new to t's

[Larry Shone]

Chaco Golden Knee
(Grammostola aureostriata)

This is another gentle giant. Not only do they reach massive sizes they are docile and will not bite or flick hair. They have attractive gold stripes running down there legs. Juveniles are often available though adult specimens are hard to come by.

... Is this a good beginners starter t??? or is it too big when adult for a new t keeper??.

Hmmm another attractive species, and yes I believe it is a good beginner T; I've certainly heard good things about the species. (All grammy's in general perhaps?)
Oh and BTW just to confuse matters this one was renamed G. pulchripes which takes some getting used to-I always confuse it with G. pulchra (the velvety black species)

[John chambers]

Chaco Golden Knee
(Grammostola aureostriata)

This is another gentle giant. Not only do they reach massive sizes they are docile and will not bite or flick hair. They have attractive gold stripes running down there legs. Juveniles are often available though adult specimens are hard to come by.

... Is this a good beginners starter t??? or is it too big when adult for a new t keeper??.

[John chambers]

Hmmm might have to investigate this species!

hi Larry .
all I can find out is they are smaller and can be skitish!.
nice colour ... but not much I can find out..

[Larry Shone]

from another site that list these as (good for beginners)

Mexican Blood Leg - Aphonopelma bicoloratum

Hmmm might have to investigate this species!

[John chambers]

The original tarantula from the movies, B. smithi is possibly the best know tarantula of all time. It's bright colouring and docile temperament make it a favourite amongst hobbyists as it's one species that can safely be handled (if you must). For this reason it used to be collected from the wild in large numbers which resulted in all Brachypelma spp. Being listed on CITES Appendix II (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species). In recent years it has been widely captive bred and specimens of all sizes should be readily available but although easier to obtain, it still can command a high price (especially for adults as they can take around eight years to mature). It adapts well to captivity and although slow growing, it can easily live in excess of 20 years. Reaching around 15 cm in legspan, these spiders spend long periods sitting motionless in one space but do make good display animals, rarely hiding and not causing too much disruption in a display cage. Mating is relatively straight forward (males possess tibial spurs) but some say that seasonal variation and a 'cooling off' period are essential for eggsac production. After around 12 weeks of incubation, up to a thousand spiderlings will emerge from the eggsac and 10 or so days later they moult into fully mobile spiderlings. Males are particularly striking, the red colouration being very intense after their final moult. This species can fast for long periods between moults but as long as the abdomen remains relatively plump and the spider is active (as much as is normal for a B. smithi), then everything should be fine.

[John chambers]

From the scrubland areas of Durango state, Mexico, B. emilia was one of the first spiders to be described in England and is one of the most attractive species available. Freshly moulted males are particularly attractive, the red hairs on the legs and carapace having a lustrous appearance. Mating is usually non-aggressive with little threat to the male. Although a burrowing species, B. emilia seldom hides itself away and this makes it an ideal display spider. Not overly aggressive (more nervous) but not recommended for handling and, like all Brachypelma, posses urticating hair on their abdomens. A fairly slow growing species taking around 6 - 7 years to reach maturity but smaller in size at around 13 cm in legspan.

[John chambers]

Crikey John, you're getting advice "a plenty" mate
even the wife's joining in


I'll agree with what Elaine said, she's more into Brachy's than i am (and i have to agree or i get beaten and locked in the cupboard under the stairs )

Myself, i'm a sucker for Grammostola and i think everyone should have at least one !!

MMMmmm when the wife once worked in a petshop she came home with 1 just over night.
it didn't come across as one I would watch..
if anything it made me jump when I checked on it to be sure the lid was ok and it ran up..
but the two I do like the sound of are redknee ( alot of money ) and redleg ( no idea of prices )
but them two I do really like and bald bottoms don't worry me so they can flick away ..
I've read a paint brush is good to use with them ( in the book I've got )
it's now male or female - wants slower and calmer - males die faster - than what age so I know it's male or female and what size would/could it be at that time.

