What Ts would you classify as beginner/intermediate/advanced?

[ScorpionEvo687]

I'd classify any NW T that is fairly docile, easy to take care of, has mild venom, and is slow-medium as far as "speediness/skittishness" is concerned a good "beginner" T. I'd consider good beginner Ts to be Ts such as B. hamorii, G. pulchra & pulchripes & T. albopilosus. I'd even put Ts such as A. geniculata, C. cyaneopubescens & L. parahybana firmly into this category even though they can be a little more "sketchy" than the previously mentioned ones. The Genic and LP being very "food aggressive" and the GBB being a bit faster and more skittish, on average. Consensus seems to be they're still good for beginners looking for a hands off T. I'd consider faster, feistier NW Ts and "calmer" OW Ts to be "intermediate" such as Psalmos, Tapis, A. germani & N. incei for NW Ts and C. darlingi/marshalli, H. pulchripes, M. balfouri & A. ezendami for OW Ts. These would be Ts that probably aren't ideal for a beginner, and would probably be best after one has acquired more experience, but could still work for a beginner if they're cautious and do their research. I'd consider "advanced" Ts to be very fast, defensive OW Ts w/ powerful venom and also Ts, NW or OW, that have very specific husbandry requirements. Examples would be H. maculata, S. calceatum, OBTs & Pokies for "speed/feistiness/venom potency" and Ts such as Theraphosa sp. and T. seladonia (which are also ridiculously expensive) for Ts that have very specific husbandry requirements and are more difficult to take care of. These are Ts that are absolutely not suitable for *most* beginners and should really be left to the experts who've already owned a variety of beginner & intermediate Ts and have a good understanding of tarantula behavior & how to properly take care of them. Thoughts?

 

[curtisgiganteus]

I think I Mira is a very good intro to OW as they are very similar to GBB in their skittishness/speed.

 

[ScorpionEvo687]

I think I Mira is a very good intro to OW as they are very similar to GBB in their skittishness/speed.

So they'd probably place firmly into the "intermediate" category. Just looked them up. They look quite nice.

@cold blood What do you think? You're a very experienced keeper who's kept 1000's of Ts. What are some you'd rank as beginner/intermediate/advanced? You can go by genus too. Not just species.

 

[ScorpionEvo687]

Well doesn't look like this thread I made is going much of anywhere lol

 

[viper69]

I'd classify any NW T that is fairly docile, easy to take care of, has mild venom, and is slow-medium as far as "speediness/skittishness" is concerned a good "beginner" T. I'd consider good beginner Ts to be Ts such as B. hamorii, G. pulchra & pulchripes & T. albopilosus. I'd even put Ts such as A. geniculata, C. cyaneopubescens & L. parahybana firmly into this category even though they can be a little more "sketchy" than the previously mentioned ones. The Genic and LP being very "food aggressive" and the GBB being a bit faster and more skittish, on average. Consensus seems to be they're still good for beginners looking for a hands off T. I'd consider faster, feistier NW Ts and "calmer" OW Ts to be "intermediate" such as Psalmos, Tapis, A. germani & N. incei for NW Ts and C. darlingi/marshalli, H. pulchripes, M. balfouri & A. ezendami for OW Ts. These would be Ts that probably aren't ideal for a beginner, and would probably be best after one has acquired more experience, but could still work for a beginner if they're cautious and do their research. I'd consider "advanced" Ts to be very fast, defensive OW Ts w/ powerful venom and also Ts, NW or OW, that have very specific husbandry requirements. Examples would be H. maculata, S. calceatum, OBTs & Pokies for "speed/feistiness/venom potency" and Ts such as Theraphosa sp. and T. seladonia (which are also ridiculously expensive) for Ts that have very specific husbandry requirements and are more difficult to take care of. These are Ts that are absolutely not suitable for *most* beginners and should really be left to the experts who've already owned a variety of beginner & intermediate Ts and have a good understanding of tarantula behavior & how to properly take care of them. Thoughts?

yean- search The forum for ladder

 

[ScorpionEvo687]

yean- search The forum for ladder

Will do

 

[Introvertebrate]

Will do

..........and then turn it upside down.

 

[Tarantuland]

OBTs and Pokies are calmer old worlds compared to S cal/H mac....Pokies are typically far more docile than Psalmopoeus

 

[Introvertebrate]

OBTs and Pokies are calmer old worlds compared to S cal/H mac....Pokies are typically far more docile than Psalmopoeus

Sounds like I’ve started at the wrong end of the ladder. It’s a good thing I’m having fun with that.

 

[Tarantuland]

Sounds like I’ve started at the wrong end of the ladder. It’s a good thing I’m having fun with that.

I don't really think any spiders are all that bad, but Stromatopelmiinae have been some of the quickest i've seen to strike. Some Chilobrachys are high strung, some are relatively chill IME. As long as your confident you can keep whatever

 

[Introvertebrate]

I don't really think any spiders are all that bad, but Stromatopelmiinae have been some of the quickest i've seen to strike. Some Chilobrachys are high strung, some are relatively chill IME. As long as your confident you can keep whatever

I’m not sure how confident I am. My S. cal isn’t big enough to kill me yet. If I suddenly stop posting things, you’ll know what happened.

