Ranking Tarantulas by Their Care

Venom1080

Venom1080

Arachnoemperor
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Sep 24, 2015
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4,607
ranking only on adults i have had for over 6 months. IME

Grammostola
bite severity: 1
speed: 1
temperament: 2.5
environment control: 1
hardiness: 1
Overall: 1

Brachypelma
bite severity: 1
speed: 1
temperament: 1 ( except my B. Vagans, 3.)
environment control: 1
Hardiness: 1
Overall: 1
love this idea!
 
jrh3

jrh3

Araneae
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Jun 4, 2011
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can someone make this a sticky or maybe cleanup on a spread sheet. this would be awesome for future use.
 
bryverine

bryverine

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Old Timer
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Apr 18, 2012
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jrh3 said:
can someone make this a sticky or maybe cleanup on a spread sheet. this would be awesome for future use.
Click to expand...
I have written everything so far on a spread sheet so I could see where everything was heading, but I didn't start the idea, so I was going to let them post the results...
 
Toff202

Toff202

Arachnoknight
Joined
Feb 10, 2016
Messages
201
bryverine said:
Does anyone else care to add?

I know it takes time to go through all this with each tarantula you are experienced with, but many genus listed have only one person commenting on them. I'm curious to see how this turns out!
Click to expand...
I'd love to add something, but I've only been keeping tarantulas for 7 months, so I don't really have much to add.
 
bryverine

bryverine

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Old Timer
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Apr 18, 2012
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890
jrh3 said:
lol, ok you got me there, haaha. but man there are soooo many to list.
Click to expand...
I counted ~135 genera of tarantulas. I'm sure there are several that aren't in reach for enthusiasts or, at the very least, hard to get.
I don't think they wanted a list of every species of tarantula, just a general opinion on each genus you have extensive (I added the word 'extensive') experience with.
 
ErinM31

ErinM31

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I have to agree with others who have pointed out that species should be rated separately rather than as a genus. As has been pointed out Euathlus sp. "red" and "yellow" are unusually docile and non-defensive but I don't believe that this is true of other species in the genus. Aphonopelma moderatum are also much more defensive than A. chalcodes and A. hentzi.

The species that I have rated below are based on keeping adults or slings/juveniles for at least six months (I got my first tarantula last February) -- just so you know my own experience level and how to weight me relative to other input. ;) Also, I have zero experience with bites but only keep species that have relatively weak venom and a low propensity to bite.

Aphonopelma chalcodes
Bite severity: 1
Speed: 1
Temperament: 1
Environmental control: 1
Hardiness: 1
Overall: 1

Brachypelma albopilosum
Bite severity: 1
Speed: 1
Temperament: 1
Environmental control: 1
Hardiness: 1
Overall: 1

Brachypelma smithi
Bite severity: 1
Speed: 1
Temperament: 2
Environmental control: 1
Hardiness: 1
Overall: 1

Euathlus sp. "red"
Bite severity: 1
Speed: 1
Temperament: 0 (These are the most non-defensive and inquisitive rather than skittish tarantulas I have ever encountered!)
Environmental control: 1
Hardiness: 2
Overall: 1

Ephebopus murinus
Bite severity: 1
Speed: 3 (or 4? since my experience is limited, I'm assuming there are even faster tarantulas, but these not only run fast but leap!)
Temperament: 2
Environmental control: 1
Hardiness: 1
Overall: 2

Temperament was difficult to rate as defensiveness can take many forms. My B. albopilosum will dart back into its burrow at any disturbance so should it have a 1 since that response does not present a difficulty in keeping? My B. smithi makes no burrow and fills any hides provided with substrate but is quick to flick hairs -- a behavior which could become irritating as it continues to grow and has more hairs to flick! My E. murinus will usually dart back into their burrows but may dart out of their enclosures and since they can instantly go from zero to warp nine, require more caution from the keeper for the safety of the tarantula, but I reflected this difference in speed rather than temperament.
 
Last edited:
asunshinefix

asunshinefix

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Jun 2, 2017
Messages
55
I'm super late to this party, but I'm going to do this anyway in case anyone stumbles across this thread like I did.

