What would be the best Brachypelma (hamorii, emilia, boehmei) for someones first tarantula?

[baileyy]

I have three adult cats and one very rambunctious kitten, none of them.go near my enclosures thankfully. I keep them in a cabinet in their enclosures, that has the door taken off. The kitten does like to attack my bag of sphagnum moss but that's about it.

We've talked about making or buying a cabinet and putting a glass door on the font that magnetically closes

 

[GrammyGuy]

We've talked about making or buying a cabinet and putting a glass door on the font that magnetically closes

I use what is considered an upper cabinet, maybe someone with more experience can chime in on how a completely closed cabinet will affect ventilation. How big are your slings?

 

[baileyy]

I use what is considered an upper cabinet, maybe someone with more experience can chime in on how a completely closed cabinet will affect ventilation. How big are your slings?

I was thinking about ventilation too, but yeah, don't know the best way to go about that. My B. emilia is maybe .75" DLS and my B. hamorii looks to be 1" DLS maybe a little bit bigger.

 

[GrammyGuy]

I was thinking about ventilation too, but yeah, don't know the best way to go about that. My B. emilia is maybe .75" DLS and my B. hamorii looks to be 1" DLS maybe a little bit bigger.

Aww they tiny, honestly something that small makes me nervous.

 

[baileyy]

Aww they tiny, honestly something that small makes me nervous.

Why's that?

 

[GrammyGuy]

Why's that?

Had a sling die on me from a bad molt

 

[baileyy]

Had a sling die on me from a bad molt

Awe, I'm sorry ): I guess I'm worried about that too.

 

[GrammyGuy]

Awe, I'm sorry ): I guess I'm worried about that too.

Was a G.Pulchra, my fiance and I were pretty crushed, so now we only do juveniles and bigger till we are more capable of rearing the little beasts.

 

[YellowBrickRoad]

I have to be honest, I totally thought you were going to get an adult or juvenile? Any reason you went for the sling? Alls I'm saying is, it seemed like you where asking about disposition and bristle flickers cause you were going to get a T of age to do so?

Anyway. Just curious is all.

 

[baileyy]

I have to be honest, I totally thought you were going to get an adult or juvenile? Any reason you went for the sling? Alls I'm saying is, it seemed like you where asking about disposition and bristle flickers cause you were going to get a T of age to do so?

Anyway. Just curious is all.

I did want a juvenile, but they're just more expensive. Also, I've had some people say it's fun to get a sling because then you can watch them grow up. I asked about temperament and hair flicking because I didn't want to get a T of any size that is more known to flick, I know they all have their own personalities, but I just wanted to get an idea of how some of them act with most people I guess. But yeah, it was mainly a price thing. Once I save up some more I'll get a juvenile, or maybe even an adult.

 

[YellowBrickRoad]

I did want a juvenile, but they're just more expensive. Also, I've had some people say it's fun to get a sling because then you can watch them grow up. I asked about temperament and hair flicking because I didn't want to get a T of any size that is more known to flick, I know they all have their own personalities, but I just wanted to get an idea of how some of them act with most people I guess. But yeah, it was mainly a price thing. Once I save up some more I'll get a juvenile, or maybe even an adult.

Right on. Just in these 3 pages alone you've gotten accurate information about Brachypelma across the board. Im glad you went with the slings you got. The hamorii is simply a staple in the hobby. And emilia is absolutely one of my favorites, even if they are reclusive sometime. They're very gentle. And pretty. Get all the red legs I say.

Cheers

 

[LucN]

FWIW, while boehmei is often noted for being flick happy, not all specimens will act the same way. My boehmei was fairly skittish during the first few years and now is surprisingly calm in her adult phase of her life. She needs to be seriously startled before she decides to flick. My hamorii also rarely, if ever, flicks hairs at disturbances.

Emilia is another good one. Congrats on the sling, hoping it's going to live up to its calm reputation. Remember this : Younger Ts will be more prone to hair flicking as they're more vulnerable to predation. To them, any disturbance could be a potential predator. As they gain some size, they become more bold and take more "disturbances" before they decide to flick. That being said, every individual spider will act differently. You might have an animal that will remain skittish and flick-happy for the duration of its life.

 

[nicodimus22]

Any Brachypelma is a suitable first...no one is better than the other...personal preference.

Completely agree.

hair kicking isnt something to be afraid of or even worried about.

I don't think it's something to be afraid of, however it is absolutely something to be aware of. Sensitivity to urticating hairs is something that increases gradually over time with repeated exposure to them, so early on, a lot of people get haired and don't have any reaction or a mild reaction, and write it off as no big deal. However, some keepers have gotten so sensitive to it over the years that they can't keep NW tarantulas any more, period.

For me, that would completely knock me out of the hobby, so I avoid unnecessary exposure to urticating hairs. Am I putting on gloves and long sleeves every time I do maintenance, acting like they're radioactive death? No. But I use tongs to pick up water dishes, molts, and anything touching the substrate (they generally have some of these hairs in their sheet webbing and on the substrate around their burrow to make it unpleasant for potential predators.) I never handle. I probably have the occasional hairs land on my hands and forearms while doing maintenance (it's usually my Pamphos or B. boehmei that get trigger-happy) which I rinse off as quickly as possible. You also want to keep your face (especially eyes) free of them as well.

Tom Moran just did a podcast episode on the topic which is worth listening to IMO.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

Had a sling die on me from a bad molt

Yeah usually that happens for my older adults lost my g porteri I had for ages 16 years In 2022.. it’s rare enough I don’t see it often but it happens ..don’t let it-discourage you from slings once you get more experience. But yes larger ones are easier to car for .

Completely agree.



I don't think it's something to be afraid of, however it is absolutely something to be aware of. Sensitivity to urticating hairs is something that increases gradually over time with repeated exposure to them, so early on, a lot of people get haired and don't have any reaction or a mild reaction, and write it off as no big deal. However, some keepers have gotten so sensitive to it over the years that they can't keep NW tarantulas any more, period.

For me, that would completely knock me out of the hobby, so I avoid unnecessary exposure to urticating hairs. Am I putting on gloves and long sleeves every time I do maintenance, acting like they're radioactive death? No. But I use tongs to pick up water dishes, molts, and anything touching the substrate (they generally have some of these hairs in their sheet webbing and on the substrate around their burrow to make it unpleasant for potential predators.) I never handle. I probably have the occasional hairs land on my hands and forearms while doing maintenance (it's usually my Pamphos or B. boehmei that get trigger-happy) which I rinse off as quickly as possible. You also want to keep your face (especially eyes) free of them as well.

Tom Moran just did a podcast episode on the topic which is worth listening to IMO.

we’re do you find this podcast? I avoid hairs like the plague . I’m badly allergic.. but rarely get haired .

 

[nicodimus22]

we’re do you find this podcast?

Tom's Big Spiders - Tarantulas and Inverts

A podcast devoted to the proper care and upkeep of tarantulas and other inverts. After keeping a G. porteri for over 16 years, I decided that I wanted to add another tarantula to my collection. Several years later, I now keep over 100 specimens an...

tomsbigspiders.buzzsprout.com

 

[GrammyGuy]

Awe, I'm sorry ): I guess I'm worried about that too.

I currently have a veracruz redrump that was sent as a freebie with my last order of T's and it's soooooo tiny and im like ugh... nervous as hell. it seems to be a rambunctious little thing though.