b. Smithi or g. Pulchripes?

[sunshinenorcas]

So, I 'work' at my campus's bug zoo and take care of their critters. We have one tarantula that we use for some of our outreaches (namely, the ones I'm on) and I'd like to add another because I'd like to be able to rotate them so Charlotte (our Mexican Golden Red Rump) can have a break. Plus, I like T's, and I think they are good to show to kids to be like 'see, just a spider, it's not scary or evil or mean, just a spider, and she's chilling on my arm. she's pretty neat' (note; we do not let guests handle her. Only the staff, namely me, handles her at outreaches because while she's usually chill and doesn't kick or bite that doesn't mean she won't. And I'd rather her do something to me)

I've been looking for a b. Smithi with a little bit of size without a ton of luck. My local shop has an unsexed g. Pulchripes that's about 2'' for fifty bucks, and that's a species I had been considering. I've looked at care for both species and it seems pretty manageable, and I have a 10L that I could use in the future (especially for the Chaco- I know they are big guys). What would you pick? A Red Knee or Chaco Golden Knee?

What I REALLY want to do... hopefully we will get a bigger area where people can actually come in and see our collection as a real zoo/museum- now we come to them, or they have to arrange to meet someone with a key cause it's in a locked room (it connects to a working research lab). I WANT to get a display of really cool animals that we can't take out but are still neat to see. Like I want a Goliath. I've seen some juvies, and adults in videos and HOLY CRAP they are so incredible. I just want one to be like 'LOOK AT THAT EVOLUTION IS COOL'. We are just limited to what we can handle right now though

[Herpenthusiast3]

The red knees are beautiful and definitely an iconic tarantula species for the hobby but I personally love the golden knees. The size and bulk of them just make them more impressive to me. So I vote Grammostola Pulchrips.