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Need opinion of more experienced keeper!!!

new2tarantulas

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3 Year Member
Messages
164
Ok so I found some really affordable slings and wanted to know peoples opinion on which ones where better. Easier to care for is the biggest thing because I have no experience with slings. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

This is the ones I am interested in:
1. Acanthoscurria geniculata (Brazilian giant white knee)
2.Aphonopelma hentzi (Texas Brown)
3. Brachypelma vagans (Mexican Red Rump)
4.Euathlus Sp. Red (dwarf Chilean flame)

Please let me know your experience with slings and the species in general. Thank You!!
 

Nada

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3 Year Member
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2,364
Location
Arizona USA
those are all easy to care for species. The Geniculata is significantly larger than the other 3 reaching 8"+ they also tend to have quite an attitude.The Hentzi is the slowest grower of the 4, you won't see much growth in the first year. Vagans grow moderately fast and get about 5.5" they're usually pretty feisty. Th Euathulus sp Red is the smallest and most docile of the 4. they grow to 4" max, usually smaller.
 

BigTGirl93

Active Member
3 Year Member
Messages
429
Location
Maryland
I have a Chaco Golden Knee sling and a Salmon Pink Birdeater sling-both are very easily to care for. The Chaco is also a great beginner T with a docile personality. And even though birdeaters can be semi aggressive, he/she is the most easiest to handle, they are speedy but they are a great show T. Mine is out 80% of the time. My Chaco is always hiding I never see him.

Slings are generally pretty easy to take care of, these are my two first slings and at first I was a little hesitant caring for them because they are so small and fragile, but they are a lot tougher then they look. You wont need a large tank at first, generally you get a tank that is 2-3x bigger than their leg span. If you have an enclosure too big they might not be able to find prey as easy. So you gotta remember that. Also depending if your getting a terrestrial T, you will need about 2 inches of substrate and a retreat for your sling to borrow in. Your arboreal T's will need 2 inches of substrate and some tree bark to climb and web on, since they are tree dwellers, you wont really see these guys on the ground much, they sort of follow the walls of their enclosure.

When it comes time to feeding, I use small pinhead crickets, since these T's are so small and young I tend to pre-kill mine for my slings just to help them take down prey easier. But that is up to you. Now make sure you don't give any prey to your slings that are bigger than its abdomen, it will be too big for the sling to take down. If your sling doesn't eat when you offer food, don't panic, trust me it will eat when its hungry. Sometimes I will leave prey in there for an hour or more and see if he will eat it later. And depending on the size sling you get a water dish may not needed to be added right away, when I first got my slings they weren't even close to an inch. So to keep them hydrated I mist the enclosure once a day, or once every other day. You don't to make it dripping wet but they will absorb water and humidity from the little droplets you spray on the sides. I hope this helps! :D
 

BigTGirl93

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3 Year Member
Messages
429
Location
Maryland
Oh I forgot when they reach about a inch or bigger I use a water bottle cap and fill that with water for my slings to drink out of, that's what I have in my bird-eaters tank (he just molted so he can have a big boy bowl ;)). Since the cap is small and shallow your T wont drown in it.
 

DalilahBlue

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Of those I have the White Knee and Red Rump. My White Knee is one of my favorites, as she has tons of attitude. However, when she is grown I have a sneaky suspicion it won't be cute when she threatens me...

My Red Rump is skittish. I rarely see her out of her hide/burrow unless she's hungry, and then not for long if she knows I see her.

Golden Knees are awesome. Pretty, docile, and out in the open. And typically pretty cheap.
 

DalilahBlue

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Heh, kenny. do these questions remind you of a certain someone? ;)

Lol, I literally asked the same kinds of things when I first started with tarantulas. I know I drove some of the guys on here nuts.
 

new2tarantulas

Member
3 Year Member
Messages
164
Hahaha thanks you guys. I really appreciate the help. Although iam pretty limited on who I order from bc of shipping prices. Jamies tarantulas is only $17. I haven't found anywhere else that cheap with a LAG. if u know of another place please let me know. Thank you
 

BigTGirl93

Active Member
3 Year Member
Messages
429
Location
Maryland
I highly recommend petcenterusa Paul Becker is a great person to get T's from, reasonable price and great shipping and packing job!
 

BigTGirl93

Active Member
3 Year Member
Messages
429
Location
Maryland
Heh, kenny. do these questions remind you of a certain someone? ;)

Lol, I literally asked the same kinds of things when I first started with tarantulas. I know I drove some of the guys on here nuts.
I feel like I do the same lol everyone sees my posts and are like ahh not this chick again! :p
 

Sabeth

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3 Year Member
Messages
816
Location
USA
I have an A. geniculata sling...very hardy and packed with attitude. :p Been super easy. I also have an A. versicolor sling...I was a bit nervous to try that one since A. versi is a bit more fragile than other Ts but after one month and one molt all is going great! :)
 

Greg

Member
3 Year Member
Messages
43
Location
Portland, Oregon
My A. geniculata has charged the water bowl when I put water in, and charged the feeding tongs when I've had to move things in the enclosure. She also flicks hairs when annoyed. I wear rubber gloves when my hands need to go into the enclosure. She can move faster than the eye can see. At other times, she'll ignore whatever is going on. So, unpredictability is one of their character traits.
 

Konstantin

Well-Known Member
3 Year Member
Messages
967
Location
Preston,UK
My A. geniculata has charged the water bowl when I put water in, and charged the feeding tongs when I've had to move things in the enclosure. She also flicks hairs when annoyed. I wear rubber gloves when my hands need to go into the enclosure. She can move faster than the eye can see. At other times, she'll ignore whatever is going on. So, unpredictability is one of their character traits.
Living in the past I see.
Thread is from 2013.haha
 

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