Your First Old World Spider 

Love that Dave seems unaware that he thinks almost every spider is the prettiest spider.

Want an old world? “Be calm, be gentle, love your spider. 👍”

Wow! That last adolescent with the cobalt blue and touches of bright yellow was gorgeous! I tend to like the brightly colored and ornate marked tarantulas. I think my favorite (I forget the scientific name) is sexually dimorphic, the female has very big foot pads, is cobalt blue all over, and the male is a brilliant yellow with extremely long legs for a tarantula. Dave, you have a video of them pairing, and when "the deed" takes place it was lightning fast.

I like this format a lot because it allows us to see a lot of different aspects of your work. Lots of texture.

Thanks for explaining the difference and which ones would be good as a beginner collector.💙

wooow that purple legged tarantula with the yellow details thats something very lovely looking thats amazing or thats blue

Dave is turning in to a spider! Already eating flies. Soon he's going to fart webs as well.

Whoop whoop for the egg sac!

I'm a beginner and have now 12 tarantulas. Thanks to Dave I know the basic rules and because of that I'm pretty confident when I unbox, rehouse or take care of my creepy fluffs. His channel is educational for everyone, I've learned so so so much! And no glitter and glamor, it's just all about loving spiders and taking good care of them ❤

I chose augacephalus ezendami as my first ow after seeing your girl she took my breath away that gold and black 🥰🥰🥰. I wasn't ready for ow when your slings were available unfortunately but a few months ago found slings available and got 2 straight away. I did think about getting a different ow sp when I knew I was ready, but knew if I was going to start with ow it had to be the ezendami. They were swiftly followed by Harpactira pulchripes female 😂 she was super cheap and I couldn't say no and she turned out to be my most chill spider made herself a web tunnel n just sits there doing nothing lol. My rosea has more attitude, but tbf she's the perfect specimen of a psycho Rosie, gave me her first threat pose at 1cm dls and only got more huffy as she grew, she's a 4inch female now n more bad tempered then ever. Great upload as always Dave, Camera Lady ❤

Fun story about our first old world. So my wife and I were new to the hobby, we had maybe 5 different new world spiders and thought we knew what we were doing but we were dumb. We had a large enough order for a freebie, and I let my wife choose it. Up until then we had researched every spider we bought heavily before buying it, but this was an impulse buy. She chose an H. maculata 1" sling. And, having felt comfortable rehousing slings(too comfortable), I chose to unbox and house it while sitting in bed in just my boxers. At that point we had read up on it and I was aware of the venom and speed, but it still caught me off guard. After a romp through the bed it found its way right into my underwear and nestled itself quite comfortably in my gooch. Needless to say I nearly shat myself. But, remembering Dave's words, I stayed calm and begrudgingly loved my spider. I managed to, carefully, extricate it from its chosen abode and rehoused it into a proper enclosure. It's going on two years with us now, and is in it's final enclosure sitting at around 4" but every time I have to feed it I always have flashbacks.

Didnt even know there was a new/old world distinction. Thats pretty damn cool.

Mornin guys,cheers,yeti 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

My first Brazilian white knee tarantula ( not my first tarantula 😂) in 2004 . Anyway had weird mood some days like calm and other days be like right terror of monster kicking hair and ready strike and gibcitckes front legs up air warning me off. But some days be calm one moment then suddenly change but lucky never got bite from it. Am surprised my self I been keeping over 20 years I never got bitten by no spiders and tarantulas yet .

