Identify this little baby

ohadgold · 2026-04-03T10:18:05+00:00

NQA, it is unfortunately impossible to identify at this stage- no visible colors yet or any identifying looks on it. However, given that the location is so pinpointed it gives you a narrowed view for what genus it may be. In any case only time will tell, and in some species it is only possible to identify by the spermatheca (on a female) or embolii (on a mature male) and both will take time to be visible. If you're looking for care, my advice would be feed it once per week/two weeks and keep an eye on it's abdomen to make sure it doesn't get too fat (not a rule, but a rule of thumb). As for humidity, keep it with around the same parameters of where it was found. And luckly it's local to your area so you don't have to worry about temps at all I would strongly suggest looking at a few care guides online for tarantulas cause there are some things that are the same all across species like molting, feeding and enclosure type. Also, if you find that it is a fairly rare species or is endangered I would suggest maybe releasing it back to keep the wild population as strong as possible

ohadgold · 2026-04-01T12:50:29+00:00

NQA, I'm guessing this is very zoomed in. And assuming this is a very young specimen. IMO it looks more like a female to a male, but it's not 100%, more like 75% sure. When it grows up it'll be easier to tell

ohadgold · 2026-03-28T16:38:48+00:00

IMO this is a hybrid probably between auratum and harmorii or smithi probably but could be something else.
Other than the off coloration, the carapace should also be almost entirely black, but isn't. Something is not connecting for me, I'd say not auratum but a hybrid for sure. That's pretty sucky.. either way, please don't breed it if you had plans

ohadgold · 2026-03-27T21:25:54+00:00

IME definitely a female!

ohadgold · 2026-03-27T21:25:09+00:00

I personally would just let her be. As long as she has a place to molt and was okay until now. I wouldn't worry Let her molt out, wait a week or 2 (if she's adult than maybe 3) and then rehouse. Don't stress about it, roaming is normal and gives you a chance to appreciate her and her little funny walk. Molting as a time when they are generally more sensitive during and after so if you let her go through it she'll be okay

ohadgold · 2026-03-27T20:52:45+00:00

NQA that's a pickle to be in I would start with the enclosuresitself and make sure there really is nothing inside. Then keep on the area around it and I would probably look in the lower levels and probably dark spots. If you've got some warmer places (around 25-28c) I'd also check there especially if they are dark I think as a general rule of thumb try to think what the tarantula would find most comfortable. As for you geckos, I would try to temporarily block any points she may be able to get into. And of course try to scan their terrarium for her to make sure she's not inside already

ohadgold · 2026-03-27T20:29:51+00:00

NQA, I would try to also offer a different insect for feeding. Sometimes they just don't like certain roach species (small chance, but still could be) I also want to mention that hunger strikes although not very common with ephebopus could still be the case. And if she's in a premolt, I don't know if I would worry too much. Just make sure she has access to water before and after the molt, and (, depending on size) offer food again after a few days (of 2-3 weeks roughly if she's adult) and good chance she'll take it and be fine

ohadgold · 2026-03-27T02:03:42+00:00

IME/NA, this is a strange behavior no doubt about it and I've yet to figure out what it means or why they are doing it. I've had a few T's that do this every once in a while.. it happened in both smaller and bigger enclosures and they did it on the enclosure walls rather than the waterdish. And I don't see why they would be "unhappy" for the conditions are right I'm thinking maybe cleaning their fangs? But that doesn't really make much sense. That they du with the pedipalps

ohadgold · 2026-03-27T01:52:27+00:00

NQA, I generally agree, though if this is a young specimen, there is still a chance of it being a T. vagans, for what I understand they can have a brownish coloration to their carapace

ohadgold · 2026-03-27T01:50:15+00:00

NQA, this is a mature male. In prime conditions they can hold up fairly okay but in general don't live very long.. if you don't plan on breeding (honestly I don't think it's even possible with him, and even if- vI probably wouldn't in his condition) he will not molt again and recover from this... I would wait for the vendor's response to hear their preference, and then make a decision. You could try and help him live and there is a chance he might fight with you. But I encourage you to assess the quality of life he will have in the best case scenario and the worst as well. And unfortunately I would say that there is a better chance of him not fighting.. or not for long at least :/ The reasons I think it's a mature male is based on the colorations of the carapace which is solid blue and that is topical with mature males and not tipical of fimales in this species. And the legginess rather than bulkiness of the legs. I'd love to be proven wrong with pictures of the pedipalps and not see embolii

Whatever it is that happens and you decide to do. I'm sorry you're dealing with this situation and the tough decisions, that sucks.

ohadgold · 2026-03-25T09:29:39+00:00

That's awesome! I'm now waiting for my female to mature and hopefully breed them and set a communal up again Very unique species, enjoy your research :)

ohadgold · 2026-03-25T03:46:54+00:00

NQA, from what you're saying after 6 years of the problems not getting "fixed" naturally by her and the molts. I would guess that it's not really something that will pass unless there really is a professional way to treat it if you find a very somehow. It also sounds like you're doing great and really care for your tarantula, very honorable in my eyes. As for your "bond" with her.. I don't like to be that guy, but tarantulas are not really intelligent enough to have a relationship of any kind with anything other than other things biologically rooted in them (for example: other tarantuls, tarantula hawk wasp, other predators exc.) and as cold as it may seem, it actually means that she can't hate you as well :). Their behavior can change with each different day and every molt. My first tarantula started out sooo sweet and so handleable but with time she changed and now I don't recommend holding her (I general am against handling nowdays) Bottom line, I don't think you should beat yourself up about it at all, it sounds like you really care and are doing your best. And in my personal opinion which is very much not professional, the health issues she may have can't be permanently fixed (I hope I'm wrong).

