Aphonopelma anax info?

[KJ Vezino]

All Aphonopelma of the Southwest US can be kept the same, which is pretty much the same way as G. rosea. I keep A. anax, A. hentzi, A. chalcodes, and an Aphonopelma sp. "New River".

The A. anax is definitely the grumpiest of the bunch. Still calm enough to handle, if you choose to, but I don't stick my hand directly in her cage either. My A. hentzi is the calmest of the bunch. She is the one I let my kids handle and I use her for all my tarantula presentations.

[Joanna Pendleton]

Your Aphonopelma sp "new river" has the same name as my A. chalcodes. (So named as she was mexican and it sounded a good mexican name, then i discovered she is of the Arizona variety of A.chalcodes. oops)

I take it your an Aphonopelma fan, having so many. Would you let your children handle the A. chalcodes. So far only I have handled her but my daughters itching to. I know you shouldnt really handle them at all, but I want her to now while she's ok so she won't get scared when she's older.

J x

[KJ Vezino]

Yes, I'd let them handle the chalcodes. I haven't yet, because both of mine are still small. But they do hold the "New River" and that has the exact same temperment as chalcodes. I personally believe the "New River" are a chalcodes variant.

[Joanna Pendleton]

Do you think? I'd agree with you if I knew what I was talking about. I saw a pic of one, when they were for sale on the spider shop, and had a look as I like the idea of getting another Aphonopelma, and they look EXACTLY like my Rio, so much so that I began to wonder if she was one. Then I went and looked at the A.chalcodes and thought they looked the same lol.

I've handled her, by accident the first time, she was feeling friendly and wandered onto my hand when I was doing some cage faffing, and then on purpose the second time. She's very friendly but can be quite quick for what I thought was a slow species!
x

[Colin D Wilson]

Thanks for chipping in with your opinion on this KJ, nice to see you back mate. Our A. hentzi is a bit of a scatty mare when feeding at the like, quite active for a new world too which is nice.
from this lot here observations are..
Aphonopelma bicoloratum = laid back
Aphonopelma iodius (AF) = even more laid back
Aphonopelma iodius (small juvi) = chilled out and well mobile
Aphonopelma iodius (slings) = normal spiderling behaviour (run and hide)
Aphonopelma hentzi = scatty mare
Aphonopelma (sp) "New River" (adult female) = laid back (almost horizontal)
Aphonopelma (sp) "New River" (sub adult) = pretty docile with a scatty five minutes
Aphonopelma (sp) "no idea - need to talk to wee Stuart Longhorn " = active but calm
Aphonopelma (sp) "Guatamala" = quite nervous / skittish
Aphonopelma abberans = active and they think they're arboreal !!

I personally believe the "New River" are a chalcodes variant.

Methinks another "can 'o' worms" is on the horizon , but yes i'm sort of in this mindset myself.

[Joanna Pendleton]

I see you say A.bicoloratum are laid back colin, another good one for a house with kids in???? We wanted a B. boehmei but were put off by the flicking, thinking of A. bicoloratum instead, for the colours?

Would love to see how the "new river"/chalcodes thing pans out, as like I say my Rio doesn't half look like the sp "new river" pics Ive seen.

J x

[Colin D Wilson]

I see you say A.bicoloratum are laid back colin, another good one for a house with kids in????

The one we have at the mo is quite laid back, i've had them in the past where temperment ranged from laid back through to defensive.
They're unpredictable, you can't say for definite that one genus/species is always going to have a certain temperment, every spider's different even in similar environments and situations. Even spiders from the same egg sac that have always been in the same conditions will have differing temperments (as and when it suits them)
In my opinion all tarantulas are suitable for a household with children, the onus lies on the parent/guardian who endeavors to make the enclosure secure and instills into the children that they are not a play thing and treat them with respect.
You dont really need to handle them to overcome a fear of spiders, it's not like your going to come across one in the "wilds" of Britain unless it's an escapee, then any child should be educated to either inform an adult or to capture it safely under tub/bucket/mug/whatever untill adult help arrives.
Treat them like tropical fish, if you want a cuddly pet to get out ... buy a hamster/rat/mouse/gerbil.
I've handled, i think many hobbyists who've been in the hobby for any time have in certain conditions, the main thing that should be on peoples mind when handling is that the time is shortening untill the moment you get bitten, i've heard of "show and tell's" going wrong, not because of the owner of the spiders error, not because of the little lad thats holding the spider (he's following instructions perfectly) but because of the couple of pushy uneducated kids who are rushing to get "their turn" and try and grab the spider (thier parents are probably off in the beer tent or buying trinkets from the stall next door) the result is/was a damaged spider and a little lad not feeling too great for a week or two.