[John chambers]

Hope that helps a bit

oh yes!... it makes it better as I like the redknee / redleg / bloodleg.
so much better... so the sex of the t doesn't play in it?.
like females are more calmer (like my wife lol) than males (me pmsl)

and please don't beat him he is a great help

[Colin D Wilson]

Crikey John, you're getting advice "a plenty" mate
even the wife's joining in

Hope that helps a bit

I'll agree with what Elaine said, she's more into Brachy's than i am (and i have to agree or i get beaten and locked in the cupboard under the stairs )

Myself, i'm a sucker for Grammostola and i think everyone should have at least one !!

[Elaine Ross]

from another site that list these as (good for beginners)

Chile Rose - Grammostola rosea - yes, in general docile but you do get some that can be defensive
Curly Hair - Brachypelma albopilosum - yes...as above
Mexican Blood Leg - Aphonopelma bicoloratum - yes....as above
Pink Toe - Avicularia sp - yes but needs a bit more care and are faster and a bit jumpy
Mexican Red Knee - Brachypelma smithi - yes, in general but can be a bit prone to hair kicking
Mexican Red Leg - Brachypelma emilia - yes....same as B. smithi
Mexican Fire Leg - Brachypelma boehmei - yes, a bit more scatty than the others and more likely to kick hair in my experience
Red Rump - Brachypelma vagans - yes, but can be a wee bit more defensive and scatty.
Brazilian Black - Grammostola pulchra - yes, some can be scatty.

All of the above can make good beginner species but as with any T it can be down to the individual spider. Some can be a total pet rock and can be easy to deal with while another of the same species can be scatty and defensive. All of the above are easy to care for with the exception of the Avicularia sp., not difficult as such but just need that wee bit extra care in husbandry.

Hope that helps a bit

[John chambers]

from another site that list these as (good for beginners)

Chile Rose - Grammostola rosea
Curly Hair - Brachypelma albopilosum
Mexican Blood Leg - Aphonopelma bicoloratum
Pink Toe - Avicularia sp
Mexican Red Knee - Brachypelma smithi
Mexican Red Leg - Brachypelma emilia
Mexican Fire Leg - Brachypelma boehmei
Red Rump - Brachypelma vagans
Brazilian Black - Grammostola pulchra

[John chambers]

fire leg from owner..

((
Temperment:
She mostly does nothing, but sometimes when disturbed she'll move quickly and not hesitate to kick hairs. She mostly just wants to be left alone, and doesn't much go on the offensive. When she has a burrow, she spends some time in it, but mostly when she's waiting to molt. She is almost always on display at other times.))
I keep finding bad reports on these t's and the bloodleg is 50-50 as is the redknee apart from this one can get very big..
no idea is it's size makes it more agressive or not?.

[John chambers]

sorry nicola got wrong name there

[John chambers]

John can I just add something in here. Maybe I haven't noticed if you've already said but are you going to the BTS show next month?.

hi Colin.
yeah I'm trying to see if my wife is off that day.
as for what t I want I can only read re-read.. but it is now down to three..
all from Mexico - redknee / bloodleg / fireleg... and it always comes to females are "meant" to be better!.
I'm also going to start breeding spotted roaches for the lizards so I can use these for the t also.
I've read so much it's hard to pick now what t is best ( with colour ) so back to the book after a smoke I need it

[Nicola Dolby]

John can I just add something in here. Maybe I haven't noticed if you've already said but are you going to the BTS show next month? A great chance to have a look around and find the spider thats for you. I guess I'm a bit unconventional when it comes to tarantula keeping in that my first spider was a P. metallica. I decided to get a sling and learnt about keeping by raising him. I figured that if I learnt with a tough one the rest would be easy, how wrong I was!!!! every spider has its own character; some keep to their reputation (I have a psychopathic H. maculata who'll testify to that!) and others are completely unlike their reputation, like my gentle little H. schmidtis and my viscious B. smithi! At the end of the day get the spider you want, look after it as the species' requires and remember that no matter how friendly it seems it will always be a wild animal, so no complacency! whichever Welcome to the best hobby in the world.