What arboreal new world species to get?

[pyro fiend]

Tell that to this guy. He must missed that message.
View attachment 138676

Obviously we have had entirely different experiences with this genus.

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Well thats where the individuals come in... If they was ALL deffensive dont you think id of got one rear? Iv got 3 irms, 2 redunc, 2 pulchers, an essc, langenbucheri and 3 cambs... What are the odds of NONE of mine rearing if they are all "so defensive"?

I have noticed with top loaders at a buddies house, his psalms and ow arboreals seem more willing to pop out and stand their ground, but who can blame them in the wild a predator would be looking down on them just like you are, making them feel small and weak(nd probably like lunch) to where all the side loaders we/he has, so long as it dont have a "cannon" of cork, they seem more willing to run into their hide. Just as if u was walking along the beaten path in the woods and and spooked them..but thats my $0.02 on that matter tho

But i will agree to disagree we have very much different experience in psalms

 

[dementedlullaby]

Tell that to this guy. He must missed that message.
View attachment 138676

Obviously we have had entirely different experiences with this genus.

Sent from my LG-D801 using Tapatalk

Hehe that's part of what makes the hobby so fun though.

My female rosie is fairly high strung compared to the "pet rocks" I always hear people talk about. Meanwhile I expected my pokie to be a bit more on the high strung side but (at least at this size) s/he'd really prefer to just retreat back to the cork bark. Despite being "just a bug" they all seem to have their own personalities regardless. Which is amazing.

 

[BobGrill]

Well thats where the individuals come in... If they was ALL deffensive dont you think id of got one rear? Iv got 3 irms, 2 redunc, 2 pulchers, an essc, langenbucheri and 3 cambs... What are the odds of NONE of mine rearing if they are all "so defensive"?

I have noticed with top loaders at a buddies house, his psalms and ow arboreals seem more willing to pop out and stand their ground, but who can blame them in the wild a predator would be looking down on them just like you are, making them feel small and weak(nd probably like lunch) to where all the side loaders we/he has, so long as it dont have a "cannon" of cork, they seem more willing to run into their hide. Just as if u was walking along the beaten path in the woods and and spooked them..but thats my $0.02 on that matter tho

Like I said, we've obviously had completely different experiences with this genus. Most of my Psalmos are fairly defensive. Not all, but the majority are.

Pokies usually seem to just run into their hides when spooked. I wouldn't consider them defensive, just skittish.

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[lalberts9310]

Well thats where the individuals come in... If they was ALL deffensive dont you think id of got one rear? Iv got 3 irms, 2 redunc, 2 pulchers, an essc, langenbucheri and 3 cambs... What are the odds of NONE of mine rearing if they are all "so defensive"?

I have noticed with top loaders at a buddies house, his psalms and ow arboreals seem more willing to pop out and stand their ground, but who can blame them in the wild a predator would be looking down on them just like you are, making them feel small and weak(nd probably like lunch) to where all the side loaders we/he has, so long as it dont have a "cannon" of cork, they seem more willing to run into their hide. Just as if u was walking along the beaten path in the woods and and spooked them..but thats my $0.02 on that matter tho

But i will agree to disagree we have very much different experience in psalms

I have 2 P. Cams, 4 P. Irminias and one possible hybrid female... I have had rears from all except my AF P. irminia. So I'm more with bob regarding experience. Although mine tend to hide more often, I have encountered confrontation and rears during feeding/maintenance. Everyone has different experience and truth be told psalmos are known for their defensive nature. Yours still has some growing up to do though, so I guess you may see some defensive behaviour in the future. I bet you don't want to take on my devil MM P. Irminia Pyro gosh he's pshyco

 

[pyro fiend]

I have 2 P. Cams, 4 P. Irminias and one possible hybrid female... I have had rears from all except my AF P. irminia. So I'm more with bob regarding experience. Although mine tend to hide more often, I have encountered confrontation and rears during feeding/maintenance. Everyone has different experience and truth be told psalmos are known for their defensive nature. Yours still has some growing up to do though, so I guess you may see some defensive behaviour in the future. I bet you don't want to take on my devil MM P. Irminia Pyro gosh he's pshyco

