I don't see them listed in your list, but they're not "advanced"

I'd say some poecs but it looks like you already have a couple, and even the H. Maculata, how much more advanced do you want?!? 0.0

Past that? Hmm...maybe one of the soldiers arachnids from starship troopers? They would certainly provide a challenge, I would however recommend making sure it's enclosure is 100% escape proof, don't want it getting out and tearing off your limbs, also they seem more terrestrial than arboreal

 

[mistertim]

How about Phoneutria fera? Not a taratula but...pretty advanced.

Though I guess they're "semi-arboreal".

 

[EulersK]

How about a T. gigas? Though I'm not sure how expensive they are...definitely a challenge I'd think because of the F1 speed, but without the Pokie or H. mac venom.

I was actually considering that one exactly. Even the coloration is great! But priority #1 is defensiveness to me, and they are certainly flight rather than fight. I mean hey, if I could run that fast, I'd never fight either!

S.calceatum. Here in Europe are very, very cheap. As far as experience/challenge level is concerned, IMO nothing match them. Nothing.

Still I remember when I was chasing a jumping high strung bolt of light on walls during a cage upgrade (a S.calceatum of a friend) years ago. Christ, my man. Christ

This is definitely what I was leaning towards, but they don't seem to be nearly as cheap here in the States. Slings go for about $30 (not bad, I know), and I've yet to find a juvie or an adult for sale. I've found some archived posts asking $200 for a subadult specimen - that's the only price I've been able to find, and it was almost three years old.

Adult female Psalmos are generally under $100, so there's an option. You could also get some AF Poecs other than striata within that price range. Tim already suggested S. cal, which seems to fit almost every criterion: cheap, nasty, fast growing, baboon... the only hitch is the "always on display." In general arboreals aren't exhibitionists like Brachypelma. I do have a few AF Poecs who are always out, though.

You might have to do some searching, but Encyocratella olivacea juveniles can be found within your price range. Not commonly, but they're out there.

The Tappies aren't defensive, but they're beautiful and so fast!

Asian arboreals will mostly be outside that price range and rarely on display. I have seen some WC violaceopes at good prices, but you'll never see them.

Have you owned the S. calceatum? I know that arboreals are more secretive than most terrestrials, but I'm just looking to avoid a repeat of the ghost that was my P. irminia. I saw him so rarely that he molted twice and matured between me actually seeing him. My P. striata is always on display, it's a rare day that she spends the day in her cork tube. This is uncommon, I know, I just don't want the arboreal version of a pet hole. The E. olivacea is gorgeous, and it seems to fit a lot of what I'm looking for according to others' accounts. I can't even find a sling for sale through my normal mediums, though. That one may take some digging.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

This is definitely what I was leaning towards, but they don't seem to be nearly as cheap here in the States. Slings go for about $30 (not bad, I know), and I've yet to find a juvie or an adult for sale. I've found some archived posts asking $200 for a subadult specimen - that's the only price I've been able to find, and it was almost three years old.

Man, such crazy, crazy, crazy prices. Here you can buy for $40 a juve or (if your lucky, or check Poland) a female. I know that prices are more higher in Northern America but Christ, now

 

[mistertim]

Maybe you should start a gofundme to pay for an S. calceatum.

"Please help me. I am in desperate need of a large spider that has very potent venom and a burning desire to murder me."

 

[Toxoderidae]

I was actually considering that one exactly. Even the coloration is great! But priority #1 is defensiveness to me, and they are certainly flight rather than fight. I mean hey, if I could run that fast, I'd never fight either!



This is definitely what I was leaning towards, but they don't seem to be nearly as cheap here in the States. Slings go for about $30 (not bad, I know), and I've yet to find a juvie or an adult for sale. I've found some archived posts asking $200 for a subadult specimen - that's the only price I've been able to find, and it was almost three years old.



Have you owned the S. calceatum? I know that arboreals are more secretive than most terrestrials, but I'm just looking to avoid a repeat of the ghost that was my P. irminia. I saw him so rarely that he molted twice and matured between me actually seeing him. My P. striata is always on display, it's a rare day that she spends the day in her cork tube. This is uncommon, I know, I just don't want the arboreal version of a pet hole. The E. olivacea is gorgeous, and it seems to fit a lot of what I'm looking for according to others' accounts. I can't even find a sling for sale through my normal mediums, though. That one may take some digging.

