New Member!!(:

[Sharon Campbell]

Hello, T owning friends!!! I’m Sharon, and I just rescued my very first T! I’ve handled grammostola roseas (Rose Hair Ts) in the past, and I’ve handled them quite a bit! I’ve also handled some beautiful B. Smithis (Mexican Red Knee) and aphonopelma chalcodes (Arizona Blond.) However, I now own my very first T! He is a juvenile Avic. Avic./ Avic. Urticans (Pink Toe T.) named Salem!!!! I rescued him from a petsmart in Cleveland, OH where he was malnutritioned and never handled. The employee told me that if he wasn’t sold on Black Friday, they would kill him. I’m not kidding, they said that to my face. But, I gladly bought him at a very discounted price and he gladly took a 5-6 hour car ride home back to Indiana. He is so amazing and beautiful. However, I really need to know if he is an A. Avicularia or and A. Urticans.

 

[Calico]

Welcome to the forum. Good for you for rescuing him. How sad that they would do that.
I'm pretty new to T ownership myself also so I'm only guessing here, but I think he looks more like an A.Metallica.
I'm sure someone on here with more experience will be able to tell you for sure.
Good luck and he is so cute.

 

[bbbs53]

Welcome and good job! That employee has no business being around animals, not even mice. Looks like it will recover nicely and be an obese spider in no time.

 

[Arachnoclown]

Looks exactly like my A. Metallica....its hard to say. Alot of Avics look like this or similar at this age. May need to wait to see the adult coloration. Many Pet stores don't know what they are really selling, nor do they care. Its definitely a Avicularia though...lets see what it looks like after the next molt.

 

[Arachnoclown]

In fact my A. Metallica just molted last week and is still in its funnel web. As soon as he comes out and i can photograph him I'll share it with you. Mine is at the same stage in life as yours appears to be.

 

[Sharon Campbell]

I actually, through a LOT of research on different Avic. Species, he MAY be a A. Manaus.

 

[PanzoN88]

A few days late, but welcome to the forum fellow Hoosier.

 

[Arachnoclown]

Though it is a possibility, I highly doubt a petsmart in Ohio is selling Avicularia manaus. They are much harder to come across and alot more money. Petsmart buys their Tarantulas in mass quantities. Avicularia avicularia is the most common and cheapest pinktoe around. Honestly that is probably what he is. Avicularia metallica would be the second choice due to the mass abundance of them and cost. After looking at your photos I wanted to compare with my metallica before telling you it was a Avicularia avicularia. I have 2 A. avics but they are both 12 years old and I never took pictures of them as slings. Your pictures look a lot like them at that age. There is a well known member on here that has a Avicularia manaus but I don't remember who? Maybe you can start a thread on it and he will chime in on it. It is extremely hard to identify slings from photos on the internet because the people post usually assume what species they have because what they are told. Avicularia avicularia's are extremely cool Ts...they are extremely docile and great pets. Infact when I'm cleaning up on my old girls enclosures they sometimes will hop on my arm and go for a ride. They are really great girls. I don't handle my T's but they have been known to force me. My A. metallica is half way out of His web tube...ill still share with you when he comes out. Start that thread on A. Manaus and I'm sure he will jump in to help you.

 

[Arachnoclown]

Here's a video of a avic avic sling.