GIANT Tarantulas - The 5 Largest Ts in My Collection

[@alexfritz2166]

Something I’ve always really appreciated about your channel, is how clearly it shows that you do this for the love of the spiders. It always refreshing to sit and listen to you dive into the spiders the way I only wish I could with my co-workers lol

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Thank you so much, Alex...I really appreciate that! 😀

[@RealMelodyBlue]

I'm in love with the Dominican Purple 💜 purple is my favorite color too.

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Me too, Melody! haha

[@1v1rajang85]

I agree, there is this primal urge to love giant, beefy tarantulas hahahah great vid tho.

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Right? Hahaha Well said!

[@jamesmaybrick2001]

Hey, i ride my T to work every day. I get some looks as my 8 legged steed passes by, but the crickets to mile economy is great. I took a video...but ...er... lost it...somewhere. I will have a look under the bed. A Sample size of one, but way way way back in the old days (95 ish) i bought Stermi spiderling, treated it no different to any other spide spiderling. I wasnt even aware of their reputation at the time. It did fine. Given this was pre internet and i just muddled my way through things and kept it at mid '80s. Fed it a LOT, it was male and lasted about 5 years. I have always had an incredible gift/curse to almost always only buy males of whatever supposedly unsexed example of whatever animal of any species of anything i buy. Great video as always.

[@mwarwick3876]

I'm in the same boat as you with always getting males. I'm chalking it up to just more males being produced than females to guarantee enough survive to mate, but man it's depressing getting attached to the little dudes knowing you wont have as much time with them.

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Hey, James! hahahaha I'm sure that you'll find that video someday...haha Lately, I've been getting a TON of males. I think that I'm paying for the streak of females I had back in the day. haha

[@christophermcleod5495]

Wow Tom, some real beasts on display here! From owning a Pamphobeteus sp. Costa that is over 9” (roughly 9.2”), I can say that you’re correct that these giants need to be seen to be appreciated. It’s cool to hear that a couple pokie sp. are up there in your collection as well, I always forget how large the legspans on some pokie species can get to.

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Hello, Christoper! Man, that Pampho sp. costa is a BEAST. Yeah, I wish I could have gotten some footage of my P. rufilata because she is huge! Thanks!

[@charlesdworchak2908]

I’ve grown a male stirmi to around 11” gave him to fear not Tanya has pictures it was a tre dinner plate size tarantula haha. Biggest one I’ve ever seen with my time in the hobby

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Hey, Charles! You showed me pics of him before...what an absolute BEAST.

[@rubenarreola9993]

I have to thank my college biology professor for addicting me to tarantulas, he had a rose hair as a class pet, I was still a little nervous of spiders but decided to ask if I could hold her, he let me and I just became amazed at how light and soft she felt, nothing like I was imagening

[@TomsBigSpiders]

That's really awesome, Ruben. My first tarantula ever was a rose hair that I got in the mid-90s, and she just passed in 2021. She helped stir my interest in them.

[@didisaythat4230]

Love the video. Anyone else get Saturday morning cartoon vibes from Tom's intro. Really dig it.

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Man, I miss Saturday morning cartoons.... Thanks!

[@rachelaleece]

Showing this video to my LP and Phormictopus spiders to have some adult mentors to look up to

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Bahaha! I hope that it motivates the, Rachelaleece!

[@rachelaleece]

@@TomsBigSpiders my P cancerides closed off their burrow, so I’d say it influenced them 😈

[@advertisingbreak8204]

I really missed the Poecilotheria on the list, at least they made it to the mentions at the end. My largest tarantula got to be my Poecilotheria striata with 18cm legspan.

[@TomsBigSpiders]

I was going to include my P. rufilata, but I couldn't get any new footage of her. That's a big P. striata!

[@jurgenludwig8292]

Hey Tom, I listen to the podcast every day at work, thanks for putting out great content.

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Thank you so much, Jurgen! I really appreciate it!

[@neoshinesama]

My largest is for sure my xenesthis immanis. Love looking at her and shes usually out on display constantly.

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Mine's about 6" or so, so she's getting there!

[@Shannon-LikeTheRiver]

Another great video, thanks Tom!

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Thank you, Shannon!

[@christophersamuelson451]

Fantastic Video Tom!

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Thank you so much, Christopher!

[@ede8193]

Hi Tom, not sure if you remember me. Last year i said i really wanted to get a T ( and my wife said No )....Well now i have 2 an Avic pink toe AND i just got a P Rufilata ( a 2" juvie ) and Love'em! Great video btw!

[@TomsBigSpiders]

I do...and that's awesome! Welcome to the hobby! Congrats on your Avic and rufilata...they are both awesome species. Thanks!

[@georgecardiff1946]

Absolutely brilliant Tom, every spider 🕷 featured, in superb condition, I do have an Lp, it's only a juvenile at the moment.

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Thanks so much, George! This was a fun one to do. And if your LP is already a juvenile, it shouldn't be too long before it puts on some major size!

