Tarantula Alternatives?

[FlamingSwampert]

Hello everyone,

I was looking for a new addition to my collection but I can't get a tarantula or a scorpion. What do you guys recommend as an alternative? I have a wolf spider, so I was considering another one of those, or a huntsman, but you guys' suggestions would really help!

Thanks everyone!

 

[wizentrop]

Whip spiders (Amblypygi)!
Ok, I'm a bit biased here because they are my expertise. Very low maintenance and yet very rewarding to keep.

 

[tarantulas118]

i agree with whip spiders, but you could also get vinagaroons, ogre-faced spiders, jumping spiders, giant golden orb-weaver, a black widow, tiger wandering spider, red fang wandering spider, giant centipedes, a fishing spider, green lynx spider, giant African millipede, camel spider or sun spider, Amazon spotted wandering spider, anything from the ”argiope” family, a red widow, and some others. Question, why can’t you get a tarantula? Even if it’s a small docile dwarf species?

 

[Wolfram1]

What is the reasoning behind your restriction?

Amblypygi are certainly a good choice if venom is the main concern, as they are completely harmless.

molting Euphrynichus bacillifer

• Wolfram1
• Jun 16, 2022
• 2
• bacillifer euphrynichus euphrynichus bacillifer

probably one of the males

man i wish i could have hidden the silicone better, it is really not...

I would have liked to reccomend the genus Linothele, but i can't see any argument for you being able to keep them, that wouldn't also apply to most smaller Theraphosidae.

0.0.1 Linothele megatheloides

• Wolfram1
• Sep 19, 2022
• 1
• linothele linothele megatheloides megatheloides

(ex. megatheloides)

what a beautiful golden carapax, but way to quick to get decent pictures

 

[FlamingSwampert]

What is the reasoning behind your restriction?

Amblypygi are certainly a good choice if venom is the main concern, as they are completely harmless.

I would have liked to reccomend the genus Linothele, but i can't see any argument for you being able to keep them, that wouldn't also apply to most smaller Theraphosidae.

0.0.1 Linothele megatheloides

• Wolfram1
• Sep 19, 2022
• 1
• linothele linothele megatheloides megatheloides

(ex. megatheloides)

what a beautiful golden carapax, but way to quick to get decent pictures

People I'm living with right now are afraid of them for whatever reason. Everything else is OK, just not tarantulas or scorpions for some reason.

i agree with whip spiders, but you could also get vinagaroons, ogre-faced spiders, jumping spiders, giant golden orb-weaver, a black widow, tiger wandering spider, red fang wandering spider, giant centipedes, a fishing spider, green lynx spider, giant African millipede, camel spider or sun spider, Amazon spotted wandering spider, anything from the ”argiope” family, a red widow, and some others. Question, why can’t you get a tarantula? Even if it’s a small docile dwarf species?

Excellent suggestions! Yeah, I've tried to get dwarf ones too, still no luck

 

[Wolfram1]

in all hoesty, i think a Neoholothele incei would be your best bet despite beeing a theraphosidae

small, webs a lot, new world with mild venom....
some of the other suggestions seem like they would defeat the purpose of being 'non threatening' and were most likely just too obscure for your roommates to have thought of, when they told you what they couldn't live with

 

[FlamingSwampert]

in all hoesty, i think a Neoholothele incei would be your best bet despite beeing a theraphosidae

small, webs a lot, new world with mild venom....
some of the other suggestions seem like they would defeat the purpose of being 'non threatening' and were most likely just too obscure for your roommates to have thought of, when they told you what they couldn't live with

That's true, but given that I have a wolf spider, I think true spiders and the like are ok.

 

[aprilmayjunebugs]

Do you have any interest in assassin bugs? They're easy, non-threatening despite the name, and you could have more than one.

 

[Introvertebrate]

Do you have any interest in assassin bugs? They're easy, non-threatening despite the name, and you could have more than one.

Are you talking Platymeris biguttatus? They don't seem as available as they used to be.

 

[aprilmayjunebugs]

Are you talking Platymeris biguttatus? They don't seem as available as they used to be.

That or Pystalla horrida, that's what we have.

