My tarantula list, opinions??

TechnoGeek

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Hi there folks!

First of all I'm thrilled to join you, I been a lurker for a while when I was doing my research before getting into this.

So without any further bla bla bla, here's the list:

Grammostola pulchra
Grammostola pulchripes
Lasiodora parahybana

Not exactly Ts but also:
Damon diamonda (tailless whip scorpion)
Vinegaroon
Pandinus Imperator

Later on (near future):
Curly hair T

So what do you guys think? I already have the G pulchra sling and she is adorable (about 2" atm). Supposed to go pickup the tailless whip this Saturday and prolly the vinegaroon too. Lasiodora parahybana is coming in a week or so (just molted and I wanna wait for the exoskeleton to harden and be ready to eat before I get it (3" female). Local pet shop promised they'll stock G pulchripes very soon and I'll pickup a female asap.

Anything you guys feel I should know about them?I looking for things that are calm and unlikely to bite, and that don't have a medically significant venom. I understand owning old world Ts, but it just ain't for me. Not when new world species are just an order of magnitude more manageable and still fascinating.

Does any of the above require heating? My room temp is between 23° C and 29.5 for summer months when I ain't at home and AC is switched off. I'm also using cocoa fiber for all of em. Roaches illegal in Canada so I'm feeding a mix of mealworms and crickets (might add supers soon). I'm feeding slings twice a week. Do you guys disagree with any of the above? Finally, think I should reconsider any of them?

Cheers!
 
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zyphonix223

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I have a P. Imperator, don't know what a Damon diamond is. But I've been planning on getting a Lasiodora parahybana and the grammostolas. I also recommend a Chromatopelma Cyaneopubescens bcs of their beautiful color and light temperament. Vinegaroon seems like a cool pet.
 

TechnoGeek

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I have a P. Imperator, don't know what a Damon diamond is. But I've been planning on getting a Lasiodora parahybana and the grammostolas. I also recommend a Chromatopelma Cyaneopubescens bcs of their beautiful color and light temperament. Vinegaroon seems like a cool pet.
Damon diamonda is the tailless whip scorp, very interesting look, no venom, not agressive and kinda arboreal which is a good change. Only downside is it prefers roaches which I can't feed it but I'm sure it'll do just fine on crickets and mealworms
 

NukaMedia Exotics

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No heating, the pulchra, LP, and pulchripes can all be kept on 3" or so of coconut fiber with a full water dish overflown every so often to have a little damp area of soil.
 

cold blood

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Damon diamonda is the tailless whip scorp, very interesting look, no venom, not agressive and kinda arboreal which is a good change. Only downside is it prefers roaches which I can't feed it but I'm sure it'll do just fine on crickets and mealworms
Fascinating creatures.....I love them....they eat crickets fine, mealworms I haven't tried as they seem to key in on movement and if you crush the heads, the worms don't move enough for the whips....fine for ts....but if you don't crush heads, worms just burrow away.


Make sure they have a lot of space, they need room when molting or things can go bad.
 

TechnoGeek

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Fascinating creatures.....I love them....they eat crickets fine, mealworms I haven't tried as they seem to key in on movement and if you crush the heads, the worms don't move enough for the whips....fine for ts....but if you don't crush heads, worms just burrow away.


Make sure they have a lot of space, they need room when molting or things can go bad.
For the tailless whip you mean? 5 gal terrarium with verticale space for climbing? Or go crazy and get a 10 gal? But those guys don't exactly get big
 

cold blood

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For the tailless whip you mean? 5 gal terrarium with verticale space for climbing? Or go crazy and get a 10 gal? But those guys don't exactly get big
Depends on the species...they just need space between their wood and the walls of the enclosure....more then you would think.

 

TechnoGeek

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No heating, the pulchra, LP, and pulchripes can all be kept on 3" or so of coconut fiber with a full water dish overflown every so often to have a little damp area of soil.
I spray a corner of the deli cup/enclosure and provide a water dish. Respray weekly as the sub dries. I already saw the pulchra sling climb the dish to drink and was astonished lol. Never imagined they drink like dogs

Depends on the species...they just need space between their wood and the walls of the enclosure....more then you would think.

