Need help learning if this is the right species for me: Paraphysa Parvula

[Raella]

I have never owned a tarantula before, and am interested in getting one. I was looking at a list of suitable spiders for beginners and found this on the list and I was sold. I read that it was a midsized species but what exactly does that mean in terms of size? I am putting it into a 10g tank. I would get a female, so it would be less "leggy" from what I've read.. I would also like to know what the average lifespan is for males and females. I do plan on getting myself a good book but I am a little short on cash and would like to have a general idea with this before I do any more research.

I am not sure how this is going to be received here... but one of the reasons I wanted a tarantula is because you have to feed it live prey. Mostly crickets and meal worms.. but also pinky mice. Is this a species that would go for something like that? I am worried because of its size it would have a hard time dealing with that or get hurt maybe? Also I have been told that this is a terrestrial species that likes it dry, but does it make webs? I have seen some pictures of the blue Versicolor and the beautiful webs it makes and would be interested in a species that makes webs like that... but I also really like the way the P. Parvula looks so I think I am going to stick with it but was just curious about its web habits.

 

[Nada]

Don't feed mice! Vertebrate prey can cause problems in molting, and kill or injure your tarantula. It's completely unnecessary and irresponsible.
If you want a tarantula to feed it live prey, you probably shouldn't get a tarantula. There's not much carnage to see and the eating process takes hours. also they only eat once every week or two. Species like P.Parvula, sometimes refuse food for months at a time.

for a P.Parvula 10g is a little bit to big. you'd be better off with a 5g, They are a dry species, and get about 4" in diagonal leg span.
They do not typically male webs, although they may web their burrow mouth. Females live 20+years, male around 5.

Personally I think anyone that wants a predatory pet to see carnage, isn't mature enough to own a predatory pet..

 

[Raella]

Don't feed mice! Vertebrate prey can cause problems in molting, and kill or injure your tarantula. It's completely unnecessary and irresponsible.
If you want a tarantula to feed it live prey, you probably shouldn't get a tarantula. There's not much carnage to see and the eating process takes hours. also they only eat once every week or two. Species like P.Parvula, sometimes refuse food for months at a time.

for a P.Parvula 10g is a little bit to big. you'd be better off with a 5g, They are a dry species, and get about 4" in diagonal leg span.
They do not typically male webs, although they may web their burrow mouth. Females live 20+years, male around 5.

Personally I think anyone that wants a predatory pet to see carnage, isn't mature enough to own a predatory pet..

I think it may have been a little rude of you to assume I "want to see carnage". I didn't allude to anything of the sort. I read somewhere when I first started looking into this that they could be fed mice and was curious if that posed a problem to smaller ones. Thank you for clearing that up, but I am very put off by your baseless accusations.

And since I am have not necessarily committed to anything yet, what tarantulas that make a lot of web would be suitable for my 10 gallon (the reason I want to use the 10g is because I am taking down my Betta aquarium and putting it into a 5g, and can't stand the thought of the 10g going to waste!). Also one that would be good for a beginner. I am not looking for a dull, inactive spider though- I read that P. Parvula has quite an appetite. I've seen what hermit crabs are like and I want a spider that isn't like that.

 

[Nada]

I didn't accuse you of anything, I said "Personally I think anyone that wants a predatory pet to see carnage, isn't mature enough to own a predatory pet.. " which I stand behind. If your not in it for the carnage, then that statement doesn't apply to you. It's only an accusation if you are in it for the carnage.

Unfortunately, spiders aren't really active. You can get a webber, but the web is all you'll see. Or you can get a Bird eater, which you will see but it won't do much. You can get a colorful spider, but it'll just sit and look pretty. I have a couple hundred spiders, and most of them spend all of their time hidden or just sit out in the open motionless.

 

[Raella]

I didn't accuse you of anything, I said "Personally I think anyone that wants a predatory pet to see carnage, isn't mature enough to own a predatory pet.. " which I stand behind. If your not in it for the carnage, then that statement doesn't apply to you. It's only an accusation if you are in it for the carnage.

Unfortunately, spiders aren't really active. You can get a webber, but the web is all you'll see. Or you can get a Bird eater, which you will see but it won't do much. You can get a colorful spider, but it'll just sit and look pretty. I have a couple hundred spiders, and most of them spend all of their time hidden or just sit out in the open motionless.

Sorry I got defensive! When I said, "dull, inactive", I was thinking about what I read in this thread, specifically this: "mine are so lazy the crickets more or less stumble onto there fangs before they bother eating" whereas P. Parvula seems to be more active when it hunts. I don't want a "lazy spider", whatever lazy may be by T. standards. I guess I would like a spider I can see often, but I am so new to this I really don't have a preference.. I like some of the blue ones I have seen..

