This will be my first tarantula

[darkness975]

What big species do you recommend

Depends on your definition of "big."

What DLS (Diagonal leg span) would you consider adequately sized for your liking?

 

[KezyGLA]

Grammostola pulchripes, Aphonopelma hentzi or any Euathlus sp. red/yellow

 

[smc]

5" to 6" should be fine

 

[darkness975]

5" to 6" should be fine

B. smithi

 

[louise f]

What big species do you recommend

Who are you asking me ?

Grammostola pulchripes
Acanthoscurria geniculata
Nhandu chromatus

 

[Chris LXXIX]

I live in western Pennsylvania how are they with cold

Pennsylvania???
Ah, you mean western Transylvania, man. No issues when cold weather is concerned. Just beware of bats searching for virgin blood... they turned crazy due to the lack of resources.

 

[louise f]

Pennsylvania???
Ah, you mean western Transylvania, man. No issues when cold weather is concerned. Just beware of bats searching for virgin blood... they turned crazy due to the lack of resources.

Hahaha friend, you sure know how to cheer people up.

 

[mistertim]

5" to 6" should be fine

My first was a B. smithi and they are awesome spiders, but they can be a bit pricey unless you get a sling. And I wouldn't necessarily recommend a sling as your first tarantula. Most of the species others have mentioned to you are pretty hardy even as slings, but nevertheless slings in general are a bit more finicky about their care than juvies and sub-adults or adults. My advice to you would be to start out with a sexed juvenile female if possible...they're small enough to where you can watch them grow but past the more precarious small sling stages.

If you're concerned about cost and want something that gets to a good size I'd check out a G. pulchripes. Very reasonably priced, decent growth rate, easy to find, easy to keep, very attractive, and get pretty darn big (up to 7-8 inches for females IIRC).

 

[viper69]

What big species do you recommend

Define big?

The largest species a beginner "should" own is G. pulchripes. Females may reach about 6".

While all Ts are individuals, for a NW T that is large, this is the least likely to flick urticating setae. That is both readily available and not particularly slow growing.

Everything else, B. smithi, B. albo. B. emilia etc it's a crap shoot. You might end up with a great T, you may end up with a T that flicks urticating setae the moment the lid is removed to do husbandry.

If you want a small T, less than 4" the best is E. sp. Red., slow growing but extremely human tolerant. This species is even better in disposition than G. pulchripes by just a tad.

AF E. sp. Red, Post-Molt

• viper69
• Aug 29, 2016

E. sp. Red, Adult Female eating 2 of 2.

• viper69
• Aug 29, 2016

E. sp. Red, Adult Female- Recent Molt

• viper69
• Aug 29, 2016
• 1
• chilensis euathlus sp. "red" female homoeomma homoeomma chilensis

 

[johnny quango]

A Brachypelma albopilosum makes a great 1st tarantula and it covers all you've asked cheap ( an understatement) they get pretty big and bulky they require no special care and most importantly as a general rule they are tolerant

 

[johnny quango]

Define big?

The largest species a beginner "should" own is G. pulchripes. Females may reach about 6".

While all Ts are individuals, for a NW T that is large, this is the least likely to flick urticating setae. That is both readily available and not particularly slow growing.

Everything else, B. smithi, B. albo. B. emilia etc it's a crap shoot. You might end up with a great T, you may end up with a T that flicks urticating setae the moment the lid is removed to do husbandry.

If you want a small T, less than 4" the best is E. sp. Red., slow growing but extremely human tolerant. This species is even better in disposition than G. pulchripes by just a tad.

AF E. sp. Red, Post-Molt

• viper69
• Aug 29, 2016

E. sp. Red, Adult Female eating 2 of 2.

• viper69
• Aug 29, 2016

E. sp. Red, Adult Female- Recent Molt

• viper69
• Aug 29, 2016
• 1
• chilensis euathlus sp. "red" female homoeomma homoeomma chilensis

I love these liittle buggers

 

[viper69]

Any breeders anyone can recommend

Check the classifieds, I'm almost positive I saw cold blood still has G. pulchripes at a good size too.

 

[smc]

Just want to say you all are awesome this is by far a forum that is very welcoming thank you all

 

[BobBarley]

Just to throw it out there, my G. pulchripes is defensive and throws up a threat pose every once in a while. Individual t's can sometimes differ from the norm of their species. Usually though, G. pulchripes have a tolerant, mild temperament.

 

[viper69]

Just to throw it out there, my G. pulchripes is defensive and throws up a threat pose every once in a while. Individual t's can sometimes differ from the norm of their species. Usually though, G. pulchripes have a tolerant, mild temperament.

So do all my Brachy's

 

[BobBarley]

So do all my Brachy's

Also, my A. chalcodes is quite defensive.

 

[EulersK]

Also, my A. chalcodes is quite defensive.

And my G. porteri (what 90% of keepers start with) is a devil spawn.

Lesson? T's may have individual temperaments. Keep that in mind, @smc

 

[cold blood]

This is definitely what you want. G. pulchripes juvie

Resized952016101495235205

• cold blood
• Oct 15, 2016
• 1

little pulchripes

While food aggressive, they're typically pretty calm when food isn't involved. Females can reach 7", males will be smaller, like 5 inch range. Females can live over 20 years, males 4-7. Theyre a great species, and the species I would start with if I was to go back in time and start over. I started with a "rose hair"...terrible choice.

 

[BobBarley]

males will be smaller, like 5 inch range.

Wait seriously? Then my pulchripes is probably penultimate...

 

[cold blood]

Wait seriously? Then my pulchripes is probably penultimate...

The MMs I've had have all been about 5-5.5", and the last molt to get that size was significant...I wanna say they were penultimate about 4.5, maybe a hair less"...although individual variances are to be expected, the few MMs I've raised are hardly indicative of every specimen.