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3 New Curly Hairs

Tortoise Tom

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Got some new spiders a couple of days ago from LLL. These guys are bigger than a sling, but still on the small side. Set them up on Tuesday afternoon and offered their first food with me this morning. I'm pleased to report that all 3 immediately pounced on their little Blatta lateralis.

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Tortoise Tom

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Nice adds, I have four myself (three Nicaraguan, one hobby form), they are so easy to keep.

The ad said these are "Honduran". What are the differences between the different types?

When they tag their very first meal in mid air before it even hits the substrate, whats not to love? :) I did my time with plenty of rose hairs in years past. Spiders that don't want to eat are no fun. Not for me anyway. I'm loving these guys. I started them off with a small meal just so I could feed them again in a couple of days.
 

PanzoN88

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The ad said these are "Honduran". What are the differences between the different types?

When they tag their very first meal in mid air before it even hits the substrate, whats not to love? :) I did my time with plenty of rose hairs in years past. Spiders that don't want to eat are no fun. Not for me anyway. I'm loving these guys. I started them off with a small meal just so I could feed them again in a couple of days.
I think the Honduran is the so called hobby form, but I'm not very knowledgeable on the subject.
 

Tortoise Tom

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I think the Honduran is the so called hobby form, but I'm not very knowledgeable on the subject.
I'm not either. I'm accustomed to hearing a common name, latin name, and frequently a country of origin, but the term "hobby form" is new to me. That seems like some sort of selectively bred color morph that doesn't exist in the wild, if I were to draw a parallel with snakes or tropical fish. If anyone wants to take a stab at explaining what that term means in the tarantula world, I'd love to learn.
 

PanzoN88

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I'm not either. I'm accustomed to hearing a common name, latin name, and frequently a country of origin, but the term "hobby form" is new to me. That seems like some sort of selectively bred color morph that doesn't exist in the wild, if I were to draw a parallel with snakes or tropical fish. If anyone wants to take a stab at explaining what that term means in the tarantula world, I'd love to learn.
In the past some irresponsible individuals crossed B. albopilosum (Honduran most likely) with B. vagans and probably some other similar species as well, which led to the term "hobby form"
 

Tortoise Tom

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In the past some irresponsible individuals crossed B. albopilosum (Honduran most likely) with B. vagans and probably some other similar species as well, which led to the term "hobby form"
Oh nooooo… So might mine be hybrids??? That would be a darn shame. If they are, or if there is a chance that they are, I simply won't ever breed them. I'll just enjoy them as individuals and let them live out their lives.
 

Enn49

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Oh nooooo… So might mine be hybrids??? That would be a darn shame. If they are, or if there is a chance that they are, I simply won't ever breed them. I'll just enjoy them as individuals and let them live out their lives.

I think they have been around so long now that it doesn't matter as long as the Nicaraguans stay pure.
 

MassExodus

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I had thought the Honduran was just less hairy because of regional differences with the Nicaraguan? I know some idiots were crossing curlies with vagans and circulating them back then, but thought that was a seperate deal, and most ended up in the UK?..now I have to read up on it I guess.
 

Dave Jay

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All the same, I'm glad to have a better idea of what the term "hobby form" means now. Thanks to all.
It could have happened how it did with some fish, in particular the severum but I'm sure lots of Lake Malawi mbuna too.
Specimens are collected from the wild, often bought from native children and bred before it was realised that there were several species or subspecies. These original batches are bred and a new fish is released to the hobby.
By the time it is realised that there are more than one species the "hobby form" is well established and breeds true, essentially a new species not found in nature has been created, it breeds true so cannot really be classed as a hybrid anymore.
This could have easily happened to and probably has happened to Australian Tarantulas because for a long time science only recognised two species. We still have very few described species but hobbyists are doing all they can to try and keep localities separate, but unintentional and intentional hybridization must occur.
 
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