[Larry Shone]

Hmm I quite like the look of A.bicoloratum! I like colourful Ts you can see,and it sounds an easy species too!

[KJ Vezino]

... observations are..
Aphonopelma bicoloratum = laid back
Aphonopelma hentzi = scatty mare

Funny, those two are opposite of what I'd expect, although we all know that individual temperments vary. I always thought that bicoloratums were more on the skittish side. And I'm not sure I've ever heard of a hentzi that was not completely docile.

Methinks another "can 'o' worms" is on the horizon , but yes i'm sort of in this mindset myself.

Well, the science of it all is beign worked right now. I know the guy who is trying to sort it all out. Not sure how long before he gets the results published though, could be a few years still. Aphonopelma is really messed up right now, but then again what genus isn't?

The going theory is that right now, at least the "New Rivers" and the "Flagstaff Orange" are both really chalcodes. I don't know that I buy it for the FOs, because their temperment is so different. They are pretty defensive for a North American Aphonopelma. But, there is a theory that the difference in temperment is tied to the elevation that they grew up in. The chalcodes and NRs are from low altitudes around 1000ft above sea level, and the FOs are from higher elevations around 6000ft above sea level. I can't wait to see how all this unfolds!

[Colin D Wilson]

Funny, those two are opposite of what I'd expect, although we all know that individual temperments vary. I always thought that bicoloratums were more on the skittish side. And I'm not sure I've ever heard of a hentzi that was not completely docile.

These are the temperments of what we have at the mo, some A. bicoloratum i've had in the past have been more nervous/defensive.
The A. hentzi isn't agressive/defensive, by scatty i meant that she's never still, almost random !! you open tub to feed her and she's inclined to be off for a rapid recon' of the immediate area (ignoring the juicy cricket), i'd put her as a bit "over active type of unpredictable". A far cry from other "little sweethearts" that people have in their collection.

The going theory is that right now, at least the "New Rivers" and the "Flagstaff Orange" are both really chalcodes. I don't know that I buy it for the FOs, because their temperment is so different.

From the "Flagstaffs" that have apppeared over here in recent months, there seem to be physical differences from the chalcodes and "new river" too ...... for instance, Spinnerette segment length, carapace shape, leg parts length differences, occular tubercle height.
The "FO's" seem to differ amoungst themselves too (import to import) so not sure what we have are all the same spider coming in.
There's a few people here that are working on the DNA side of things of Aphonopelma so it's going to be a waiting game.

[James Box]

best genus ever!
sadly i've only seen anax adults once in the flesh, but they were nice.
A. bicoloratum is lovely and my three haven't kicked at me very often. however it's worth remembering that all new worlders drop hairs, so it's possible to get a nice dose of itch even if they're calm.
i have to say i'm one that doesn't want a P. metalica.

[James Box]

i have a pair of A. hentzi var. "redbud trail", and the female is anything but docile. i'd agree that bicoloratum are a tad scatty, but generally fine in my limited experience.
i have ferocious chalcodes and sp. "paysoni", and i've even had my "new river"/"flagstaff orange" or whatever they are rear at me! so best not to take anything for granted.
i prefer to leave them be, though i fail sometimes lol
Colin, i am 100% with you when you say any T is ok in any home if housed properly and responsibly!

[Colin D Wilson]

The "not taking for granted" bit is the most important i think, unpredictability is the thing tarantulas seem to have in abundance.
Staying with the topic (sort of) the Aphonopelma hentzi varient "redbud trail", is this a breeding escapade then young Mr. Box?

[James Box]

The "not taking for granted" bit is the most important i think, unpredictability is the thing tarantulas seem to have in abundance.
Staying with the topic (sort of) the Aphonopelma hentzi varient "redbud trail", is this a breeding escapade then young Mr. Box?

why, yes indeed, Mr Wilson! the female is looking fat, but as i've just moved house,we shall see what happens...hopefully she won't have been too disturbed