Theraphosa Keepers

[RadicalSquire7]

I haven't seen a thread opened about Theraphosa's the entire time I've been using the boards and I was wondering how many others kept them and was looking for some other keepers to talk about them with.

 

[8 legged]

I keep blondi and stirmi, not so interested in the third kind. Feel free to ask / talk...

 

[Liquifin]

There are a few people on here that has them. Me and a few others have one or all the species in the genus. Feel free to ask away on Theraphosa's I guess. I even made a thread on them myself:

Theraphosa Species Leg Femurs are Cool

I'm bored and I find Theraphosa's to be fun and I just wanted to show some of the leg femurs from some specimens of mine as I find them fascinating and very distinct between species. My favorite being the Theraphosa apophysis in terms of it's insane setae on its femurs. Theraphosa stirmi...

arachnoboards.com

@The Spider House also made a thread as well on them.

 

[RadicalSquire7]

I keep blondi and stirmi, not so interested in the third kind. Feel free to ask / talk...

Is there an easy way to tell that they are in premolt? I got my blondi about 3 weeks ago and it is awfully fat, Do they usually eat until they look like they are going to explode? What are the other 2 like to take care of?

 

[The Spider House]

I have all of the "Big 3"

2x stirmi (mature pair). Female has previously had a bad sac so hoping this time will be better.

6x Blondi (4 AF, one hopefully gravid with 3 recently moulted) 1 x male that should mature next moult and 1xunsexed small juvie

5x Apophysis (2 x AF, 1 SAM, pair of juvies and one unsexed)

Blondi are my favourite but Apophysis are arguably better looking with there full abdomen of longer hairs and deeper colours.

Stirmi vs blondi is easy to ID. Stirmi do not have hairs on the knees and are lighter in colour

Apophysis vs blondi also easy enough as Apophysis always look a bit more delicate (sounds daft for something that grows 10 inches plus) and they have longer hairs all over the abdomen. Blondi have longer hairs only on the back of the abdomen.

Some examples of blondi and a collage of the big 3

And yes, they can be prone to over eat, so you have to be disciplined with feeding so they don't get too big and end up dragging that big butt on the ground which could cause an injury.

 

[RadicalSquire7]

I have all of the "Big 3"

2x stirmi (mature pair). Female has previously had a bad sac so hoping this time will be better.

6x Blondi (4 AF, one hopefully gravid with 3 recently moulted) 1 x male that should mature next moult and 1xunsexed small juvie

5x Apophysis (2 x AF, 1 SAM, pair of juvies and one unsexed)

Blondi are my favourite but Apophysis are arguably better looking with there full abdomen of longer hairs and deeper colours.

Stirmi vs blondi is easy to ID. Stirmi do not have hairs on the knees and are lighter in colour

Apophysis vs blondi also easy enough as Apophysis always look a bit more delicate (sounds daft for something that grows 10 inches plus) and they have longer hairs all over the abdomen. Blondi have longer hairs only on the back of the abdomen.

Some examples of blondi and a collage of the big 3

And yes, they can be prone to over eat, so you have to be disciplined with feeding so they don't get too big and end up dragging that big butt on the ground which could cause an injury.
View attachment 424544 View attachment 424545 View attachment 424546 View attachment 424547

They really are little fatties aren't they lol whats your biggest specimen?

 

[The Spider House]

They really are little fatties aren't they lol whats your biggest specimen?

10inch blondi so far. All the female blondi about that size. Stirmi also about 10 inch. Biggest apophysis I would say is 9.5 atm.

One of my blondi ina big Haribo tub 'sitting' on my hand for some perspective in size. Obviously would never handle a T, she was safe in a plastic tub.

 

[RadicalSquire7]

10inch blondi so far. All the female blondi about that size. Stirmi also about 10 inch. Biggest apophysis I would say is 9.5 atm.

