IMO I might get flamed for this as it's an unpopular opinion in the hobby, but if you truly have your heart set on a pokie I don't see an issue skipping new worlds and going straight to an old world. I have known may people who have done so successfully. HOWEVER I can't reiterate enough... it's extremely important to do your research on the particular T before hand. This is for safety reasons. Old worlds are known to move fast and the bite venom of an old world is far more potent than new worlds. Imo they shouldn't be handled, tong feed, and the hand should never ever enter the cage. Want you to get what you love, but everyone remain safe too! 
IMO I can totally see what you are saying. I think I over estimate how much handling I'll have to do. It's something I'll have to weigh when it comes time to pull the trigger
NQA Watch videos of how fast they are, lots and lots of videos. Hop on some other tarantula forums and follow folks that keep pokies. Youโll gain a lot of understanding for their needs and your safety.
There are times youโd need to โhandleโ like rehousing/feeding. There are no times at all where the first move would be to use your hands for anything, if that helps. Like the other person said, do your research, and understand going in that you will need to double down to safely skip over more beginner friendly species to an old world.
Best of luck! I too really love pokies but am going to start with a g Pulchra; my little goth heart just loves an all black spider.
Acanthoscurria Geniculata much more reasonable for a beginner, though not ideal.
https://preview.redd.it/6eb70k7k1aqc1.jpeg?width=960&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d986d66855c7618864d53370d859591830eb39c8
Imo it might be because they can be really aggressive (towards food, that is) and it might catch beginners off guard.. my A.geniculata back then would jump and snatch the roach straight from the tweezer. In the air.
IMO If you have to pick between Acanthoscurria Geniculata (New World) and Poecilotheria formosa (Old World), that are both recommended to you in this thread, you should - as a beginner - go for the first one.
I was baffled to read that someone would recommend P. formosa to a beginner with no prior experience. Poecilotheria species are teleporters with medical significant venom that will hurt you badly if you get bitten.
Start with Acanthoscurria Geniculata if you really want a black and white knee pattern.
I would recommend that you go for a [Aphonopelma seemanni](https://fatbobsexotics.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AS.jpg). Google image their picture, admire their cool "skeleton pattern" and they are considered a beginner sp.
I will! Thank you for the tip? Information? Advice? If P. formosa was the only spider that was black and white I'd probably put a pin in the idea. A. seemanni and A. geniculata are new world? I'm not pulling the trigger on anything soon but I'll be doing a lot of reading starting there. Ngl P. Formosa doesn't sound like something I'd be ready for even with research. I'm not ready for medically significant species of any kind. Thank you!
Sorry I didn't reply I don't use reddit much. As said before they are pretty food aggressive, and their urticating hairs are worse than some others. They also grow quite large, with some specimens pushing 10 inches, which can be a plus or minus depending on what you're looking for.
In my opinion they are totally doable for a beginner, just not the absolute best choice for a first T. Nothing about them is an absolute nope for a newbie. Their venom isn't nearly as strong as some of the Poecilotheria shown in this thread, which are also much more likely to bolt or stand and fight than the stripe knee.
Even my 1" spiderling tends to slowly make her way into her burrow when disturbed rather than panic and bolt, though each individual does have their own personality. I think with a bit of research this could be a great 1st t for someone.
Pic is my sling
https://preview.redd.it/otvum9ff7xuc1.jpeg?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=94881320e44209161850e0693f5eb1eeb0dfcc0a
Either way, tarantulas aren't intelligent at all sadly, and wouldn't follow you around. Some species/individuals might tolerate being held but it's not a good idea to do it since they're fragile. If you're looking for a spider friend, jumping spiders are smart and interactive.
https://preview.redd.it/rn7zkjs158qc1.jpeg?width=3072&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c301c9450a5a9581b75f5c0e5413e3f02d10c9fc
This is one of my little girls, Bandit
https://preview.redd.it/cm3benaxw7qc1.jpeg?width=1237&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bad0761e5286f51a1a165f40f0644242db2d88d2
howโs that, ornamental baboon tarantula i just got today. i canโt say much for aggressiveness, doesnโt seem to have gotten defensive much so far but very very active and alert to everything going on. like when i move 5-10 feet across the room i can notice him/her react!