Well considering most of mine (except 3) are 3" plus id immagine theyd have enough bravery by now but im sticking behind my cage theory as my buddy has 20+ psalmos in each style and he always gets reared on with his top loaders but i take care of the side loaders and only action iv seen is on pray maybe its different techniques? No clue. It just seems like it cant be a coincidence..which is where i get the "predator looking down on them" theory (as most of mine burrow a bit and never web to the top) Mine seem more skittish in delis then when get a side loader they chill out more.. I always figured its the snap of the lid (mine are freezer style so need pried off) or Maybe im the T whisperer and i just dont know it.. *whisper sounds* lol

But id happily take on your mm, if u was closer id trade ya mines a doll, he just let me push him away from his dish to get his bowl and his leftovers.. And just sat there as i pulled it out and startedd drinking apon filling up gis new bowl granted i took no chances leaving his door open but he sat there...

and im going to be knocking on wood now as im hoping to send him out to breed asap and i probably just jinxed myself.. But again ill agree to disagree just based off our own experiences ^.^

 

[lalberts9310]

Most of my enclosures also opens from the sides though, the little ones still has enclosures with top lids but that will change when they get rehomed into their permanent enclosures, so will see if the defensiveness subsides or stays the same... good luck with the MM loan though and no, you can't have my devil MM, won't even trade him for a calmer one lol, I kinda dig the attitude

 

[pyro fiend]

and no, you can't have my devil MM, won't even trade him for a calmer one lol, I kinda dig the attitude [emoji14]

Lol but lola lol im still waiting to find myself an angry lil T (tho new 5" fm chromatus reared in day one but never sense)

 

[lalberts9310]

Lol but lola lol im still waiting to find myself an angry lil T (tho new 5" fm chromatus reared in day one but never sense)

Nooooo uh uh. Hehehe, ah.. one day you'll get lucky, maybe hold off with the T whispering? LOL

 

[Jones0911]

Does anyone know where I can get a Avicularia*hirschii*sale on here

 

[awiec]

I personally like my Tapinauchenius gigas if we are voting for NW aboreals, but they aren't for the faint of heart as they can be very skittish and are considered the fastest tarantula species in the hobby. Despite that, the 6 I have aren't very confrontational (my big one does love to kill the water though) and are out all the of the time. I do not own any psalmos but what breeders have told me about them they are very secretive and can be defensive, not the best genus if you aren't comfortable with an Ephpebopus cyanognathus (You did say you cared for a "Blue Fang" correct?) as I think of psalmos as aboreal versions of that genus. I have 4 different species of avics and have obtained all of them as 2nd instar and they are generally my best eaters but I have a few species that can be a little nippy. My most chill species is A sp Guyana "Green"(some argue this is just A.metallica) as they will take food right from my tweezers and don't get upset when I open the cage. My A.versicolor (have had him for 2 years) usually hides and my A.braunshauseni and A.velutina will charge me when I open the cage. As for their comparison to N.chromatus, mine is a big wimp and just hides while my avics will come/hop/"charge" over to see whats going on when I open the cage.

So simple breakdown if you don't wanna read my dribble/drivel:
Avicularia-Probably the best NW arboreal as they are colorful and for the most part are not too defensive. These spiders require a very simple setup and should be left alone as "helicopter keeping" kills them really fast. I am not home very much and my avics are happy as long as the water bowl is full. Though they will rub their hairs EVERY WHERE, I always use tongs as they drop them all over the place.

Iridopelma- I haven't kept these yet but from what I know about them they have the more defensive nature of a psalmo but the colors of an Avic. Pretty sure their care is like Avicularia. Also have hairs, not sure if they are as hair happy as Avics though

Psalmopoeus-Very handsome and hardy. Can vary between very shy to defensive but the consensus is that they are going to be more of an handful than an Avic. I don't own these as I prefer Taps. No urticating hairs to deal with either. Also you should note that their venom is known to attach to the same receptors that capsaicin does, so their bite is not very pleasant (but doesn't compare to OW).