 

[Mustafa67]

I'd classify any NW T that is fairly docile, easy to take care of, has mild venom, and is slow-medium as far as "speediness/skittishness" is concerned a good "beginner" T. I'd consider good beginner Ts to be Ts such as B. hamorii, G. pulchra & pulchripes & T. albopilosus. I'd even put Ts such as A. geniculata, C. cyaneopubescens & L. parahybana firmly into this category even though they can be a little more "sketchy" than the previously mentioned ones. The Genic and LP being very "food aggressive" and the GBB being a bit faster and more skittish, on average. Consensus seems to be they're still good for beginners looking for a hands off T. I'd consider faster, feistier NW Ts and "calmer" OW Ts to be "intermediate" such as Psalmos, Tapis, A. germani & N. incei for NW Ts and C. darlingi/marshalli, H. pulchripes, M. balfouri & A. ezendami for OW Ts. These would be Ts that probably aren't ideal for a beginner, and would probably be best after one has acquired more experience, but could still work for a beginner if they're cautious and do their research. I'd consider "advanced" Ts to be very fast, defensive OW Ts w/ powerful venom and also Ts, NW or OW, that have very specific husbandry requirements. Examples would be H. maculata, S. calceatum, OBTs & Pokies for "speed/feistiness/venom potency" and Ts such as Theraphosa sp. and T. seladonia (which are also ridiculously expensive) for Ts that have very specific husbandry requirements and are more difficult to take care of. These are Ts that are absolutely not suitable for *most* beginners and should really be left to the experts who've already owned a variety of beginner & intermediate Ts and have a good understanding of tarantula behavior & how to properly take care of them. Thoughts?

Well，I’d recommend T. Albo, I just bought mine (unsexed) and I absolutley love it it’s cute, calm, and looks really impressive I love it and I recommend it above any other. I also bought a Juvi A. Genic and a B. Bohemi, the B. Bohemi is skittish, but no problems. I’ve had no problems with the A. Genic neither, he/she is clever and looks really great.

 

[cold blood]

@cold blood What do you think? You're a very experienced keeper who's kept 1000's of Ts. What are some you'd rank as beginner/intermediate/advanced? You can go by genus too. Not just species.

Well doesn't look like this thread I made is going much of anywhere lol

you are asking for what could amount to pages and pages of response that most people just wont have the time for (hence your lack of detailed responses). To go through genus by genus and classify each would be an absolute daunting task.

I will try to give a short, generally acceptable answer, hopefully it makes sense.

In general, beginner species are NW terrestrials that have slow growth rates and don't require damp substrate.....intermediates would be those NW terrestrials that grow faster, and are more high strung.....also the requirement of damp sub would, in general, move them to the intermediate side....IMO all NW arboreals would be intermediate, but one could make an argument that as long as husbandry is understood properly, Avics can be a decent beginner group.

Anything with medically significant venom would be advanced...of those, the most advanced would be those that are the most high strung and least predictable.

One may find exceptions to/within each of .these groups, but in general it would be pretty accurate IMO.

 

[RezonantVoid]

I'm probably biased as someone that can only keep OW's, but based on my experience and pretty much that of every single tarantula keeper in Australia I'm aware of, I don't think the majority of OW's are that bad to start with even if one is prepared enough.

Our Selenotholus hiss like a wind up mechanical toy and strike everything that moves next to them, our Phlogius and Coremiocnemis bolt like a lightning strike, and our Selenotypus play it cool until suddenly unleashing hell on everything around them.

Yet I don't know a single keeper that has been terrified out of keeping them or thought they were too much of a hurdle to start with. Simple steps such as much larger enclosures and rehousing in large tubs can prevent escapes and reduce the need for frequent rehousing every 2 molts. Venom and speed literally do not factor in at all for the majority of keepers down here, a spider is simply a spider and you treat them all with respect regardless of potency, size or temperament.

Personally, the idea of getting progressively worse rashes over time from necessary enclosure maintenance/rehousing of a laid back NW sounds much more annoying than an OW I can cup and pop into a new tank without injuries to either of us

 

[ScorpionEvo687]

In general, beginner species are NW terrestrials that have slow growth rates and don't require damp substrate.....intermediates would be those NW terrestrials that grow faster, and are more high strung.....also the requirement of damp sub would, in general, move them to the intermediate side....IMO all NW arboreals would be intermediate, but one could make an argument that as long as husbandry is understood properly, Avics can be a decent beginner group.

So would species like A. geniculata & C. cyaneopubescens be considered more "intermediate" in your experience cause they grow faster and are a bit more high strung than your average Grammostola/Brachypelma/Aphonopelma? I see them very commonly recommended to new hobbyists looking for a good hands-off T. Not great for those that want to handle, even though that's not really recommended anyways. Avics are pretty commonly recommended for newbies looking for an arboreal, but I know the husbandry at least for the slings tends to be a bit iffy. Lots of "What's wrong with my Avic?" And "My Avic died." type posts on here. I feel like, despite the speed and potential defensiveness, a Psalmo could actually be better as a first arboreal if one is careful and has their rehousings down. Could be wrong on that though. The only Ts I'd rule out for myself as a beginner would be the truly advanced ones. Very feisty and fast OW species like H. maculata, S. calceatum, OBTs, Pokies, C. lividus etc. and then also species that are just a huge pain to take care of. I don't want my Ts dying on me.