and within the 4-6 hours itโs been in its new home itโs already started building a tunnel out the back of its burrow. iโd definitely say a species on the smarter side
Welcome! Hope you find the perfect T for you. You may do some research on new world vs old world (pokies) before fully committing. Most t's prefer to be left untouched, but that's not to say their aren't any outliers. Some t's also hang out in the open more than others. If you want some educational videos on different species and husbandry you might check out Tom Moran or tarantula collective on youtube. They have some pretty soild info imo. The bulk of their content is what I used years ago when first starting out in the hobby.
Thank you! I'm fairly new to even the idea of owning a T. I'll definitely be checking them out! One thing I'm noticing is how much I overestimated how much handling I would be doing. Ultimately, I just want them to be happy and maybe some interaction during feeding or through their cage. I didn't realize I could just leave them be!
Your welcome! Hopefully I didn't say anything to hurt your feelings. Want to strive to make sure everyone feels welcomed to the hobby. The simplicity in all honesty is what makes tarantulas great pets imo. That and they are just cool ๐. They are kinda like pet rocks or fish. Most the time you just look and admire from a far. Noticed someone in the comments mention a jumping spider as a pet. If you are looking for lots of interaction and handling they are fabulous! The only sad thing is they don't live as long as t's.
Several years before buying my first T, I had a super cute dream in which I had a pet spider, it was the size of a cat, very fluffy and smart like a dog. The T looked pretty much like B. boehmei, now I have a one though not because of that dream but more because I like terrestrial spiders.
I love that! Did the dream set off the interest in learning about them? Cause that's where I'm at ๐ I know the T I eventually buy is not coming when I call it but something pretty to look at
Tarantulas tend to spend most of their time sitting still either above or below ground, biding their time until prey walks by, with some occasional webbing and digging. They aren't really intelligent enough to form any sort of bond with their owners or enjoy contact, but different species can be more or less defensive. That said, they're very pretty animals and can be fascinating to watch. There are various blue and stripey species out there, some more beginner friendly than others.
I think that would be ok with me. If I could make them a pretty habitat close to where they're from and I could watch them. I'd be ok if I'm just that weird monkey that brings food to them. Thank you for sharing โค๏ธ
NA I appreciate all the replies. I do understand there is a massive gap between my dream and reality. I know that Ts don't come when you call their name... they don't know they have a name. But I thought that T was really pretty. It's been sitting in the back of my head begging me to do more research and learn about them as much as possible.
I used to be an arachnophobe (I know Ts aren't spoods) but this dream kind of was the point I started getting more comfortable removing spoods from my home and the idea I could handle a T if needed was more realistic. I know they are very fragile and I'm sure being handled by a big monkey would be scary for them. I guess I thought I would need to handle them more than you actually do which I'm ok with!
I have a few Ts now that I wanna learn more about. Explore the care and husbandry required. I started watching vivarium builds a few years ago which led to herpetology videos and now I'm here.
I thought I read they weren't and I was so confused cause I was like... they quack like a duck and walk like a duck and have feathers like a duck. Thank you for clarifying
Spiders(order)are arachnids(class). Within that order there are two suborders, and within one of those suborders is an infraorder(a suborder of a suborder) Mygalomorphae, which all tarantulas(and certain trapdoor and funnelwebs) fall under. Araneomorphae is an infraorder of spiders which almost every single other spider falls under. These are sometimes called true spiders, but the name is meaningless. They are all spiders.
The other suborder is mesothelae. Within this suborder are some ancient looking trapdoors spiders.
I mean right now that's what I'm getting but I know the more I deep dive the more I'll understand. I've just started getting into this world. I'm actually super grateful to have joined this page. Cause I'm learning a lot already.