[@KenNet1337]

The first spider you see when entering my apartment is an adult (6 year's old) Acanthoscurria geniculata. So, when my mother visit (yes, it's known to happen. I have proof) the first spider she see is the AG. Big spider! Even I think so. It's impressive! And very beautiful! Sometimes size matter. But, big AND beautiful spider is always a plus 🎉 Just ventilileng a little bit 😂 Loving spiders is not always an easy task.

[@robertknight3737]

That’s a great species , one of my favorites too.

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Haha That's awesome, Ken! I can't wait until mine puts on more size!

[@lucnadeau2821]

Big, big Ts for sure ! Love the purples and slight green on your two Phormictopus. The other 3 are also good looking :) For me, my largest is my B. boehmei female. Got her back in early 2010 as a 1.25-1.5" unsexed juvie. 13+ years later, she's probably around the 6" mark. She's very stocky-looking, especially on the legs... and very beautiful ;) Stay safe and thanks for sharing :)

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Hey, Luc! I love my B. boehmeis, but they are both nuts. haha I think my older one is probably around the 6" mark as well. That's still a BIG spider! haha I hope all is well with you!

[@nicoladolby2154]

Great video ! My largest 5 are: 1. Therophosa stirmi 2. Poecilotheria ornata 3. Acanthscurria geniculata 4. Pamphobeteus sp. machalla 5. Hystocrates crassipes

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Hello, Nocola! Great list!

[@leesreptilesandaquatics6368]

My pink salmon bird eater slings I got 3 of them and all 3 of mine are growing fast and they are just beautiful tarantulas love this species

[@TomsBigSpiders]

That's awesome, Lee! Can't go wrong with the LP!

[@Lisa-eu9fy]

Awesome vid as always! Gorgeous spiders! 🕷💜💙🧡💚♥️⭐🕷

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Thanks, Lisa !

[@AdsArachnids]

I love my Phormictopus sp Dominican Purple and coincidentally my Theraphosa Blondi moulted this week. Hopefully I can grow both of them to be a chunky as yours.

[@TomsBigSpiders]

I love seeing pics and video of her on the 'gram. haha They are just such stunning spiders. I hope that all is well!

[@AdsArachnids]

@@TomsBigSpiders She's been my main motivation to try and learn some more videography skills. So stunning! Hope all is good with you too.

[@TomsBigSpiders]

@@AdsArachnids Your work has been great! I actually pointed one of your posts out to Billie to gush about how damned good the footage looked! haha Seen any good movies lately?

[@AdsArachnids]

@TomsBigSpiders I watched 'The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent' the other night and couldn't stop laughing. Not a horror recommendation but damn, it definitely springs to mind! Thank Billie so much. I'm trying super hard to get my 3/10 videography up to my half decent photography!

[@clnfreakone8486]

Just picked up a tiny 1/3” sling Lasiodora parahybana last week from fear not … hoping it grows quickly lol at least to the size where I can see it lmao 🤣

[@TomsBigSpiders]

I'll be curious to hear how quickly yours grows! Congrats on getting one!

[@Moore-Tarantulas]

Gorgeous line up!! What big beasts!! I don't really have any particularly large species, the bigger ones will only reach 5.5 to 6in, but own a lot and have a soft spot for dwarf species! I don't think they get the love they deserve! Currently the biggest I own is my 6in female OBT! Got that Dominican on my wish list though!

[@TomsBigSpiders]

That is a big OBT! My girl was only around 5" or so. And I love the dwarfs as well. Thanks!

[@Moore-Tarantulas]

@@TomsBigSpiders I was really proud I caught her out plastered against the side of her enclosure one night and I was able to quietly without spooking her get a measure front leg to back opposite leg. Wasn't real stretched out but came in at 5.5 to 5.75in!! I wish I had been able to get a picture, just the slightest bump spooks her back to her web burrow lol One day I'll catch her again and get a picture with the ruler!!

[@christopherputty6191]

Thanks for all you do. As you you know there are really really content creators here but I enjoy yours the most. Your genus reviews are among my all time favorites. Have you thought about doing Pamphobeteus and/or Xenesthis?

[@TomsBigSpiders]

I really appreciate that, Christopher! I do have a Xenesthis one planned for later this year. :)

[@janefrost1856]

After discussion with some friends, I was wondering if spiders have an acidic stomach environment. As their food is liquidised by enzymes before they suck it up using their sucking stomachs, do they have the need for an acidic environment in them guts to help break down their food further to help them absorb food further. If anyone sees this comment I would be grateful for an answer or if anyone can point me in the right direction. By the way I really love this channel and appreciate the work and effort you and Billie put into it.

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Hi, Jane! I believe that they use enzymes to break down prey, but that's a great question! I'll do some research...

[@paulnorris982]

My largest is a Lasiodora parahybana probably just about 8” maybe just under. Going to rehouse her soon as she is way too big for her current enclosure. She will be going into a 24” x 12” to give her plenty of space.

[@TomsBigSpiders]

That's a big girl, Paul! Good luck with the rehousing!

