most hardy and most delicate OW species

[ErinM31]

I am being tempted by the dark side... :wideyed: I have been keeping some of the hardiest terrestrial NW tarantulas as well as a collection of wolf spiders for a while now and very much enjoy observing the similar and different appearances and behaviors. And now I'm considering OW T's when I can next expand my collection... well, more OW T's, actually, since I did get an Idiothele mira sling several months back...

I LOVE the look of Heteroscodra maculata, even if they are among the more venomous and faster than thought, but what really gave me pause was reading that they are challenging to care for -- at least as slings, from what I understand.

I'm thinking that Psalmopoeus cambridgei might be a good next T for me and prepare me for caring for H. maculata and Poecilotheria besides being a beautiful T in their own right.

Where do other T's fall in the hardiness-delicacy spectrum? Surely there have been threads on this, but my terms have not yielded results beyond H. maculata and Avicularia being difficult to keep alive to maturity and P. cambridgei being good preparation for OW arboreals. Where do Poecilotheria fall in this spectrum or does it vary with species? I especially like P. regalis and some of the other black/gray/white species.

Thank you!

 

[Ungoliant]

I'm thinking that Psalmopoeus cambridgei might be a good next T for me and prepare me for caring for H. maculata and Poecilotheria besides being a beautiful T in their own right.

Psalmopoeus cambridgei is a great tarantula in its own right, even if you ultimately decide you have no interest in Old World arboreals.

 

[Venom1080]

A Psalmopoeus irminia would prepare much much better. Most defensive spider I own, not so much bolting, but lots of threat postures and grabbing the straw..

cambridgei are very mild when compared.

H macs can act just like irminia on their worst days I find, but prefer bolting. And it's always top speed.

I've only raised one h mac and cambrigei. So it's possible I just have weird specimens.

Poecilotheria are very drought tolerant, good eaters, and fast growers.

 

[Poec54]

Hardy OW: Ceratogyrus. This a great OW genus, and they're not prone to running out of their cages. They're always hungry, and while they'll stand in defensive poses, they usually hold their ground and stay in one spot (the opposite of P murinus). I would not make the jump to OW arboreals yet. It's a whole different ball game. They're fast & unpredictable, and minor mistakes can result in escapes and unpleasant bites. Best to take it in stages unless you're in some sort of rush (like being incarcerated in the near future).

Delicate OW: O violaceopes. Although I have bred mine and gotten 4 or 5 sacs, they have more molting deaths than any other species I've had. That applies to OV juveniles to adult females.

 

[miss moxie]

I'm convinced a P. murinus could survive the Nuclear Holocaust so.

 

[The Grym Reaper]

I LOVE the look of Heteroscodra maculata, even if they are among the more venomous and faster than thought, but what really gave me pause was reading that they are challenging to care for -- at least as slings, from what I understand.

I don't know if it's the same over your side of the pond but juvies are cheap and readily available here.

I got 2 slings as part of a mystery box and one died within a few days (I suspect that I might have kept it too dry due to worrying about keeping it too wet), the other has moulted twice and is about an inch now.

 

[ErinM31]

I don't know if it's the same over your side of the pond but juvies are cheap and readily available here.

I got 2 slings as part of a mystery box and one died within a few days (I suspect that I might have kept it too dry due to worrying about keeping it too wet), the other has moulted twice and is about an inch now.

True, they're not expensive, but I hate for creatures to die in my care unless it is of old age (or they are feeder insects!). If I would not be able to provide them with proper care then I should not get them even. I am unclear on how delicate H. maculata slings and adults are. I am thinking it might be better for me to get Psalmopoeus cambridgei and/or a Ceratogyrus species (I have to look up which don't have horns, lol) and then Poeciliotheria species as they sound like they are hardier than H. maculata as well as easier to care for, less venomous and out where I can admire them more (H. maculata abhor light, right?). I know Poeciliotheria are also fast and venomous but my understanding is that H. maculata have them beat in both regards.

 

[boina]

I've only started with baboons a few months ago, but I've been keeping Asian arboreals a bit longer. So far I've to say either you really, really love Asian arboreals or you can as well leave them be (except Pokies), because I hardly ever see mine, my L. sp. Borneo black being a surprise exception. Pokies are a bit more visible then the rest of the bunch, though, and they are not difficult to care for or delicate, either.

My Harpactira slings (namaquensis and cafreriana) are an absolute delight, though. They are hardy, like it dry, are practically always out and are generally easy to care for, although they can be fast. You don't hear about them that often and that's a shame. H. pulchripes is similar in care, I hear, but probably out less often.

Pterinochilus is practically indestructible as a genus - some of the hardiest spiders there are. Sometimes they do, however, live up to their reputation... looking at you, P. chordatus . My OBT is harmless compared to this one.

Ceratogyrus species (I have to look up which don't have horns,

Ceratogyrus meridionalis! Yes! The only one without horns and the prettiest one anyway . Mine are very skittish as small slings (I've 4) and may be a bit difficult and need prekilled prey, but they grow bolder as they get just a little bigger (I've 2 bigger slings from a different sac, too). I love this species.

