What species was your first Old World tarantula and why?

[Claire Beckett]

Hi

Currently only have New World tarantulas and am looking for a good introductory species to the Old Worlders. What was your first Old World and what made this a good/bad choice?

[Nicola Dolby]

My first Old World tarantula Claire was a Poecilotheria metallica, because it was my first tarantula! When I first joined the hobby I wanted a H. lividium (who doesn't) but I was advised against it as they are shy and extremely nocturnal, so who wants a spider you never see? I have since kept lividium and although I do see my big female (Suzi) about sometimes, mostly this is at 2AM. So I set my heart on the metallica, which at the time had only recently come into the hobby. My thinking was that although they are not a beginners spider (no Poecilotheria is) I thought that if I got a sling as it grew I would grow in knowldge and understanding with it. Actually it worked and I've been a big fan of Poecilotheria ever since. Contrary to some opinion I have never found them aggressive, and have kept metallica, ornata, rufilata, subfusca, miranda, formosa and pederseni; most of these I still have. In truth the biggest problem with them is their lightening speed (I'm being very serious), if one decides to really run you won't catch it. Having said this they don't run very far!!! However if you move slow and deliberatly you won't startle them, and if they are angry they always warn you first before considering biting. My metallica (a male) died a couple of years ago, I sent him off for breeding and he developed dyskenetic syndrome (the only spider I've had do that) but if you can handle fast spids and be gentle with them, Poecilotheria are the best! I know their venom is more potent that any other tarantula and we all make mistakes (my Heteroscodra had a right good go at me once - totally my mistake), but if you are careful with the TLC you'll get it back in bucket loads! All the best

[Claire Beckett]

Thanks for the response, Nicola. That's great. To be honest, I am thinking of Poecilotheria as a possible option. Met someone at the lectures who has a gravid regalis. I was thinking, like yourself, if I had one from a sling, could learn as it grows and it would be easier to house, re-house etc as a small pokie rather than diving straight in with an adult! Watched a vid on Youtube that demonstrated the speed of an adult regalis last night (and did think "woah, surely that's not in real time!". However, don't want to rule out other Old World species...besides...could always get the pokie and another! Hehe!

Any other advice/experience greatly appreciated guys.

[James Box]

oh you can't go wrong with Old World spiders, Claire
my first T's were old world, like Nicola, however, i got a pair of Ceratogyrus darlingi! right in at the deep end
aside from what could've been a rather serious newbie mistake (underestimating what they can squeeze through, and one getting out for a few days!), i found the general policy of not bothering them much and respecting their speed and defensiveness resulted in a pair of manageable spiders that were both beautiful and interesting....and with personality!
since then i've loved my African spiders. i'd recommend darlingi, for one, and i've always found them to be defensive and quicker to go down and hide then attack.

I'd also recommend C crawshayi and Augacephalus sp "Mozambique".

i'd also recommend just about any Asian spider you can lay your hands on (figuratively!!!), there are some stunning yet subtle ones, like Chilobrachys sp "Andersoni" and Selenobrachys philippinus...as well as flashier ones like H lividum, C schoiedtei (impossible to spell, and underrated in my view!), and Ornithoctonus aureotibialis.

[Claire Beckett]

Thanks James

Some good info there. Trying to get some ideas ready for the shows...and here's me thinking I was gonna stick with what I have for a while but I'm afraid the lectures have lit the ignition again and I reckon I'll be having a few additions before too long!

Any other input from others greatly appreciated.

[matthew spooner]

if your gonan go for something like a pokie it is better to get them from sling. i say this because they have a shorter life span than brachys or grammostolas for example so if you get an adult, it may not be around for long

[Mateusz Sikorski]

My first Old World tarantula was P. murinus, becouse it's one of my favourite T's and they're look awsome. I kept my from a sling, now it's a beast I love to look them growing <3

[Lisa Baines]

mine was the pokie regalis from newark last december.

Always loved the look of pokies. I know they have a bad bite but I like living dangerously lol! Now I also have the p.rufilata and the p.striata.
The striata being the biggest in my collection, about 5" or so. I love it when she crawls around the front of the tub so I can see the bright yellow bands.

[Samantha Lewanewsky]

I got a Heteroscodra maculata, they looked cute, and had a spare container to keep it in. Heard about fast aggressive old worlds, but had never kept one and I was interested to see one for real. I was really suprised by the different style of webbing and burrowing. I heard they grow quickly too, I bought a spiderling to watch it grow up, and see how the colour and pattern changed.
Glad I did now, sparked an interest for old worlds, particularly Haplopelma! I wouldn't buy a new world now :P

[Matthew Baines]

I think ( Not sure) mine was Haplopelma Lividum , seems like i caught the south east asian bug from it too.

[Matthew Davies]

my first was also a H. lividum great species although at times it is like keeping a tub of dirt, followed by C. crawshayi although they are also fossorial burrowers, I love how they are continously re adjusting their burrows adding and destroying chambers, ive spent many a night observing this, cheap night in with a bottle of brandy one way of beating the credit crunch

[Claire Beckett]

ive spent many a night observing this, cheap night in with a bottle of brandy one way of beating the credit crunch

Matthew, thats a fab idea....just dont know if I could convince any of my friends to join me for that one, would probably end up sat there on my own with a bottle of vodka, lol! mmmmm

[James Box]

i don't know why, Claire! that sounds like a fantastic evening, a chat, some good booze, and a spider providing the entertainment! brilliant!

Mateusz, i fully agree, you can't go wrong with P murinus! cracking spiders. they have so much personality, the webbing is amazing, and they are so easy to keep.

[Nicola Dolby]

To be honest Claire I'd get both an arborial and a fossorial. See if you can get 3 or 4 P. regalis slings together (highly communal) and then get a tarrestrial African. The reason I'm not saying Haplopelma/Ornithoctonus is because you wouldn't see too much of them, of course you could get an Aussie! I think the Spider Shop is still selling S. plumipes. They are slow growers and the females can live 20-30 years I believe. They are also, like most Aussie spids, a spider prepared to spend more time out in the open that other burrowing Asians. However they might not be as patient as some. I went to feed one of mine the other day with a fresh maggot and she came out of her little burrow and just stood over it, not eating. so I got the foreceps to give the maggot a wiggle, encouraging the spid to eat. The blooming thing reared up at me, as if to say "get off my maggot!" Its a funny experience being threatened by a 2cm long spider! Still it shows they have got character! I'd recommend a Ceratogyrus too when it comes to an African terrestrial. All descriptions about their behaviour I've heard are pretty much the same, regardless of the species. My meridionalis is no different to the C. darlingi described by James. Pterinochilus can vary though, I have a murinus UMV who is completely docile but I've known other people who've kept them and they've been viscious! Good luck whichever you choose.

[Phil Rea]

I seem to recall that mine was a P. regalis spiderling