[@paulnorris982]

@@TomsBigSpiders thanks Tom

[@BC-fh3jt]

I got my salmon pink three months ago, it has good appetite. It molted last week and it looks already bigger after that. Can't wait to see it grow even bigger :)

[@TomsBigSpiders]

It shouldn't take long for it to put on massive size. Mine's a chonker. haha

[@parkerc6369]

Wow I’m here early today - thanks for another great video Tom

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Man, great timing, Parker! haha

[@alicemilton8756]

When I first heard about the LP I thought the guy called it a Salmon Eater and I’ve been interested in them ever since 🐟

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Hahahaha! That's awesome, Alice!

[@The-Spider-King]

You really do have some beautiful species, Tom. Great video as always ❤

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Thanks so much, Jay!

[@gfp221]

I have a 6.75" Avic Avic. That's my biggest for now. She's absolutely huge for an Avic

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Man, that's an enormous Avic! Wow!

[@gfp221]

@@TomsBigSpiders I'm not entirely sure that she's not a Braunshauseni

[@IRUNWITSCISSORZ]

Off topic, but im curious: What's the "worst" bite you have taken?

[@TomsBigSpiders]

I never been bitten. I know that a lot of folks assume that it's inevitable, but I've worked with hundreds of species of tarantulas, true spiders, and mygalomorphs, and if you're careful, bites should be very avoidable.

[@IRUNWITSCISSORZ]

@TomsBigSpiders wow really I thought for as many spiders you have worked with for as long that there would be a few, but that's awesome!!

[@sston506]

Top 5 videos from you.. awesome! Thank you.🤙

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Hahaha I don't do these very much.

[@chrisobt]

Thx Tom, beautiful spiders. I love the look of the phormictopus sp., they are so amazing and here in germany very underrated. I have many spiders, but not so many of the biggest specs. My Lasiodora klugi is the biggest one with 9,3 inch after the last molt and my T. stirmi with 9,2 inch. Both are old ones. Than my pamphobeteus sp. platyomma is around 9 inch. My Acanthoscurria geniculata with 8,5 is also a monster. And last but not least my pamphobeteus sp. machala with 8,3 inch. All my other spiders are smaller at the moment. My first big spider ever passed away 3 years ago, a big T. blondi female with at least 9,5 inch. The biggest spider I have seen in real was a T. stirmi at the Hamm Expo in germany, around 11 inch, it was a real monster, never saw anything bigger like that. I don't think there are real 12+ inch spiders in the hobby, 10+ is also a exeption and rar. By the way my old Grammostola pulchra is huge and my most massive spider, not a big legspan, but thick legs and a big big body with large fangs. She is like big fat truck 😁 So I had to mention her here! Wish you a great week and stay save! Greetings Chris 🤘

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Hey, Chris! They were quite underrated her for a long time. However, now that they have become more popular, you have dealers selling various "new species" of Phormictopus for gobs of money. I miss the days when you could get a Dominican purple sling for $50...no $250. And those are some huge spiders...wow! I'm sorry to hear about your T. blondi female. I hope that mine get that large someday. Someone else mentioned their G. pulchra as well! I only have a mature male, and he's decent sized but not huge. I hope that you have a great weekend as well...thanks!

[@Latrodectus_vv_]

This was an awesome video! Do you ever find the bigger Ts hard to feed? I have a giant LP. She is about 10" and the only appropriate sized prey items for her are madagascar hissers, fuzzy or hopper mice (I don't like to do that) , or larger adult dubias. Still awesome animals! Right now she is bigger than my T.stirmi and T. apophysis

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Thank you so much! I keep a B. dubia colony, so I always have adults on hand. I've used large fat crickets before; I just drop in several and they make a cricket burrito out of them. haha Your LP sounds massive! Thanks for chiming in!

[@wayneunderwood3886]

My largest Ts are my adult female pamphobeteus sp nigricolor her last molt was right on the 8" Mark so she's about 8.1/4 " and my adult female phormictopus sp hispanola her last molt was 8 and a quarter inches so she's got be about 8 n half inches now and I've got quite a few other pamphos over 7"

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Hey, Wayne! Man, both of those spiders are huge!

[@Setsunadiava149]

My Acanthoscurria geniculata, Pukkuli just molted and my eye is twitching because as excited as I am about how absolutely gorgeous she looks now, her legs are massive and her carapace looks huge too! But that also means I have to rehouse her into something bigger and I’m bad at estimating how big an enclosure for a spider her size should be.😅 I under she might not be as big as some of the larger spiders out there but my goodness, seeing a spider that large in person in front of my eyes is… amazing.

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Hello, Mausamirai! Love the name! I can't wait until my A. geniculata gets bigger, although right now she's a hefty 6" or so. And that's the thing with the big ones; you can't appreciate them as much on video as you can in person. :) I hope all is well!

[@Chompadour]

Those are some big, beautiful beasties! I'm still newish to the hobby, having gotten my first tarantula back in August (I'm up to 8 now though), and haven't quite worked up the nerve for a giant species yet. Perhaps someday.

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Congrats on joining the hobby! Yeah, it doesn't take long to go from 1 to 100...trust me. haha Let me know if you do venture into keeping the larger ones! Thanks!