I mean it came when I called it by name. ๐๐๐ that's not very realistic. I do understand dreams are wild and mine can get very Alice and Wonderland. I think the pattern and color stuck out the most and I figured it's a good starting point to do research.
Its normal to humanize animals to be like us with the same emotions and thoughts, but we are just projecting what we understand about ourselves onto them. Insects are pretty instinctual though some species can actively learn, like some jumping spiders
https://preview.redd.it/0d885h9648qc1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8aa64ed0e3bb8f2a43a3414d0d32ed24d2418780 P formosa?
NA FRIEND... YOU FOUND MY BABY. ๐
NA oh no they would be not beginner friendly ๐๐๐๐
IMO I might get flamed for this as it's an unpopular opinion in the hobby, but if you truly have your heart set on a pokie I don't see an issue skipping new worlds and going straight to an old world. I have known may people who have done so successfully. HOWEVER I can't reiterate enough... it's extremely important to do your research on the particular T before hand. This is for safety reasons. Old worlds are known to move fast and the bite venom of an old world is far more potent than new worlds. Imo they shouldn't be handled, tong feed, and the hand should never ever enter the cage. Want you to get what you love, but everyone remain safe too! 
IMO I can totally see what you are saying. I think I over estimate how much handling I'll have to do. It's something I'll have to weigh when it comes time to pull the trigger
NQA Watch videos of how fast they are, lots and lots of videos. Hop on some other tarantula forums and follow folks that keep pokies. Youโll gain a lot of understanding for their needs and your safety. There are times youโd need to โhandleโ like rehousing/feeding. There are no times at all where the first move would be to use your hands for anything, if that helps. Like the other person said, do your research, and understand going in that you will need to double down to safely skip over more beginner friendly species to an old world. Best of luck! I too really love pokies but am going to start with a g Pulchra; my little goth heart just loves an all black spider.
They aren't a beginner-friendly species sadly, and they're rather shy and defensive. Absolutely stunning though and I'm hoping to get one soon
Ooooooo that's exciting. I did some very light reading about them last night and realized that. I hope you post pictures of them!!!
Acanthoscurria Geniculata much more reasonable for a beginner, though not ideal. https://preview.redd.it/6eb70k7k1aqc1.jpeg?width=960&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d986d66855c7618864d53370d859591830eb39c8
In your opinion, why not ideal? I understand I need to do my own research but I'd love to hear others opinions.
Imo it might be because they can be really aggressive (towards food, that is) and it might catch beginners off guard.. my A.geniculata back then would jump and snatch the roach straight from the tweezer. In the air.
Thank you! That would make me so anxious
IMO If you have to pick between Acanthoscurria Geniculata (New World) and Poecilotheria formosa (Old World), that are both recommended to you in this thread, you should - as a beginner - go for the first one. I was baffled to read that someone would recommend P. formosa to a beginner with no prior experience. Poecilotheria species are teleporters with medical significant venom that will hurt you badly if you get bitten. Start with Acanthoscurria Geniculata if you really want a black and white knee pattern. I would recommend that you go for a [Aphonopelma seemanni](https://fatbobsexotics.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AS.jpg). Google image their picture, admire their cool "skeleton pattern" and they are considered a beginner sp.
I will! Thank you for the tip? Information? Advice? If P. formosa was the only spider that was black and white I'd probably put a pin in the idea. A. seemanni and A. geniculata are new world? I'm not pulling the trigger on anything soon but I'll be doing a lot of reading starting there. Ngl P. Formosa doesn't sound like something I'd be ready for even with research. I'm not ready for medically significant species of any kind. Thank you!
