Best tarantula species

[Fyrwulf]

they have an Atrax robustus in Austin? where? zookeeper? i use to trade slings to them years ago and its been years since i've been. you've got me curious.

They're marked as Australian Funnel Web. But, yeah, it's Zookeeper.

 

[jigalojey]

Oh right, yes Australia allows overseas Zoos to keep Australian fauna, they're probably the infamous Sydney Funnelweb since they're the most iconic of the funnel webs and possibly the world.

 

[Fyrwulf]

Oh right, yes Australia allows overseas Zoos to keep Australian fauna, they're probably the infamous Sydney Funnelweb since they're the most iconic of the funnel webs and possibly the world.

Zookeeper is an exotic pet shop. Zookeeper will take exotics off of people's hands if they can't deal with them. They have a two-toed sloth there that a college girl received as a gift from her father, she couldn't handle it so she gave it to Zookeeper and they've kept her ever since. Most likely the funnel webs were illegal exports and not something they're comfortable with selling to even an experience keeper of arachnids given the possible consequences.

 

[jigalojey]

I see, I have never heard of a shop like this. I can 100% guarantee you it was illegally smuggled unfortunately, it probably was smuggled to Europe then found it's way to America. Thank god they made it into the Zookeepers hands.

 

[Fyrwulf]

Anyway, let's get this thread back on topic. I don't think there's a "best tarantula". I think there's keeper's interests and finding the tarantula that fits those interests.

1) Beginner, Intermediate, or Expert?
2) Hole-in-the-ground, surface dweller, or arboreal?
3) Colorful or camo? If the former, what color?
4) Slow, quick, fast, or "Warp speed, Mr. Sulu."?
5) Urticating hairs or no?
6) What's your pain tolerance and do you have any medical conditions that a bite might aggravate?

Probably something I missed, but I tried to build the Q&A around precluding the OW vs NW discussion.

 

[Akai]

definitely illegally smuggled. this is a top 10 most venomous spider in the world. nasty buggers from everything i've read.

 

[jigalojey]

definitely illegally smuggled. this is a top 10 most venomous spider in the world. nasty buggers from everything i've read.

Yep and I would bet money they were taken to Europe first, god damn Europeans always have their hands illegally in our Fauna and I really hate it. I have some species and I love watching them drip venom when they get defensive, fascinating spiders.

 

[Fyrwulf]

Yep and I would bet money they were taken to Europe first, god damn Europeans always have their hands illegally in our Fauna and I really hate it.

And by Europeans, you mean Germans. They're the Pokemasters of the world, gotta catch 'em all. No offense intended, Storm76.

 

[jigalojey]

And by Europeans, you mean Germans. They're the Pokemasters of the world, gotta catch 'em all. No offense intended, Storm76.

Hahaha they're great at breeding as well, I think it's the Germans and the Swedes that like smuggling everything.

 

[VenomousMe]

You do realize this is basically all you have done since you have been here? Anyone not sharing your views has been blasted repeatedly, and this thread is no different. Earlier in another thread you attacked someone simply because you didn't like the way they corrected your error about hairs growing between molt (and the person you went after was 100% correct). Personal attacks are what you do here, from what I can tell, and I'm sure there's more to come in the near future.

The thing that really has me scratching my head comes from your insistence on suggesting that OW's, OBT specifically, are suitable for beginners with merely research being done. Here's what baffles me about your fantastic confidence that you have on your stance, and it comes from your comments in the thread "tarantula behaviors" where you plainly say:

"I'm still new to the hobby..."

And when referring to your OBT you say "mine are only slings".

Your new to the hobby and yet you feel you know more than people that have 10, 20, 30 or more years of responsible keeping under their respective belts, which makes zero sense. And just the fact that yours are still slings means you have zero experience with an adult, or even a juvie of the species. If they maintained their sling attitude as they grew, you would be right on the money, but they typically don't. Fact is that OW's very often are indeed easy to keep as slings, but they grow out of this stage as they get larger and more confident. An OW sling is much different than an adult, which the people you continually argue with fully understand...and one day you probably will as well.