[@Scotts_t_time]

Nice video Tom, I'm looking forward to my P antinous putting on size.

[@TomsBigSpiders]

It shouldn't take too long, Scott! Thanks!

[@cynthialbell9023]

Hi Tom I am new to your channel. Loved this video on the giant tarantulas. You really love your spiders, and they get excellent care. The information was very informative. They are all very pretty.❤🕷🕸Cindy

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Welcome to the channel, Cindy...thanks so much for subscribing! And thank you for the kind words as well! :)

[@ericbeeman8717]

First time I seen one them Goliaths that was really large a buddy of mine had the pair was easy 10in if not bigger ended up holding the female and omg never did I expect to hear myself say that spider was heavy in a sentence but dam she was 1/4 pound of not heavier its like wow and it's just so amazing to watch them grow

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Hey, Eric! Man, that sounds like a massive spider! Yeah, these guys can weigh quite a bit...it's pretty amazing!

[@dankauffman8568]

Thank you Tom ! My local pet shop ordered what I'm pretty sure is a stirmi . Big , brown with bald knees . Supposed to be female but I'll have to check a molt to be sure . I'm a sucker . I bought it .

[@TomsBigSpiders]

That's awesome, Dan! Congrats! T. stirmis are fantastic!

[@bobbiscrittercave2348]

My biggest babies are a couple of juvenile LPs, about 6 inches each. I'm very much looking forward to seeing them reach their adult sizes.

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Hey, Bobbi! Wow, they are quite big already!

[@tinasherr8945]

I only started this hobby a yr ago. But the bigger the better lol. I lost a tiny sling once a Dwarf Pumpkin Patch baby. I could barely see the lil thing. Hope it grows and I will eventually find it lol

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Hey, Tina! Yup...I remember going through that with my first three pumpkin patches! haha

[@seansspoods9521]

As always, great video Tom, dont really have many big ones now, had, surprisingly, male stirmi but never got to measure it, have 2 mature male Lp's largest being around the 8½ inch (we use dls here too) regalis female is getting up there but i guess my female rufilata is my biggest just now, her last molt was 7¾ inch, but gotta admit, youre really selling me on phormictopus right now, that Dominican purple was gorgeous 👍🏻

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Hey, Sean! Sounds like you have quite a few big ones! I'm telling you, bud...Phormictopus are amazing! Those Dominocan purples are one of my favorites. Hope all is well, and thanks!

[@joannegalway1226]

Hi Tom and Billie, hope you’re both doing great. Wow, what a wonderful video 😮 My Brachypelma Hamorii is only about the 2” mark 😊 I believe they grow to around 5” or so. I used to watch TarantulaGuy1976 on KZbin, He had a T Blondi he called Zilla, this big girl was huge, over 10” 😮 I love your purple Tarantula, I’d sit and watch her all day 😂😂 Thanks Tom for sharing this video. Take care and have a great new week 😊😊

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Hello, Joanne! We are, thank you. I hope you are as well! And I remember Zilla...that girl was massive! Hopefully, one of my girls gets that big some day. Thanks again, and have a great weekend!

[@MOONOVERMIAMI]

Hello great video information Tom

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Thanks so much, Moon! Have a great weekend!

[@Nicky-gv9mm]

I'm so grateful for you making this video as I have an adult female L.P & I've been worried that I wasn't keeping her correct but now I can stop worrying 😊 by the way I named her Tiny even though she's massive 🤣

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Love the name, Nicky! And I'm so glad that this was helpful!

[@Christinas_creatures]

They're all beautiful! My largest is my L. parahybana but she's only a little over a year old and around 4.5 inches. I only have 2 adult T's -A. avicularia and A. seemani but the birdeater has passed both with her last molt. I definitely want the dominican purple -I'm obsessed with purple spiders 😍

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Hello, Christina! Man, that's great growth with your LP! I LOVE the purple spiders as well! I'm so glad that I have these two girls. Thanks for commenting!

[@Christinas_creatures]

@@TomsBigSpiders You're welome!

[@darinstrailey9396]

Great show

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Thank you, Darin!

[@nelobro]

As always, great video! My biggest spiders at the moment are an adult female Lasiodora klugi and an adult Poecilotheria regalis. And I have two slings of Lasiodorides striatus. They will get big too. My wish list of big spiders: Pamphobeteus antinous and Theraphosa stirmi. Greetings from the Netherlands.

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Hello from the US! I definitely have to get a L. klugi someday. I have an L. striatus, but it's still quite smalle. P. antinous and T. stirmi are awesome!

[@ericaanne2390]

I've always wanted to learn more about these beautiful creatures and maybe even own one someday❤

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Let me know if you ever get one, Erica!

[@SeverusSnape12345]

My MM T albopilosus is currently my biggest t, followed by my Juvenile male Brachypelma bohemei lol, then my juvenile Poecilotheria rufilata. I do also have a Lasiodora klugi, which is still a sling and a juvenile female Xenesthis immanis who is also still fairly small lol.

[@TomsBigSpiders]

That P. rufilata will be your largest very soon...haha The L. klugi will be up there as well!

