Petco... Now offering 25 species of tarantulas. Thoughts and rants

[gypsy cola]

So Petco is now offering 25 species... all captive bred, announced today.

So what are your thoughts, rants, death threats, etc.?

link:
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-rele...to-include-25-different-breeds-300259058.html


here is the list:
Temperate Tarantulas:

• Chaco Golden Knee
• Costa Rican Stripe-Knee
• Haitian Brown
• Mexican Curly Hair
• Mexican Red Leg
• Mexican Red Rump
• Oklahoma Brown
• Texas Tan
• Mozambique Golden Baboon
• Rear Horned Baboon
• Usumbara Orange Baboon
• Rose Hair

Tropical Tarantula:

• Brazilian Black & White
• Brazilian Giant Salmon
• Brazilian Giant White Knee
• Brazilian Red & White
• Brazilian White Banded
• Costa Rican Tiger Rump
• Guyana Pink Toe
• Indian Ornamental
• Ivory Ornamental
• King Baboon
• Mysore Ornamental
• Trinidad Chevron
• Venezuelan Sun Tiger

 

[Toxoderidae]

Wait, they're offering OW and tarantulas with specific needs? BREEDS? BREEDS? I'm killing myself, this planet is too stupid for me to exist.

 

[Poec54]

They should not be selling Poecilotheria and OBT's. They'll wind up in hot water if a kid gets bit by one his mom bought him.

 

[Flexzone]

They should not be selling Poecilotheria and OBT's. They'll wind up in hot water if a kid gets bit by one his mom bought him.

Agree, I could just see how the headline 24/7 news will spin it. I just hope they do their hmwk and provide the suitable living conditions each new sp. will need.

 

[Toxoderidae]

Any time I get the chance, I'm going to buy any OW I spot, even if it's a terrestrial or obligate burrower.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

Muahahahahahah, really, Theraphosidae haters and others psycho with an hamster running on his wheel instead of brain, believing that those are eight legged killing people machine, should educate themselves and build a statue for those animals.

With that said, dumb people selling potent venom ones, and so far, nothing bad happened, it's a miracle or either pure finest luck

- " Mommy/Daddy, please buy me a cute fluffy Tarachula, like the one we have in science class, like that "Home Alone" movie one, pleeeeeeeeeeeease

- "Oh, sweety, ok. Let's go to Pet-Dumb"

....
....

- P.Dumb: "May i help you?"

- "Yes, we want a Tarachula for our kid"

- "Sure! Have a look at this "Orange Rose Hair" <--- (P.murinus lol)

- "Fantastic! Amazing! And quite cheap, also! I buy one"

 

[sdsnybny]

This is the best part LOL
They also shed their exoskeleton, or molt, in order to grow, doubling in size with each molt

 

[YagerManJennsen]

Maybe, just maybe, they'll hire staff members that are actually qualified and have years of expirence with husbandry to teach people about the speed, venom potency etc. it seems like a slim chance though

Just a thought though.

 

[BorisTheSpider]

"Interestingly, not only do tarantulas have eight legs, they also have a large round eye surrounded by three smaller ones on each side for a total of eight eyes as well."

By far my favorite line in the article . And can just hear some Petco Manager saying to the staff "Just remember that eight legs eight eyes crap and that's all you need to know".

 

[EulersK]

This legitimately makes me worried. They're selling some nasty species, and don't even have the mindset to include proper names. I'd like to hope that they'll hire/train someone in these creatures, but I will be shocked if they do. A kid is going to want that beautiful orange P. murinus, a kid is going to get bit trying to handle it, and a kid will be sent to a hospital. The media will attack Petco for not properly training their associates, and then the rage will be directed towards the animals themselves. I might be blowing this out of proportion, but I'm quite scared of the consequences of this.

I'm not kidding about this at all. We should write letters to Petco, it's about all we can do. Not asking them to cease selling these creatures, but rather pleading them to do proper training. I know I'm going to, but unfortunately one person doesn't have much of a voice.

 

[BorisTheSpider]

Petco's response to letters and emails will be how much they appreciate the input and how they share our concerns and that they will endeavor to make sure that their employees receive all the necessary training needed . Which means they will say here is your T and there is the register . Oh and don't forget your overpriced enclosure , your overpriced substrate , your overpriced cork bark , and your overpriced little ceramic statue of a palm tree because Ts are tropical and it will remind them of home .

 

[gypsy cola]

I don't think a random kid getting an OBT will be a problem. The problem is the flood of new owners on the board asking why their "rose hair" is dead in their 20 gallon tank, heat pad, water sponge, sand substrate, 100 watt full spectrum light bulb.

 

[YagerManJennsen]

This legitimately makes me worried. They're selling some nasty species, and don't even have the mindset to include proper names. I'd like to hope that they'll hire/train someone in these creatures, but I will be shocked if they do. A kid is going to want that beautiful orange P. murinus, a kid is going to get bit trying to handle it, and a kid will be sent to a hospital. The media will attack Petco for not properly training their associates, and then the rage will be directed towards the animals themselves. I might be blowing this out of proportion, but I'm quite scared of the consequences of this.

I'm not kidding about this at all. We should write letters to Petco, it's about all we can do. Not asking them to cease selling these creatures, but rather pleading them to do proper training. I know I'm going to, but unfortunately one person doesn't have much of a voice.

If what you described actually happens, I want to film a documentary detailing the hobby and and why species like p. murinus should not be considered as "just a spider". It would capture both perspectives one from petcos side and one from the hobbyist's side.

 

[Toxoderidae]

I'm already going to my local petco to do volunteer work to educate employees about these spiders, and be the guy who cares for them if possible, to ensure people don't mess this hobby up.

 

[Venom1080]

Oh man. This could be really good or really bad. It would be nice if they take care of the Ts and sell advanced species to only experienced hobbyists but this could be terrible if they sell OWs to kids.. I would like to get some rarer species at a location close by but it could and probably will go wrong. Good idea Tox btw, good luck with that.

 

[Toxoderidae]

UPDATE: So far my petco will not be getting any of the new tarantulas listed.

 

[mmfh]

My petco already got them in and had the P. cambridgei, which they sold. These things are tiny! None of the slings, they get them in packs of six and sell them in their enclosure (that has what looks like cotton in the bottom), were bigger than a 1/4". Given the tiny size and lack of color I'm thinking it will be less of a "look at that beautiful spider" impulse buy.

 

[Poec54]

I don't think a random kid getting an OBT will be a problem. The problem is the flood of new owners on the board asking why their "rose hair" is dead in their 20 gallon tank, heat pad, water sponge, sand substrate, 100 watt full spectrum light bulb.

You're wrong. A random kid with an OBT can wind up in an emergency room and that video can go viral. That can have all kinds of ramifications.

 

[viper69]

What I wonder is WHO are they getting the Ts from? How constant will the supply be? That's a lot of slings for a lot of stores....

They SHOULD NOT be selling Asian or African OWs to people. There are serious reactions to these venoms. Someone is going to sue PetCo, and there after there will be legislation banning OWs Ts at the least, and the worst, and outright ban on all Ts. This is going to happen in my happen in some form sooner as a result of this action by Petco.

 

[Toxoderidae]

Rather than rant here, rant to petco. Call, send emails, do everything to annoy them to the point where they will have to change.