Tapinauchenius-My personal favorite as they are fast, are very pretty (to me anyway) and are out quite often. These can be very nervous animals but with proper caging they will just retreat into their hide. If the idea of a fast spider teleporting all over the place freaks you out, you probably shouldn't get these yet, even when they are walking normally they cover a lot of ground. Also no urticating hairs so that is a big bonus for me.

 

[johnny quango]

Lol but lola lol im still waiting to find myself an angry lil T (tho new 5" fm chromatus reared in day one but never sense)

Hey pyro you want an angry tarantula your quite welcome to my 1" Acanthoscurria Antillensis it's that mean even my 2 old worlds avoid it.

 

[pyro fiend]

Hey pyro you want an angry tarantula your quite welcome to my 1" Acanthoscurria Antillensis it's that mean even my 2 old worlds avoid it.

Truat me jf i could id take her off your hands u have no idea how excited i was to get my first adult rear just weeks ago id love ti haveaT with a 'tude

 

[cold blood]

Truat me jf i could id take her off your hands u have no idea how excited i was to get my first adult rear just weeks ago id love ti haveaT with a 'tude

Ha, the other day I was feeding a t, when I heard hard slapping against the C. darling enclosure next to me, so I turned and put the light on the enclosure to see what the fuss was all about...apparently I was standing too close.

 

[leaveittoweaver]

Ha, the other day I was feeding a t, when I heard hard slapping against the C. darling enclosure next to me, so I turned and put the light on the enclosure to see what the fuss was all about...apparently I was standing too close.

Hahaha. My GBB actually does this. All the time!

 

[cold blood]

Hahaha. My GBB actually does this. All the time!

That's one of those things that makes me want a GBB, but I know if I get some they wont act like that for me.

 

[awiec]

Hahaha. My GBB actually does this. All the time!

My boyfriend's P.metallica does this if he stands too close to her cage, she goes bonkers until he leaves the room, so he's not allowed in when I'm feeding her/cleaning the cage.

 

[MikeC]

u have no idea how excited i was to get my first adult rear just weeks ago

Thank god for tarantula-based context.

 

[pyro fiend]

Thank god for tarantula-based context.

Hahaha i sat hereabout 2mins scratching my head... just got it lnaooo

 

[Storm76]

I am considering adding third tarantula to the mix. Really like the way Psalmopoeus cambridgei look, but I am wondering about how hard they are to care for, and the temperment. I was considering a.versicolor, but I don't like delicate, or high humidity species. I also would like to own from a sling so I don't think avics are the way to go. Any suggestions?

Psalmopoeus spp. in general are pretty hardy tarantulas, that said Avics are not as delicate as many make them out to be - the correct housing and care provided. It's just that people drown them in humidity in badly ventilated cages, effectively killing the T and wondering what happened.
Back to Psalms - lightning fast if startled and as a "bridge genus" (since NW, but no urticating bristles and in exchange stronger venom and very fast) the majority on the defensive side. P. cambridgei are the largest of the genus with up to ~7"+ as adults. They're also seemingly the least secretive, as many stay visible even during daytime, making them a better choice as display spider, than say P. irminia.

They're really easy to raise, but require respect and a keeper not trying to fool around with them, otherwise a bite or, more likely, an escape is easily possible. If you're convinced you can deal with one (getting a sling is a good idea as they grow quickly) they're a great spider to have in a collection. But keep in mind that maintenance (and especially rehousings!) with these can be...interesting. I'm smirking writing that, but the truth of the matter is that Psalms can be handful.

Bottom line: Don't get in over your head, Avics are easier in general (for the most part...) and aren't as defensive or fast than Psalms. That said, arboreal spiders are tending to be somewhat skittish no matter the genus really. "Expect the unexpected" is very true with them, but as long as the keeper keeps a cool head and stays calm, they're still manageable. Personally, I'd suggest an Avic first since Psalms are a (in my opinion) a big step-up from terrestrials, but in the end that's your choice. I think lastly I'll simply say that if spooked or annoyed sufficiently (most have a low threshold) Psalms don't fool around and they're either gone within the blink of an eye, or they'll strike.

 

[MikeC]

For what it's worth, I can deal with a moderately defensive tarantula (Psalmo) far moreso than one that'll shoot poop at me (Avic).
Fangs are much less gross.