Which Tarantula Should i Get?

[devbuckey]

well, i can give an outline of how long it took (with powerfeeding) to get my male to 3". it's up to you how you feel about powerfeeding though. i kept mine at roughly 82 degrees and fed as often as it would eat, until the 10/13 moult (which you can obviously see changed my results)

purchased 2/8/10 at .5" with an old moult already in enclosure

~2/8/2010 .5"
4/20/2010
6/13/2010
8/9/2010
9/11/2010 1.5"
10/13/2010
1/29/2011 3"

hope that helps

Wow thats a long time lol.

---------- Post added at 07:47 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:44 PM ----------

do giant white knees take that long to grow too or they quicker?

 

[mOtOjUnKiE]

Yeah, slow growing T's are cool..but if you want to see more action, then the A. geniculata would be good..they've got nice coloring even as slings, and they grow really fast...they're also really good eaters/hunters & almost never refuse a meal unless they're about to molt. And mine is always out & about wandering around, climbing the fake leaves, etc.

 

[devbuckey]

So do Giant White Knees grow quicker than Chacos? I dont want to have a slow growing T or a T that lives for only 2 or 3 years.

 

[devbuckey]

How fast do Giant White Knees grow? ima get a 3/4" sling, so how long should it take for it to get about 3"?

 

[Midknight xrs]

Many factors will come into play in the growth rate of a T. What you will find on the site that people have feeding, heating, watering, homing and other regiments that they all feel effects the growth of the T's. There was even a story about how bee's made them brighter, but that's another thread.

If you're talking to ben or brandon, they're great guys, know there stuff, and i'm sure they can help you out. Tell them what you want, and maybe they can help ya with the future addiction you will have.

 

[Rob1985]

So do Giant White Knees grow quicker than Chacos? I dont want to have a slow growing T or a T that lives for only 2 or 3 years.

well if you don't want one that lives for a few years then get a female.

Don't write off the Brachypelma species. They are some of the best to get and pretty docile, which helps to understand how to care for a T. They also kick, so it prepares you for those big time kickers.

 

[JC50]

How fast do Giant White Knees grow? ima get a 3/4" sling, so how long should it take for it to get about 3"?

It seems like you are looking for a tarantula that is going to grow to 3" in a matter of months and i do not understand what the rush is.Any tarantula is going to require time and patience no matter what species you choose and watching them grow and mature is half the fun of getting them.I would suggest doing your homework and decide what you want to get and enjoy it no matter how fast they grow.Best of luck in your search.

 

[jonnyquong]

Git 'em ALL!!! Great starter collection!

 

[rockrox1]

get a geniculata... nice starter T. fast grower and aggressive eater. my genic grows to 3" from 0.5" in 4 months.

 

[DflyBri]

Go with the Chaco if you want something really docile. But as stated above they take a long time to mature. I have an A. geniculata (Giant White Knee) and LOVE it. It's just a little sling now, but they have ravenous appetites and are pretty fast growers. Beautiful when full grown. And not as fast and aggresive as the P. murinus (OBT). Personally, I'd recommend the Giant Whiteknee.

 

[Titandan]

Can't go wrong with B. Smithi or Boemi. They are great eaters(mine eat all the time when not in pre-molt. They are not too defensive and very docile from my experience.

The G. Roseas are good too but they can be a bit unpredictable in terms of eating habits. They have always been super docile to me though.

 

[devbuckey]

grrr its very hard for me to choose my first T. I've dropped the Chaco out, and now can't decide between a Giant White Knee, OBT, Togo Starburst, and a Avicularia Urticans or Avicularia metallica. I have a small budget. Oh and if anybody has a suggestion for where to buy one online for great price and cheap shipping let me know... so far im leaning towards captiveinverts.com. i live in kelso, washington, a hour north of portland, Or. I want a really cool T to raise not that much handleing and i dont really want to deal with them flicking hairs at me. would like a fast grower but still lives a long time

 

[RatKing216]

For my 1st Tarantula I got the Green Bottle Blue! She is about 1 1/2" right now. She's been sexed that I know of. I got her from Paul at PetCenterUSA.net. He's the best in the business I think, but can be a bit steep on price. Shipping will be $35 for next day Live On Arrival. So honestly I would get a GBB. However if you want to choose from your list... Go balls to the wall and get the OBT!!! I'm seriously thinking of getting an OBT next as my 2nd Tarantula in my collection.

