Stromatopelma calceatum or Heteroscondra maculata?

[MBitis]

First let me preface this with I’ve been keep T’s and scorpions seriously for a few years now and understand the “risk” of these two species. I currently keep mainly arboreal T’s (Psalmopoeus sp.) and OBT’s, I also keep a bunch of different Tityus sp. scorpions.

I’ve been wanting both of these for the last couple of years and just haven’t pulled the trigger due to space and time. Now that I have the time and some space I would like to keep both or one or the other. I have tank for an adult of either but of course want to start at the sling or juvenile size but I’m not picky.

Basically I was just wanting to know what are your experiences with either of them? Do you prefer one or the other? Is one out more than the other (this doesn’t bother me)? Care (I ask due to care guides vs real experience)? And any fun/scary stories?

I appreciate the feedback and yet again I get these species are defensive and they have the power to back up the defensiveness and speed.

 

[Mustafa67]

First let me preface this with I’ve been keep T’s and scorpions seriously for a few years now and understand the “risk” of these two species. I currently keep mainly arboreal T’s (Psalmopoeus sp.) and OBT’s, I also keep a bunch of different Tityus sp. scorpions.

I’ve been wanting both of these for the last couple of years and just haven’t pulled the trigger due to space and time. Now that I have the time and some space I would like to keep both or one or the other. I have tank for an adult of either but of course want to start at the sling or juvenile size but I’m not picky.

Basically I was just wanting to know what are your experiences with either of them? Do you prefer one or the other? Is one out more than the other (this doesn’t bother me)? Care (I ask due to care guides vs real experience)? And any fun/scary stories?

I appreciate the feedback and yet again I get these species are defensive and they have the power to back up the defensiveness and speed.

Search the forum

 

[Introvertebrate]

First let me preface this with I’ve been keep T’s and scorpions seriously for a few years now and understand the “risk” of these two species. I currently keep mainly arboreal T’s (Psalmopoeus sp.) and OBT’s, I also keep a bunch of different Tityus sp. scorpions.

I’ve been wanting both of these for the last couple of years and just haven’t pulled the trigger due to space and time. Now that I have the time and some space I would like to keep both or one or the other. I have tank for an adult of either but of course want to start at the sling or juvenile size but I’m not picky.

Basically I was just wanting to know what are your experiences with either of them? Do you prefer one or the other? Is one out more than the other (this doesn’t bother me)? Care (I ask due to care guides vs real experience)? And any fun/scary stories?

I appreciate the feedback and yet again I get these species are defensive and they have the power to back up the defensiveness and speed.

They're very similar. Feisty yet skittish little bulldozers, but in a fun way. The S. calceatum was my first T (along with a genic). I got the H. maculata recently, and so far, it's characteristics are very similar. They must stem from a common lineage in West Africa. I don't know the gender of the H. maculata yet, but I've got my fingers crossed.

 

[viper69]

H mac is easier to deal with generally. When kept properly they are very secretive, mine was, and others reported the same.

A former AB senior OW keeper/breeder vast experience, always felt S cal was dicey to own.

 

[cold blood]

They're basically the same t...my calceatum are a little more aggressive feeders....they are both beautiful, but that doesn't matter, because they're so reclusive that you will hardly see them....and in the brief moments you do, their skittish, schizophrenic nature will cause them to hide immediately in a fast, panicked manner.....I've never seen any ts with such an unpredictable, schizophrenic nature so prone to instant panic and bolting and often for seemingly no reason.

There's probably no two species I can think of that is so prepared to bite given the opportunity, especially if they don't have a place to hide or feel they can't make it there. They aren't likely to rear up and threat posture either, so even a bite could seemingly come out of nowhere and without warning.....always take them seriously and never get complacent.

Cool species, sure, but they will never be a favorite of mine and I will never pay a nickel to acquire either species.....these are freebie only species for me.

