Most fun tarantulas to keep

[Tarantula155]

A geniculata or Phormictopus cancerides are easily the most fun species.

 

[Gabenga]

Depends on what you call fun. If you're a beginner, Albos the way as others said, but if you want REAL fun, get a P. Irminia. You wont be bored, especially if you need to chase it around the house like i had to

 

[zeeman]

My most active T of all my "beginner" T's has been my M robustum. It's a beautiful T and its re-arranged its enclosure several times. My only complaint aside from there now being 2 water dishes in the small enclosure (because one is now completely buried) is i didn't get to watch it due the re-arranging.

My G actaeon is always out but it doesn't so a whole bunch. My A geniculata has promise when it gets older but right now its doing sling things.

I'd vote the popular show species which tend to all be terrestrials over an arboreal any day. The two I have just kind of hang out.

 

[Craig73]

I'd vote the popular show species which tend to all be terrestrials over an arboreal any day. The two I have just kind of hang out.

Then you’re doing it wrong, j/k.

Where you get the bang for the buck on arboreals aside for some amazing color is feeding time and sometimes the amazing web hammocks and tubes. Avics (fanboy here) can have a really good feeding response once they assess the pray. It’s not as energy packed of a take down like some of the other arboreals but watching their gentle quality is satisfying just the same, for myself at least.

 

[USNGunner]

I'm going to the dwarf side here. My Bolivian Dwarf Beauty ( Cyriocosmus Perezmilesi) is a way cool little T. Gorgeous colors, and one very very affirmative feeder. That spood is a stone cold hunter. The take downs are amazing. One second there is a B. Lat walking, the next second nada. It is freaking impressive.

A tad bit skittish, but a bolt to the hide type, not a freaking out type. Did I mention gorgeous? That orange carapace is amazing. And a great eater. Definitely a must have. Great beginner as well.

Where you get the bang for the buck on arboreals aside for some amazing color is feeding time and sometimes the amazing web hammocks and tubes. Avics (fanboy here) can have a really good feeding response once they assess the pray. It’s not as energy packed of a take down like some of the other arboreals but watching their gentle quality is satisfying just the same, for myself at least.

I have a C. Versicolor, and while she's gorgeous, she is definitely and "I'll get it eventually" feeder. And way skittish. I get it, she(?) is still a tiny spiderling, but she is no where near the take down artist my Cyriocosmus Perezmilesi is. That beasty is fun to feed.

 

[jrh3]

I would say:

T. Albopilosum because all of mine are bulldozers and always active.

N. Incei because they build some of the most amazing webs.

 

[The Grym Reaper]

0.1 Grammostola iheringi

• The Grym Reaper
• Aug 23, 2020
• 1
• entre rios red rump entre rios tarantula female grammastola grammostola iheringi iheringi subadult subadult female

Sareena rocking her new suit.

0.1 Acanthoscurria geniculata

• The Grym Reaper
• May 22, 2020
• 2
• acanthoscurria acanthoscurria geniculata adult adult female brazilian giant white knee female geniculata giant white knee

Rogue stuffing her face.

0.1 Nhandu chromatus

• The Grym Reaper
• Jul 20, 2020
• adult adult female brazilian red and white chromatus female nhandu nhandu chromatus red and white striped birdeater

Storm rocking her new suit

 

[kylecelo]

Best fun species to keep:
Terrestrial- T.Albo, G. Pulchripes, Rosea
Fossorial- Meridionalis, Marshalli, OBT (although these are kind of defensive, always throws threat poses but are still very fun to keep. They're gorgeous too.)
Arboreal- P.Irminia, P.Cambridgei, P.Metallica, Avic Avic
Some of these are not beginner species but definitely a must have in your collection. Mostly defensive but are really worth it to keep

 

[nicodimus22]

A geniculata for me. They check so many boxes.

 

[CommanderBacon]

Depends on what you call fun. If you're a beginner, Albos the way as others said, but if you want REAL fun, get a P. Irminia. You wont be bored, especially if you need to chase it around the house like i had to

If you want to pretend like you don't actually own a tarantula but enjoy keeping a container with dirt and wood in it, get a P irminia XD I saw my boy twice the entire time he was with me, from sling to mature male.

Tbh the most fun T in my collection ever was my Acanthoscurria geniculata. He was a nutball. I enjoyed every moment of keeping his goofy butt. I mean, he was already a subadult when I got him, but I sobbed for three hours when I shipped him off to a sexy vacation in December. I was so in love with him and his crazy antics, it really hurt to see him go, but I hated watching him search for ladies when none were available after he matured out, so off he went.