Amazing show as always… 😊

Regular comments. ‘Now this is a pretty one’, ‘this is one of my favourites’ and ‘now would you look at that’ 😂😂 love your enthusiasm ❤❤

You could not be more spot on. I fully agree with you that it is all with the keeper😊

Hey uncle dave so glad u made this I actually got an old world straight away basically I mean it was the second set of spiders I got the first 2 I bought were new world but the second lot I got was a harpactira pulchripes and then 2 other new worlds I got lucky and got a freebie new world as well which was a pumpkin patch now I am an extremely calm person so most animals always are good with me even ones most people would say wud normally go for people lol I am lucky that I've already got experience with reptiles and breeding so dealing with temp parameters and humidity is something I was already comfortable with and I also found out that in Australia they force them legally they have to start with old worlds Bec of the law there idk everything about it but I know that it's all about how we do things and as long as you use ur tools and are careful u will be ok and tbh my h pulchripes is the calmest of all the babys I got I now have 7 ts

I'm very proud of myself , I've just learnt the difference between Old and New world spides🌍🌎 ...I think I should got that somewhen along the line 🤔 🤦🏻‍♀️ Thank you for today lesson and sharing you knowledge📚🔎. I did not see any Focus malfunction due to wobbly webbing and Daves finger getting into shot 🙈. Us girls have to stick together 😃 otherwise fabulous work Camera lady until next time 🥰x

Hello great video information Dave

Congrats on the egg sac. Can't wait to see the babies.

1st 🎉. Good Morning!

Dave, I’m thinking you need a shot of vodka to wash that fly down 🪰🪰🪰

It's good to see an eggsac after she ate the dad at least we know that him being eaten has gone hopefully a great egg Sac 😊👍

I'm so glad my curly hair is n not a crazy one. I would have given up lol. So far so good. Those old worlds are still I'll just a maybe for me. Don't think I'm cut out to be a spider whisper like Dave and Camera lady. Really enjoyed the informative video as always. I always look forward to waking up and seeing the notification from you guys. Thanks again for taking the time to share your hobby and expertise with the rest of us. Much respect from Cincinnati Ohio USA

Australian here, all our tarantulas are old worlds; with one difference They walk upside down

Hello Dave, I like your videos so much, they are so helpful in some situations. You and your wife are just very likeable. Keep it up, kind regards from Germany. 🕷🕸😊

Cameroon baboon was my first old world tarantula I think they best beginner when ready move on old world. Chili's rose my first new world tarantula. Yes start new world once have experience learn tarantula behaviour and body language then go old world tarantula .

The golden leg baboon took my breath away Dave… gorgeous. Looking at your set up you should put your amazing logo on your background shade! Seems the perfect spot. Thanks for the video!

Great vid as always. I kept a single tarantula, curly hair, at a time for the last 25 years then last year I decided to start expanding. My first old world was an OBT, I loved the colouration and the starburst carapace. Now i have 14 OBTs in my 98 tarantulas and 2 Linothele sericata collection. You are spot in with it being about the keeper rather than the spider as well as individuals having different dispositions. Out of my collection the only OBT to threat pose is my brown colour form and I get more threat poses from my 'beginner species' Brachypelma hammorii, whose no more than 2 inches big, than any others I have.

Pps dave have you heard of the "chaetopelma olivaceum" tarantulas? They're the only other community tarantulas I've heard of and not been able to try out yet and I agree on your other statements of high predation on the others you mentioned as ive tried various poecilotherias, H. villasellas & H. gigas and had hi predations from all to a point I needed to seperate the survivors, cheers

Great video you guys! Very informative as always! Glad to see that you're settling in well. 😊

It's so good to see you guys on a regular basis again! Have a wonderful week! 💕🕷🕸🕷💕

Very nice list. The other day I saw a guy looking for spiders in the wild in South America, a beautiful purple spider. Pure Blossom Birdeater. The color was spectacular. Of course only the male was purple.

Dave for President🙌

Pity we can't keep import any inverts here in New Zealand. I'd love to own some of these but that's the way it is .A great video as always.