 

[Nada]

Again, unfortunately, lazy is a great word to describe Ts, especially beginners.

 

[Cobalt]

Sorry I got defensive! When I said, "dull, inactive", I was thinking about what I read in this thread, specifically this: "mine are so lazy the crickets more or less stumble onto there fangs before they bother eating" whereas P. Parvula seems to be more active when it hunts. I don't want a "lazy spider", whatever lazy may be by T. standards. I guess I would like a spider I can see often, but I am so new to this I really don't have a preference.. I like some of the blue ones I have seen..

I think Lasiodora parahybana would be a good choice for you. They grow really fast, eat alot, and they are active compared to most T's. They are also one of the largest tarantulas in the world. Paraphysa parvulas doesn't really grow much bigger than 4 inches. I'll throw in some reading material below to help you out.


Top 10 beginner tarantulas
http://tarantulakeeper.blogspot.no/2008/12/top-10-beginners-tarantulas.html

Beginner Tarantula Guide

Jon3800's T recommendations
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL98A32AEF390AAE40&feature=plcp



Jon3800 - Mythbuster series - detailed information about various tarantula genus/species
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLD3DC46229486A7D6&feature=plcp

STANS'S RANT - A Little Nudge in the Right Direction
http://people.ucalgary.ca/~schultz/stansrant.html

 

[Sabeth]

I just got a Paraphysa parvula female. I am not sure how big they get, but I'd take mid-sized to mean about 5" or so. Yes, these are supposedly good beginner tarantulas. They are also touted as a docile species. However, mine is an absolute maverick! If I touch just one hair on her legs with a paintbrush, she flies into a rage. She has charged at my hand once and today she attacked the paintbrush with a full-on grab and bite. I was told she was sweet and was fully intending to handle her as I do my B. smithi, but there is no way I'm getting near her with my bare hands; her fangs are 1/4" long and I do not want to be on the receiving end of those things! I'm a little disappointed with her fiery attitude, but on the other hand I did want an aggressive T just for the novelty of having a "look-but-don't-touch" pet! Plus it's incredible to watch her eat...she is fast as lightening and grabs multiple crickets at once, quite a spectacle. So she's a keeper I think!

I would say my P. parvula's mean temperament is probably an exception to the rule since this is a docile species. Grammastola rosea (Chilean rose) is also overall docile but maybe one in a thousand are intractable, it may be the same with P. parvula. They do look unique...silver-gray legs, a gold carapace and a purple abdomen with cowlicks to top it all off make this a very pretty tarantula!

As for webs, my girl does spin a little bit, but nothing major. At night she casts a few thick, sticky strands here and there but I have yet to see any actual webs.

Overall, just because of my experience with this species, if you want a docile individual, I would try to get somewhat acquainted with the T in person before you bring it home, if possible. Otherwise try to get as much info from the seller as you can regarding her attitude. If worse comes to worse and she turns out not to be what you wanted, you might be able to return her, or possibly sell/trade.

 

[Raella]

Well based on how you described P. Parvula that is exactly what I was thinking about when I thought of an ideal T. I have a 5 gallon with a crack in it (so no more water) that would be perfect... But I think I would like to get something else that would be suitable for the 10gallon first, and in time if all went well with that I would look into P. Parvula for the 5 gallon.

So, what would be a colorful webber that would be suitable for a standard 10g tank (so nothing tall as I can't reshape the tank and I am doing this because I like pets and don't want to let an Aquarium go to waste). I know the versicolor is what I described but I don't know if it is beginner-appropriate T. I also don't like how common they seem to be amongst hobbyists, so I would prefer to get something else but I don't know a whole lot yet (and plan to buy books as soon as I can afford them)

 

[DalilahBlue]

The Tarantula Keeper's Guide by Schultz is like the T keeper's bible.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Tarantula...94092&sr=8-1&keywords=tarantula+keepers+guide

 

[DalilahBlue]

Plessey has also posted tons of technical articles if you are so inclined.

 

[Kurt Nelson]

If you're going to be using a 10g tank, you're going to want something big around 5.5+ inches. 10g tanks are cheap, but you don't have to let it go to waste. Throw it in a closet and buy the right sized tank. It's not fair to the Tarantula you wish to purchase to give it too much room. You're just going to stress it out. A 10g tank is too big for almost all species of Tarantula. In all the T's I have, I only have one 10g tank and it's converted upright for my 8 inch L.Violacepoes, which is by no means a beginner T. I'm not telling you to get one, I'm just elaborating on the size of the tank.

