I am thinking about a T Blondi next....

[Paolo Trabucco]

Hi there , just wanted 2 hear some of your storys about Goliath birdeater spcieces,
any advice on this serious T, i really want 2 get a juvee, but im not sure if i am ready for it, thats why i would like to hear your views and experiences on keeping this particular T.

Bear in mind at the moment i own:
2 avicularias ( versicolor, and amazonica) slings, 1 GBB sling, 1 gramostola rosea adult,and 1 sling, 1 juvee red knee,1 juvee red rump

[Mark Harrison]

I would personally advise against a T.Blondi just yet (although some people would disagree). They require a bit more experience and they're quite a spider to behold should you have the misfortune of annoying them lol. Although there are worse species....Hysterocrates sp (take a bow!) blondi's do require a bigger setup and more attention to humidity (again a debatable issue). It may be an idea to try a larger species that would not break the bank so much maybe G.Pulchra? L.Parayhbana?

[scott wilson]

Hello......If you feel that you may not be ready to look after a Blondi then for the tarantulas sake stick with the calmer,smaller spiders
My own T Blondi has been a joy to raise from a juvi and to be honest they are no more hard work than any other Ts ive owned or kept in the passed they just command total respect and be aware if you have a female she will be with you for maybe over 20 years if your looking after her correctly.
Ive never struggled with husbandry issues such as heat/humidity and matilda my female Blondi is thriving..shes sucking the guts out of a locust as i type this...They needs a large terrarium with room to grow,a deep burrow in the substrate [ coia ]..and be prepared to buy at least 1 pack of large locusts per week + crickets...and under NO circumstances do you try to handle/touch them...they kick some of the worst hairs you will ever encounter and thats just for starters...and please dont get one just to impress your mates, If you need any more advice please ask we are all hear to help...Peace out

[Larry Shone]

It may be an idea to try a larger species that would not break the bank so much maybe G.Pulchra? L.Parayhbana?

Or maybe a White Knee? (Acanthoscurria geniculata)

[Paolo Trabucco]

thankx for your advices, I am still thinking about it, im not in a rush 2 get a T blondi, i just really think they so cool!!
I wouldn't get a Goliath just 2 impress mates, they don't like spiders anyways.....i think i will just keep doing my searches, about this T, and just take my time , i don't really wanna buy it for the sake of getting it, and also i would wanna invest some dollars in a nice tank or viv.coz wot is the point 2 buy it and not having the propper space for it.
I want my T's 2 be happy T's !!!

well i don't know wot 2 purchase as my next T ........

[Larry Shone]

How about a Lasiodiora parahybana (Salmon Pink Bird Eater-third, or 4th, largest T in the world)

[scott wilson]

Maybe think about a white knee..(Acanthoscurria geniculata)..Ive just got one from the spider shop and im sure its going to be an impressive beast when its adult...

[Joanna Pendleton]

How about a Lasiodiora parahybana (Salmon Pink Bird Eater-third, or 4th, largest T in the world)

I was reading something recently where they were talking about potential sizes for this species being bigger in the wild than in captivity, and it possibly reaching sizes the same as T. blondi. Therefore opening up some disagreement about what the biggest T is! x

[Mark Harrison]

Joanna, that would not suprise me as i have seen a few Parahybana which are at least 11 inch leg spans. I would not be suprised if there are Parahybana's that reach the size of Blondi's etc. Lets not also forget Crawshayi, they too can grow to a fair size...a recent example would have been the AF C.Crawshayi at the recent Newark show! Then again any spider can exceed what is thought to be its maximum length if fed enough (power fed).

[Larry Shone]

I was reading something recently where they were talking about potential sizes for this species being bigger in the wild than in captivity, and it possibly reaching sizes the same as T. blondi. Therefore opening up some disagreement about what the biggest T is! x

Well in my opinion the biggest T is the Chicken Eating Spider from Venezuela, pics on here somewhre, and possibly a species of Pamphobeteus.

[John chambers]

Hi there , just wanted 2 hear some of your storys about Goliath birdeater spcieces,
[B]any advice on this serious T, i really want 2 get a juvee, but im not sure if i am ready for it, thats why i would like to hear your views and experiences on keeping this particular T.

hi paolo..
I agree with the members that know what blondi's are like.
"if" you do get one .. good luck .. oh look on youtube you will love what your see..

[Yvonne Woolley]

Lets face it if you start keeping Tarantulas you always but always start thinking of owning the fantastic T. blondi, I myself have a huge male ( of course at the time of purchase he was said to be a female ) and I love them. provide them with the right conditions and food and they are wonderful to keep my Harry is said to large for a male, because I never put him under any kind of stress he is a gentle giant and spends most of his evenings in the dim lighting of our lounge out in his viv making his sperm webs, and has never shown any sign of aggression towards me even when I change his water, I am sure that if you do not try to poke or disturb your T.blondi and treat them with the respect they deserve they will reward you with years of enjoyment as mine have, and I long to buy another female and that is fine if only traders were honest enough in their dealings , I do not mind paying the price of a female but it makes me so very cross when all the T,blondi's that are on the market are all seemingly females, UNTILL they moult out into males that is!!!! I have myself been lucky in dealing with a trader who returned my cash when I returned the now male to him. so beware when parting with your £150.00p plus for your beloved and hard saved up for female. THINGS ARE NOT ALWAYS WHAT THEY SEEM!!!! After saying that good luck with your T.blondi hunting and if you do get one enjoy it I am sure you will. I know that I do.

[Larry Shone]

I'd love one, because I love big Ts! The only thing that puts me off is the warning I've had about the hairs! Clouds of em in adults! I'd bever handle it tho but even opening the tank to put food in, top up water, can seemingly make one kick hairs like crazy!

[Yvonne Woolley]

Hairs

I know hairs can be a problem but I only have a problem if I have for any reason to disturb the substrate in anyway as the hairs do seem to be in it too and then it did make my hands itch sometimes. so now I always use light weight poly gloves and they protect my hands and I always have light weight face masks handy just in case I need them if I ever have any heavy maintenance to do, but I never handle any of my Ts so that is no problem to me at all, and as I have said my Harry has never shown me any sign of aggression in any way but I am always very calm around him and he seems to pick up on that and when I need to get his water bowl out which takes both of my hands I just open his viv move to his dish very calmly and lift it out and he will normally just plod off into his deep hide as if in a sulk at being disturbed. But I do understand your caution.

[Larry Shone]

I'd love one, because I love big Ts! The only thing that puts me off is the warning I've had about the hairs! Clouds of em in adults! I'd bever handle it tho but even opening the tank to put food in, top up water, can seemingly make one kick hairs like crazy!

what worries me tho is, if the hairs are so bad they can form a cloud then that concerns me for my kids sake-if the hairs are in the air as it were.