pics of my Ts

well that made us hesitate as well... but i have a friend who has a few of them and honestly, they run rather than strike... esp once they've set up a web area... so unless you are careless... it's pretty safe.

no different than with anything... respect, caution and care. :)

Yeah I agree. The gooty ornamental is my favorite T of all, but I can't afford one right now. Someday. :)

hey, if mine ever has babies... you can have one!!!

Sounds like a deal. ;)

I would like to have a pokie someday. I also would like a p. murinus, but I want experience with aggressive NW species before I collect any OW.

ya my p. murinus (aka OBT) was a little (okay a lot) overwhelming when i first got him... but once he made a web/hide it's been simple to care for him. of course, he IS a sling... nothing to fear but fear itself at this point LOL :P

It may only be my experience, but I moved up to Psalmopoeus first before I got a pokie. I've never seen the Psalmopoeus sp I have get really aggresive (I have all the ones available in the hobby). I have one threat pose picture, and that was when I distrubed a male not long after he had molted. (I was trying to get pictures of his modified palps). Frankly he didn't try to bolt and strike either.

A good OW starter is usually one of the "horned baboons". They're hardy, appealing, terristrial, and "not psychotic". I find that it's much easier to deal with an agressive species if it doesn't have the ability to run straight up. I have an OBT sling now, but so far it hasn't been a huge panic filled thing. (Of course, I've owned an H. maculata and pokies for many months before I bought an OBT.) You should get plenty of experience with the N. chromatus as an agressive NW species :) In fact, I think most of my OW sp would rather run than throw threat poses...the chromatus will throw threat poses if slightly provoked, instead of running.

Thanks for the advice. My plan is to get something a little quicker like an avic or a GBB or something before I go with the more defensive NW species. I did plan on one of the horned baboons for my first OW, but that will be further down the line.

Cool Schlyne.. your advice is very valuable. The chromatus is full of fire. Look at her wrong and she's standing with four legs up in the air and her fangs showing off.

Would you think a cobalt blue would be a reasonable step up from NW species? I just love those spiders, so beautiful.

Cobalt Blues are beautiful. I saw one the last time I was at Lee Watson's. Aren't they supposed to be kind of a pet hole though?