What was your first Old World? Was it a good or bad experience?

[WolvesInSpaceMarines]

Would you get it again or a different one? Sorry for the survey format. Figured the admins wouldn't want fifteen threads on this same topic. Although I'm sure there already are lol.

For me, I don't have any OWs, since I'm still new, but I'm contemplating getting an H. pulchripes as my first when/if I ever get to that point in my keeping.

 

[docwade87]

H. Pulchripes and M. Balfouri were my first. Great experiences. Both IMO pretty easily managed. If you respect them just as your other Ts, house them properly, you shouldn’t have much issue. Your biggest challenge will most likely be rehousing. The Pulchripes is super fast. Other than that you should be fine with a little more time under your belt.

I personally prefer baboons over most of my other Ts. I haven’t had any issue with any of my OWs. I have proper husbandry and respect them just like any other T.

With that being said, I’ve had over 20 years experience keeping reptiles of all sorts including hot snakes and scorpions before getting into Ts. So most of it has been pretty easy for me.

 

[Craig73]

P. Metallica and would have waited a bit longer. Mine is still a sling and you read things like “fast” and “teleport” but really have no idea of what that looks like until you see it in person. I do my best to keep it on the DL discussion wise now, just isn’t something to boast about or glorify for anyone new to keeping T’s or not having some hours logged in T’s in general.

 

[DomGom TheFather]

I personally prefer baboons over most of my other Ts. I

Baboons!.? Me too. Lol
My first ow was an obt.
the experience was very positive.

 

[WolvesInSpaceMarines]

Baboons!.? Me too.
My first ow was an obt.
the experience was very positive.

You're braver than I am lol. They're definitely my "boogey-T". Them and the H. mac. Although even though I don't really want to get into arboreals, I have a hard time convincing myself not to get one of those. They look pretty cool.

 

[DomGom TheFather]

You're braver than I am lol. They're definitely my "boogey-T". Them and the H. mac. Although even though I don't really want to get into arboreals, I have a hard time convincing myself not to get one of those. They look pretty cool.

I had experience keeping t's before I got him.
Obt's aren't bad if you never trust them. Lol
I have four, now.
As far as h macs go, I got a small sling recently and it died. First sling I ever lost.
I hear they can be quite the handful. Probably not a good choice for a first ow.

 

[WolvesInSpaceMarines]

As far as h macs go, I got a small sling recently and it died. First sling I ever lost.
I hear they can be quite the handful. Probably not a good choice for a first ow.

Oh absolutely. They're definitely not going to be even my 10th. or 20th lol.

 

[CommanderBacon]

I bought 2 Ceratogyrus darlingi slings at a show last August for $25. It was such a good deal, so it was a bit of an impulse purchase on my part, much like the $15 Kochiana brunnipes I bought at the same show.

I had been keeping for over 3 years by that point and felt like I was ready for an OW, I just hadn't set out specifically to buy one yet. They were little 2i slings at the time, and I honestly adore them. They are excellent webbers and eaters, not at all defensive, but fast and a bit skittish. One is male and one is female, and I love watching them grow.

I received an unexpected OBT as a freebie a few months later, as well. I rehoused them all recently (I had rehoused the C darlingi 2x before), and it went pretty smooth. I was prepared for bolting, but the C darlingi were both calm and shy. They are considered good spiders for someone wanting to get into keeping OW by many experienced keepers, and I totally agree with that sentiment.

 

[RezonantVoid]

First T's were 3 Phlogius sp. slings, i successfully raised all of them and can happily say 2 of them are still alive. Unfortunately 2 ended up being males, one has already matured and passed a while ago and the other is away on a breeding loan rn

 

[justamber]

I just got a darlingi as my first and I am really happy with it. A bit skittish but not bad at all. Rehousing went super smooth.

 

[Arachnid Addicted]

It was a Pterinochilus murinus, and it was an awesome experience. He was also my second tarantula.

 

[Royalty]

I got an OBT as my first ever tarantula. It is my favourite species and is one of my favourites in my collection as well.

My H.pulchripes is still small but has been pretty good. I rehoused last night and it went better than I thought it would. I was expecting it to dive into the web burrow but I managed to get the paintbrush enough behind it and encouraged it out. I got my first threat pose from it. (kinda partial, not a full one) I let it be for a bit then managed to get it walking to the new enclosure from the cup. As soon as it was out of the cup and I pulled it away it BOLTED into the new enclosure and behind a piece of the wood. I kind of expected that to happen as I notice some seem to bolt as soon as they realize they are exposed from their burrow/hide.

She is really beautiful and I got a photo of her last night. She is also a very heavy webber and took over her water dish in the last enclosure. (it actually looked like a face that mocked me). I love her to death, her adult colors are starting to come in with the blue and contrasting orange on the legs looking stunning.

I LOVE baboons. I have a few different species of them. I love pokies too. I just painted a pictures of a pokie

 

[spideyspinneret78]

My first OW was a P. murinus. It was a great experience. I bought him as a "confirmed female" at a reptile show, and even though he wasn't what I expected in that regard, he's been a beautiful and interesting tarantula. I was especially in awe of the web fortress he immediately began to create. Very shy/ timid and not at all like the horror stories that I had read about beforehand. I was expecting an aggressive spider, but the only time he's ever been defensive was when he was being rehoused. Whenever he came out of his den at night, I was always in awe of his vivid, bright coloration. He molted into an even more beautiful mature male recently.

 

[Pepper]

Mine was an adult Ceratogyrus marshalli. It came in the enclosure it lives in now and stays in its hole. More of an intro to pet holes than to OWs lol

 

[viper69]

Ceratogyrus

 

[Jesse607]

My first tarantula order ever, twenty years ago, was a sub adult T. albopilosus, P. murinus sling, and P. muticus sling. I don't recall them having the same reputation back then, and I never had a scary experience with any of them. I thought it was awesome the first time I got a threat display though.

The T. albo matured and hooked out after a few months and lived another 6 months after. The P. murinus turned out female and lived 8 years and gave me one sac. The P. muticus was kept incorrectly in deep dry substrate (which I still see parroted even now), so he grew slow and was very boring, always sealed in and deep in his burrow waiting for a rainy season. I ended up giving him away.

 

[Asgiliath]

Got C. lividus and P. murinus at the same time. Good decision and I was confident at the time considering i'd already been keeping fast and defensive NW's for a good bit.

P. irminia is still crazier than many Cyriopagopus or pokie in my collection!

 

[The Grym Reaper]

First one I got was a Chilobrachys huahini as a surprise freebie after only 4 months in the hobby so I didn't really have a choice in the matter but I've enjoyed keeping her enough to end up picking up other Asian Species.

First one I willingly purchased was a Poecilotheria subfusca "Lowland", he was awesome and I picked up 2 more earlier in the year.

 

[Asgiliath]

First one I got was a Chilobrachys huahini as a surprise freebie after only 4 months in the hobby so I didn't really have a choice in the matter but I've enjoyed keeping her enough to end up picking up other Asian Species.

First one I willingly purchased was a Poecilotheria subfusca "Lowland", he was awesome and I picked up 2 more earlier in the year.

I only have one Chilobrachys! (huani) so so elegant and fun to watch them web. I need more of the genus as soon as I have room!

 

[WolvesInSpaceMarines]

P. irminia is still crazier than many Cyriopagopus or pokie in my collection!

That certainly seems to be the consensus lol. I will probably skip that one and go for the pulcher instead.