[@candyscott489]

Hi Tom !! Great Vid !! My juvenile Vinegaroons tail is gone ???? What

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Thank you, Candy! Oh no...where did it go?

[@theh0kage429]

My grammostola pulchra isn’t considered the biggest species, but I’m very impressed with his or her growth! I wish I could’ve gotten a measurement but his/her molt was kinda crushed and the legs were all separated😕 I can never get a whole, solid molt from them or from my Brachypelma hamorii. I got him/her in March as a juvenile and this is their first molt! Just a slow growing species😅 but definitely the biggest one in my collection! I love your videos and collection! Cool spiders man🕷️🕸️

[@TomsBigSpiders]

My G. pulchra male is quite large, and I've heard that females get pretty big, too! They just tend to take quite a while to hit the juvenile stage!

[@wastelandsniper789]

I'm jealous you got a molt! I got my G. pulchra as a 1.5" sling back in May and just a a week or so after I acquired it it dug a burrow in the front left corner of its enclosure and sealed itself in. It looks like it's getting ready to molt, but nothing exciting has happened yet. It does seem to keep a schedule on where it likes to sit in the burrow, though, which has been kind of funny to watch.

[@theh0kage429]

@@wastelandsniper789 yeah they do burrow a bit! I got a little hut in my pulchra’s enclosure and they sealed the entrance in the past with dirt so I couldn’t see inside. They love to play with dirt lol. They do take a while to molt especially the older they are. Mine is probably somewhere around 3”-4” now. I waited 3 months for a molt But yeah I’m glad you said that because mine is the same way. It will hide during the day and only come out at night. Whereas my brachypelma hamorii is always out.

[@wastelandsniper789]

@@theh0kage429 Mine actually molted just within the past couple of hours! It was laying on its back not doing anything, and I figured it was just being its weird self since it wasn't pulsing or anything, but I just looked at it and sure enough it's laying there looking all pale and gangly and its molt is curled up toward the end of its burrow. I'm super excited!

[@theh0kage429]

@@wastelandsniper789 Congradulations! Take pics if you can! It's fun to be able to look back on their growth. How big would you say it is now?

[@thenorwegiantarantulakeeper]

Awesome video tom!😀 would have loved that you could see my P. ornata She was pushing the 11"mark before she passed away back in 2021.

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Hey, bud! Great to hear from you! Man, that is a HUGE pokie!!! How old was she?

[@thenorwegiantarantulakeeper]

@@TomsBigSpiders she passed by the age of 11!❤🤗

[@minibuns5397]

That intro music was fresh bro. Very retro

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Thank you!

[@rachaels8leggedwonders448]

I sadly had to rehome all my pamphos and theraphosa as I became ridiculously allergic to their hairs! Ugh 😣 Broke my heart, but my skin just couldn’t take it. I love being able to see these big guys in your videos!!!!

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Rachael! Oh no...that's terrible! I hope that never happens to me. So far, only Xenesthis species get to me a bit. Still, I'm used to itching from allergies, so I just deal with it. Thank you so much...hope all is well with you and yours!

[@tarantularamblings3149]

Hi Tom, It's a great video showing some real monsters . I don't have anything big yet, but there are plenty of candidates .

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Thank you so much!

[@OCELOT444]

My fav one is the baboon tarantula

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Which baboon?

[@OCELOT444]

@@TomsBigSpiders The orange baboon tarantula

[@TomsBigSpiders]

@@OCELOT444 Oh, yes! One of my all time favorite species. I currently have 5 of them!

[@mwarwick3876]

Always awesome to see these big beautiful tarantulas :) I do have a question about phormictipus sp "green femur" - Do they go through a "blue" phase around the 3 inch mark? I have one that I bought as a green femur, but currently his upper legs look navy blue under direct light. Could this be because it is a male (was able to sex his last molt) or did I get a mislabled sling?

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Hello! Mine went through one molt where their legs looked a bit more blue than green. However, it was more of an aqua blue. That said, I've kept many species of Phormictopus, and there always seems to be some variation in color from specimen to specimen. I'll be curious to hear what it looks like after its next molt!

[@kingdomreturn304]

@Tom Moran Real cool spiders ypu have a great collection, altho Im not a collector or plan on keeping any, I may go for jumping spiders. Have you seen the Brazillian Jewel Spiders? those ones are New Worlds and really cute tol, maybe you would love to get your hands on some lol.

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Thank you so much! And yes, I've definitely seen them. Maybe someday!

[@kingdomreturn304]

@@TomsBigSpiders Much appreciate dude and yes they look beautiful thw BJS.. maybe someday you can get hold of them.

[@MikelTulp]

I just rehoused my Lasidora she’s close to 9 , amazing girl

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Wow, she's a big girl!

[@jamesprice7470]

Hey Tom great video.i have some giants.i have a pampho sp antinos she is about 8" and I have a pampho sp nigricolor.she is 8.5"and I do have 2 lp and the one grew super fast which i thought would be a male.but has been sexed female and is about 7" why my other is still 3" so that one is growing super slow.and ny other largest is the phormictopus sp South hisponola.ive grown from a sling and she is about 6.5" she does stay in her hide alot.andi will also mention my omothymus violaceopes.and she is 9" .