OMG that Metalica still my ❤ 😍🥰

Dang missed 1st lol

Thank you for the look at those beautiful spiders🤓

The P. Metallica is my favorite visually 😍

Generally I would say you can get any OW as soon as your "fear" has become more of "respect". What I would recommend to anyone trying to get into OWs is watching rehousing videos about the species they wanna get next. It helps getting a very good understanding of its temperament and shows what could possibly happen. And of course learn how to read a tarantula so you don't get bolted on

Another knowledgeable video Dave & camera lady, I’ve only been keeping for just over 2yrs, most are NW species with a few OW, I’ve found my most stroppy one is an AF LP, she’s got an attitude on her 24/7, my OWs are a walk in the park compared to her and a couple other NWs, but one thing I’ve learned from day one is respect for my spiders and you and camera lady are the reason for that, keep up your amazing work 🫶

Your right Dave.id never mess with my fireleg!shes nuts 😂

I went straight into Old Worlds for my first Tarantula. The Orange Bitey Thingy was my first. She is doing really well, a bit shy, and growing fast. I can honestly say I have had no problems yet. Even rehousing recently, she wasn't any trouble at all. I have a Togo Sturburst Baboon and she is shy but no problems. I have others, including a new world Psalmopoeus Irminia. She was the 4th Tarantula! This one DID show a threat display once. I am gentle with all my spiders but one day I must have done something to startle it and the threat was shown. She usually just sits out in full view, only hiding when I open the enclosure to feed her. But overall, I am really happy with all of them and I have you to thank for that :) I mean it from the bottom of my heart, Thank you Dave for your videos. I wouldn't have any tarantulas if it weren't for your videos.

The webbing is amazing 🤩

My first OW was a balfouri. I agree that they are a great stepping stone. My second was an OBT which has not lived up to the OBT reputation, as it's never given me a threat pose or any troubles at all!

You really are the Bob Ross of Inverts, Dave! Your channel has been such a source of inspiration and furthering of my partner and I's love for the hobby!

Ive got 4 OW Chilobrachys dyscolus(Vietnam sp blue), Heteroscodra maculata ( Tago sunburst) , Stromatopelma calceatum (Featherleg Baboon), Poecilotheria striata (Mysore Ornamental). and they all are more skittish then my chillian rose thats lil psyco. haha

Very very beautiful spiders🤩🕷❤💯👍

This video was very educational, it really helps to get the information from you with years of experience, I have been to a couple of independent spider shops and all they do is try and get you to buy the biggest enclosure, and the most expensive spider which is old world, I am nowhere near ready to start that chapter! You truly love your lady spiders, they are all beautiful to you ( and me ) I hope in the future that I can have more confidence watching how you do things! You two are an amazing couple and I throughly enjoy your videos, so thank you so much for keeping up with RU-vid demands! ❤️

I guessed 2 of them... balfouri and pulchripes. A balfouri communal was my first OW I think, then a regalis after that

Great video on point with all species

I lost my mum earlier this year, and I lost my granddad the year before, and my gran the year before that, none of my father’s side of the family has been in my life since I was little. Something about the way Dave talks feels kind of paternal, it feels like a parent or a grandparent teaching you all about the thing they love, whether that’s fixing up a car or doing a crossword or… talking about spiders. It has a lovely, safe kind of feeling, something my world has been altogether lacking lately.

Beautiful tarantulas mate! My female H Pulchripes is full on nuts! If you go near her enclosure she goes wild constantly slapping and treat posing. I think that's why she is one of my favourites. Loved the video Dave looking forward to your advanced species video atb.

yeah thats a nice blue in those legsss

13:54: Such lovely table manners!😊 Stunning girl, absolutely gorgeous. 😮

Another great video dave 👍. The Harpactira pulchripes is my favourite absolutely stunning as well as the P Metallica

I get toung tied all 5he time glad to see I'm not alone Dave😂😂😂😂😂 the P Metallica is one of my favorites ! Gorgeous to say the least.😊❤❤❤❤

It’s been awhile kool

When you mentioned curly hair temperaments it made me chuckle a bit. They are known as being among the most docile but my female has a temper and hates tongs with a passion which makes maintenance tricky.

