Which one is more mellow -Mexican red-knee or Honduran curly hair

Which tarantula is more mellow

  • Honduran curly hair

    Votes: 14 70.0%
  • Mexican red-knes

    Votes: 6 30.0%

  • Total voters
    20

hilltowner

Arachnopeon
Joined
Nov 24, 2016
Messages
30
Looking to purchase our first tarantula. Curious which tarantula is more mellow - less likely to throw hairs or bite. Ok with handling. Thank you!h
 

WeightedAbyss75

Arachnoangel
Joined
Feb 22, 2014
Messages
921
Probably B. albopilosum. Not sure about B. smithi, but I have gleaned they are known to be a little more skittish. Also, B. albos have great appatites and have a pretty unique look with their hairs and gold patterns. My vote for you overall is for B. albo, and I'd say it's the less high strung of the two generally. They are very close, so individuals will vary however...
 

KezyGLA

Arachnoking
Joined
Apr 8, 2016
Messages
3,013
Can never be sure. All depends on individual. One of my AF B. albo is calm but flicks a lot. The other is quite nasty sometimes. Every B. smithi I have ever owned has been calm but will flick when aggrovated.

both are very similar in nature but smithis tend to flick more so I would say curly is you best starter.
 

mistertim

Arachnobaron
Joined
Sep 4, 2015
Messages
548
My B. smithi can be a bit high strung and prone to kicking hair sometimes. I don't have any B. albos but I have heard they are a bit less skittish than B. smithi in general.

Couple of things to remember: 1) all tarantulas have their own "personalities" so even if a species in general tends to be docile and easygoing that is no guarantee that yours will be, 2) even a "docile" specimen can completely change its temperament after a molt. I've seen this firsthand.

For these (and other) reasons, you really shouldn't put a focus on handling and if you feel the need to do it, only do it very rarely and very carefully. These are wild animals and rely on instinct. There is no way for you to know whether a certain movement on your hand will suddenly trigger a flight or fight response that will either result in it running off your hand and possibly going splat on the floor if you're too high up, or biting you.
 

clive 82

Arachnoknight
Joined
Sep 11, 2016
Messages
204
Looking to purchase our first tarantula. Curious which tarantula is more mellow - less likely to throw hairs or bite. Ok with handling. Thank you!h
I wouldn't recommend handling at all. Smithi can be a bit skittish & flicky but nothing too bad. I think that smithi is more attractive. As others have said though they can all have different "personalities".
 

viper69

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 8, 2006
Messages
17,851
Looking to purchase our first tarantula. Curious which tarantula is more mellow - less likely to throw hairs or bite. Ok with handling. Thank you!h
The HONEST answer is neither. It's a crap shoot when it comes to disposition for the Brachy and Grammo genera. Either species can be docile or a hair kicker. OR be both depending upon their mood, which is never predictable.

As for biting, same applies as well. Btw, handling Ts is dangerous for the Ts, and is purely an act done by their human owner for selfish reasons. They derive no benefit at all from handling.

If you want a small pet you can handle get a hamster or a leopard gecko.
 

Walker253

Arachnobaron
Joined
Jun 12, 2016
Messages
554
I have 2 B smithi's. One was apparently a big hair kicker before I got her, but in 6 months has yet to do it to me. The other never was a hair kicker, but she has done it twice now in the last 2 weeks. You just don't know with Brachys. It's all the individual T really.
If you do it right and check their mood first, you are likely to never get bit. I handled a few of my tarantulas early on including my smithi's, but mostly my G pulchripes. I think handling is something every new person transitions through on their way to not handling. Let the T walk out and on to your hand on their own. You are not likely to get haired or bit.
But as @viper69 says:
Btw, handling Ts is dangerous for the Ts, and is purely an act done by their human owner for selfish reasons. They derive no benefit at all from handling.
Just be careful and get it out of your system.
 

Quixtar

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Sep 22, 2007
Messages
513
In my experience, B. albopilosum is less likely to kick hairs.
 

Abyss

Arachnoknight
Joined
Apr 15, 2016
Messages
281
Cant vote on the premiss u admit upfrint your buying it to handle........

My vote is dont but a T if handling is your reason to own it
 

Walker253

Arachnobaron
Joined
Jun 12, 2016
Messages
554
Ok, altering my earlier "just be careful and get it out of your system". In case you don't spend any time reading other threads, this is the latest example of why you don't just unnecessarily handle your tarantulas. Even the unthinkable can happen...

I'm in a bit of a tough situation right now with my newest tarantula, a 2 year old female curly hair. I had been handling her for a couple of minutes and she started to get a little moody, so I got ready to put her back in her enclosure. I must have moved my hand or something, but she panicked and climbed up the mesh frame of the fireplace and into the inner workings (an electric fireplace, unfortunately). I tried to open it up and take it apart as much as possible but the only conclusion I can come up with is she must have gone into a space in between the fireplace itself and the brick wall, about 3 inches wide and wraps around the entire fireplace. Luckily it's off and won't be going on any time soon so she won't cook, but I'm worried she may freeze or get stuck back there. My dad is going to ask to borrow a scope tomorrow to see if we can find her and maybe nudge her towards us to get her out- but I'm very concerned about her and how much danger she could really be in. I care deeply for all my tarantulas and consider them to be family to me, I'd be crushed if I had to give up on her. What could I try in order to get her back?
 