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Hey, James! Man, you have some huge ones there! That sp. South Hispaniola will get much larger if she is like mine. My adult O. violaceopes female died earlier this year, and she was about 8". Thanks for chiming in!

[@brandieluna6459]

My 1st and largest spider is my LP. Shes about 6inches at the moment. That is a guestimate. Shes heavy premolt. And I haven't had the testicular fortitude ( I too came into the hobby terrified of spiders. But thought LP would be the perfect one to get over my fear) to measure her properly.

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Hi, Brandie! Well, I hope that her molt goes well. Just wait until she sheds and measure the old skin...it's much easier than trying to measure the spider. :)

[@andrewmurray9735]

The largest tarantulas I've had are the stirmi "male" and a P.rufilata "still have. Both reached around 8.5 inches but I will say my stirmi male was much much heavier built. Both impressive but I think the goliath takes the cake in overall size

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Yeah, those theraphosa species don't just have large leg spans, they are quite thick and heavy!

[@stuartSteele-tarantulaman]

Tom, I just love your Channel , I am learning so much from you. Your videos are so informative and professionally done. Could I ask you what editing program or app you use for your videos? I’m trying my best to get the tarantula hobby growing more in South Africa 🇿🇦 and would appreciate any support or advice I could use 🙏

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Hello, Stuart! Thank you so much. I currently used two programs: Cyberling PowerDirector and Wondershare Filmora. You could easily use one or the other, however. Both are pretty easy to learn and work well for editing. I hope that helps!

[@flying_hussar3034]

My adult male P dominican purple passed away few weeks ago. Fortunately I managed to find a local keeper who had adult female and we managed pair them couple times. Now it's just a matter of time. Fingers crossed. He was not big but still amazing looking T

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Hey, bud! How's it going? I do hope that you get some babies out of that pairing! Congrats in advance!

[@bflo1000-k6y]

I have to admit Tom, that I'm one who doesn't like drab, brown T's. But I was awestruck with that nice extended close up of your Blondi. So I get what you're saying. She is downright majestic looking. Kinda like looking at an Anaconda or large Python to a Ball Python. Also, they're not exactly brown. More like a maroon brown. And Haiitian Browns look more like a metallic cinnamon, so I never had a problem w them.

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Ha! That's awesome! There really is much more to the color, especially when you factor in those pinkish hairs. Thank you for chiming in!

[@leesreptilesandaquatics6368]

I love all sizes of tarantulas my dwarf ones are so cute my trinindads species that are drawft are so spunky and my giant tarantulas are just so sassy or just truly laid back love your tarantula collection you have hope soon enough mine will be as big as yours ❤

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Hey, Lee! I do as well (although I used to be guilty of ignoring dwarf species!). Thanks so much!

[@angela_tarantulas]

I‘ve got a huge LP female, just her body is around 8-10cm. Never had a good chance to measure her… she’s crazy and she destroyed her last molt! With time, my T. stirmi female will get bigger, can’t wait to see her grow. I love the giants, but also my smaller ones (several Brachypelma and Tliltocatl sp.). Love to see them grow from tiny slings to good sized spiders. ❤

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Hi, Angela! She sounds like a big one! I love all spider, not just the big ones. haha I totally get it. :)

[@angela_tarantulas]

@@TomsBigSpiders yes, she‘s a giant. Hope I‘ll get the next molt to measure her properly. She‘s 9 years old and molting has slowed down to around 1x per year. I don’t force feed her, as she takes in what she can get and turns out to be 1 massively obese spider 🙈 maybe that’s why she’s so angry with me 🤷🏻‍♀️ Yes, spiders are awesome. No matter what size! 🍀🕷

[@Dwab488]

I just started getting in to big tarantulas so right now I have a Brazilian giant white knee but it's a sling.

[@TomsBigSpiders]

That's awesome! They are wonderful spiders!

[@stansmith3509]

My first T was a M. robustum. It recently molted and is about 4" right now.

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Hey, Stan! I've heared females can reach 8". I'm curious to see how large mine will get. She's about 6-7" now.

[@stansmith3509]

Unfortunately I couldn't sex it when it molted. I got at a pet store so I'm assuming male.

[@audriclabonte166]

That's funny when I hear people talking about how fast the Phormictopus species grow, I don't know why but for me I found they were not that fast. I got 3 P. atrichromatus slings back in November and so far they only molted twice so I doubt they're gonna hit 4" in a year, but I did notice they put up more size than other species with each molt. They were about 1/2" when I got them and now I'd say they're maybe 1" to 1.25". My biggest one right now is my juvenile G. pulchripes, she's about 3.5" and I believe she's in pre molt so it's about to be bigger!

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Most of my Phormictopus grew quite quickly. There is one molt in particular where they seem to go from 2.5" to 4.5" in one molt. It's a massive size jump. Good luck with the G. pulchripes molt!

