Starting out with an old world species

[chaset]

Hi, Ive had a few new world species, I was considering making the jump to the old worlds, Any recomendations? My local Petland
has a King Baboon and a Cobalt blue currently for sale,
or should i try and find another species.

I was also wondering, if anyone has found any docile old worlders?
and why are Old world spiders so pissed off anyways?

 

[Vayu Son]

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The obligate burrowers(aka cobalt blue) can be tricky since you will most likely rarely see them. the crawshayi i havnt kept so cannot comment on. H.maculata and all the pokies are pretty strong contenders for my favorite O.W's, but pokies can be pricy. With both these species be conscious of the fact that the venom is potentially medically significant, since Heteroscodra is in subfamily Stromatopelminae (togo starbursts, featherleg baboons) which, according to reports from a scientific journal i read, are possibly the link between harmless/dangerous/fatal tarantulas. real pretty though.

Afterthought: Its not just O.W's that are naturally defensive, there are alot of new worlds particularly in genus Phormictopus/Pamphobeteus. IMHO, its a genetic thing for tarantulas, and these particular species evolved in conditions that most likely required the initiative to be aggressive, while
others didnt.

After-afterthought: keep in mind thats just my opinion, and not proven data. After all, their are a few arachnologists at the ATS(spiderbob aka doctor robert breen for one) whom have learned to tame some of the Poecilotheria and Pterinochilus to where they have been handleable...but i have a suspicion they were worked with for a very long time. however they are by nature an instinctive animal, and therefore can never truly be tamed or truly docile.

-V

 

[JacenBeers]

Your PETLAND has those spiders? man I wish the Petland here got something other than Rose Hairs.

 

[Wade]

C. crawshayi is annother obligate burrower and the things Vayu Son said about the cobalt are true for it as well. I almost never see mine, I considered naming her "Halley's Comet" since she's only visible once every 75 years!

Wade

 

[Immortal_sin]

LOL Wade...very apt name
I NEVER see either C crayshawi, or the H lividum. I sometimes wonder if there actually is a tarantula in there....but the crickets disappear on a regular basis. Makes it a bit tricky to figure out upcoming molts though.
I'd vote for maybe a P regalis, whom you might see a bit more.

 

[Mendi]

My first OW'er was a Heteroscodra maculata, or Hetmac. It is a very pretty African arboreal that hasn't impressed me with the attitudes you see in other African Ts. I've got 3 of them now and they all behave fairly well when being looked after. They all have even gone to the trouble of making a burrow at the base of their silken tubes to retreat into if the feel too threatened. I've never had either of mine go into the threat postures you'll see with the pTerror's and King Baboon's, though I do my best to not get them upset. So far, these are my pick from Africa, with the Ceratogyrus sps. my second choice. Be warned though the Hetmac is really fast moving and has one of the hotter venoms

The other OW'ers I would recommend, is a P.regalis or P.fasciata. These beautiful tree-dwellers aren't as aggressive as their displays may make them look. Mine would rather be left alone than fight, as they have, at least so far, always retreated when I need to clean their enclosures. I don't know if they make a great starter OW species either, as they seem to have a little more attitude and they do get pretty large along with being fast and hot venom. But, they do stay out in the open more and don't web the enclosure over.

The others you've mentioned are great OW'ers too, but you'll not enjoy them nearly as much. Seems once they are in their burrow they stay there forever. They aren't as fast moving when they are out, but they appear much more ready to stand their ground and bite. You'll likely get all these different OW Ts if you continue the hobby long enough, but my vote goes for the arboreal OW'ers to stat with

Oh, I started with slings so I could get used to the individual spiders "personality" also. Least that way, maybe we both get used to the way the other reacts and I won't have to chase my heart down the hall as it races away

 

[Devildoll]

i would suggest pokies as well.
they are not aggresive in any manner that i've noticed, just very fast and very neurotic.
they will run and hide before biting in all of my encounters..
i actually had to handle my 4inch P. ornata once.
they are a little pricey, but i would recommend getting a sling to start off with anyway, and they arn't too bad.

i just think they are one of the best display tarantulas, and they don't have super strict humidity requirments.

just flat out beautiful Ts!!!!!!!