T. blondi problems

Mojo Jojo

Arachnoking
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 3, 2002
Messages
2,122
It seems to me that I read about T. blondi having more health problems than any other spider.

So I have a few questions.

1. Why do they seem to have a disproportionate amont on problems in the tarantula realm?

2. With the reputation of having one of, if not the worst urticating hairs in the tarantula realm, and a seemingly high tendency toward health problems, why do so many people put up with them? There are other spiders that rival the size of T. blondi. And many of them more colorful. I think that there is some argument in the t realm that L. parahybana is actually larger than T. blondi.

3. Ok, maybe I only had two questions.

Jon
 

Telson

Arachnodemon
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 5, 2003
Messages
685
agree 100%

For years after I got in to keeping T's the Goliath was the KING of the hobby due to its size and the fact that "it eats birds!!" . Over the years I've heard more horror stories about trying to keep these critters than I care to count!

Having quietly gone for years at a stretch with a couple T's in my collection and only sporaticly looking in to the hobby at large and talking to other collectors, I was not aware of at least 60% of the T's currently availible on the market until about 3 or 4 years ago, and then I took to seclusion again in regard to the hobby until about a year and a half ago, and that was my latest leap in to the web digging for dealers and updated info until a couple weeks ago.

A year and a half ago, be it through poor choices of keywords in my searches, or whatever, I was only able to find about 3 sites that sold T's online, and didn't really think to dig for sites like this one. When I started looking a few weeks ago I was literally awe-struck by some of the species and prices availible right now! My interest in keeping T's has indeed been jumpstarted in a HUGE way!!

I think as the years pass T. blondi will cease to be "the holy grail" of the hobby, but for so many years it's been just that and so I think it's a noteriety thing that makes most poeple want them, and for some of the more experienced keepers I think it's just the challenge of it.

I tried a 2" sling once that I paid about $40 for a few years back. It lasted a week!! I'm not going to try again most likely, and if I do it will be once I've upgraded my knowlege and have some reasonable assurance that I can keep it alive through a molt!

For now, and the foreseeable future, I'll gladly take a parahybana as my choice for a spider with some size!!:D
 

Telson

Arachnodemon
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 5, 2003
Messages
685
Additionally, I think a LOT of people who get them are simply not aware of their track record health-wise, and simply don't know what they are getting in to. When I got mine I'd heard they were difficult and what research I did only told me that they required high humidity and would die in molt if the humidity was too low, but like a dumba$$ I thought "No problem! I can keep the humidity up and it'll be a cakewalk!"

...little did I know....:rolleyes:

I know there are a few reputable dealers who don't sell some species to anyone who doesn't demonstrate the required experience and knowlege to have a fair shot at keeping it alive, but far more dealers are only interested in making that sale and getting a sling off their hands before it dies in the store and leaves them out the wholesale cost of the spider! This is especially true in the case of "local pet stores".
 
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