The pet shop owner (who was very nice and helpful) told me the only adults measuring 7 inches plus really need a 10 gal enclosure and that putting small ones in a large enclosure could stress them or make finding food and water difficult, dunno if you guys agree. I'll ask to see an adult whippy and estimate its full size. Thanks for the tip about the space between the bark and the enclosure wall!
 
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EtienneN

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Just one more piece of advice; You probably want to wear gloves when touching/cleaning your LPs water dish. Their urticating hairs can be very itchy and irritating.
 

TechnoGeek

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Just one more piece of advice; You probably want to wear gloves when touching/cleaning your LPs water dish. Their urticating hairs can be very itchy and irritating.
Gosh. I handled an adult female in the petshop and she was chill. Was that me being lucky? Like do they have a habit for biting/flicking hairs?

Wonder if I should cancel that order. What can the hairs do as long as they don't get in my nose/eyes?
 

EtienneN

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Gosh. I handled an adult female in the petshop and she was chill. Was that me being lucky? Like do they have a habit for biting/flicking hairs?

Wonder if I should cancel that order. What can the hairs do as long as they don't get in my nose/eyes?
Oh, LPs are definitely manageable for beginners. Barring eye contamination, repeated exposure to the actual hairs on/in your skin will lead to increasing degrees of inflammation. But literally nitrile gloves will be definitely enough of a barrier to keep you from getting a ‘contact rash’. Some LPs are more relaxed than others. But it could also be that the one you held was just ‘having a good day’. They will often kick hairs to line their cage/enclosure so that they feel safe from predators. So if you touch anything inside the cage there’s a good chance it might have hairs on it. Just be mindful of that fact and you shouldn’t have any problems.
 

TechnoGeek

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Oh, LPs are definitely manageable for beginners. Barring eye contamination, repeated exposure to the actual hairs on/in your skin will lead to increasing degrees of inflammation. But literally nitrile gloves will be definitely enough of a barrier to keep you from getting a ‘contact rash’. Some LPs are more relaxed than others. But it could also be that the one you held was just ‘having a good day’. They will often kick hairs to line their cage/enclosure so that they feel safe from predators. So if you touch anything inside the cage there’s a good chance it might have hairs on it. Just be mindful of that fact and you shouldn’t have any problems.
Thanks mate! I really want one cause they're huge, they grow fast, and look cool with those pink hairs
 

cold blood

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Thanks mate! I really want one cause they're huge, they grow fast, and look cool with those pink hairs
The truth is that they aren't any larger, or grow faster than many many large NW terrestrials. These things, particularly size, are constantly exaggerated to sell slings.

An LP is a 7-8" spider...males can mature even smaller.
 

TechnoGeek

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The truth is that they aren't any larger, or grow faster than many many large NW terrestrials. These things, particularly size, are constantly exaggerated to sell slings.

An LP is a 7-8" spider...males can mature even smaller.
Oh, isn't that the size of an adult female pulchra or pulchripes??

Anyways, I think they're still a valid option no? They still look quite cool
 

EtienneN

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My male G. pulchra was about 5 inches and my not quite fully adult sized G. pulchripes is about 5.5 inches. The biggest I’ve heard an LP get was 8.5” so definitely at around the 8” mark still a decently sized spider.
 

TechnoGeek

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My male G. pulchra was about 5 inches and my not quite fully adult sized G. pulchripes is about 5.5 inches. The biggest I’ve heard an LP get was 8.5” so definitely at around the 8” mark still a decently sized spider.
My pulchra is a female. Not that interested in male spiders except when I'm ready to breed my pulchra which is one amazing arachnid by all standards.
 

EtienneN

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I’m in love with pulchras. The one I have now is 0.7 inches. Kind of one of the cutest things ever. They are normally just so chill and laid back. They love to dig so it’s neat watching them dig and carry clods of dirt around in their fangs. :D
 

zyphonix223

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Damon diamonda is the tailless whip scorp, very interesting look, no venom, not agressive and kinda arboreal which is a good change. Only downside is it prefers roaches which I can't feed it but I'm sure it'll do just fine on crickets and mealworms
Ohhh yea, I love em, just didn't know the scientific name XD I want one but won't get it bcs It looks so delicate. And ye it sucks to not have roaches, I live in Canada and we have to use shitty crickets and burrowing mealworms lol
 

Tim Benzedrine

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Oh, isn't that the size of an adult female pulchra or pulchripes??