 

[CRX]

i agree with whip spiders, but you could also get vinagaroons, ogre-faced spiders, jumping spiders, giant golden orb-weaver, a black widow, tiger wandering spider, red fang wandering spider, giant centipedes, a fishing spider, green lynx spider, giant African millipede, camel spider or sun spider, Amazon spotted wandering spider, anything from the ”argiope” family, a red widow, and some others. Question, why can’t you get a tarantula? Even if it’s a small docile dwarf species?

Whoa there buddy. Some of those do not fare well in captivity. Most large web building spiders are better off in the wild. Argiopes really?? Are you just spamming random spiders? Argiopes have huge webs and they need a similarly huge enclosure. Ogre-faced spiders also fare poorly in captivity. And CAMEL SPIDER? Are you serious dude? They're notorious for dying in captivity and they rarely live long.

Next time please actually think before you make a post instead of jotting out random species. What was your thought process behind this?

But also, I would also like to know the reason for OPs restriction. I have a feeling a parent or someone has an irrational fear of Ts and that OP is underage. For some reason his parents let him have a wolf spider but not a tarantula lol?

 

[Introvertebrate]

Hello everyone,

I was looking for a new addition to my collection but I can't get a tarantula or a scorpion. What do you guys recommend as an alternative? I have a wolf spider, so I was considering another one of those, or a huntsman, but you guys' suggestions would really help!

Thanks everyone!

Now and then I give a fleeting thought to moving up the food chain. Maybe a reptile or amphibian?

 

[FlamingSwampert]

Now and then I give a fleeting thought to moving up the food chain. Maybe a reptile or amphibian?

It was worth it for me, I have a lizard that I absolutely adore.

Whoa there buddy. Some of those do not fare well in captivity. Most large web building spiders are better off in the wild. Argiopes really?? Are you just spamming random spiders? Argiopes have huge webs and they need a similarly huge enclosure. Ogre-faced spiders also fare poorly in captivity. And CAMEL SPIDER? Are you serious dude? They're notorious for dying in captivity and they rarely live long.

Next time please actually think before you make a post instead of jotting out random species. What was your thought process behind this?

But also, I would also like to know the reason for OPs restriction. I have a feeling a parent or someone has an irrational fear of Ts and that OP is underage. For some reason his parents let him have a wolf spider but not a tarantula lol?

I'd hate to be rude, but what you said about the camel spider is flat out wrong. Have you read the sticky thread on them at the top of the other arachnids page? If not, you really should, it's very useful.

 

[me and my Ts]

assassin bug colony, I have Platymeris biggatus, the white spot assassin bug
Vampire crabs are another great option, this is a male Geosesarma hagen
And you can keep them in pretty paludariums

 

[tarantulas118]

Argiopes really?? Are you just spamming random spiders?

Im listing off the things that I have seen available to buy and have seen other people keep, to give the OP some options, I’m sure if he/she were to get anything from the list, then they would research on how to take care of the invert, and yes I know that they need big enclosures for there web I’ve kept one before, but I’ve seen other people care for them and sell them online and in expos

 

[FlamingSwampert]

After some hearty debating with my roommates, I've convinced them to let me keep a dwarf tarantula. I will likely be creating another thread shortly.

For everyone wondering, my roommates both have arachnophobia, so a normal-sized tarantula terrifies them.

 

[Wolfram1]

Neoholothele incei :~)

 

[aprilmayjunebugs]

Just don't tell them that dwarves are faster and many of them are heavy webbers so they can make their own ladders.

 

[FlamingSwampert]

Just don't tell them that dwarves are faster and many of them are heavy webbers so they can make their own ladders.

Sssshhhh....

 

[Pedipalpable]

For everyone wondering, my roommates both have arachnophobia, so a normal-sized tarantula terrifies them.

If it's the size of most Ts that intimidates them, it might be worth considering getting a sling sometime. That way your roommates could have time to grow comfortable with it as it grows in size. Granted, there is the problem of many of the more docile new world terrestrials that beginners commonly go for being VERY slow growers, while many of the faster growing tropical new world terrestrials can get quite large and therefore potentially intimidating once they mature. Plus, many of them have a very strong feeding response and may attack anything that moves thinking it is food. My ~2.8" juvenile Acanthoscurria geniculata sometimes grabs at the water dish when I go to remove it, and snatches its prey up the split second it hits the substrate. That kind of strong feeding response is a lot of fun for somebody who loves spiders, but might prove scary to someone who is arachnophobic.