Come to Atlanta. They are so common, there was a 7inch adult female for $60 dollars. No one wants them here except me, and I'm not ready for one IMO.

 

[Thistles]

Have you owned the S. calceatum? I know that arboreals are more secretive than most terrestrials, but I'm just looking to avoid a repeat of the ghost that was my P. irminia. I saw him so rarely that he molted twice and matured between me actually seeing him. My P. striata is always on display, it's a rare day that she spends the day in her cork tube. This is uncommon, I know, I just don't want the arboreal version of a pet hole. The E. olivacea is gorgeous, and it seems to fit a lot of what I'm looking for according to others' accounts. I can't even find a sling for sale through my normal mediums, though. That one may take some digging.

I haven't owned an S cal, no. I've seen them occasionally for $70-100 for adult females though, so keep your eyes open and you might get lucky. I'll pick one up eventually but it's never been too pressing for me.

Irminia seems to be the shy one of the psalmo bunch. My cambridgei is out most of the time, as were my pulcher and reduncus once upon a time. She also ticks the "defensive" box. I have some slings of other Psalmo species now and I'm eager to see if their temperament changes as they grow.

I love my E. olivacea and I got lucky and grabbed 3 juveniles for great prices. Just keep your eyes peeled. They aren't especially defensive, but they're extremely heavy webbers. I had one years ago who was the same. They're never in their cork tubes. They make such dense web tunnels and platforms that they don't seem to feel the need to hide. I usually see their shapes behind web curtains.

My striata girls, like yours, are great for display. So are my ornata and vittata. Metallica, miranda and rufilata aren't out as frequently and probably out of your price range. Others I've had, like subfusca and regalis, seem to be somewhere in the middle of that behavior range.

 

[EulersK]

Come to Atlanta. They are so common, there was a 7inch adult female for $60 dollars. No one wants them here except me, and I'm not ready for one IMO.

I'd pay you a nice finder's fee to ship her to me Seriously. PM me if you're interested.

I love my E. olivacea and I got lucky and grabbed 3 juveniles for great prices. Just keep your eyes peeled. They aren't especially defensive, but they're extremely heavy webbers. I had one years ago who was the same. They're never in their cork tubes. They make such dense web tunnels and platforms that they don't seem to feel the need to hide. I usually see their shapes behind web curtains.

I love the look of this spider, and if they web like you say, then I'm even more interested. @sdsnybny was kind enough to point me in the direction of some slings and an adult - the adult is out of my price range, but the slings are tempting. How's the growth on this species? I hate slings. So, so much.

 

[Matabuey]

I hate slings. So, so much.

But they so cute

 

[Venom1080]

+1 for S cal. thats prob my next spider.. i pretty much only buy slings as they are sooooo much cheaper, i can handle the wait.

 

[EulersK]

But they so cute

They also fragile and boring. Now juveniles are adorable!

 

[Matabuey]

I'd say Cyriopagopus schioedtei or sp hati hati.

I think S.cal are overrated, personally. I have all three, and prefer the Cyriopagopus. No idea how much they cost there though.

 

[Toxoderidae]

I'd pay you a nice finder's fee to ship her to me Seriously. PM me if you're interested.



I love the look of this spider, and if they web like you say, then I'm even more interested. @sdsnybny was kind enough to point me in the direction of some slings and an adult - the adult is out of my price range, but the slings are tempting. How's the growth on this species? I hate slings. So, so much.

I'd just ship you the spider lol! People here in GA get all these sometimes rare spiders from imports, then sell them unaware of what they have. I've seen breeding pairs of species like rufilata for less than $175

 

[EulersK]

I'd say Cyriopagopus schioedtei

Wow, very interesting looking spider. The carapace is massive for an arboreal. Is it a strict arboreal like avics, or does it spend a lot of the time at ground level like a maculata?

 

[Matabuey]

Wow, very interesting looking spider. The carapace is massive for an arboreal. Is it a strict arboreal like avics, or does it spend a lot of the time at ground level like a maculata?

They're pretty.

Not like Avics no, they'll burrow when little and then become more arboreal with size. But I'm pretty sure they'll never be completely arboreal like an Avic, mine are only around 3inches right now.

Here's a bit more info: https://sites.google.com/site/asianarboreals/cyriopagopusschioedtei