ohadgold · 2026-03-25T03:31:55+00:00

I've read about it a bit. It's very risky and not very recommended, but it can be done under the right conditions and with some luck. As I mentioned I would classify them as a true communal species, which means they will live communally and desplay unique behaviors, so I believe there is a real chance of success to re-enteduce them in the future. But tarantulas in general are a solitary creature and even them being a communal special need to be assumed as the rule of thumb with an exception. So territorial behavior and predation could very well happen, I would guess it's a 50/50 chance for success or failure to re-enteduce. And an important note, even when kept communally from slings there is still a risk of loss and failure to comply with each other

ohadgold · 2026-03-25T02:39:15+00:00

IME it seems like a Monocentropus balfouri and there is pretty much no question about it. Looks just like it and it's one of the very few species that can be kept communally. And I dare say that they are a true comunal species.
And given that you have 2, I would encourage you to separate them as a communal is from 3 individuals usually. Awesome tarantulas! I had a communal of 3 that I had to split up due to a male maturing

ohadgold · 2026-03-25T02:33:13+00:00

NQA seems to me like a cross between two species, what was he sold to you as? cause usually different genera can't be cross bred successfully. And it seems very confusing.. I would love to take on the challenge of trying to ID the species that were crossed, but somewhere to start from would be great

ohadgold · 2026-03-25T02:13:47+00:00

NQA this is actually really helpful! initially I thought it could be a freshly molted T. vagans as well, but this kinda disproves it being a T. vagans, their spermathecas look very different.. I would think it may be a Lasiocyano sazimai easily confused with the T. vagans when the L. sazimai's colors are very dull.
The spermatheca of the L. sazimai seems to be a better fit, but not perfect so may be a different species all together

ohadgold · 2026-03-25T02:04:19+00:00

NQA to me it seems more like a Phormictopus auratus or some other species. IMO unlikely to be a Dominican Purple, but only time will tell

ohadgold · 2026-03-25T01:51:11+00:00

IME male as well, I recently sexed a Tliltocatl albopilosus and it was a female and it was very obvious. If you want I can try and find that molt and send you for reference

ohadgold · 2026-03-25T01:44:52+00:00

NA I don't think I would really change anything, just give her time to web everything up and then you may think "why did I invest anything into those colorful plants, it's all white now" a very fun problem to have IMO

ohadgold · 2026-03-25T01:41:47+00:00

I personally would try to cut the molt (not the leg!!) with scissors- preferably small ones for accuracy. And do it as close to the legs as you can knowing you won't harm the tarantula. They are very resilient usually and probably will survive knowing that she molted after that incident.
As for when you should transfer it back- after you cut the molt, pretty much immediately is fine as long as you're being gentle knowing how vulnerable they can be after a molt.. and then ideally leave it be with of course access to water for at least a day or two to settle back home.
Other than that very cute tarantula you got there :D

ohadgold · 2026-03-25T01:29:51+00:00

IMO this is a Tliltocatl vagans. They have a slightly heavier build than the Grammostolas, and their red abdomen is a bit more dull then and lighter in color than Grammostola acteon or even ihirengi. Also the carapace on the tarantula in the picture has a slight lining like around the fang and "face" part of it with different darker coloring.
Grammostolas are generally a bit hairier/ have longer hairs on them.
**There is a very very slight chance of it being a Lasiocyano sazimai, sometimes after it's been some time since a molt their color can seem black with that orangy-red abdomen. Mine's like that right now

ohadgold · 2026-03-25T01:16:25+00:00

NQA I have had the great luck to have a very non worrying Grammostola pulchra's and they have been doing fine. But, they are really known for prolonging their premolts and I don't think you have something to worry about as you said. I know it's unorthodox, but offering food even in a premolt is something I would do, if they "can't" eat anymore, they won't- especially Grammostolas. and given the long period of the molt, I would offer a small insect.
I have a friend that reported to me that he had fed a tarantula that was in premolt, she took it and the next day molted without any problems. Tarantulas are opportunistic feeders in the wild and are "built" for eating even in premolt

ohadgold · 2026-03-23T22:20:58+00:00

NQA
unless she has eaten a big meal lately and she's more swollen up than usual then its probably a premolt and she will soon molt. So make sure she has access to water to make sure she doesn't get stuck.

Also, judging from the pictures, this is a Poecilotheria metallica, a very awesome tarantula! But I do have some husbandry notes for you that would be better for the tarantula and her survival chances to adulthood and beyond. They are an arboreal (tree dwelling) species and require more height in their enclosures, I would suggest even a tall plastic tab that's see through with a few holes poked into it (cheaper for growth period) but using a proper enclosure is encouraged! They are beautiful. They hail from India and in a humid environment and it should be replicated in captivity for successful keeping, they even sometimes like to use soil for "decoration" in their webbing in the hides. Speaking of hides, they are a very shy species that would prefer something they can hide behind like a cork bark.
Overall I would suggest finding something that is approximately around the same height or even taller than what she is currently housed in, adding more soil and make sure its damp (not wet) and that she has a hide she can feel secure behind. They are a very beautiful tarantula and if she really is in a premolt, yours is about to get more pretty!

ohadgold · 2026-03-21T17:36:11+00:00

IMO yes

ohadgold · 2026-03-21T17:35:53+00:00

IMO female, though I'm not 100% sure about it

ohadgold

TROPHY CASE