Anyways, I think they're still a valid option no? They still look quite cool
They are. Of O remember correcctly I believe CB considers them to be overrated and overexaggerated. I disagree, at least on the overrated matter. I really like mine. There are others that can reach similar sizes that are more attractive (which is subjective, I considers LPs to be attractive by their own rights) but another attractive factor is costLPs are quite inexpensive, and frequently given away as freebies by sellers. Won't happen in a pet store, of course.


I wouldn't let the LP urticating hairs be a deterrent, unless it turns out you have a really bad reaction to them. In which case, I don't think that would stop me either, I'd just exercise even more caution. I've raised mine from a small s'ling to a pretty hefty adult female, and I've not gotten a hair on me so far as far as I know.She is one of my favourites. Remember, practically all NWs have urticating hairs, some species just have more potent ones than others. I think inhaling them or getting them in you eyes especially could be bad news no matter how potent they are.
G. pulchripes are nice. Reach a decent size and are attractive, and mine is mellow. Slow grower, though.
Curly hairs are very popular, never kept one, but might not pass one up if the opportunity presented itself. Nor have I had G. pulchra, but the same applies.

Never had a P. imperator, but have several H. petersii. They are cool, but not the most dynamic creatures, spending a lot of time burrowed or hidden beneath a hide. I imagine that imperators are similar, but somebody else will have to confirm that. petersii, however, I think imperators are probably a good bit more docile. All of my petersii are pretty cranky when disturbed or even if they think they are going to be disturbed.

Can't add anything about whips, but I think they are interesting visually at the very least.
 

TechnoGeek

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I’m in love with pulchras. The one I have now is 0.7 inches. Kind of one of the cutest things ever. They are normally just so chill and laid back. They love to dig so it’s neat watching them dig and carry clods of dirt around in their fangs. :D
That's odd, my pulchra sling hasn't made an effort to dig nothing yet. On the contrary, she often sits on the wall of her deli cup. Her deli cup has a moist part and a dry part and she moves between the 2 choosing one spot over the other every now and then.

In fact here are a few pics:









This normal?

They are. Of O remember correcctly I believe CB considers them to be overrated and overexaggerated. I disagree, at least on the overrated matter. I really like mine. There are others that can reach similar sizes that are more attractive (which is subjective, I considers LPs to be attractive by their own rights) but another attractive factor is costLPs are quite inexpensive, and frequently given away as freebies by sellers. Won't happen in a pet store, of course.


I wouldn't let the LP urticating hairs be a deterrent, unless it turns out you have a really bad reaction to them. In which case, I don't think that would stop me either, I'd just exercise even more caution. I've raised mine from a small s'ling to a pretty hefty adult female, and I've not gotten a hair on me so far as far as I know.She is one of my favourites. Remember, practically all NWs have urticating hairs, some species just have more potent ones than others. I think inhaling them or getting them in you eyes especially could be bad news no matter how potent they are.
G. pulchripes are nice. Reach a decent size and are attractive, and mine is mellow. Slow grower, though.
Curly hairs are very popular, never kept one, but might not pass one up if the opportunity presented itself. Nor have I had G. pulchra, but the same applies.

Never had a P. imperator, but have several H. petersii. They are cool, but not the most dynamic creatures, spending a lot of time burrowed or hidden beneath a hide. I imagine that imperators are similar, but somebody else will have to confirm that. petersii, however, I think imperators are probably a good bit more docile. All of my petersii are pretty cranky when disturbed or even if they think they are going to be disturbed.

Can't add anything about whips, but I think they are interesting visually at the very least.
I wanted something real big and striking and Therophosa Ts aren't for me. So I felt parahybana is the way to go. Pulchra is simply my fav due to the size color and relaxed temperament of adult females, and pulchripes is a close contender too. P. imperator is about the only scorpion I'm willing to get due to how harmless and easy going they are lol. But I might get an Asian forest scorpion too. Curly hair Ts seem like the de facto noob T, they're all over the place so not in a rush to get one as they're never out of stock here.
 
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