New to the boards - please evaluate my choices - especially H mac as a first non-avic arboreal

[LisaD]

The only advice I could add on and on is to get pokies. Go check Apophis pic threads for some close ups and you'll see that they are living works of art.

I did as you suggested. Aphophis makes EVERY spider into a living work or art! My list just got a bit bigger! X. immanis is absolutely amazing.

So they say. H. macs are supposed to have venom second only to S. cal. Don't know how accurate that really is though.

I read a bite report (Pokie) that spooked me last night. It was more extreme than anything else I'd read previously, P. striata. Read this:

http://www.bighairyspiders.com/poec.html

Does anyone have any reliable information about relative:

1) strength of venom
2) propensity to bite

I'll treat them all with a lot of respect.

 

[Jilly1337]

Hello and welcome. I think you've made some excellent choices. I say get whatever you want because chances are, you will get more soon anyway!! I've given up my OW's for now since my son is still fairly young. I only keep NW's. My current favorite arboreal is I. hirsutum. They were just coming around in the late 90's so if you haven't seen them, check them out. I like them because they are oddballs, with males having 2 sets of tibial spurs. Also quite beautiful.

 

[Xian]

Not sure which species you were looking for information on, here is the Thread for bite reports on H. macs.,

http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=11996

You can find about any species you want to research in the 'Bite Reports' section.

 

[Jilly1337]

This site has a lot of venom reports from different species, including Pokies.


http://www.bighairyspiders.com/bites.shtml

 

[LisaD]

Jilly, bighairyspiders.com is where I found the scary P. striata bite report.

Has anyone read about Rose Pharmaceuticals, developing a MD therapy based on a protein found in tarantula venom? http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/174958.php

My kids are 12 and 7, and have a healthy respect for animals. Most of my spiders are NW, just the H mac and the Singapor blue are OW. For now, the arboreals will be at work.

I'm sure I'll be getting more, but am also working on establishing an attractive, SECURE, organized system of housing (rather than random containers). I'll also see how comfortable I am with the two OW arboreals.

I'm derailing my own thread, but just for fun, here is a list of spiders, all slings or subadults, that are either in the house, or on their way for delivery this week:

NW
Brachypelma klaasi - 2.5"
Brachypelma smithi - 0.75"
Grammostola pulchra - 1.5"
Chromatopelma cyanopubescens - 0.75"
Acanthoscurria brocklehurtsi - 1"
Avicularia metallica - 4"
Euathlus sp. Blue (2) - 0.75"
Nhandu coloratovillosus (2) - 0.75"
Ephebopus murinus Skeleton - 2"

OW
Lampropelma violaceopes - 2.75"
Heteroscodra maculata - 0.5"

 

[Jilly1337]

NW
Brachypelma klaasi - 2.5"
Brachypelma smithi - 0.75"
Grammostola pulchra - 1.5"
Chromatopelma cyanopubescens - 0.75"
Acanthoscurria brocklehurtsi - 1"
Avicularia metallica - 4"
Euathlus sp. Blue (2) - 0.75"
Nhandu coloratovillosus (2) - 0.75"
Ephebopus murinus Skeleton - 2"

OW
Lampropelma violaceopes - 2.75"
Heteroscodra maculata - 0.5"

Wow, your list has grown in less than a week!! I can relate. I am thinking of getting back into some OW's but I will prob keep them at my boyfriend's house. His kids are older and he's got a ton of T's there already.

I just got back into the hobby after taking a hiatus in 2004. Did you post here then as well?

Anyway, I am starting a little slower this time with C. cyaneopubescens, I. hirsutum, A. metallica and P. irminia.

Of course, my boyfriend's collection has grown from about 30 to over 100 since we've been dating. I help to take care of them too. We're getting a male T. blondi a P. cancerides and a baby G. rosea (for his daughter) tomorrow. We are definitely enablers of each others T addiction, lol. Actually, all of my spiders have been gifts from him. I always say, I have to love a man that brings me tarantulas like most men bring flowers!!

 

[LisaD]

I hadn't discovered the boards back in the early 2000s. Wish I had, probably wouldn't have gotten out of the hobby with a whole universe of enablers.