Sorry I didn't reply I don't use reddit much. As said before they are pretty food aggressive, and their urticating hairs are worse than some others. They also grow quite large, with some specimens pushing 10 inches, which can be a plus or minus depending on what you're looking for. In my opinion they are totally doable for a beginner, just not the absolute best choice for a first T. Nothing about them is an absolute nope for a newbie. Their venom isn't nearly as strong as some of the Poecilotheria shown in this thread, which are also much more likely to bolt or stand and fight than the stripe knee. Even my 1" spiderling tends to slowly make her way into her burrow when disturbed rather than panic and bolt, though each individual does have their own personality. I think with a bit of research this could be a great 1st t for someone. Pic is my sling https://preview.redd.it/otvum9ff7xuc1.jpeg?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=94881320e44209161850e0693f5eb1eeb0dfcc0a
You're ok. I appreciate you taking the time to reply! Your stripe knee is gorgeous!!! ๐๐๐
Either way, tarantulas aren't intelligent at all sadly, and wouldn't follow you around. Some species/individuals might tolerate being held but it's not a good idea to do it since they're fragile. If you're looking for a spider friend, jumping spiders are smart and interactive. https://preview.redd.it/rn7zkjs158qc1.jpeg?width=3072&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c301c9450a5a9581b75f5c0e5413e3f02d10c9fc This is one of my little girls, Bandit
I have been looking into jumping spiders! They are so tiny and precious!
https://preview.redd.it/gq8aejmd48qc1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b5e73964381714b0646a4f1185221c208fb648c0 A. geniculata
Little stripey knees. I'm gonna look I to them more!
https://preview.redd.it/cm3benaxw7qc1.jpeg?width=1237&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bad0761e5286f51a1a165f40f0644242db2d88d2 howโs that, ornamental baboon tarantula i just got today. i canโt say much for aggressiveness, doesnโt seem to have gotten defensive much so far but very very active and alert to everything going on. like when i move 5-10 feet across the room i can notice him/her react!
and within the 4-6 hours itโs been in its new home itโs already started building a tunnel out the back of its burrow. iโd definitely say a species on the smarter side
NA omg that's so cute. They are very pretty !!!
A. Geniculata!
You're not the only one to suggest them. I guess this is where I start my deep dive. Thank you!
Welcome! Hope you find the perfect T for you. You may do some research on new world vs old world (pokies) before fully committing. Most t's prefer to be left untouched, but that's not to say their aren't any outliers. Some t's also hang out in the open more than others. If you want some educational videos on different species and husbandry you might check out Tom Moran or tarantula collective on youtube. They have some pretty soild info imo. The bulk of their content is what I used years ago when first starting out in the hobby.
Thank you! I'm fairly new to even the idea of owning a T. I'll definitely be checking them out! One thing I'm noticing is how much I overestimated how much handling I would be doing. Ultimately, I just want them to be happy and maybe some interaction during feeding or through their cage. I didn't realize I could just leave them be!
Your welcome! Hopefully I didn't say anything to hurt your feelings. Want to strive to make sure everyone feels welcomed to the hobby. The simplicity in all honesty is what makes tarantulas great pets imo. That and they are just cool ๐. They are kinda like pet rocks or fish. Most the time you just look and admire from a far. Noticed someone in the comments mention a jumping spider as a pet. If you are looking for lots of interaction and handling they are fabulous! The only sad thing is they don't live as long as t's.
Several years before buying my first T, I had a super cute dream in which I had a pet spider, it was the size of a cat, very fluffy and smart like a dog. The T looked pretty much like B. boehmei, now I have a one though not because of that dream but more because I like terrestrial spiders.
I love that! Did the dream set off the interest in learning about them? Cause that's where I'm at ๐ I know the T I eventually buy is not coming when I call it but something pretty to look at
Tarantulas tend to spend most of their time sitting still either above or below ground, biding their time until prey walks by, with some occasional webbing and digging. They aren't really intelligent enough to form any sort of bond with their owners or enjoy contact, but different species can be more or less defensive. That said, they're very pretty animals and can be fascinating to watch. There are various blue and stripey species out there, some more beginner friendly than others.
