What species of Poecilotheria would you say is the best?

Tarantula155

Arachnobaron
Joined
Dec 1, 2012
Messages
494
Title says it all, which Pokie species would you choose for least skittish, best feeding response, and a joy to keep?
 

basin79

ArachnoGod
Active Member
Joined
Sep 14, 2013
Messages
5,893
Obviously OP you have to understand you could have 999 tarantulas that are "typical" of the species but you might end up with the 1 out of 1000 that isn't.
 

Matt Man

Arachnoprince
Joined
Jul 4, 2017
Messages
1,685
I am in the P rufliata camp. I love the regalis as well, but the rufilata has size and color that is hard to beat and for a Pokie are pretty chill
 

Matt Man

Arachnoprince
Joined
Jul 4, 2017
Messages
1,685
Obviously OP you have to understand you could have 999 tarantulas that are "typical" of the species but you might end up with the 1 out of 1000 that isn't.
that was the the with G rosea back in the day. "Docile" 'great beginner T' and then we found out 5-10% are psycho
 

Tarantula155

Arachnobaron
Joined
Dec 1, 2012
Messages
494
Obviously OP you have to understand you could have 999 tarantulas that are "typical" of the species but you might end up with the 1 out of 1000 that isn't.
Sure, I agree. But generally one species of a family can be much more skittish on average than another :)
 

mellow

Arachnobaron
Joined
Apr 16, 2020
Messages
354
I haven't kept a Poecilotheria rufilata yet, but I have seen and heard great things about them, I heard that they have been successfully kept communally, and that they are one of the largest if not the largest arboreal tarantula, they seem to be a pretty calm pokie but you can always end up with a skittish individual, feeding response seems ok but I haven't kept one myself so I don't know for sure, Poecilotheria rufilata is my favorite pokie. 😁
 

Liquifin

Arachnoking
Active Member
Joined
May 30, 2017
Messages
2,110
Sure, I agree. But generally one species of a family can be much more skittish on average than another :)
It's probably just me but almost all pokies are quite the same from my experience as in the typical Asian arboreal. I don't think Poecilotheria are too different from one another as they are just quite the same or similar in terms of behaviors, feeding responses, and personalities. I've only kept a few species of pokies such as regalis, rufilata, ornata, subfusca, vittata, striata, and metallica and all of them are same or similar, so saying which species is better in your terms doesn't really apply at all in my terms. Other than how they look like or how big they grow, I don't see much of a difference.

I haven't kept a Poecilotheria rufilata yet, but I have seen and heard great things about them, I heard that they have been successfully kept communally, and that they are one of the largest if not the largest arboreal tarantula, they seem to be a pretty calm pokie but you can always end up with a skittish individual, feeding response seems ok but I haven't kept one myself so I don't know for sure, Poecilotheria rufilata is my favorite pokie. 😁
Not communal.
 

mellow

Arachnobaron
Joined
Apr 16, 2020
Messages
354
It's probably just me but almost all pokies are quite the same from my experience as in the typical Asian arboreal. I don't think Poecilotheria are too different from one another as they are just quite the same or similar in terms of behaviors, feeding responses, and personalities. I've only kept a few species of pokies such as regalis, rufilata, ornata, subfusca, vittata, striata, and metallica and all of them are same or similar, so saying which species is better in your terms doesn't really apply at all in my terms. Other than how they look like or how big they grow, I don't see much of a difference.


Not communal.
Are you sure that they are not communal? I personally wouldn't try keeping them communally, but I have heard of several people keeping them communally with much success, kind of like Poecilotheria metallica communal enclosures.
 