If you are new to the hobby, as YOU said, you should be doing a lot more absorbing info than dispensing it and less arguing with people that are trying to give info based on their decades of experience...experience matters A LOT more than research. **Research can only take you so far**. Driving a car is relatively simple, but I wouldn't trust someone with my car that never drove, just because they did years of research, as its equally as incomplete.

And no one is being turned off of OW t's, their popularity continues to increase every year as more and more species become readily available.

Anyone feel like getting back to the original topic?

1) You're right, I did attack someone for a mildly smartassed response to my post, and I keep forgetting to apologize, I did over-react. The reason I did is apparent to ANY new forum goer here, except for maybe the ones who are already fawning over your wise little clique that likes to support each others every post...but that's a whole nuva story..

2)You're also absolutely right, I'm new, with only four months experience and 12 T's. Only 2 have molted and I haven't bred any of them. My knowledge of this hobby comes from internet searches. Sorry, "research", and what little experience I've gleaned from obsessing over my own.

3)Thanks for pointing out that slings aren't the same as adults. I could never have figured that out without practical experience. I think you, like many of the groupies here responding to me, know exactly what I'm saying about your bulloop:. Don't pretend to misunderstand so you can get brownie points trashing me, cronie.... I use AB to buy T's, I really don't need to post here at all...I can also get my T's elsewhere. But I won't. And from reading the narrow minded, fear mongering "my way or you're stupid" trash peddled by you "experienced" tarantula keepers, it would be useless anyways. These are INSECTS. SIMPLE ORGANISMS. They cannot outsmart you. I retract that last statement...they probably can...

 

[Oumriel]

1) You're right, I did attack someone for a mildly smartassed response to my post, and I keep forgetting to apologize, I did over-react. The reason I did is apparent to ANY new forum goer here, except for maybe the ones who are already fawning over your wise little clique that likes to support each others every post...but that's a whole nuva story..

2)You're also absolutely right, I'm new, with only four months experience and 12 T's. Only 2 have molted and I haven't bred any of them. My knowledge of this hobby comes from internet searches. Sorry, "research", and what little experience I've gleaned from obsessing over my own.

3)Thanks for pointing out that slings aren't the same as adults. I could never have figured that out without practical experience. I think you, like many of the groupies here responding to me, know exactly what I'm saying about your bulloop:. Don't pretend to misunderstand so you can get brownie points trashing me, cronie.... I use AB to buy T's, I really don't need to post here at all...I can also get my T's elsewhere. But I won't. And from reading the narrow minded, fear mongering "my way or you're stupid" trash peddled by you "experienced" tarantula keepers, it would be useless anyways. These are INSECTS. SIMPLE ORGANISMS. They cannot outsmart you. I retract that last statement...they probably can...

Are we still beating this dog to death? If you feel that it is your responsibility to free the new T owners from the clutches of those annoyingly experienced and knowledgeable members, by all means you go right ahead. H. Macs and OBTs for everyone! TBQH you are being rather annoying yourself, but hey everyone has their 15 minutes in the sun. Do I personally think an adult B.smithi is going to prepare a new keeper for an adult H. Mac? Nope. Do I think that there are people who are always going to get the T they want regardless of what other people say? Yeppers! The Darwin awards are always looking for new story submissions. If it's important to whip out your spider epeen, by all means whip it out and swing it around. Just remember that you aren't going to get many ohoos and ahaas here. The fact,yes I said FACT, of the matter is, fast defensive spiders and an unprepared keeper just does not mix. I don't care how many care sheets you have read or how much research you have done. Nothing prepares you for a large bolting tarantula like a large bolting tarantula. So untwist your panties and chill out.

 

[jigalojey]

And this is the type of guy you want peddling dangerous species to beginners claiming humans are so far more advanced than tarantulas that it's impossible to make a mistake? Tell that to the thousands of bite reports on this forum alone <edit>, this is Hilarious to say the least. You're a class act buddy you talk a huge game but your collection of what 12 slings? says anything but, you have been in the hobby for 4 months settle down and stop trying to peddle obt's to beginners when you haven't even dealt with an adult yourself LOL. This is just way too outrageous to even be real,continue your job as a stand up comedian because you make a great one

 

[VenomousMe]

I've tried to ignore this thread. It has digressed to being the equivalent of a really bad Jerry Springer episode.