Vanessa

Grammostola Groupie
Joined
Mar 12, 2016
Messages
2,423
I have three of each and I would always suggest the B.albopilosum over the B.smithi because of the propensity for B.smithi to kick hairs. Although, I have recently added a juvenile female B.smithi to my collection and she is as calm as can be and has never kicked hair at me - not even during rehousing.
B.albopilosum are easier to find and cost less than the B.smithi - even as juveniles and adults. They grow faster and have better appetites than the B.smithi. Their care is very similar, but the albo's want it a bit more damp and prefer to have their water dish overflowed the odd time. B.smithi wants it very dry always.
B. albopilosum all the way...
DSC00263-2.jpg
 

Paiige

Arachnobaron
Joined
Oct 2, 2016
Messages
335
I would have to agree with B albo. I have yet to meet a smithi who doesn't kick just for the heck of it. Granted, this depends on individual temperament which varies from tarantula to tarantula. I've read rosea/porteri horror stories about them being mean and aggressive but mine is as docile as can be. I've never seen a threat posture from her in 8+ years.
 

Ddannison

Arachnopeon
Joined
May 9, 2016
Messages
22
I've never had a smithi but I do have 2 B. albos. I'd recommend getting a Juvie or adult. as a sling mine would disappear for months while molting and that can be very worrisome for a new keeper. at 3" my other one is a real pet hole. this may only be the case because I gave her the opportunity to burrow deep but just be aware that you may see it less than you'd like to.
 

Formerphobe

Arachnoking
Old Timer
Joined
Feb 27, 2011
Messages
2,336
It's dependent on the individual. I've had multiple B smithi. None have ever been prone to kicking hairs or biting. But, none of my Brachypelma species have been hair kickers. B schroederi will, on occasion, throw half hearted threat poses as I fill her water bowl.
I don't handle any of mine, either. I don't like nekked spider rumps and don't want to give them an excuse to kick hairs.
 

hilltowner

Arachnopeon
Joined
Nov 24, 2016
Messages
30
Thank you for all of your replies and expertise. We totally understand the concerns about any handling, we've had panther chameleons and know that many animals are more for observing than handling. We just know that there will be times when cleaning the cage, etc., when temperament is important. We continued to research and after several months have just purchased a B. albopilosum from Jabberwock Reptiles in MA. They are 4 hours away from us, but had such a great reputation and after visiting them a month ago, we knew they were the place. He seems to be an extremely mellow fellow right now, but some of that could be the travel and new home. We have him in an Exo Terra Wide with coconut husk material and a piece of cork bark for a hide. We also have a tiny plastic cup with water. He was just fed yesterday at the store, so we don't have to worry about feeding him for a week. We already have large mealworms for our leopard gecko, but I know 3/4 inch to 1 inch crickets are good as well as super worms. The owner of the store said dubias burrow soon after you add them, so they might not be the best. Thanks again for everything!
 
Last edited:

Goodlukwitthat

Arachnoknight
Joined
Mar 10, 2015
Messages
178
I would have to agree with B albo. I have yet to meet a smithi who doesn't kick just for the heck of it. Granted, this depends on individual temperament which varies from tarantula to tarantula. I've read rosea/porteri horror stories about them being mean and aggressive but mine is as docile as can be. I've never seen a threat posture from her in 8+ years.

That's actually funny because my AF B. smithi has never kicked hairs. She's threat posed me 2-3 times ever. She generally spends hours in 1 spot, even when I open the lid she doesn't budge, unless food is tossed in, then she goes right for it. I have 2 G. rosea/porteri sub adult and adult females. Both are... to put it bluntly...bitches from hell. They are the worst at eating, I open their lid and immediate threat pose (yay for tongs to do any tank maintenance) Although my bigger one has been staying in her hide for the past couple weeks, so I'm hoping a molt will be coming soon, along with a hopeful mood change XD
 

BobBarley

Arachnoprince
Joined
Sep 16, 2015
Messages
1,486
Thank you for all of your replies and expertise. We totally understand the concerns about any handling, we've had panther chameleons and know that many animals are more for observing than handling. We just know that there will be times when cleaning the cage, etc., when temperament is important. We continued to research and after several months have just purchased a B. albopilosum from Jabberwock Reptiles in MA. They are 4 hours away from us, but had such a great reputation and after visiting them a month ago, we knew they were the place. He seems to be an extremely mellow fellow right now, but some of that could be the travel and new home. We have him in an Exo Terra Wide with coconut husk material and a piece of cork bark for a hide. We also have a tiny plastic cup with water. He was just fed yesterday at the store, so we don't have to worry about feeding him for a week. We already have large mealworms for our leopard gecko, but I know 3/4 inch to 1 inch crickets are good as well as super worms. The owner of the store said dubias burrow soon after you add them, so they might not be the best. Thanks again for everything!
Awesome! Got pics of the t and the enclosure?
 

Paiige

Arachnobaron
Joined
Oct 2, 2016
Messages
335
I have 2 G. rosea/porteri sub adult and adult females. Both are... to put it bluntly...bitches from hell. They are the worst at eating, I open their lid and immediate threat pose (yay for tongs to do any tank maintenance) Although my bigger one has been staying in her hide for the past couple weeks, so I'm hoping a molt will be coming soon, along with a hopeful mood change XD
My rosie is the most docile animal I have ever met. I do tank maintenance with my hands, get right up in her face for photos, have hand fed her (it was a long time ago and I never would do it again - I was new and she was my first T) - nothing. I was scared she had nematodes at one point and swabbed her fangs with a Q-tip and she just stood there. I cleaned out her enclosure earlier today actually and she was sweet as pie
 

hilltowner

Arachnopeon
Joined
Nov 24, 2016
Messages
30
Thanks again. We actually are realizing we need to reassess the enclosure because he keeps climbing to the top and the vents on the ExoTerra only let us add so much substrate, so we are getting a longer, shorter terrarium for terrestrials. :)
 

Attachments

Top