- Messages
- 44
- Location
- Hertfordshire
I'm new to the hobby and was wondering if a mexican red knee would be a suitable choice for a second tarantula? Or would anyone be able to recommend a type.
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Advice needed
- Thread starter Carl
- Start date
- Messages
- 11,180
- Location
- Malton, UK
Brachypelma smithi would be perfect or B. albopilosum, the adorable curly hair
- Messages
- 539
- Location
- Ontario, Canada
They are very suitable. The only thing is that they are sometimes expensive. Most of the Brachypelma genus is good for people who are new to the hobby. There might be a couple of exceptions - temperament wise.
- Messages
- 160
Definitely a B. smithi, or for a less expensive and just as amazing T I'd suggest a Brachypelma albopilosum. They are full of personality!
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- Messages
- 46
I think I saw you had an a. Versicolor for your first t. Same here. And my second one is for sure gonna be a Mexican redknee. Weird we want the same tarantulas in the same order
And @cameron137 and @Carl you joined the forum at roughly the same time too......if you were women god knows what you would sync next.....lol
- Messages
- 1,679
A Brachypelma would be a much more ideal first tarantula than an Avic IMO, since they are a lot tougher and more hardy.
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- Messages
- 44
- Location
- Hertfordshire
What makes them exspensive? As I don't want to take it and find I can't look after it properly
- Messages
- 539
- Location
- Ontario, Canada
They are very hardy and forgiving spiders who are very easy to care for.
What makes them expensive? Mostly their popularity and also the fact that even the males are long lived compared to some other species. The females are VERY long lived.
Also, they might be a challenge to breed. I'm not sure, but I don't see a lot of them around in Canada. I'm guessing that is because they are difficult to breed or have small sacs.
- Messages
- 44
- Location
- Hertfordshire
I've seen a 10 month old female looks beautiful but really don't know if I should have her, I've got a bit of a collection as it is.
B. smithi isn't that expensive. I just checked 3 sites with none over $30. Slings of course. Adults on the other hand are, in my opinion, outrageously priced for any species. But this ain't H. pulchripes money. This isn't even pokie money we're talking about. Most brachys are pretty inexpensive except like the klassi and really rare ones. But I have heard smithi don't produce very large sacs.
- Messages
- 539
- Location
- Ontario, Canada
I would consider $30 (works out to be close to $40cdn) pretty expensive for a spiderling. In comparison, I can get a B. albopilosum, or L. difficilis for $10. A $40 price tag is higher than a lot of them.
My 3" female B. verdezi was only $50 compared to a spiderling that would cost me $40.
My 3" female B. verdezi was only $50 compared to a spiderling that would cost me $40.
- Messages
- 1,100
- Location
- CT
Yes! They are awesome.
I suppose "expensive" is a relative term that I guess also depends on what country you're in. I know some species native to the U.S. are super expensive and rare in Canada for what I assume is no good reason. Desirability also drives up the price. The smithi is an icon I doubt will ever be as cheap as an albo or LP. Either way, it's an awesome spider that really is worth the price. Hell females live longer than dogs!
- Messages
- 44
- Location
- Hertfordshire
Yeah I'm in England and they want £70 for her and set up
- Messages
- 50
I paid £40 for my Rusty and her tank and that included a smaller breeding tank as well, I bought her from a lady whose kid didn't want her anymore
she got too big and skittish for him to handle
she got too big and skittish for him to handle
- Messages
- 1,679
While it is all relative, $30 isn't really all that expensive for a sling. Especially when you consider that certain species like P.metallica can go for close to $100 as slings. I'd consider $50 or above more on the expensive side.
- Messages
- 1,679
The biggest things that affect price are really supply and demand. B.smithi is an extremely popular species and just about every keeper wants one, however there are a few variables that make them a tad more pricey. A) You will never come across any wild caught specimens anymore, since it is now illegal to take them out of the wild since they were placed on the cites II list. So pretty much all specimens you will come across are gonna be captive bred. B)Along with certain other Brachys, these are not quite as easy to breed as one may initially think. Despite being rather docile towards us, the females can be pretty hostile towards the males. So despite their popularity and high demand, they are not being bred as much as they really could be. Of course I'm going by U.S. statistics, so it may differ over in Europe. Here a pen ultimate male B. smithi will run around $80 to $100 and a mature female can cost a couple hundred dollars.