Whether you're in it for the carnage or not, whatever we say is not going to change your mind on how you want to house/raise your T. We are just giving you our opinion and what would be best for your T. And as what's been said in the thread, if you're looking for something active, a Tarantula is not your thing. Though Green Bottle Blues are not really beginner T's, they are more intermediate, they are very beautiful, great webbers. They display more of a skittish yet defensive nature. So handling would be out of the question, however most of us would advise against handling in the first place.

A lot of people will tell you rose hairs are great first Tarantulas, they are not. Due to their known fasting periods, some times very aggressive behavior, they do not rank high in my books for newbies. Start off simple, start off smart. This hobby is very addictive, and if you do venture into it, you'll find out very shortly how addictive it really is.

Best of luck in your adventure and I hope the best for you and your T.

 

[Raella]

If you're going to be using a 10g tank, you're going to want something big around 5.5+ inches. 10g tanks are cheap, but you don't have to let it go to waste. Throw it in a closet and buy the right sized tank. It's not fair to the Tarantula you wish to purchase to give it too much room. You're just going to stress it out. A 10g tank is too big for almost all species of Tarantula. In all the T's I have, I only have one 10g tank and it's converted upright for my 8 inch L.Violacepoes, which is by no means a beginner T. I'm not telling you to get one, I'm just elaborating on the size of the tank.

Whether you're in it for the carnage or not, whatever we say is not going to change your mind on how you want to house/raise your T. We are just giving you our opinion and what would be best for your T. And as what's been said in the thread, if you're looking for something active, a Tarantula is not your thing. Though Green Bottle Blues are not really beginner T's, they are more intermediate, they are very beautiful, great webbers. They display more of a skittish yet defensive nature. So handling would be out of the question, however most of us would advise against handling in the first place.

A lot of people will tell you rose hairs are great first Tarantulas, they are not. Due to their known fasting periods, some times very aggressive behavior, they do not rank high in my books for newbies. Start off simple, start off smart. This hobby is very addictive, and if you do venture into it, you'll find out very shortly how addictive it really is.

Best of luck in your adventure and I hope the best for you and your T.

First off, when I say I want an active Tarantula, I mean active by tarantula standards, which I understand still isn't very active. I am okay with that and understand! I am really just interested in watching the T's habits, whatever they may be. This is more of a celebration/observation of nature than a pet thing, though I will care for it like any other pet.
On the whole nature thing, one thing I was thinking about is, if I am going to have a female T which usually live 15+ years, I might enjoy a slow-growing T so I can experience it at different stages in it's life for longer periods. Also why I want a Sling, though I guess they aren't recommended for beginners. I am okay with something being more difficult, and would much enjoy seeing as much of the tarantulas life cycle as possible. Since adult is the last lifestage, most of the observable difference would be in the Sling-to-Adult area and seeing that is worth it to me. Thoughts?
I was actually thinking getting a "skittish" T would be a good idea for me. As it is recommended not to handle T's ultimately, I think it would be a good thing to discourage me to try it. That may be incredibly stupid of me to think but I thought it seems reasonable. If I think handling the T would be possible, I know I would most likely attempt it as I am somewhat impulsive sometimes (an ADHD thing). I also disagree about the 10g being cheap. I wouldn't call it expensive either but, as a college student I think calling it cheap is a little unfair. However, like I said I have a 5.5g tank that has a defect and can no longer hold water. (Also I just googled L.Violacepoes, WOW THAT IS PRETTY, not going to try it though haha) I am also not as interested in "classic" T's. Mostly because a lot of spiders are brown/black and I want something really eyecatching, which is why I was interested in the GBB. (I also liked that apparently they eat well) I didn't even know there were blue spiders or anything like that until I got into this hobby (though if prompted to think about it I wouldn't have thought it improbable). I want something that doesn't look like a typical spider. I also read on the blog user Cobalt posted and it said that GBBs were fine for beginners. Obviously that is just opinion vs opinion, but would be interested in more elaboration on why you don't think it to be suitable.

 

[Kurt Nelson]

My GBB's are probably my most fascinating eaters. One of them actually did a back flip of the enclosure wall, did a barrel roll and nabbed a cricket I put it. Really wish I had a camera out.

B.Smithi's are nice beginner T's. Most are fairly docile and not quick to bite. They are gorgeous as well. Chaco Golden Knee's are also really nice. You could convert your 5 gallon tank to an upright if you want an arboreal. You're more likely to see an Avic out on the side of the glass than you will see a terrestrial sitting in the open. Avicularia Versicolors are very nice looking arboreal species. Most are relatively docile, but they are very jumpy. It's also not hard to convert your tank nor is it all that costly.

Here is one of mine, this one is the only one with real plant life in it, these are palm plants I picked up at a plant store, I thoroughly washed them three times, replanted them and let them sit aside for a couple weeks as to make sure no pesticides were in or on the plant.



Here is another 5.5 gallon



And a 10 gallon