You have a nice list. And with a boyfriend that's got around 100 that he shares with you, it's not like you are missing much, either.

I'm going to have to slow down, I am spending too much money!

I always say, I have to love a man that brings me tarantulas like most men bring flowers!!

Amen to that! My husband is not really that type, but for a city boy, he is amazingly tolerant. We live in a development and have several hundred gallons of saltwater fish, including a few moray eels. We have a bird, a rabbit (english lop), cat and three dogs. So far, the Ts are all at work, will have to find a nice out of the way place for them (where my daughters won't instantly bust me like they do with new fish).

 

[Merfolk]

Hello Lisa

The H mac venom is reported to be like pokies' but with some extra effects, especially on the heart. So not a good idea if you are over 75

After all, H mac is in the same subfamily than Stromatopelma calceatum, which is reported not only to have the worst venom of all theraphosids, but also to have quite an attitude. From many accounts, it's one of the few ones that will go some distance to come biting you! Many tree climbers in Africa have been bit and got sick but none died. H mac is a tad shier though...

But actually, most OW will make you pretty sick if they bite you. Ornithoctoninae and most Selenocosmiinae are not to be messed with as well!

 

[LisaD]

Well, I apparently did not do my research sufficiently well! And I was congratulating myself for a good choice! I figured out that S calc was too risky as far as temperament, and thought I'd be at less risk to be bitten by H mac. I had read that the venom of H mac was NOT as potent as pokies, even if they were less aggressive, so chose H mac as a hardy arboreal with not so bad venom, that would leave alone if I didn't bother it... I'll just have to be careful.

I won't hit 75 for quite a few more years, but my heart may stop in fear of the consequences if I get bitten!

I keep many venomous fish, but none that should be more than very painful. I know many people that would not "risk" keeping lionfish, rabbitfish, scorpionfish or other venomous fish because they are afraid of getting hurt. In over 30 years of keeping marine animals, and almost always having a few fish with venomous spines, I have never been stung by a fish (but jellyfish have gotten me pretty good).

But fish don't teleport, and most of mine wouldn't even try to bite!

 

[Merfolk]

Don't worry, you did enough, simply none of these will kill a healthy adult (actualy, very few spiders will) and there isn't that much differential between their venoms to really care about. If you got one OW with no problem, you can get all of them with no problem as well. It's not like if H mac was twice the potency of pokies. You've been more careful than most people and should
move on with enjoying OW species.

PS: If you like an arboreal that is very exhibitionist, try Psalmopeus cambridgei.

 

[jbm150]

Don't worry, you did enough, simply none of these will kill a healthy adult (actualy, very few spiders will) and there isn't that much differential between their venoms to really care about. If you got one OW with no problem, you can get all of them with no problem as well. It's not like if H mac was twice the potency of pokies. You've been more careful than most people and should
move on with enjoying OW species.

PS: If you like an arboreal that is very exhibitionist, try Psalmopeus cambridgei.

There don't seem to be very many bad H. mac bite reports and I think thats a little misleading. But from stories from few of the people here, you do not want to get bit by one, they can be very bad. But as long as you're careful and respectful, you'll be fine with any T.

As for P. cambridgei, I've heard conflicting reports. Some say the cambridgei is the most reclusive, others say its the most visible. I really want to get either a cambridgei or irminia, both look amazing to me, but I don't know which one to get based on being display-worthy

ps - that really is a great list of Ts, Lisa! You'll have fun watching them all grow up

 

[TarantulaFanBoy]

No one really knows much of anything about the actual Potency of any tarantulas venom. Because you would have to measure it in LD50. And no Universities want to do that because it costs money. And Theraphosidae Family of spiders has never been blamed for a Human Fatality. Why study the venom of an Arachnid that most likely cant kill you. If you could study the venom of an arachnid that could.

I would love to see study's about Tarantula venom. But i just don't see any major universities studying it. I guess if someone had the Expertise they could do it themselves. But i hear it is hard work. And Frustrating.

As for Heteroscodra maculata It is generally thought of to have a more Potent venom than The Genus Poecilotheria. But it isn't Scientifically Confirmed. A bite from Either Tarantula would not be a pleasant Experience. And you would have to be mindful of Underlying Medical Conditions.

Good luck with your choice.