My first OW spider was a sub adult (male sadly) Poecilotheria metallica my parents gave me as a birthday present. All they told me was "You Do Not want to let this one bite you". He lived a long happy life, died to a female. I did my research and it was simple. If you're new just watch all of Dave's videos on whatever species, Be Careful and show them respect, and you can do anything. If you can't handle a spider that's faster and has better reflexes than you ever will you probably shouldn't try getting an old world though. Start with something like a psalmopoeus and build confidence first. If you can manage one of those old world's shouldn't be a problem. Sorry for rambling LOL

Thank you for always sharing your knowledge, insight, and experience on this channel. It's really such a boon for keepers both new and old. I really appreciate your thought process and your patience in sharing the conclusions you've come to from your time in the hobby.

Our 1st OW was an S. Calceatum that was gifted to us. Trial by fire I guess? Anyhow, she's been calm and a pleasure to keep. Very light sensitive, but if it stays dark, she's nice and calm and I can even tong feed her. But if there's bright light, she will do laps around the enclosure. Never a threat pose from her though.

I kept tarantulas for about 25 years and kept many old world spiders. I never had any particular issues with any of them as I always treated all of my spiders with respect. Re. the venom potential, in the 80s and early 90s we didn't know about the more powerful venom of old world spiders and so this wasn't a consideration. However, we still didn't want to be bitten?!

Hi Dave, another great video. One thing i think would add to this video, would be venom toxicity, in that in my train of thinking, I know a lot of people describe the venom on a P Metallica is pretty strong, so some people may feel going less venomous to start with may be also a good way to go, until your more experienced.

I like watching this program is very interesting and he is very professional

Yes i agree on the behavior of the keeper being a control point for new/old worlds, if your at all even worried about keeping a old world, your not ready for an old world. The spiders themselves have their own personalities but also how you keep them affects their behavior as well, i have a mature female cobalt blue, that was very chill during a re-house and is calm whenever i go to feed or do maintenance, but i have two new worlds that are feisty and defensive no matter what i do.

Wow, the last baboon spider is big enough to put a leash on it and take it for a walk!

Beautiful spiders. Pokies are certainly among the most beautiful. The balfouri is my favorite of the ones shown. I never considered any spider beautiful until seeing your videos. I've learned so much from you. Thank you.

I don't handle my spiders at all and if anything I find old worlds easier than new worlds. I have 50 Ts and one of my most chilled spiders that I have is my OBT and by far my most defensive is my biggest Balfouri. I just find that all spiders are individuals and you don't know how they are going to behave but if you (like me) don't believe in handling then I'd say just do your research and watch Daves Beasties and just go for what you like.

I think Dave has spent too much time with his spiders ,,,,, he’s turning into one swallowing flies !!😂

My balfouri like to make clicking noises at me when being watered or basically anything lol. Your videos are an invaluable source of knowledge that im forever greatful for

100% agree with everything here. Right down to the curly hairs . I have one you can grab and doesn't care like several in the past, and another who will outright charge and go out of her way trying to bite. She's mean, and only one spider out of about 100+ adults I have ever cared for was worse (a freakishly large near 8" s. calceatum)

I haven't gotten a bad tempered tarantula yet, all have been captive bred slings though, I think it helps. I have a WC H. carolinensis that tries to attack me when I walk by though 😂

great video for those who are interested in getting into OWs.....thanks Dave and camera lady!

Brilliant video guys beautiful spiders thank you very much great video guys thank xxxx

Fantastic video Dave, And brilliant advice for all keepers, And beautiful species featured, that's another super job by yourself and camera 📷 lady Dave.

I had a terrible arachnophobia but I fell in love with those white/grey/black pocies so I got myself a P. vitticeps, she's a beauty and helped me quieta lot with my fear

I recently chose an OBT sling to be my first ow Tarantula and so far it has been allaround adorable. I tried to give it enough dirt to dig but also little sticks to web up and it built a beautyful tiny webcastle and is pretty chilled. My LP sling is a psycho against the OBT. So far I´m just happy and confident that my choice was the right decision.

