Need help deciding on T Blondie or stirmi

[wolfs79]

Just curious what your guys opinions are I have the choice of buying T Blondie bird eater or stirmis
What would youngo with if you had to pic?

 

[skippydude]

If you can find a true blondi in the USA, buy it.

 

[Poec54]

It's a no-brainer. Blondi is more expensive, more delicate, more prone to molting problems, and almost impossible to breed successfully. Why would you want blondi when you can have stirmi instead? One of the biggest differences between them is the patella hair. How much are hairy knees worth to you?

 

[vespers]

You already have two T. stirmi males...

A T. blondi (not Blondie) is going to run you several hundred dollars, or else it isn't a true blondi. But I would suggest that you aren't ready to keep a blondi, if you don't know how to vent sex a stirmi yet. You need more experience first.

 

[tbrandt]

It's a no-brainer. Blondi is more expensive, more delicate, more prone to molting problems, and almost impossible to breed successfully. Why would you want blondi when you can have stirmi instead? One of the biggest differences between them is the patella hair. How much are hairy knees worth to you?

For me, this about sums it up. These spiders look/behave similarly enough that the ease of care makes it an easy choice by itself. My goal is to raise the spider in a safe and comfortable environment and I would have a great deal more confidence that I can provide that with the Stirmi.

Obviously many folks are drawn to these species because of their size. Both species have that covered. While T. Blondi might hold some official record, they effectively grow to the same average size and build - freaking huge! The both are monster eaters - they eat a great deal and with enthusiasm.

Add to that the rarity and incredible increase in cost for a Blondi...

I dont begrudge hobbyists that want a true T. Blondi at all. There are lots of reasons to want one. For me though, someone who seems to be less interested in NW species, the Stirmi fits the bill. No hairy knees please.

 

[Poec54]

For me, this about sums it up. These spiders look/behave similarly enough that the ease of care makes it an easy choice by itself. My goal is to raise the spider in a safe and comfortable environment and I would have a great deal more confidence that I can provide that with the Stirmi.

Obviously many folks are drawn to these species because of their size. Both species have that covered. While T. Blondi might hold some official record, they effectively grow to the same average size and build - freaking huge! The both are monster eaters - they eat a great deal and with enthusiasm.

Add to that the rarity and incredible increase in cost for a Blondi.

+1. People want blondi because they see the name in old literature, and they think it's the biggest. It's not. Apophysis is. Stirmi and blondi are about equal in size, stirmi has larger chelicerae. There is NO advantage to having blondi, especially if you don't have years of experience with tropical tarantulas.

 

[klawfran3]

+1. People want blondi because they see the name in old literature, and they think it's the biggest. It's not. Apophysis is. Stirmi and blondi are about equal in size, stirmi has larger chelicerae. There is NO advantage to having blondi, especially if you don't have years of experience with tropical tarantulas.

Why is apophysis so uncommon in the hobby? I know the reason blondi is so rare because of how hard it is to keep alive, but apophysis is such a nice looking spider. Is it hard to keep like blondi or no?

 

[Poec54]

Why is apophysis so uncommon in the hobby? I know the reason blondi is so rare because of how hard it is to keep alive, but apophysis is such a nice looking spider. Is it hard to keep like blondi or no?

Like blondi: delicate, molting problems, and very difficult to get viable slings from. But it's a more interesting spider than blondi (males have color like Pampho males). Stirmi is the runaway best Theraphosa to have. Of the other two, blondi looks very similar to stirmi. if you're going to get one the expensive, delicate ones, at least apophysis looks a little different.