Is Poecilotheria Metallica a good second T?

[Dyllon Wittenmeyer]

The title pretty much speaks for itself. If not why? what would you choose as a substitute? I really want a colorful Arboreal T, that only gets around 6 inches as an adult female. if you have some safer suggestions feel free to share. If yes why?

Some bonus questions:
-Have you ever been bitten? What is the potency and injury like?

-Are they only considered challenging because of their speed as well as their venom?

-Have you ever had an escape?

 

[Thekla]

The title pretty much speaks for itself. If not why? what would you choose as a substitute? I really want a colorful Arboreal T, that only gets around 6 inches as an adult female. if you have some safer suggestions feel free to share. If yes why?

I would definitely say no, because of this:

Are they only considered challenging because of their speed as well as their venom?

A much safer and more beginner-friendly suggestion would be Caribena versicolor. A beautiful arboreal T that won't get too big and is quite easy to care for if you're willing to do the necessary research.
They're also going through some amazing colour changes:

thirsty blue ball of fluff

• Thekla
• May 5, 2018
• 10
• antilles pinktoe tarantula avicularia versicolor caribena caribena versicolor drinking female martinique pinktoe tarantula sling versicolor

Caught my 3/4" C. versicolor sling drinking for the first time. So cute!

C. versicolor

• Thekla
• Nov 2, 2018
• 3
• antilles pinktoe tarantula avicularia versicolor caribena caribena versicolor martinique pinktoe tarantula sling versicolor

Mr or Mrs Blue Berry after its 4th moult in my care. It's roughly 1 3/4" now. And way too cute...

Mrs Blue Berry loves her hammock! ♥

• Thekla
• Jun 23, 2019
• antilles pinktoe tarantula avicularia versicolor caribena caribena versicolor female juvenile female martinique pinktoe tarantula versicolor

What do you do on a sunny Sunday afternoon when it's hot, all chores are done and you're just...

Mrs Blue Berry being pretty!

• Thekla
• Sep 14, 2019
• 8
• antilles pinktoe tarantula avicularia versicolor caribena caribena versicolor female martinique pinktoe tarantula versicolor

I just rehoused my C. versicolor into her - hopefully - forever home. And you know how it is...

 

[Arachnophoric]

What is the other T you keep? 100% back what @Thekla said. P. metallica are very fast, photosensitive, potent OW arboreals that can pack a lot of heat in the blink of an eye and make a poor choice for 2nd T if you have no experience keeping old world tarantulas. P. metallica also can exceed 6".

C. versicolor definitely seem more appropriate to recommend, since we don't know what else you keep. They stay a bit smaller though, ~4.5" is common for adult females, so if you're wanting something a little bigger, Avicularia metallica (also known as Avicularia avicularia M6) maxes out right about 6". They're not as colorful as C. versicolor, but are still stunning with steely blue coloration accented with "fiberoptic" white-tipped setae. Look like little walking galaxies with pink toes.

 

[Dyllon Wittenmeyer]

What is the other T you keep? 100% back what @Thekla said. P. metallica are very fast, photosensitive, potent OW arboreals that can pack a lot of heat in the blink of an eye and make a poor choice for 2nd T if you have no experience keeping old world tarantulas. P. metallica also can exceed 6".

C. versicolor definitely seem more appropriate to recommend, since we don't know what else you keep. They stay a bit smaller though, ~4.5" is common for adult females, so if you're wanting something a little bigger, Avicularia metallica (also known as Avicularia avicularia M6) maxes out right about 6". They're not as colorful as C. versicolor, but are still stunning with steely blue coloration accented with "fiberoptic" white-tipped setae. Look like little walking galaxies with pink toes.

I keep a male Avic Metallica

What is the other T you keep? 100% back what @Thekla said. P. metallica are very fast, photosensitive, potent OW arboreals that can pack a lot of heat in the blink of an eye and make a poor choice for 2nd T if you have no experience keeping old world tarantulas. P. metallica also can exceed 6".

C. versicolor definitely seem more appropriate to recommend, since we don't know what else you keep. They stay a bit smaller though, ~4.5" is common for adult females, so if you're wanting something a little bigger, Avicularia metallica (also known as Avicularia avicularia M6) maxes out right about 6". They're not as colorful as C. versicolor, but are still stunning with steely blue coloration accented with "fiberoptic" white-tipped setae. Look like little walking galaxies with pink toes.

I would like to get in to old worlds, so if you feel theres something that would make a good beginner OW that meets what im looking for then feel, free to suggest them. I dont have fear of much but am worried of escapes with my small child around mostly.

 

[Thekla]

I dont have fear of much but am worried of escapes with my small child around mostly.

And there's an even better reason why you shouldn't get into OWs just yet.

