Biggest Handleable T?

[Shelby]

What is the largest easily handleable species of tarantula? You know.. something big and impressive that isn't a killer spastic arachnid.

[MilkmanWes]

First let me warn you about what you are wanting to do. The big Ts are terrestrial in nature and have poor climbing skills. They can easily take a tumble from your arm or hand and with their mass it only takes a 12" fall to rupture their abdomen and be fatal. If you are comfortable with the potential financial loss and your concience would not bother you, then game on.

Now to discuss the Ts..

T. blondi - Around 7-10 inches (averaging 8") and holds the record for largest spider at a fraction over 10". With their increased size comes a large patch of utricating hairs, so when they flick them their are a lot. They are reportedly pretty bad as far as hairs go, probably due to how many their are. Every blondi I have ever seen has been bald, which tells me they are prone to flicking frequently. There are some people that handle theirs regularly, but not many. Most experienced keepers prefer to keep a chopstick or forceps distance with theirs.

L. parahybana - Pretty bold spider and likes to stay out in the open more than the blondi. They get the same size as the blondi, but while the blondi holds the record for legspan the parahybana are the heaviest spider in the world with more mass for size. What a lot of people believe to be the worst hair of all Ts. I know of more people claiming them as hand Ts than blondis.

C. crawshayi - Monsters from Africa that get about 7" or better. They are very reclusive and spend asll their time in their burrows. Since they are fairly agressive and have one of the more potent venoms and are very willing to attempt to use it, I wouldn't even consider them. By the time you got it out of the safety of it's burrow it would be rather cranky and I wouldn't want that on me.

A. geniculata - Up to 8" but a tad nervous. Haven't heard a lot of handling stories on them. Really attractive species too.

E. campestratus - Not as big as all those mentioned, but they can get a healthy 6" - mine made just over 5" last molt. They are prone to hiding but once you get them in your hand they are pretty docile. In fact mine stayed motionless the entire time I held it last time out. Of all the Ts I have handled, this one is definately the most handlable.

As you can see, not many of the big ones are good lap pets, but if you work with them from a young age you can aclimate them and learn yourself what it takes to get them to cooperate.

[Shelby]

Thanks, very informative post. I know they are very fragile. I thought less than a 12" fall could do them in.

I handle my rose hair fairly frequently. Quite docile, but I know they are known for that. How does the E. campestratus compare temperament wise?

Also.. what size to chilean rose hairs normally get to? I think mine isn't full grown yet. Just to compare..

[MilkmanWes]

rosies can get nearly as big, but are prone to dramatic changes in personality for no reason. I used to handle mine but one day she charged the forceps and grappled them with her fangs and I nearly lost my grip on them. She laid an infertile egg sac on thanksgiving so I am wondering if she will go back to the way she was now. Before she went nutters though she would respond to prods by the paintbrush I use for herding them by moving along as I guided her. My PZB however was like that classic image of a mule being dragged or pushed along. He would let me push him all over his cage without the slightest hint of annoyance or nervousness but would leave drag marks everywhere.

PZBs (Pink Zebra Beauty, E campestratus) can get slightly larger than the rosie, but is more attractive IMO. Rosies get between 5 and 6 inches on the high end but the PZBs will get that big easily and sometimes a tab larger - but as with all T sizes you can vary an inch depending on who measures it. I measure mine with the legs in the bent walking position but others may measure them in the fully extended position and you can imagine what that does to their perceived size.

[Shelby]

Yeah.. my rose hair is acting like a nut case since he molted. He ('he' is used loosely here, it's probably a female.. but anyway.) used to be like your PZB, just moseys along lazily, now he's bezerk sometimes. I don't trust him. I'm afraid he'll commit suicide too.

So PZBs on average tend to stay pretty sane? I'll consider one.

[Schlyne]

MY PZB is a calm happy "little" T. I use the term little loosely, since my other T's are slings.

Now, trying to feed or clean my platyomma's cage..that could be a search for a T there.

[Shaun J]