Opinions on naming Tarantulas.

[Trenor]

Ah ah I was always fascinated by the fact of give such names to "giant" things. Like "Tiny" of "The Warriors" (PS2) that "Satan's Mothers" bald beast boss you need to fight lol

When I did hydraulic work on heavy equipment we had a guy working there that was 5'6" and 275/300 pounds easy. His nickname was Tiny.

We do like our irony.

 

[netr]

Highly recommended: Eight, a Site about Tarantulas. Check it out. It'll help you get up to speed. I printed off a copy and keep it handy for reference.

I had no idea about this site. The most cursory of scans attests immediately to its value - thanks so much for sharing. I'll be spending a lot of time there!

As for naming, I can only reiterate the point that if you name your spiders, you probably don't have enough of them. I recently received two A. chalcodes slings and an absolutely stunning female Ctenolophus in the post. The spiders had all been packed very well, but somewhere en route the parcel had received some sort of violent shock. The Ctenolopus was injured and tragically DOA. One chalodes had also perished and the other had lost one pedipalp and one leg. I looked at this little sole survivor and then it hit me. Seven. "I'll call you Seven." And that's the thrilling story of how I had the divine inspiration to bother naming a spider for the first time in years.

 

[Tim Benzedrine]

For me, naming them fell by the wayside decades ago.

Ah-ha! So you DID name them decades ago! Back in those halycon days when the grass was greener and the sky was bluer.

 

[Poec54]

Ah-ha! So you DID name them decades ago! Back in those halycon days when the grass was greener and the sky was bluer.

Yes in the 1970's. Was that before you were born?

 

[LD67]

Pick a non-gender name. I've always wanted a LP named Tiny.

I have some cool names picked out, but they're pretty much gender specific. How come no one has a T named Shelob???

 

[Matabuey]

I have some cool names picked out, but they're pretty much gender specific. How come no one has a T named Shelob???

I'm sure some Lord of the Rings fans do.

If I was into naming my T's, that would be the only name that would come to mind haha.

 

[Poec54]

How come no one has a T named Shelob???

That's a question for bigger minds than ours...

 

[Tim Benzedrine]

Yes in the 1970's. Was that before you were born?

Sheesh, given the way I act, whaddaya think? Of course, I could be mentally-arrested. In fact, some would say I SHOULD be arrested for my mentality!
Look folks! Poec and I are bantering! Next thing ya know we'll be making a buddy-cop or a road movie together! "He's an irreverent tarantula keeper! His partner is a no-nonsense curmudgeon! Together they fight crime! Coming soon to a down-streaming site near you, "Possum and Poec!" Rated R for ridiculous.

I called my last Rose-hair Shelob, and I've seen others use the name. but as I've stated before, naming isn't a convention that i adhere to. When speaking of them on here or in conversation, I just use their official names, and once in a great while, their common name if I judge that it will simplify things. Generally when it comes to people who it doesn't matter to in the least.

 

[14pokies]

Yes in the 1970's. Was that before you were born?

I would love to know what kind of names you gave to your Ts back then!

 

[Chris LXXIX]

Yes in the 1970's. Was that before you were born?

Christ, I was a baby in '79, and you already owned dozens of T's working with those maybe while listening to 'Paranoid' of old good Ozzy. Took my hat off, this is history

 

[Poec54]

Christ, I was a baby in '79, and you already owned dozens of T's working with those maybe while listening to 'Paranoid' of old good Ozzy. Took my hat off, this is history

I got my first tarantula probably in late 1972, from a reptile dealer who was a family friend, a B smithi. Adult females were $10 in pet stores, and I got it for less than that from the dealer. Was listening all that great British rock and blues back then, and still listen to it now. Good stuff.

 

[matypants]

 

[Tim Benzedrine]

Adult females were $10 in pet stores,

Adjusted for inflation, that tarantula would cost $57.62 today. The first listing I found for their cost today lists a 4 1/2" female at $250. Naturally, that price will vary. Probably greatly. I don't know the market.

This isn't particularly relevant, because availability and other factors need to be considered (they can't be imported by the thousands anymore, for example), I was just curious and decided to try and check and see what the cost would be with all things being equal.

 

[Venom1080]

Look folks! Poec and I are bantering! Next thing ya know we'll be making a buddy-cop or a road movie together! "He's an irreverent tarantula keeper! His partner is a no-nonsense curmudgeon! Together they fight crime! Coming soon to a down-streaming site near you, "Possum and Poec!" Rated R for ridiculous.
.

i'd watch it.

 

[Jeff23]

If a pet doesn't respond when called by its name then you have used its wrong name. For some reason the naming of unsexed T's reminds me of the movie "The Lake House" where the female dog is named Jack.

I don't love my T's any less than people who name theirs. But I think naming them is fine if it suits you well. My brain struggles enough with people names. I don't need a huge number of spider names too. I do put numbers along with the genus and species on their enclosure so that I can note any events or reminders related to them.

 

[Cavedweller]

I have some cool names picked out, but they're pretty much gender specific. How come no one has a T named Shelob???

In my observations I've found that to be one of the most common spider names, ranking behind Rosie and Charlotte, but above Bitsy.

 

[matypants]

In my observations I've found that to be one of the most common spider names, ranking behind Rosie and Charlotte, but above Bitsy.

What about Isadora, changed to Isaporka and then shortened to just Porka?

 

[Cavedweller]

What about Isadora, changed to Isaporka and then shortened to just Porka?

I've never seen a spider with that name, and I'm afraid whatever you're referencing went right over my head.

 

[LD67]

I settled on naming my T Ash. I wanted to call it Bruce, after Bruce Campbell, but it may be a girl. So Ash, after Evil Dead, it is! Ash can go either way. So there you go. problem solved.

 

[MrsHaas]

All 47 of mine have names