 

[jb62]

From the comments and advice given from every one a none defensive t is always best to start with.

The white knee is defensive and for a beginner is a no no.
I've got t's and even I was told I am not ready for the white knee as they will push you to your limits.
For a 8inch t the G.pulchra wins,
For hair kicking brachypalma,
alot of beginners make the mistake of asking and not taking notice of sound advice.
G.rosea will teach you a thing or two..
The salmon pink will show you about hairs and can teach you about t speed and gets to 10inch.
From what I've seen of the advice given to you it's good.
But it's down to you and if you choose wrong then your get the "I told you so".
Now it's up to you what you buy...
Read again the comments see what's being said and go from there.
Good luck if you choose a white knee I think your need it and if you choose a OBT your really need it.

 

[NikiP]

IMHO, i'd MUCH rather see someone get a P. murinus (OBT) then a H. maculata (Togo Starburst) as their first T. They are very, very quick & are said to have one of the worst bites in the hobby.

Besides, you'll pretty much never see it. They are very reclusive.

 

[Spidershane1]

It doesn't take much experience to own ANY T. Is it really that hard to just put its tank in the bathtub when you decide to mess with it? If it gets out into the tub, just put a container over it and slide a peice of paper underneath and then you have it secured again. I mean, c'mon, didnt we all learn how to catch bugs like that when we were like 5 years old? Just get whatever species you want- any dumbass can keep a tarantula, no matter what species. Keeping the hardest to keep species of tarantula is like being the smartest kid on the short bus.

 

[murinuskeeper]

I would rather a person get a NW species if new to T keeping, comments that its alright to get a H maculata or OBT is not advice I would agree with. These are fast Ts and the OP may not be able to deal with them. Its easy to say get one, but what if the OP gets tagged by accident? Better to get the chaco or white knee, better yet a B. smithi. Theres a good reason to get some experience from a docile slower T.

 

[Spidershane1]

Having a slow terrestrial is not going to give you much experince in owning a speedy OW. The only way to know is to actually own one & read up all you can/watch videos.

 

[NikiP]

It doesn't take much experience to own ANY T. Is it really that hard to just put its tank in the bathtub when you decide to mess with it? If it gets out into the tub, just put a container over it and slide a peice of paper underneath and then you have it secured again. I mean, c'mon, didnt we all learn how to catch bugs like that when we were like 5 years old? Just get whatever species you want- any dumbass can keep a tarantula, no matter what species. Keeping the hardest to keep species of tarantula is like being the smartest kid on the short bus.

Nice way to insult pretty much everyone :wall:

Most tarantulas from outside the US aren't exactly like the everyday bugs found in our back yards. Learning to catch something like a H. maculata or a pokie would be more like kids catching wasps.

Pretty sure lots of kids start with ant farms or play with pill bugs & beetles :?

Having a slow terrestrial is not going to give you much experince in owning a speedy OW. The only way to know is to actually own one & read up all you can/watch videos.

No, but they can learn all the basics of husbandry before adding speed & increased venom.

 

[Midknight xrs]

Having a slow terrestrial is not going to give you much experince in owning a speedy OW. The only way to know is to actually own one & read up all you can/watch videos.

I don't know which species you own, as your profile states you were too lazy to post them, but i can tell you one thing, there is no such thing as a slow terrestrial. I only own slings right now as I like to do things with a lot of involvement, and of all the slings i have, my terrestrials are much faster then the arboreals I have. I have a C. fasciatum that i can say is just as fast as the P. irminia that i own. And good luck trying not to kill a P. irminia with a cup as it flies up the shower wall.

A lot of these members have been on here much longer then you or I and the last thing you should do is insult everyone who has been doing this long enough to know where to draw the line.