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It seems that the tarantulas from Nicaragua will be the next "Rosehairs". http://www.ticotimes.net/2014/12/01/in-nicaragua-tarantulas-are-latest-cash-crop
In Other News Besides Petco
- Thread starter Exoskeleton Invertebrates
- Start date
sdsnybny
Arachnogeek
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- Apr 29, 2015
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Thanks "Walter Kronkite" LOL You sure they don't supply "Petco"?? just saying
Thats fine by me as long as they are not depleting the stock and breeding for reintroduction if needed
http://thehigherlearning.com/2014/1...antulas-as-a-cash-crop-amid-historic-drought/
Exotic Fauna, S.A.
Thats fine by me as long as they are not depleting the stock and breeding for reintroduction if needed
http://thehigherlearning.com/2014/1...antulas-as-a-cash-crop-amid-historic-drought/
Exotic Fauna, S.A.
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Just some fun points from the article.
-"setting up glass cases with sawdust beds as part of a project to breed 7,000 tarantulas."
Sawdust beds?
WTF?
How much breeding success will this guy have?
-"tarantulas...bite and secrete a toxic goo that causes allergies and pain."
Toxic goo?? Allergies?? WTF?? where did they get this from...toxic goo??
-"Ramon Mendieta...sells about 10,000 tarantulas a year"
Holy exploitation batman, that's a lot of WC ts per year, and for 3 years!!!
-Claims only 30-60% of t eggs hatch....hmmmm, most breeders do a lot better than that...perhaps they aren't using sawdust as substrate?
-"Profit margins are thin because production costs are high. These costs include special care that the tarantulas need to protect them from parasites while in captivity"
Huh, special care driving up costs? Ts are low maintenance, as low as living things get. And protect from parasites in captivity? Huh?? Its the wild that presents the dangers of parasites....plus how many of these wc t are actually given special care...I wonder how many, if any, are receiving even adequate care.
-"There are a lot of people that love to have them at home, some as pets and others because they like danger."
Sounds like a true ambassador for the hobby.
http://listsurge.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/cry.jpg
-"setting up glass cases with sawdust beds as part of a project to breed 7,000 tarantulas."
Sawdust beds?
WTF?How much breeding success will this guy have?
-"tarantulas...bite and secrete a toxic goo that causes allergies and pain."
Toxic goo??
Allergies?? WTF?? where did they get this from...toxic goo??-"Ramon Mendieta...sells about 10,000 tarantulas a year"
Holy exploitation batman, that's a lot of WC ts per year, and for 3 years!!!
-Claims only 30-60% of t eggs hatch....hmmmm, most breeders do a lot better than that...perhaps they aren't using sawdust as substrate?
-"Profit margins are thin because production costs are high. These costs include special care that the tarantulas need to protect them from parasites while in captivity"
Huh, special care driving up costs? Ts are low maintenance, as low as living things get. And protect from parasites in captivity? Huh?? Its the wild that presents the dangers of parasites....plus how many of these wc t are actually given special care...I wonder how many, if any, are receiving even adequate care.
-"There are a lot of people that love to have them at home, some as pets and others because they like danger."
Sounds like a true ambassador for the hobby.
http://listsurge.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/cry.jpg
Methal
Arachnosquire
- Joined
- Nov 5, 2014
- Messages
- 61
the guy doing all the work gets just over 1 dollar a T. Meanwhile some nerd who thinks he knows what he is doing is supplying the demand to decimate a limited natural resource.
I do not like where this is going.
I do not like where this is going.
- Joined
- Jun 17, 2007
- Messages
- 1,101
Yeah when I read sawdust I was saying to myself good luck. But the reality is there is no evidence of any of this species are captive born and if they were you be seeing over 900 baby stock out of Nicaragua instead of over 900 sub adults to adults albopilosum. I have a feeling that we will be seeing more B. albopilosum being imported out of Nicaragua.
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Now this is a tricky ethical dilemma. Does one condemn the people of Nicaragua for exploiting a natural resource to feed themselves during the drought or does one support them by buying these Nicaraguan tarantulas when they hit the market?
I'll be watching out for how much retailers charge for wild caught Aphonopelma seemanni if or when they start hitting the market. If the locals are paid just over a dollar per spider, it will be interesting how much they will be here in the USA.
I'll be watching out for how much retailers charge for wild caught Aphonopelma seemanni if or when they start hitting the market. If the locals are paid just over a dollar per spider, it will be interesting how much they will be here in the USA.
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Poec54
Arachnoemperor
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- Mar 26, 2013
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At least species from high rainfall areas grow faster and can replace their numbers sooner. Roseas will take centuries to rebound from over-collecting.
Seemani is beautiful but too high strung to be suitable for handling, hence not endearing itself as a likely pet store staple. They've been in the hobby since the 1970's, BTW. B albopilosum has also been around that long, and is a better choice for the average person's first tarantula. It's going to be some tarantula, that's as good as any.
As far as people exploiting the natural resources of where they live: the tropics are being destroyed thousands of acres at a time all year long. The animals are better off being brought into captivity, then being victims of slash and burn. Pet stores will always carry w/c tarantulas because they're adults, big, and cheap: brings people into the store, many of whom leave buying something for their cat or dog. Great lure for business. Wholesale's several dollars for a common tarantula, it's inconsequential to them if it lives or dies, or even sells or not. Don't see an ethical dilemma. Your buying or not buying per store tarantulas will have zero impact on stores carrying them. It's been going on for 50 years; 'boycotts' of buying tarantulas are pitifully ineffective. They're not really trying to make money selling tarantulas. A lot of people don't get this. Rather than run an ad that costs thousands of dollars and only works for a few weeks, they can carry a few tarantulas that cost $10 and bring in people all year with them ("Mom, lets go in the pet store. I want to see the snakes and tarantulas!" "Okay Billy, we're not going to buy one, but Fido could use a new chew toy"). That's the reality of pet stores and spiders.
Seemani is beautiful but too high strung to be suitable for handling, hence not endearing itself as a likely pet store staple. They've been in the hobby since the 1970's, BTW. B albopilosum has also been around that long, and is a better choice for the average person's first tarantula. It's going to be some tarantula, that's as good as any.
As far as people exploiting the natural resources of where they live: the tropics are being destroyed thousands of acres at a time all year long. The animals are better off being brought into captivity, then being victims of slash and burn. Pet stores will always carry w/c tarantulas because they're adults, big, and cheap: brings people into the store, many of whom leave buying something for their cat or dog. Great lure for business. Wholesale's several dollars for a common tarantula, it's inconsequential to them if it lives or dies, or even sells or not. Don't see an ethical dilemma. Your buying or not buying per store tarantulas will have zero impact on stores carrying them. It's been going on for 50 years; 'boycotts' of buying tarantulas are pitifully ineffective. They're not really trying to make money selling tarantulas. A lot of people don't get this. Rather than run an ad that costs thousands of dollars and only works for a few weeks, they can carry a few tarantulas that cost $10 and bring in people all year with them ("Mom, lets go in the pet store. I want to see the snakes and tarantulas!" "Okay Billy, we're not going to buy one, but Fido could use a new chew toy"). That's the reality of pet stores and spiders.