One of my blondi ina big Haribo tub 'sitting' on my hand for some perspective in size. Obviously would never handle a T, she was safe in a plastic tub.
View attachment 424548

that is a big girl i’m hoping my little sling blondi turns out female, but i wouldn’t be completely ruined if i had a male there’s always options for pairing and getting more slings!

 

[spideyspinneret78]

I have an AF T. stirmi. She's a beast! And one of my favorite tarantulas. Currently about 10in DLS. What questions do you have about the genus?

 

[The Spider House]

that is a big girl i’m hoping my little sling blondi turns out female, but i wouldn’t be completely ruined if i had a male there’s always options for pairing and getting more slings!

I am still learning when it comes to pairing this species. Struck out 3 times so far with bad sacs
Easy enough to pair and females surprisingly gentle (not like genics or GBB that are just horrible to males) but not had a viable sac (yet).

 

[spideyspinneret78]

I am still learning when it comes to pairing this species. Struck out 3 times so far with bad sacs
Easy enough to pair and females surprisingly gentle (not like genics or GBB that are just horrible to males) but not had a viable sac (yet).

Just keep trying! Eventually you'll get it. Interesting though that they paired successfully but the sacs had issues.

 

[The Spider House]

Just keep trying! Eventually you'll get it. Interesting though that they paired successfully but the sacs had issues.

thank you. No intension of giving up. I am hoping my male moukts very soon and matures and I have 3 big freshly moulted females ready and waiting for his services.

I was expecting hell fury when pairing but I guess there is a mutual respect to them and every insertion has gone well without any aggression. Its just getting a viable sac I haven't cracked yet. Some say dry out, other still keep wet, males need damp sub to keep sperm "fresh" too.

 

[cold blood]

that is a big girl i’m hoping my little sling blondi turns out female, but i wouldn’t be completely ruined if i had a male there’s always options for pairing and getting more slings!

fwiw, they are about the easiest species on the planet to vent sex.

 

[AphonopelmaTX]

10inch blondi so far. All the female blondi about that size. Stirmi also about 10 inch. Biggest apophysis I would say is 9.5 atm.

I won't believe it until I see it with a ruler or tape measure like I did here.

The 9.5 Inch Theraphosa stirmi

I thought I would get a quick snap shot of my alcohol preserved Theraphosa stirmi male tonight as I was doing maintenance on my wet collection. The diagonal legspan is 9.5 inches.

arachnoboards.com

 

[RadicalSquire7]

fwiw, they are about the easiest species on the planet to vent sex.

I would love to get a picture of its abdomen from underneath but it’s a little stubborn and doesn’t like to sit close to the plastic sides

 

[me and my Ts]

My Stirmis abdomen turned black and shiny on their bald spot when they were about to molt, they also got much more defensive

 

[l4nsky]

I am still learning when it comes to pairing this species. Struck out 3 times so far with bad sacs
Easy enough to pair and females surprisingly gentle (not like genics or GBB that are just horrible to males) but not had a viable sac (yet).

Can you define "bad"? Were they just infertile, or was there a mold issue, or did the female just toss it or?

 

[8 legged]

Is there an easy way to tell that they are in premolt? I got my blondi about 3 weeks ago and it is awfully fat, Do they usually eat until they look like they are going to explode? What are the other 2 like to take care of?

Both, blondi and stirmi eat for weeks/months. When they've had enough, they burrow and reappear freshly molted. Some of them have been buried for several months. Otherwise, as with most tarantulas, you can see spots where the spiders have lost urticating hair. These turn dark.

 

[liquidfluidity]

I also keep all 3 for a total of 5. I always wanted them when I first got into the hobby. Love em for sure!

Agreed, I haven't seen a dedicated thread for Theraphosa either so here we go. MONSTER Garage , Theraphosa Edition!

 

[viper69]

I haven't seen a thread opened about Theraphosa's the entire time I've been using the boards

You clearly do not read the forum enough. Saw some less than a month I believe