 

[The Grym Reaper]

I am unclear on how delicate H. maculata slings and adults are.

They're pretty hardy once they pass 1.5-2", it's just small slings that are on the delicate side.

I am thinking it might be better for me to get Psalmopoeus cambridgei and/or a Ceratogyrus species (I have to look up which don't have horns, lol) and then Poeciliotheria species as they sound like they are hardier than H. maculata as well as easier to care for, less venomous and out where I can admire them more (H. maculata abhor light, right?)

I'm honestly not a massive fan of P. cambridgei, I turned down loads of freebie slings when I started out, the AB hype train convinced me to get one and I probably won't get another once mine hooks out and goes off for breeding duty.
Psalmopoeus are a good bridge genus if you want to get into OW arboreals, if you're confident/competent with keeping them then you're probably good to keep Pokies, if you're going to jump to those then I think subfusca are at the calmer end of the scale but pretty much anything other than ornata or rufilata should be okay.
My H. mac hides a lot but doesn't run from the light, I've shone a torch directly on it plenty of times and it hasn't so much as flinched, it bolts back down to the bottom of its web tube/burrow when I touch its enclosure though, it's probably due a rehouse after its next moult so that should be fun.

 

[cold blood]

The single most "delicate" ow ive owned was H. mac slings....aside from that, violaceopes comes to mind.

Pretty much any baboon is very hardy and tough.

 

[viper69]

Ceratogyrus is the best beginner OW genus.

 

[Red Eunice]

Ceratogyrus is the best beginner OW genus.

The downside is they are a "fast" growing species. Males mature in a year or less, best to buy a confirmed female.

 

[viper69]

The downside is they are a "fast" growing species. Males mature in a year or less, best to buy a confirmed female.

If you get a male, it gives you reason to get another and sell that one

 

[Ungoliant]

The downside is they are a "fast" growing species. Males mature in a year or less, best to buy a confirmed female.

Fortunately, (at least with Ceratogyrus marshalli) it is easy to identify a female. Juvenile and adult females have horns; males do not.

I just got my first OW this weekend, a female Ceratogyrus marshalli, and I love her. The horn is weird even by tarantula standards. (When I was new to the hobby and first saw a picture of one, I had to ask what that growth was.)

 

[Andrea82]

I put a vote in for the Augacephalus genus as a first OW. Absolutely stunning, great feeders and mine are out a lot, showing off their gorgeous carapace.

 

[Ungoliant]

I put a vote in for the Augacephalus genus as a first OW. Absolutely stunning, great feeders and mine are out a lot, showing off their gorgeous carapace.

That was on my short list as well, and if I had seen one at the show, I might have gotten that instead. But I do like my little unicorn, and I liked that I could get a guaranteed female just by looking for the horn.

 

[Andrea82]

That was on my short list as well, and if I had seen one at the show, I might have gotten that instead. But I do like my little unicorn, and I liked that I could get a guaranteed female just by looking for the horn.

Only females have horns? (Don't know much about this genus, sorry)

 

[Ungoliant]

Only females have horns? (Don't know much about this genus, sorry)

I don't know about other species, but Ceratogyrus marshalli is sexually dimorphic, and according to @cold blood, you may see a button on the female as early as 2".

 

[cold blood]

The downside is they are a "fast" growing species. Males mature in a year or less, best to buy a confirmed female.

Males have taken me a little longer than that to mature....also on females, growth is indeed fast to about 3.5-4", then it slows waaaaaay down....but yes, they get out of the sling stage pretty quickly for a t.

Fortunately, (at least with Ceratogyrus marshalli) it is easy to identify a female. Juvenile and adult females have horns; males do not.

I just got my first OW this weekend, a female Ceratogyrus marshalli, and I love her. The horn is weird even by tarantula standards. (When I was new to the hobby and first saw a picture of one, I had to ask what that growth was.)

Pay attention if you ever catch it molting....that horn will wiggle as it pushes off the old exo....very fascinating to witness.

I put a vote in for the Augacephalus genus as a first OW. Absolutely stunning, great feeders and mine are out a lot, showing off their gorgeous carapace.

IMO they are the best starter OWs, but Ceratogryus isnt far behind.

I don't know about other species, but Ceratogyrus marshalli is sexually dimorphic, and according to @cold blood, you may see a button on the female as early as 2".

young female...all horney..

Ceratogyrus marshalli

• cold blood
• Jan 13, 2017
• 2
• ceratogyrus ceratogyrus cornuatus ceratogyrus marshalli female great horned baboon tarantula marshalli mature female straight horned baboon tarantula straighthorned tarantula

marshalli

this is a male...penultimate....no trace of a horn...

Male Ceratogyrus marshalli

• cold blood
• Jan 30, 2017
• ceratogyrus ceratogyrus cornuatus ceratogyrus marshalli great horned baboon tarantula male marshalli straight horned baboon tarantula straighthorned tarantula

male marshalli

 

[awiec]

The downside is they are a "fast" growing species. Males mature in a year or less, best to buy a confirmed female.

I don't see it as a downside, you get to experience all the life stages in a short time frame, then sell/trade/loan him to get some more.