Hi Dave and Camera Lady 💙💕🕷️ hope you’re both doing well. This is a very interesting video! My first love was a P. Metallica, it’s the striking combination of yellow and blue that grabs ya, and doesn’t let go 😊 I first seen it on TarantulaGuy 1976’s channel years ago, along with T. Blondie and other Giant Birdeaters! I remember you saying before that some of your new world’s were very feisty, and same with your old world’s were quite docile! Congratulations on the egg sac (more babies coming for Camera Lady) Great shots from Camera Lady too! Thanks for the great video again. Take care and have a fantastic weekend too 💙💕🕷️🥰😘xxxx

Woow some pretty spider 🕷 😊

Dave, can you 😊pleeeaaaase show the Brazilian Jewel again soon? You made me fall in love with them because of their color and unique trap door hide.❤

I completely agree with you sir Dave 👍👍👍👍👍

My balfouri is the devil himself, even worse than my rosea 🤣 It's very true that you preach to learn your spider's temperament and not to assume based on hear-say about its species.

All your spiders Dave are beautiful ❤

My first OW is an OBT 👀

I've got the perfect walk in cupboard to be able to create a spider 🕸 den like yours ❤

AWESOME video Dave and a good selection chosen for a starter Old World one of my first Old Worlds was an adult female Eucratoscelus Pachypus (Stout Leg Baboon )I would say they are a good beginner Old World but they are as rare as Rocking Horse Poop my female passed of old age a few years ago now been looking for another since

My old world spider story came from my Dutch Oma's house in 1966. It was an old villa from 1895 & I was little & in the shower. The wood trim was original & had rotted somewhat at the base of the shower. I looked down & there was this big spider that was half in/half out the rotted wooden hole. It quickly skirted back in the hole. Always remembered it though .

My first was a Togo starburst

Thanks for an informative and nice video! One thing that almost always get forgotten to mention is the size of your first OWS. There is a big difference in getting an adult compared to getting a sling. One of my first spiders was a sling P. regalis. No problem at all. Now, almost 6 years later, she is one of my favorite spiders, very beautiful and very calm. I learned as she grow. As you mentioned in the video, common sense is more important than what species you get as your first spider 🕷️

My first “old world” was an ornamental baboon. That little girl was fast and definitely had an attitude. I wasn’t ready for a spider that could race up glass like her. Cool species, and very pretty markings.

I really appreciated your stressing the need for the keeper to be ready to take on an old world spider. (If someone started out life cringing every time they heard the word "spider", it's probably going to take them longer than someone who's been keeping spiders in jars since childhood.)

Love the video Dave! My experience getting into spiders goes as first spider B Hamorii and my 3rd was a P metallica as a juvenile, now I have 27 tarantulas, 8 being in the pokie family I still get jump scares from time to time but I think that's normal. But you learn as they grow and become more comfortable Like Dave said, if you remain as calm as you can, you will be alright

Got to be a hard pick

I rehoused the OBT we got from you at the show yesterday this afternoon, (s)he was so unbelievably chill! I noticed you have an airlock container, I have a regalis in one, I think they're brilliant! Another fab video, thank you Dave and Camera Lady!

My first spiders were NW slings (choco,curly,caribena) they all passed away so I got a sub adult Caribena from my Petco now a year later have 14 spiders ranging from sizes .5-4 inches. Got my first OW .75 in Hacpactira pulchripes! It molted right away and now is a bit larger 😍! I’ve been getting heavily into Pamphobeteus I feel like they are a great intermediate NW species! PAMPHOBETEUS have a great feeding response and are rather shy however comes 8pm they’re always on display. PAMPHOBETEUS are fast and will kick hairs if bothered. They have beautiful colorations if you end up getting a male it’s still a beautiful spider. They grow fast to rather large sizes of upward to 9 inches depending on the species. Great video Dave! Always awesome and informative!

I started with curly hairs, two of them- both have huge mean streaks in them 😂😂

Great vid Dave and some amazing shots from Camera Lady ..

i jumperd right in and got a P. wandering spider and a Poecilotheria for my first two spiders , my DWI ticket was a nightmare and expensive