By definition, the word 'feral' cannot be applied to tarantulas. A feral animal is an individual, or a descendant of an individual of a domesticated species who has reverted to living in a wild state. Tarantulas have never been domesticated.

The best tarantula is one that brings the keeper a great deal of satisfaction in raising/having/observing. As was mentioned early on, beauty and desirable characteristics are in the eye of the beholder. It's even better if said T didn't cost an arm and a leg, and doesn't bite the keeper on the nose or flick hairs in his/her eye. There is enough variety of species available to accommodate all tastes.

Excuse me miss, tell me exactly how myself or any other person in this thread has acted like they're on the Jerry Springer show? Are my arguments or ideas invalid to you? Well I'll just shut up then, in the face of all you experts' experience and knowledge...and fear. I will however recommend you all read "I can do it" by I.M. Meek.

---------- Post added 09-30-2014 at 07:06 PM ----------

And this is the type of guy you want peddling dangerous species to beginners claiming humans are so far more advanced than tarantulas that it's impossible to make a mistake? Tell that to the thousands of bite reports on this forum alone <edit>, this is Hilarious to say the least. You're a class act buddy you talk a huge game but your collection of what 12 slings? says anything but, you have been in the hobby for 4 months settle down and stop trying to peddle obt's to beginners when you haven't even dealt with an adult yourself LOL. This is just way too outrageous to even be real,continue your job as a stand up comedian because you make a great one

You assume way to much.

 

[jigalojey]

No "expert" here would fear anything, are you trying to say I fear old worlds? If so this is about to get pretty funny. I fear beginners being baited into getting old worlds because someone downplays the significance of old world speed, aggression and venom toxicity, that's what I really fear.

 

[Biollantefan54]

Lets all tell beginners to get an OBT so they can get bit. The news would just love that! "Crazy spider lover almost dies by giant tarantula"

 

[VenomousMe]

Are we still beating this dog to death? If you feel that it is your responsibility to free the new T owners from the clutches of those annoyingly experienced and knowledgeable members, by all means you go right ahead. H. Macs and OBTs for everyone! TBQH you are being rather annoying yourself, but hey everyone has their 15 minutes in the sun. Do I personally think an adult B.smithi is going to prepare a new keeper for an adult H. Mac? Nope. Do I think that there are people who are always going to get the T they want regardless of what other people say? Yeppers! The Darwin awards are always looking for new story submissions. If it's important to whip out your spider epeen, by all means whip it out and swing it around. Just remember that you aren't going to get many ohoos and ahaas here. The fact,yes I said FACT, of the matter is, fast defensive spiders and an unprepared keeper just does not mix. I don't care how many care sheets you have read or how much research you have done. Nothing prepares you for a large bolting tarantula like a large bolting tarantula. So untwist your panties and chill out.

I have a question for you. Why are you replying to me? I will go right ahead..thanks for your sponsorship. Beating what dog to death? The dog that keeps jumping up and barking at me? I'm just responding to comments directed at me. I made one post, one post in this thread and look <edit>... Your intelligence levels are about equal with your intestinal fortitude and confidence.

 

[Poec54]

I believe we have two contenders for quote of the year:

- 'These are insects.' This is a gem. I can learn a lot from this guy.

- 'They cannot outsmart you.' Well, they manage to escape from and bite humans all too often. But then, how much can anyone have experienced with a few slings for several months?



4 months with spiders and he knows more than people that have been doing this for years, even decades. The best part is he's picking fights with them left and right. How'd we get so lucky?

 

[jigalojey]

I want you to save this thread into a notepad VenomousMe and come back and revisit it in 2 years and cringe at what you have been saying, 4 month all star.

 

[freedumbdclxvi]

Yep and I would bet money they were taken to Europe first, god damn Europeans always have their hands illegally in our Fauna and I really hate it. I have some species and I love watching them drip venom when they get defensive, fascinating spiders.

If you Aussies would just export them, the Europeans wouldn't have to come take them.

 

[jigalojey]

If you Aussies would just export them, the Europeans wouldn't have to come take them.

I'm fine with exporting some and then letting them be captive bred.