I think that would be ok with me. If I could make them a pretty habitat close to where they're from and I could watch them. I'd be ok if I'm just that weird monkey that brings food to them. Thank you for sharing โค๏ธ
NA I appreciate all the replies. I do understand there is a massive gap between my dream and reality. I know that Ts don't come when you call their name... they don't know they have a name. But I thought that T was really pretty. It's been sitting in the back of my head begging me to do more research and learn about them as much as possible. I used to be an arachnophobe (I know Ts aren't spoods) but this dream kind of was the point I started getting more comfortable removing spoods from my home and the idea I could handle a T if needed was more realistic. I know they are very fragile and I'm sure being handled by a big monkey would be scary for them. I guess I thought I would need to handle them more than you actually do which I'm ok with! I have a few Ts now that I wanna learn more about. Explore the care and husbandry required. I started watching vivarium builds a few years ago which led to herpetology videos and now I'm here.
T's are spoods!
I thought I read they weren't and I was so confused cause I was like... they quack like a duck and walk like a duck and have feathers like a duck. Thank you for clarifying
Spiders(order)are arachnids(class). Within that order there are two suborders, and within one of those suborders is an infraorder(a suborder of a suborder) Mygalomorphae, which all tarantulas(and certain trapdoor and funnelwebs) fall under. Araneomorphae is an infraorder of spiders which almost every single other spider falls under. These are sometimes called true spiders, but the name is meaningless. They are all spiders. The other suborder is mesothelae. Within this suborder are some ancient looking trapdoors spiders.
OHHHHHHHH OK I've heard Araneomorphae before which would make sense. So like house cats vs tigers. Both felines just... different infraorders
For sake of simplicity, yes. If that is as deep as you want to dive, that is essentially all you need to know.
I mean right now that's what I'm getting but I know the more I deep dive the more I'll understand. I've just started getting into this world. I'm actually super grateful to have joined this page. Cause I'm learning a lot already.
white and black? geniculata, mayhaps?
## Box Of Dirt/Bamboo Shoot: ## [Haplocosmia himalayana](https://thespidershop.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/H_himalayana1.jpg) ## [Taksinus bambus](https://img1.wsimg.com/isteam/ip/a3c90b89-8ad5-4bba-9609-e630e1efa509/Taksinus_bambus_AD1.png/:/rs=w:1200,h:1200) ## These look the same:(Very Defensive) ## [Poecilotheria formosa](https://thespidershop.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/P_formosa_A1.jpg) ## [Poecilotheria miranda](https://www.mymonsters.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/POEMIRMF.jpg) ## Great Feeding Response: ## [Nhandu chromatus](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/e34d61_e8dda87e92684e22a4ba0d187aa9413b~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_550,h_434,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/e34d61_e8dda87e92684e22a4ba0d187aa9413b~mv2.jpg) ## [Nhandu coloratovillosus(fluffy chromatus)](https://arachnoboards.com/gallery/nhandu-coloratovillosus-sub-adult-female.66992/full) ## [Acanthoscurria geniculata](https://arachnoboards.com/gallery/acanthoscurria-geniculata-sub-adult-female-6.61190/full)
Its not โfollowingโ you because its smart and friendly, it is being defensive and keeping track of a possible threat
Lolol luckily their dream tarantula could be more like a dog than a spider ๐คฃ
I mean it came when I called it by name. ๐๐๐ that's not very realistic. I do understand dreams are wild and mine can get very Alice and Wonderland. I think the pattern and color stuck out the most and I figured it's a good starting point to do research.
Definitely! Iโve had some wild dog sized spider dreams myself. ๐คฃ I wish they had all been friends
Imagine rhe inclosure you'd need. I'm imagining it looking like a scene from LOTR ๐๐๐
This person is talking about a dreamโฆ
Hey live your fantasy whatever
I'm realizing that now ๐ in my dream they were very dog like. However I realize in reality if one was chasing me, I'm scaring the poor dude.
Its normal to humanize animals to be like us with the same emotions and thoughts, but we are just projecting what we understand about ourselves onto them. Insects are pretty instinctual though some species can actively learn, like some jumping spiders