[@stxemo]

I think my biggest one is my mature male P. Regalis at 6.5 inches followed by my mature male curly hair at 6 inches. My unsexed P. Metallica is about 5.5 inches so im still praying it's a female but i suck at sexing through molts. Still remember when the regalis had his final molt and I was floored by how big he was. Was also in my first year of keeping T's so it felt gigantic. Now not so much. My smallest is my mature male H. Pulchripes at barely 3 inches!

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Those are some big spiders there! Fingers crossed that you get a lady with the P. metallica!

[@MADxHAWK]

Hi, i just watched your video and my interest in taratulas is pretty new, at least in the big ones, smaller "house spiders" are still a bit creepy. I saw some very calm tarantulas that doesnt even care being gently pushed with a soft brush, while others are instantly went into threatening pose. How about the salmon pink, since you mention its a good one for beginner?

[@TomsBigSpiders]

It's funny because many folks that get used to working around tarantulas find that they still remain scared of house spiders for a while. My salmon pinks were always pretty laid back.

[@MADxHAWK]

@TomsBigSpiders Im not really scared of them it's more Like creepy or disgusted. I thought about why I would hold a tarantula but find house spiders disgusting. I think it's the way they sit, move and look. A tarantula usually moves slowly and most of them look "fluffy" and somehow cute when they pull their legs close to their bodies. House spiders usually sit with their legs spread around them moving very fast and always look like they any moment jump into your face. They remind me of a tiny Version of the huntsman that still freaks me out. Thankfully they don't exist in my country. It's strange, I know, but it's nice to know im not the only one :) I want a B. Hamorii and a G. Pulchra. Those are my favorites. They are so calm and docile even they can be very fast when you feed them and what I've heard so far they are very good for beginners.

[@jodowse1918]

How do you measure the moult Tom ??? Jo xx

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Soak it in warm water with a drop of dish soap, carefully spread it out on a paper towel or plate, measure from the tip of the longest front leg to the tip of opposite back leg.

[@mikepetersen7319]

I've got me a Pamphobeteus sp. mascara a year ago and she has grown from around 5 cm to 12 cm now. I think two more moults an she will be an adult. Looks very beefy already. By the way...I think the measuring of the legspan is more precise than that of the body.

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Hey, Mike! Wow, that's great growth! As for legspan vs. body, I guess that measuring both would give you a better overall picture. That said, when folks say, "Look at the size of that spider!", they are talking about legspan, not body size. haha That measurement just means more to me!

[@mikepetersen7319]

@@TomsBigSpiders Hi Tom. Well maybe One could measure the legspan and the size of the carapace without the chelicera and the abdomen. Some keepers in Germany prefer this method, but I think just to measure legspan is more practical. After all...the main thing is a healthy spider being well.

[@erikbetancourt7194]

Mine is a Brazilian white knee. She is a young adult at about 4.5" that takes down 2" to 3" mice for a weekly meal. I decided to give her mouse and pinky for more nutrition. Plan on getting a female blondie very soon.

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Love that species!

[@andreizuerch]

My LP is about 5 in. It took about 4 years to get this large.

[@TomsBigSpiders]

That sounds like the same growth rate my first had. Thanks, Andre!

[@omnist7903]

Just hit my 1 year T. Owner anniversary. My biggest is an L.P. at about 4.5. Second is a P. Cambridgei at about 4. Slowest growing I have is a phrixotrichus vulpinus. She's about 9-10 months old and maybe an inch.

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Congrats, bud! Those guys are getting quite large (well, not the P. vulpinus! haha). Thanks for chiming in!

[@Vain-Voyager]

I think DLS cannot represent the entire picture, but with masses. I've never kept a giant huntsman, which is famous for its DLS while being way less bulky than tarantulas. _T. stirmi_ is said to be slightly larger than the classic Goliath, _T. blondi_ (DLS & mass) when _T. apophysis_ has the largest DLS among the three (but less robust than the former two).

[@TomsBigSpiders]

I think that for a "complete" look at size, you would have to take body length into consideration. That said, when someone yells, "Look at the size of that spider!" they are usually talking about legspan and not body length.

[@irmagoncalves1915]

I got over my fear of spiders by being forced to live with big spiders I think you know them as huntsman spiders in SA we call them Rain Spiders, and I now have 4 Tarantula's, my newest sling is a Salmon Birdeater and I can't wait for it to get big, I also had a Brazilian Black which is rare to find in SA and I'm so heartbroken because I had a juvenile and he/she sadly died yesterday after a molt. I also want a Goliath Birdeater but they are even more Rare in SA than the Brazilian Black

[@TomsBigSpiders]

That's awesome! It took me quite a long to get rid of my fear of them. And I'm so sorry to hear about your about your Brazilian Black. :(

[@waffles3539]

My biggest tarantula is my xenesthis sp white her molt was 9 inches.

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Wow, that one was huge!

[@firecrystal13]

I was lucky enough to snatch up a rare Pampobetus insignis from fear not in 2020. She grew out to be a female. Her name is Aurelia. She is just so big and beautiful 😍. Very chill and docile. I would love to have more Pampobetus species. They are wonderful 🕷️ 💙

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Nice grab, and congrats on getting a lady. Love the name!

