B . Smithi still Popular...or not ?

2bears

Arachnosquire
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B. Smithi has been around a long time....still popular, or boring and time to move on ? What do you think ?
 

Tomoran

Arachnoknight
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What is your definition of "popular?" I believe that a lot of folks still keep them, and not just the beginners.

Personally, I keep one, a sub-adult female, and I love mine. It's a gorgeous T and a staple in the hobby. When I show off my collection to non-enthusiasts, many recognize my B. smithi from movies or media, which opens them up to looking at others. Even as I've gravitated to feistier species, I still like having one in my collection.
 

Sana

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I still see them pretty frequently and know a number of people who have them and absolutely adore them. Our good LPS never has them for very long, though they get them in with the same frequency that they do rose hairs (couldn't tell you if they're poteri or rosea). Based on these observations, I would say that they are still fairly popular, at least in my area.
 

Poec54

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Since the average tarantula owner only has one spider, and many of them want one they can hold, smithi are always going to be popular. With the difficulty in breeding them and their slow growth rate, demand will always exceed supply.
 

Tim Benzedrine

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Do you think that slow growth rate has diminished their popularity since the days when they were imported? Obviously it hasn't in our circles, though I suppose there must be some that avoid them and similar species for that reason. But gone are the days where you could buy an attractive sub-adult or adult smithi relatively cheaply. And good riddance to those days, I might add. Although the TKG makes a case for them having been placed on CITES actually counter-productive, I believe.

Hmm. After further consideration, I'd say they are still as popular, just not as widespread outside the true hobby. There can't be as many impulse purchases in chain pet stores, no walk-ins saying "Hey, it's one of those spiders from that movie with Captain Kirk in it! Let's buy it!"
 

shawno821

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Since the average tarantula owner only has one spider, and many of them want one they can hold, smithi are always going to be popular. With the difficulty in breeding them and their slow growth rate, demand will always exceed supply.
+1 I think that extends to nearly all the red-legged Brachy's.
 

Spaceblues

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I just bought three 2.5" smithi not long ago. Since I haven't had them long I only have initial impressions but I sure like them. I shopped around a lot for them and it seemed like the stock was moving pretty quickly based on available specimens being sold out a few days later. So, I'd say they're still pretty popular just based on watching the market as of late.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

ARACHNO-SMACK48

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Smithis are great. Ive got one thats in pre molt right now! Can't wait to see the colors on "her" after the molt.
 

Poec54

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+1 I think that extends to nearly all the red-legged Brachy's.
Agreed. They're relatively calm and docile, gorgeous colors. People will always love them. You don't see them for sale nearly as often as you should, because it's difficult to get viable sacs from them, and the slow growth (compared to most tropicals). That keeps demand high, supplies low, and prices high. Most pet stores aren't going to carry 1/2" slings, nor are they likely to have $300 adult females.
 
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Exoskeleton Invertebrates

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For me Brachypelma smithi is a classiest spider of all time. Popular may not be anymore but it is still a true beauty, docile, stocky and colorful.


-J
 

Poec54

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Do you think that slow growth rate has diminished their popularity since the days when they were imported?
W/c adult females were $10 in pet stores in the 1970's. What do 1" slings go for now? Do the math. Do you see a decrease in popularity?
 

just1moreT

Arachnobaron
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I enjoy feeding and seeing all nine of mine ,there what I consider long term pet spiders.always be a famous spider, there was one just in the movie We are the Miller's, the film industry always go for those sexy legs lol
 

PanzoN88

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From what i hear and read, i believe the B. Smithi will always be popular since it was a B. Smithi that supposedly started it all.
 

Tim Benzedrine

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Well, their appearance doesn't hurt either, of course.

My "good point" comment was directed at Poec, BTW. Not that the comments in between were faulty. Just credit where credit is due.
 

Poec54

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B. Smithi will always be popular since it was a B. Smithi that supposedly started it all.
Nostalgia is part of it, but most of us that were around back then are old now, and few are still in the hobby. Smithi was the perfect spider to kick off the hobby, with it's color, hardiness, and temperament. Those qualities got many people interested in tarantulas. As a collector looking for new species in the 1970's, I got tired of seeing them everywhere, and got burned out after seeing hundreds and hundreds of adults. But over time they got scarce and now I can appreciate them again for the great spider they are. There definitely is some nostalgia with me.
 

HungryGhost

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The past availability of wild caught adult/subadult b. smithis makes me wonder about the wild caught g. roseas now available in the the pet trade. If g. rosea wasn't available as an inexpensive, large specimen, for the general public to buy on a whim, what would their status in the hobby be? They are a staple now, but given the choice between raising a slow growing smithi or a slow growing rosea from a sling, I have a feeling that the roseas wouldn't be as popular as they are now.
 

Sam_Peanuts

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I'm trying to concentrate on buying old world Ts(mainly because I'm tired of those damn urticating hair) and I still bought a smithi sling a couple of months ago so I'd say they still got it.
 

Poec54

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I'm trying to concentrate on buying old world Ts(mainly because I'm tired of those damn urticating hair) and I still bought a smithi sling a couple of months ago so I'd say they still got it.
Same here. If I can figure out how to breed them, it'll fund a lot of OW purchases.

---------- Post added 01-28-2015 at 11:26 AM ----------

The past availability of wild caught adult/subadult b. smithis makes me wonder about the wild caught g. roseas now available in the the pet trade. If g. rosea wasn't available as an inexpensive, large specimen, for the general public to buy on a whim, what would their status in the hobby be? They are a staple now, but given the choice between raising a slow growing smithi or a slow growing rosea from a sling, I have a feeling that the roseas wouldn't be as popular as they are now.
Rosea popularity is based on low prices for w/c adults. It helps that they're hardy, but price is the biggest factor. God only knows how much damage has been done to the native populations.
 
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