Last edited:

WolleWolf

Arachnopeon
Joined
Dec 7, 2018
Messages
45
Best Regalis or Vittata (black and white beautys), then Subfusca, Miranda, Tigrinawesseli, Ornata and then maybe Metallica and the others
 

Liquifin

Arachnoking
Active Member
Joined
May 30, 2017
Messages
2,110
Are you sure that they are not communal? I personally wouldn't try keeping them communally, but I have heard of several people keeping them communally with much success, kind of like Poecilotheria metallica communal enclosures.
Several people? Who are they? No one has proven a true pokie communal yet. I'm talking from slings to adults together with no casualties and a second generation of slings from those original communal together. Those are the foundations of a communal, but putting a bunch of tarantulas together and saying they're communal is nothing solid as it's just a matter of when they're no longer communal. If someone claims to truly established a communal with Poecilotheria with no casualties then I ask for proof.
 

basin79

ArachnoGod
Active Member
Joined
Sep 14, 2013
Messages
5,893
Are you sure that they are not communal? I personally wouldn't try keeping them communally, but I have heard of several people keeping them communally with much success, kind of like Poecilotheria metallica communal enclosures.
There are NO tarantulas that are communal in captivity. None.

I type captivity as I've read a certain tarantula was found to be communal in the wild. For 1 I'm not certain the stories are true and 2 the wild ISN'T captivity.
 

The Grym Reaper

Arachnoreaper
Joined
Jul 19, 2016
Messages
4,835
Title says it all, which Pokie species would you choose for least skittish, best feeding response, and a joy to keep?
IME subfusca "lowland" (or bara or sp. "lowland" or whatever else everyone tries to call it nowadays). The first one I got was ridiculously chill (tbh I always thought he was trying to lull me into a false sense of security), my current 2 are on the smaller side but aren't that skittish.

My metallica male would spaz out at any disturbances, and my subfusca "Highland" female is kinda cranky.

but I have heard of several people keeping them communally with much success
Who? Because in 4 and a half years of keeping I've literally never seen a Poecilotheria communal attempt that hasn't resulted in cannibalism.
 

mellow

Arachnobaron
Joined
Apr 16, 2020
Messages
354


I found a couple of videos of people keeping pokies communally, but not all of the tarantulas are full grown adults yet, there are some interesting ideas about keeping pokies communally in these videos, what do you guys think about them?
 

The Grym Reaper

Arachnoreaper
Joined
Jul 19, 2016
Messages
4,835
but not all of the tarantulas are full grown adults yet
Tom's are still juvies and I think I heard him mention during the vid that he already doesn't have as many as he started with (7 out of 9?).

I refuse to watch Dark Den after he killed about 20-odd N. incei by keeping them communally and then continued to keep them communally.
 

mellow

Arachnobaron
Joined
Apr 16, 2020
Messages
354
Tom's are still juvies and I think I heard him mention during the vid that he already doesn't have as many as he started with (7 out of 9?).

I refuse to watch Dark Den after he killed about 20-odd N. incei by keeping them communally and then continued to keep them communally.
It could have just been natural death that killed 2 out of 9 tarantula slings, they do have a type 3 survivorship curve, and I understand that the dark den doesn't have the best reputation on here, but he was saying some interesting things in the video I posted, and I highly recommend you watch it.
 

MuddledMuticus

Arachnopeon
Joined
Oct 12, 2020
Messages
7
Title says it all, which Pokie species would you choose for least skittish, best feeding response, and a joy to keep?
My vote goes for Regalis as well. Size, beauty, feeding response, and not being as reclusive/skittish ( mine were more likely to stay out in the open and not bolt when I turned the light on in their room) as some of the other sp. I’ve had.
 

Liquifin

Arachnoking
Active Member
Joined
May 30, 2017
Messages
2,110


I found a couple of videos of people keeping pokies communally, but not all of the tarantulas are full grown adults yet, there are some interesting ideas about keeping pokies communally in these videos, what do you guys think about them?
This is the issue, they're not true communals as they're just juvies and none are adults let alone have they establish a second generation yet with no casualties. Posting videos like these will give a wrong impression.

Videos like these are more accurate on communal Poecilotheria:
 
Top