[@tarottarantulas]

I guess my biggest is my mature male LP. Never really measured, so whatever mature size is for them, 7"? Next is my female G Pulchra, I got her last August, and she hasn't molted for me yet, but I'm guessing she's close to a 6" DLS. She's a beautiful beastie. Lol. I do expect my female L Striatus and female G Iheringi to become impressive in the next couple years. They're both at about 4" and molt pretty regularly.

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Hello! I think that my mature male LP was right around 7-8" or so. He was a gangly dude! My G. iheringi's last molt was around 6", so mine is getting quite big.

[@moobley_269]

My biggest is parahybana thats 17cm and P.cambridgei pushing 16,5 cm

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Two very big spiders!

[@bugloverspiderlover8490]

I just lost my biggest tarantula a few days ago,she had a good molt,but she got excited and hurt herself and I tried to save her,but it was too late,I will get a new giant tarantula eventually,I think I’m going with an LP or a giant white knee. The one I lost was a four year old female P Cancerides.

[@TomsBigSpiders]

I'm so sorry to hear about your P. cancerides!

[@ChantalsCritters]

Great video

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Thank you so much, Chantal!

[@justme2845]

I have a lasadora straitipes , Bahia grey bird eater I have not heard anything about them anywhere. She is only 2 inches right now. But I have yet to find husbandry on her

[@StevenBalboa-bh6pt]

Tom I am about to receive an adult blondi/stirmi (randomly picked) I have big enclosure , should I used coco fiber and do the side of enclosure water trick or can I stick to my Repti-soil? (comes moist and stays moist for long time)

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Is it wild caught? Coco fiber tends to dry out too quickly. I would use Repti-soil in this case.

[@DarnallDubois]

I liked the old intro music bring dat banger back plzzz

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Although I paid for the rights to use the old intro music, another company bought that artist's catalog and started putting ads on my videos. Unfortunately, it will not be back. I still use that theme for my podcast, however.

[@f9573]

You forgot to mention, a lot of Theraphosa don't stop growing lol After mine hit the 6 inch mark, they will still put .5 to a whole inch every molt. How are you! Hope you're well!

[@TomsBigSpiders]

F! Hey, bud...great to hear from you! I thought that I put in there that they keep growing, so I hope that mine get bigger? I'll have to double check. Hope all is well with you!

[@johnlash6511]

Poecilotheria rufilata are not heavily built but really leggy ...😅

[@TomsBigSpiders]

They sure are, John!

[@mikewithrow2271]

My chilobrachys.fumosas last molt was Sept of 22. She's been hid for over a month and my guess is molting again. Well documented on ab had since a two inch juvenile. She's pushing 8 inches probably won't grow much over that. Btw my name on ab is same here lots of pictures of her on there and I'd be over the hills to send you pictures of her after this molt.

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Wow, Mike...that is a HUGE Chilobrachys! I'm so jealous! My C. gaungxiensis is my largest, and she's only around 7" or so.

[@Spiderdan-60]

My acanthoscuria geniculata gonna be a big girl around 8.5/9 in🕷🕸🖤🇬🇧

[@TomsBigSpiders]

That's a big girl!

[@codyhinkle9499]

Big black tarantula... very inspired common name lol

[@TomsBigSpiders]

I actually giggled when I had to write that. Hahaha

[@charliemum]

Great upload Tom it was nice to get a good look at your bigger girls . My 2 biggest girls are my sericopelma sp Darien 'The Black Daliah ' is about 7.5 inches but hasn't moulted for me yet, she was bought as an af after falling in love with the genus, (i got a santa catalina juvenile female after seeing yours n fell in love n now need them all, ) but her viv is 12x18 and she takes up just under half of the 18inch side when she stretches out so i am guestimating at 7.5 inches. My second is also a sericopelma but sp Bouquete 'Daphne ' also bought as a saf she just moulted for me last week and has easy hit 7 inches although again i haven't retrieved the moult its deep in her burrow but have seen her stretching since n shes in a 12 x12 and fills more then half the 12 inches so must be 7 inches . They aren't the biggest girls in the world but to someone who is only just been keeping for 3 years they are massive and i adore them. I do have an lp 'missy who is a mr' and blondi 'Catherine the Great ' but both are slings so not big babys yet but will get there eventually 😊 great upload as always you 2 cant wait for the next your vids always make my day 😊

[@TomsBigSpiders]

Thank you so much; this was a fun one to put together. LOVE your names, by the way. You've got some monsters there for sure! I love my Seriocopelma; every times she molts, he colors just get better and beter. As always, thanks for taking the time to comment! Have a great weekend!

[@charliemum]

@TomsBigSpiders np Tom any excuse to talk about my beautiful girls and seemed even more apt as seen as I only have them because of your uploads 😊 hope you's have a great weekend too 😊

[@katehodges1296]

Yikes! My biggest spider is a female Phormictopus A and she’s a chunky girl. But I was nervous of big spiders. I have a young Blondi now so I can try and see them grow.

[@TomsBigSpiders]

The blondis get MASSIVE. They are so fun to grow up.