Blondi or Stirmi?

[Payden King]

Anyone able to tell me if she is a Stirmi or blondi? When I saved her from Petco they were unable to tell me. Just said she was a Goliath. She was in too bad of shape for the one guy who knows what he's doing to tell. She was all bald and in bad shape. She just molted a couple weeks ago. Lost a leg in the process but is in all and all good shape. Now that she's regained all her hair.. Is anyone able to tell? I have heard it's hard to tell but you can tell based on how much hair is on her legs? I love her none the more but just would be nice to know Thanks in advance!

 

[PamCz]

From what I can see, it's a stirmi. Blondis have hair on the patella (knee) and stirmis don't. And that T looks like it has naked knees!

 

[Ghost]

Hi,
That looks like a T.strimi to me,which is what I would expect as you got him from petco 99% of them are strimi which is a good thing as their a bit easier to care for than blondi ,I've added a couple of photos of the two so you can see the difference yourself...

T.blondi

T.strimi

 

[Payden King]

Great thank you so much!! I was hoping for Stirmi actually but wasn't 100% sure on the differences. When she decides to sit like a normal spider I will try to get a better picture of her

 

[PamCz]

lol... Right on! Glad you saved her from PetCo...seriously!

 

[Payden King]

I have an in with Petco. A guy I know works at the one close to me. He is a spider collector too so he knows how to take care of them! He is the only one allowed to mess with the spiders. Other employees get in trouble because they don't know what they are doing. He called me and let me know they had a Goliath coming in and he wanted me to take it Cuz he didn't have the room for her at the time. I told him I'd try my hardest.. When she came in she was in such bad shape. Horrible. Bald everywhere.. Dehydrated.. They thought she was dead. She wouldn't eat. I told him not to even put it on the floor and that I'd be there in the morning. I couldn't leave her there. She still doesn't look perfect but she is SO much better. Loving life. If I could I'd get it approved that pe stores who don't know what they are doing couldn't have them.

 

[PamCz]

I feel sooooo grateful that someone told you about the T!! Sounds like she didn't have much longer... It's nice to have an "in." I USED TO (damn it!) know someone, but she left the LPS a couple weeks ago. So, what I do is haunt all of the LPS in my area, at least once a week, looking see if there's anyone T who needs saving. I almost took an Avic avic...went back the next day to get her, and someone else had bought her. *whew*

The worst is when they put mature male rose hairs out for sale. NO ONE wants them -- they're about to die! Duh. And then I see the rosies kept in too humid conditions, under a HOT heat lamp...and I'm obligated to be "that F-ing customer who thinks she knows it all"...and tell the staff they're T is not happy. lol... I want to buy them all...but I would be buying a couple every week... Not gonna happen. In my mind, there are a crap-ton of G. rosea & G. porteri T's out there that are just miserable. All over America... Heartbreaking.

I agree...people who don't know what they're doing in certain areas of animal husbandry should NOT deal with those animals. Seems like something Animal Control (the dog catcher) could deal with...in cities and towns that have that service. Just check conditions of all pets at LPS, say, once a month. Once a quarter?? Why not? But...I don't kid myself. If we can't even get humane laws to protect chickens (they are exempt from all cruelty regulations on farms...amazingly), who cares about T's? Sad, but true. I think we just all have to be vigilant in our own towns, and speak up when we see crappy husbandry. I'm even considering making a copy of certain parts of the T Keeper's Guide for my local LPS...to educate them. I hope it's received well.

 

[Payden King]

I totally agree!!!!!! If I could.. I'd save all the ts from the pet shops. Most of my ts are ones I felt needed rescuing. I buy the ones that aren't in the prettiest conditions or need some extra attention and bring them home. My mom, who doesn't like spiders, calls them Paydens pathetic tarantula home I feel even if they won't make it it's nice to give them their best shot.

 

[PamCz]

That's AWESOME, Payden! lol...most people go for the most gorgeous, healthy T...and you're all, "Gimme the half-dead one in the corner!" Love it!

If the humane society took tarantulas, I could totally see you campaigning for people to adopt, rather than buy from breeders! With a bumper sticker promoting the cause and all! (hahaha...you could start a go fund me for spider rescue. I'm starting to dig this idea...lol!!)

Not only is it cool to give them a good shot at living, but it's cool to give them a restful, maybe a little more comfortable place to die...if they do. Always good to have compassion...even for what others consider to be just "bugs."

 

[Payden King]

So speaking of saving them.. A nice big 6+ Goliath came into on of the not so fantastic pet stores yesterday. I'm not sure where they get their ts from but she looks healthy. Well.. They said she's a blondi which makes me pretty happy!! I'm thinking about getting her depending on how much they are asking.

Here's a picture of her.

 

[PamCz]

So speaking of saving them.. A nice big 6+ Goliath came into on of the not so fantastic pet stores yesterday. I'm not sure where they get their ts from but she looks healthy. Well.. They said she's a blondi which makes me pretty happy!! I'm thinking about getting her depending on how much they are asking.

Here's a picture of her.

Nope. Not a blondi. She has no hairs on her knees...automatically makes her a stirmi...sorry.

Edit to add: She is a nice looking specimen, tho...not all beat up!

 

[Payden King]

I thought the same thing. And they couldn't tell me for sure male or female. They can't tell me anything about her really but are charging as if they did. I can't afford her at the moment because I would have to get her a larger cage than the ones I have.

 

[Therasoid]

After looking since this thread started, I found this photo comparison of T. stirmi and T. blondi.

 

[PamCz]

Awesome comparison pic! Thanks for posting it!

 

[Ted 1968]

Great thank you so much!! I was hoping for Stirmi actually but wasn't 100% sure on the differences. When she decides to sit like a normal spider I will try to get a better picture of her

The first blondi I bought ended up being a stirmi. Later got a real blondi and an apophysis. All 3 are Great Ts to Have . They Never Disappoint.