Need info on Pokies

[Gail]

OK, I admit that I am a bit of a sissy in reguards to my spiders. I like ones that don't attack me with no provocation. I started out years ago with pink toes and until the beginning of this year, several types of pink toes were all I kept. I just loved the versicolors, the metallicas, the regular avics. For some reason they were the easiest thing to get at the local petshops. The rosies never interested me much. Then my roach population got out of hand and I decided I needed a large spider that would eat a lot. I also decided to brave the mail order aspect of the hobby. So, I got into terrestrials via a giant white knee sling from Kelly and the wonderful world of mail order - the collection has exploded this year. I also learned, thanks to Kelly, how easy it was to care for the tiniest babies, and how much fun they were when I got my first "micro spider" as a freebie from him. Then I found the local reptile show, and, well, the fate of all my extra cash has been pretty much decided now
So, my question is this - just how vicious are those lovely pokies? I am so drawn to their beautiful colors and aboreal spiders were my first love but... the aboreals I am used to dealing with are fast but they just don't bite. I'm a bit nervous about a spider that is as fast as my versicolors and meaner than my white knee. Just wonder what peoples thoughts are on this. Should I or shouldn't I? Also, I have never had a bad reaction to any insect bite, including local spiders, despite all of my other allergies. I've never been bitten by any of my T's though. I do keep an Epipen handy at all times just in case so the extra potency of the pokie venom is definately something I've thought about

Gail

 

[savian]

I have had no problems with mine so far. I take the top of the keepers and they just sit there and say "ya, what do you want?" They are more active than my other T's. The one likes to due laps around her keeper. I've been happy with them and so has my wife.

 

[MrDeranged]

Hey Gail,

I'm by no means an expert on Pokes, but I am trying to become one. My Poke collection currently consists of:

P. fasciata (Sub-adult)
P. regalis (Juvie)
P. formosa (Juvie)
P. ornata (Juvie)
P. striata (Juvie)
P. subfusca (Sling)
P. rufilata (Sling)

I've been keeping them for about a year now and from my experience, their reputation is alot worse than their reality. While they are extremely fast, I have never had any issues with them trying to make a break for it or with overt defensiveness. I think the key with the genus Poecilotheria is to make sure that they have somewhere that they feel secure in their enclosure. Whether it's a piece of corkbark or some other structure doesn't matter. I just make my presence known by tapping on the enclosure and most of the time if they are out, they will quickly run into their hide and not come back out until I am done with maintenance on their enclosure. Don't get me wrong though, if you bug them while they're in the safety of their hide, you will most likely cause them to generate a defensive reaction. But this is the same that you encounter with any cornered animal. As long as you let them hide and don't bother them while they're hiding, you should have nothing to worry about. By all means, you should get one or five. They're absolutely gorgeous. Just remember to always respect them, just because I have had no bad experiences, doesn't mean that you can't. (even though you probably wont)

Out of all my T's, the only ones I really ever worry about are Stromatopelma (featherleg baboon) and Heteroscodra (Togo starburst). I don't know what I'm gonna do with those guys when they get bigger....

Scott

 

[Atlanta Native]

I have two "Pokies" and I think they are some of the most beautiful T's. It's hard not to say that about any of my spiders. I have the Sri Lanka & Indian Ornamentals. One thing for sure is they are extremely fast. My Sri Lanka escaped in a split second as I was putting a cricket in. I couldn't locate him but my daughter found him on my back! I have yet had either one show its fangs but I wouldn't want to be biten by either from what I have read. If I were you I would go for it! Like I have read, they are beautiful display animals but not for handling. Hope this sways you to get one.

 

[Wade]

I know they have a rep for being terrors, but I haven't found them to be that bad, at least not P. regalis. I have 6 of them, and for the most part they'd rather hide in their retreats than fight. They are fast, though, and can be intimidating, but they aren't prone to dashing out of their cages or anything. If anything, they seem to loath stepping on unfamilliar territory.

I have heard that their venom is a bit more potent than most, but I don't know if it's true. The only T I've been bitten by was an Aphonopelma I was digging out of a burrow in New Mexico. I do know that allergic reactions to arachnid venom is extremely rare, virtually unheard of.

I'd say go for it, but start with a sling so you can get used to their behavior before they get big.

Wade

 

[skinheaddave]

I concur. All of ours would rather hide than defend themselves. We have never had any of our four do anything that could be interpreted as dangerous to us. They are fast, though, and there have been a couple times when one has made a dash for it. Other than needing a larger "catch cup" on hand than for most of our species, there really isn't much difference between them and some of the other Ts -- or maybe we are just more cautious than is warrented with our more harmless species.

Cheers,
Dave

 

[Gail]

Wow, thanks everyone! I'm convinced! Not that it was really gong to take that much to convince me I just wanted to make sure that they weren't total anti-Christs like the "orange bitey things" as someone else once called usumbaras.

Thanks again,
Gail

 

[schlinkey]

I'm trying to get one too, but I live in Norway
Seems to me that pokies are scarse here.. The ones I found on the web cost about 120$ and are adults (one's 4 years old)

Any spiderbreeders in Norway!? I WANT A POKY! hehe

 

[Garrick]

I am far from being the "pokie king" (I've raised 3 P. regalis, a P. formosa, and a P. rufilata), but my experience has been the same as the other posts. They're very fast, but none of mine are particularly defensive. My largest regalis once struck at a spoon that I was using to guide her into a cup with. That's it. That's all. Once.
ALL of them hide when they sense me coming.
Oh, my H. maculatas do the same thing.

-Garrick

 

[Devildoll]

get a bunch!
i have a P. ornata i've had for about 4 months and it's growth is ridiculous, and it's great!
fast, but not mean at all
vicous eater... big big big eater.

i've actually held mine once, not on purpose mind you, but she's very docile once she's confortable.
they just need their hidey hole and they're cool.