Brachypelma
I'm familiar with B. albopilosum and B. emilia
Bite severity: 1
Speed: 1.5
Temperament: 1 (I have probably the best-tempered species in the genus; others like B. klaasi or B. cf. vagans might score higher here)
Environmental control: 1
Hardiness: 1
Overall: 1 (I think B. albo is easiest starter species, they're incredibly hardy)

Genus Grammostola
I'm familiar with G. porteri, G. pulchra, G. pulchripes, and G. actaeon
Bite severity: 2 (mild venom but some species, like G. pulchripes, can get quite large, so mechanical damage is a factor)
Speed: 1
Temperament: 3 (ranging from my super chill G. pulchripes to my angry, defensive G. porteri)
Environmental control: 1
Hardiness: 1
Overall: 1-2, depending on temperament

Homeoemma chilensis
Bite severity: 1
Speed: 1
Temperament: 1 (by far the best-tempered T in my collection - so sweet and curious!)
Environmental control: 1
Hardiness: 1
Overall: 1

Eupalaestrus campestratus
Bite severity: 1
Speed: 1
Temperament: 1
Environmental control: 1
Hardiness: 2
Overall: 1

Genus Aphonopelma
I'm familiar with A. chalcodes and A. crinirufum
Bite severity: 1
Speed: 1
Temperament: 1
Environmental control: 1
Hardiness: 1
Overall: 1

Euathlus pulcherrimaklaasi
Bite severity: 1
Speed: 2
Temperament: 1
Environmental control: 1
Hardiness: 1
Overall: 1

Pseudhapalopus trinitatus
Bite severity: 1
Speed: 2
Temperament: 2
Environmental control: 1
Hardiness: 1
Overall: 1

Genus Pamphobeteus
I'm familiar with P. sp. cascada and P. sp. machala
Bite severity: 2.5 (venom is mild to moderate; potential for significant mechanical damage)
Speed: 3
Temperament: 2
Environmental control: 2
Hardiness: 2
Overall: 2, but watch out for the hairs!

Lasiodora klugi
Bite severity: 2.5 (mild venom, potential for significant mechanical damage)
Speed: 3
Temperament: 2
Environmental control: 2
Hardiness: 1
Overall: 2

I would recommend all of these as a beginner T except the genus Pamphobeteus and the L. klugi; those I think would be suitable for anyone looking to move toward intermediate-level species.
 
Last edited:
Dennis Nedry

Dennis Nedry

Arachnodemon
Joined
Oct 21, 2017
Messages
672
Phlogius (specifically P. rubiseta)
Bite severity: 4
Speed: 4
Temperament: 3
Environmental control: 2
Hardiness: 2
Overall: 3.5
 
SteveIDDQD

SteveIDDQD

Arachnosquire
Joined
Dec 4, 2018
Messages
71
Aphonopelma seemanni
Bite severity: 1
Speed: 3
Temperament: 2
Environmental control: 1
Hardiness: 1
Overall: 2

Brachypelma albopilosum
Bite severity: 1
Speed: 1
Temperament: 1
Environmental control: 1
Hardiness: 1
Overall: 1

Pterinopelma sazimai
Bite severity: 1
Speed: 3
Temperament: 3
Environmental control: 2
Hardiness: 1
Overall: 2

Brachypelma hamorii
Bite severity: 1
Speed: 1
Temperament: 2
Environmental control: 1
Hardiness: 1
Overall: 1

Brachypelma emelia
Bite severity: 1
Speed: 1
Temperament: 2
Environmental control: 1
Hardiness: 1
Overall: 1

Theraphosa Blondi
Bite severity: 3
Speed: 3
Temperament: 3
Environmental control: 3
Hardiness: 3
Overall: 3

Lasiodora parahybana
Bite severity: 3
Speed: 3
Temperament: 3
Environmental control: 2
Hardiness: 2
Overall: 2

Psalmopoeus irminia
Bite severity: 4
Speed: 5
Temperament: 3
Environmental control: 2
Hardiness: 2
Overall: 3

Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens
Bite severity: 1
Speed: 3
Temperament: 3
Environmental control: 1
Hardiness: 1
Overall: 2

Acanthoscurria geniculate
Bite severity: 1
Speed: 2
Temperament: 2
Environmental control: 1
Hardiness: 1
Overall: 2
 
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