 

[Arachnophoric]

I would like to get in to old worlds, so if you feel theres something that would make a good beginner OW that meets what im looking for then feel, free to suggest them. I dont have fear of much but am worried of escapes with my small child around mostly.

A great genus to look into if you're wanting to get into OW arboreals and work toward that P. metallica would be Psalmopoeus. They're basically an old world arboreal in a new world package. Quick, temperamental, fast growers with a GREAT appetite and a pretty good variety of species without having the consequences of OW venom if things go sideways and someone gets bit. I'd be inclined to point you towards either P. cambridgei, P. pulcher, or P. irminia. Keeping in mind that P. cambridgei are known to surpass the 6" threshold, getting as large as 7".

~4"+ female P. cambridgei

Aunt Fanny

• Arachnophoric
• Dec 22, 2019
• 4
• cambridgei psalmopoeus psalmopoeus cambridgei trinidad chevron tarantula

I picked up this incredibly robust girl Friday, if not for the fact that she's only ~4.25" I'd...

~4"+ female P. pulcher


~4"+ female P. irminia

Tiger Cage

• Arachnophoric
• May 25, 2019
• female irminia psalmopoeus psalmopoeus irminia suntiger tarantula venezuelan suntiger tarantula

Quelaag was not enthusiastic in the slightest about today's rehouse, but on the bright side it...

Get a good sized juvie and nail down general maintenance/rehousings with fast, flighty, defensive arboreals under your belt. You'll be raising an adult in as quick as a year. If you can handle raising a Psalmopoeus without incident or escapes, you should be able to handle raising a Poecilotheria.

 

[Dyllon Wittenmeyer]

A great genus to look into if you're wanting to get into OW arboreals and work toward that P. metallica would be Psalmopoeus. They're basically an old world arboreal in a new world package. Quick, temperamental, fast growers with a GREAT appetite and a pretty good variety of species without having the consequences of OW venom if things go sideways and someone gets bit. I'd be inclined to point you towards either P. cambridgei, P. pulcher, or P. irminia. Keeping in mind that P. cambridgei are known to surpass the 6" threshold, getting as large as 7".

~4"+ female P. cambridgei

Aunt Fanny

• Arachnophoric
• Dec 22, 2019
• 4
• cambridgei psalmopoeus psalmopoeus cambridgei trinidad chevron tarantula

I picked up this incredibly robust girl Friday, if not for the fact that she's only ~4.25" I'd...

~4"+ female P. pulcher
View attachment 329493

~4"+ female P. irminia

Tiger Cage

• Arachnophoric
• May 25, 2019
• female irminia psalmopoeus psalmopoeus irminia suntiger tarantula venezuelan suntiger tarantula

Quelaag was not enthusiastic in the slightest about today's rehouse, but on the bright side it...

Get a good sized juvie and nail down general maintenance/rehousings with fast, flighty, defensive arboreals under your belt. You'll be raising an adult in as quick as a year. If you can handle raising a Psalmopoeus without incident or escapes, you should be able to handle raising a Poecilotheria.

Awesome thank you guys! RESEARCH TIME COMMENCES!

 

[Vanisher]

I keep a male Avic Metallica

A metallica is relatively slow, often not skittish, non defenssive and they are placid and has mild venom. A P metallica is the other way around!

Not a very good second tarantula. A goid substitute, i dont know. I was about to say Psalmopoeus, but they are too defenssive and not good eigher. I suggest you get more experience with other Avicularia before getting a Psalmopoeus ir a Poecilotheria

 

[The Grym Reaper]

If not why? what would you choose as a substitute?

I keep a male Avic Metallica

I would like to get in to old worlds

Taking these things into account, I would recommend something from the genus Psalmopoeus, probably P. irminia seeing as you want a colourful one. Similar speed/temperament but won't mess you up anywhere near as much if you get tagged.

0.1 Psalmopoeus irminia

• The Grym Reaper
• May 7, 2019
• 1
• female irminia psalmopoeus psalmopoeus irminia subadult female suntiger tarantula venezuelan suntiger venezuelan suntiger tarantula

Shadowcat chilling out in the open again.

-Have you ever been bitten? What is the potency and injury like?

I've not personally been bitten but people who have been tagged have described pain akin to sticking your hand in a deep fat fryer.

Symptoms can include extreme pain, muscle spasms/cramping, Arrhythmia, profuse sweating, nausea/vomiting, and headaches/dizziness. Symptoms can last for weeks after being bitten.

-Are they only considered challenging because of their speed as well as their venom?

They are ridiculously fast, extremely skittish/flighty, can be very defensive, and have potent venom.

-Have you ever had an escape?

No but my P. metallica is probably the one spider in my collection that would probably just bolt out of its enclosure for the hell of it given how scatty it is.