Tag Archives: Brachypelma

TARANTULA GENUS SPOTLIGHT: Brachypelma

Posted by dalbaugh on

The first tarantula I ever had was Brachypelma hamorii, then known as smithi. I had her for fifteen years, after my parents bought her for me in 1979 from a local pet shop. Since then, though I now keep many genuses of tarantulas, Brachypelma will always hold a special place in my heart. They are easy to keep, are very long lived, and all are absolutely beautiful. In 2019, many Brachypelma species were re-designated under the new genus Tliltocatl. According to the World Spider Catalog, there are currently eight species of Brachypelma, all originating from Mexico. Thanks to captive-breeding efforts within the United States, most of these are readily available as spiderlings. All species are protected, and trade is regulated under CITES.

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SPECIES SPOTLIGHT: Aphonopelma chalcodes, the Arizona Blonde

Posted by dalbaugh on

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In the past, when it comes to tarantulas, I have always said that the genus Brachypelma is my favorite. My second favorite is the genus Aphonopelma, which is made up of over 90 species, most of which are from the United States. They have a similar size to Brachypelmas but tend to be stockier in build and for the most part, have the same disposition and life expectancy. They are also very easy to care for.

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Old World Versus New World Tarantulas

Posted by dalbaugh on

As of this writing there are 954 known species of tarantulas in the world, with dozens upon dozens of described genus names. As research continues on these fascinating animals, new genus and species names are created and animals are being shifted into new nomenclature. You just never know when what you had yesterday as a Brachypelma smithi could now be Brachypelma hamorii tomorrow. What one day was Avicularia versicolor is now Caribena versicolor. As new species are discovered and more research is done, I am sure these shifts will continue.

Old World Tarantula
New World Tarantula
Old World Tarantula

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Setting Up A New Tarantula Enclosure

Posted by dalbaugh on

When you have as many tarantulas as I do, you tend to go with what is easy in terms of enclosures. Uniformity works best, not only because it makes feeding easier but also because in many cases, you can maximize space used (and most tarantula enthusiasts will concur that you just cannot have enough space). There are downsides to this though, especially if you really want to showcase a prize specimen.

For the most part, I use Exo-Terra Breeding Boxes (see review HERE). Their rigid construction allows for stacking which maximizes much needed shelf space. The problem is that they don’t really allow for your collection to be displayed properly. For housing a large variety of tarantulas, they are perfect; but if you want visitors to check out your collection, viewing them is difficult.

 

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The Rare But Wonderful Peruvian Orange Stripe Tarantula (Lasiodorides striatus)!

Posted by dalbaugh on

Welcome to part one of a series I am working on where each time I will focus on one tarantula in my collection. The photos used are of my actual tarantulas and the information I include is based on my own experiences. Please keep in mind that my experiences may differ from yours so just because I say it here does not mean that it is set in stone. I am just sharing what works for me.

Lasiodorides striatus (pronounced Lah-sigh-oh-door-eye-dees stry-ate-us), also known as the Peruvian Orange-Stripe, is a hard to find species in the hobby. In the 90’s, when I got my female, these were often sold as Goliath Orange-Stripes on pet store dealer lists. This lead to some confusion in the pet trade as they were often purchased thinking they were actually Goliath Bird-Eating Tarantulas (Theraphosa blondi at the time). I was actually looking for a blondi and the owner of the mom and pop pet store that I went to said he could get them and this is what I ended up with. Though not a blondi it is still a very interesting and easy-to-keep species.

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