 

[MBitis]

They're basically the same t...my calceatum are a little more aggressive feeders....they are both beautiful, but that doesn't matter, because they're so reclusive that you will hardly see them....and in the brief moments you do, their skittish, schizophrenic nature will cause them to hide immediately in a fast, panicked manner.....I've never seen any ts with such an unpredictable, schizophrenic nature so prone to instant panic and bolting and often for seemingly no reason.

There's probably no two species I can think of that is so prepared to bite given the opportunity, especially if they don't have a place to hide or feel they can't make it there. They aren't likely to rear up and threat posture either, so even a bite could seemingly come out of nowhere and without warning.....always take them seriously and never get complacent.

Cool species, sure, but they will never be a favorite of mine and I will never pay a nickel to acquire either species.....these are freebie only species for me.

Just out of curiosity what would you recommend for an OW arboreal?

 

[cold blood]

Just out of curiosity what would you recommend for an OW arboreal?

Poecilotheria....that might be the easiest question ive been asked on AB. Get a regalis.

Great eaters, good growth rates, great appetite, beautiful, predictable, generally surprisingly calm with a tendency to stay visible, especially as they gain size. And readily available.

regalis

• cold blood
• Aug 15, 2021
• 5

 

[MBitis]

Poecilotheria....that might be the easiest question ive been asked on AB. Get a regalis.

Great eaters, good growth rates, great appetite, beautiful, predictable, generally surprisingly calm with a tendency to stay visible, especially as they gain size. And readily available.

regalis

• cold blood
• Aug 15, 2021
• 5

It may be weird to say but I’ve never really cared for any Poecilotheria sp.

I’ll considered a regalis

 

[cold blood]

It may be weird to say but I’ve never really cared for any Poecilotheria sp.

I’ll considered a regalis

Haha.....let me tell you a story about how what we like and think we like can be so different.

When I got into the hobby, I never cared for Avicularia, thought they were boring....I went 15 years telling everyone who asked how little I liked them and how I'd never own one....then a user here, after hounding me about it for a year, convinced me to get one....I did, and it completely changed my viewpoint and it's now one of my absolutely favorite genera of tarantulas and one I love breeding.

I also heard all kinds of stories about Poecilotheria, stories that made me uninterested in them....then I got one and again, found that all my preconceived notions about them were wrong, and again, I found another favorite genera and another I love breeding.....pokies are truly just a fantastic genera to raise, own and even breed.

Learn from my mistakes, give em a shot, don't wait a decade.....There's a good reason they're so popular.

 

[MBitis]

Haha.....let me tell you a story about how what we like and think we like can be so different.

When I got into the hobby, I never cared for Avicularia, thought they were boring....I went 15 years telling everyone who asked how little I liked them and how I'd never own one....then a user here, after hounding me about it for a year, convinced me to get one....I did, and it completely changed my viewpoint and it's now one of my absolutely favorite genera of tarantulas and one I love breeding.

I also heard all kinds of stories about Poecilotheria, stories that made me uninterested in them....then I got one and again, found that all my preconceived notions about them were wrong, and again, I found another favorite genera and another I love breeding.....pokies are truly just a fantastic genera to raise, own and even breed.

Learn from my mistakes, give em a shot, don't wait a decade.....There's a good reason they're so popular.

I agree, I’ve been keeping Avics for a few years now and just started my second year of breeding M6’s they are a fun genera.

Well I’ll be going to NARBC Dallas at the end of the month and if I find a regalis there I might have to pick one up instead of the others. I just have to do some digging into the care of them.

 

[cold blood]

Well I’ll be going to NARBC Dallas at the end of the month and if I find a regalis there I might have to pick one up instead of the others. I just have to do some digging into the care of them.

Care is quite simple...they require nothing specific and do well in a wide range of conditions. House them just like you would any non-avic arboreal.....leaned wood with room to hide under, plants at ground level and a water dish....They're so adaptable they can even be kept semi-terrestrially......they can be kept on damp substrate, or dry, even as slings. If you keep Psalmopeous, it's literally EXACTLY the same.