 

[cold blood]

So would species like A. geniculata & C. cyaneopubescens be considered more "intermediate" in your experience cause they grow faster and are a bit more high strung than your average

Yes, but its important to note that not everyone has the same definition of beginner, and not all beginners are equal....some are coming in almost arachnophobic, others are quite enthusiastic, so while for many those might be too much, for many others those would be excellent choices to start with.

We can only make recommendations, its up to you to understand your position (as no one here can).....what is the perfect beginner for some, might be incredibly boring tio another and visa versa.

. Avics are pretty commonly recommended for newbies looking for an arboreal, but I know the husbandry at least for the slings tends to be a bit iffy.

They are recommended because they are cheap, abundant, and in terms of their behavior, typically very easy to deal with. Slings are no more difficult to raise than any other with the exception (IMO) of A. purpurea.

I feel like, despite the speed and potential defensiveness, a Psalmo could actually be better as a first arboreal if one is careful and has their rehousings down.

Psalmos are not typically defensive until adulthood, or at least they gain some size, and some like a cambridgei is not typically very defensive...another thing to note is the re-housings....purposefully doing fewer will only serve to limit your experiences with the animal and make dealing with the adult more potentially difficult. If your aim is to gain experience and get better, do more re-housings of small ts, not less.

I don't know if a Psalmo is a "better" choice, as they are exceedingly fast and unlike an Avic, they may not stop once they get running. But in terms of husbandry, most Psalmos are very adaptable and therefore very very easy to raise...they can be kept arboreally, terrestrially, dry, damp and just about anything in-between, so in that respect, they do have at least that beginner quality....but due to their speed, i would only suggest them for a very enthusiastic beginner as its a vastly better choice than an OW that can make you pay a much more significant price for a mistake.

Adult female cambridgei

• cold blood
• Jun 22, 2019
• 4
• cambridgei female mature female psalmopoeus psalmopoeus cambridgei trinidad chevron tarantula

 

[curtisgiganteus]

Yes, but its important to note that not everyone has the same definition of beginner, and not all beginners are equal....some are coming in almost arachnophobic, others are quite enthusiastic, so while for many those might be too much, for many others those would be excellent choices to start with.

We can only make recommendations, its up to you to understand your position (as no one here can).....what is the perfect beginner for some, might be incredibly boring tio another and visa versa.



They are recommended because they are cheap, abundant, and in terms of their behavior, typically very easy to deal with. Slings are no more difficult to raise than any other with the exception (IMO) of A. purpurea.

Psalmos are not typically defensive until adulthood, or at least they gain some size, and some like a cambridgei is not typically very defensive...another thing to note is the re-housings....purposefully doing fewer will only serve to limit your experiences with the animal and make dealing with the adult more potentially difficult. If your aim is to gain experience and get better, do more re-housings of small ts, not less.

I don't know if a Psalmo is a "better" choice, as they are exceedingly fast and unlike an Avic, they may not stop once they get running. But in terms of husbandry, most Psalmos are very adaptable and therefore very very easy to raise...they can be kept arboreally, terrestrially, dry, damp and just about anything in-between, so in that respect, they do have at least that beginner quality....but due to their speed, i would only suggest them for a very enthusiastic beginner as its a vastly better choice than an OW that can make you pay a much more significant price for a mistake.

Adult female cambridgei

• cold blood
• Jun 22, 2019
• 4
• cambridgei female mature female psalmopoeus psalmopoeus cambridgei trinidad chevron tarantula

May I ask why purpurea is more difficult than other Avics to raise?

 

[cold blood]

May I ask why purpurea is more difficult than other Avics to raise?

They are very sensitive....and they are small, and because of that, they are probably the slowest growing avic you could find (and typically pretty poor eaters), this means those little, sensitive slings are at that vulnerable stage, seemingly forever.

 

[curtisgiganteus]

They are very sensitive....and they are small, and because of that, they are probably the slowest growing avic you could find (and typically pretty poor eaters), this means those little, sensitive slings are at that vulnerable stage, seemingly forever.

Would you say that they are akin to Typhoclaena as far as husbandry needs?

I’ve been keeping Ts for years but haven’t kept too many Avics as I was never the biggest fan of them. My girlfriend however is now obsessed and we are expecting a few purpurea along with a few other Avics next week. I just want to make sure I have everything down. The other Avics I’m not too worried about but the purpurea and minatrix have me a bit spooked.

 

[cold blood]

Would you say that they are akin to Typhoclaena as far as husbandry needs?

I have never owned that species, so I have no personal baseline of comparison....but a friend who breeds them insists their care is no different than a common Avic, and he's produced multiple sacs, so...