Now I have five of his babies :3 They are all crazy, too.

 

[Gabenga]

If you want to pretend like you don't actually own a tarantula but enjoy keeping a container with dirt and wood in it, get a P irminia XD I saw my boy twice the entire time he was with me, from sling to mature male.

Tbh the most fun T in my collection ever was my Acanthoscurria geniculata. He was a nutball. I enjoyed every moment of keeping his goofy butt. I mean, he was already a subadult when I got him, but I sobbed for three hours when I shipped him off to a sexy vacation in December. I was so in love with him and his crazy antics, it really hurt to see him go, but I hated watching him search for ladies when none were available after he matured out, so off he went.

Now I have five of his babies :3 They are all crazy, too.

Mine built a pretty spectacular dirt courtain, and spends most of his time behind it, but when he's out its gorgeous. And to be honest, i might be even glad that i dont see him often. The water change and things like that are tense enough, waiting for him to rush out from the dirt courtain just to make a run for it, or attack anything that moves.

To the topic: I might add M. Balfouri, it's good looking, good webber, and has a good feeding response too. Not a pet rock either. But mind you its still an old world, even if its not as haisty as others, so absolutely not a beginner friendly T.

 

[Matt Man]

I have a C. Versicolor, and while she's gorgeous, she is definitely and "I'll get it eventually" feeder. And way skittish. I get it, she(?) is still a tiny spiderling, but she is no where near the take down artist my Cyriocosmus Perezmilesi is. That beasty is fun to feed.

My adult Versi feeds the same way, though she is less skittish.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

A. geniculata because it's basically 'Slimer' of 'Ghostbusters' with eight legs

 

[basin79]

I have a C. Versicolor, and while she's gorgeous, she is definitely and "I'll get it eventually" feeder. And way skittish. I get it, she(?) is still a tiny spiderling, but she is no where near the take down artist my Cyriocosmus Perezmilesi is. That beasty is fun to feed.

That'll change when yours puts on some size. Something hits her web it's hit.

 

[spideyspinneret78]

For me I'd say Nhandu species. My N. coloratovillosus has impressed me from the beginning. Always out, active, HUNGRY, beautiful, and with a spicy attitude. She's probably the most visible and active of my Ts, and never turns down a meal unless it's immediately before a molt.

Oh, and P. cambridgei. Again, always visible with an amazing feeding response. Highly underrated spider. Plus they have a sort of subtle beauty to them that I really like.

 

[Jesse607]

Even as an experienced keeper, I'm heavily biased towards the Tliltocatl genus. So many good characteristics! That being said, there are so many fun species/genera across the board, especially if(or once) you are comfortable with "intermediate" and "advanced" species.

 

[KenNet]

Acanthoscurria geniculata
Davus pentaloris.
Easy must have species to start with.

After that you will find your way. For me that was Orphnaecus.

 

[Paul Bisacca]

Pink Toe - poop launcher!

 

[Tarantula155]

For me, its easy....G. pulchripes and T. albopilosus.

4 big reasons i like them over all other beginner species.

1. while neither grow fast, they both grow much faster than most other beginners. This means you learn more faster and get to see them molt a little more often and...

2. Both have top notch appetites.


3. Both tend to be more active, carrying sub around, digging holes and sometimes making burrow systems...but hunger sees them out in the open a lot (like most beginner species).

4. Lastly is cost and availability. Both are important because a first shouldnt be an expensive investment...its your first try afterall.

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I like the look of G pulchripes but reading a lot of other experiences is they grow quite slow and I hear their appetites are not all that

 

[cold blood]

I like the look of G pulchripes but reading a lot of other experiences is they grow quite slow and I hear their appetites are not all that

They grow faster than most beginner species up to about 3"...at 3" the growth does slow way down, but they already have that adult look and care.

As for the appetite, you have been misinformed, they are excellent eaters right out of the sac and all the way to old age. Now as they get large, molt cycles are long, and any t with a long molt cycle that's fed heavily will have very long fasting periods...but thats on the keeper to not over feed.

Ive raised 350 at a time (half a sac) and many other individuals since and before...poor eaters are very uncommon, like 1 in 100 IME...slow growers are usually just housed in too large of an enclosure. I used to feed 1-300 at a time, and every time all the way to juvie I would only see food refusals when they were in pre molt.