Tarantula Community = The Best Community

[Potatatas]

After trawling other exotic pet forums I have come to the conclusion that the tarantula community strangely has the most active online presence. When I first got into T's a few months ago info was so easy to find due to the endless abyss of old and new forum questions. Plus any questions I posted myself, no matter how dumb, would get plenty of replies.

I've been slowly acquiring gear to keep a king snake and trying to find specifics about a whole snake genus has been much more difficult than finding info on an obscure tarantula. I would consider snakes to be a more commonly kept pet than tarantulas and it's weird to me that the online community sucks. I've been asking questions on snake forums and the activity on those is nowhere near the same level as tarantula forums.

Has anyone else found the same? Or am I just looking in the wrong places?

 

[FrDoc]

I agree with the general premise that the tarantula community is very active, and that there is a tremendous amount of info available. The two edged sword of that situation is wading through that information and determining whether or not it is commendable, e.g., many of the atrocious “care sheets”, and YT videos.

 

[PanzoN88]

I am in the same boat, I do find the tarantula keeping community to be the most reliable source of information.

Seems like the three tarantula keeping forums all have seller reviews, while unrelated communities do not.

I'll stick to not so spineless wonders right here on this always reliable forum if I have non invert related questions.

 

[Bierschneeman]

I disagree.

We have it good here, Arachnoboards is the largest Tarantula forum on the internet so its not the best example for this kind of comparison. (also check BTS and ATS)

sure we got it made in the shade over several hobbys (myrmecology's best forum ,'formiculture' , is very small and slow compared to this site)
most other inverts mostly piggyback on other forums.

youd have to fill me in on Herps, i can see that being huge on forums, i can also see them being largely too cool for school.

but there are dozens of highly active avian forums, much more active than here. plus the ones that arent.

If i was a betting man, id put all my money on exotic fish keeping having the biggest most active forums.

 

[antinous]

I'm going to be honest, when first getting into tarantulas from keeping herps, I found that it wasn't as friendly to new people as I hoped. This has changed over the years, but back then I found the herp hobby/community to be much more open and to be more willing to help others. Right now I'd say that the invert/tarantula community is much more open than it was when I first joined. Still, the herp community is much larger than ours is. Not sure about the others though.

 

[Liquifin]

The T. hobby is much bigger now than it was back then. One reason is Youtubers such as the DarkDen and Exotics Lair, that are spreading the hobby out globally. That's probably why people think the T. hobby forums are very active now than back then. But the downside is that many beginners on any boards give advice on some things that they themselves have no experience about (especially the T. hobby now). The biggest forum for me back then was the Fish hobby. Koi was the most expensive fish that everyone was on. I remember a 12''+ size koi could be sold for thousands depending on the breed. I don't know about the fish hobby now, but I can say with confidence that Koi fishes (that are not the generic petstore bred ones), are worth more than any T. in this world, which the T. seladonia will look like a freebie in comparison with Koi, no offense people.

 

[Vanessa]

I have noticed recently that there have been a fair amount of people making posts, and putting up videos, trying to address the elitism/sexism/racism/bigotry in both the herp and arachnid hobbies, so it hasn't changed that much in the almost two decades that I have been around, unfortunately. This forum is no different and those issues exist here as well - despite it being the largest forum with membership from every walk of life around the globe.
There are still a very large percentage who feel that both those communities are the realm of the 'old boys club' and treat anyone not fitting that description with contempt. Denying that it exists is part of the problem and is also present on this forum. So, while it is the largest and most active, I wouldn't go so far as to say it is the friendliest to a lot of people.

 

[ComputerDellLI]

I've found that the hobby has some of the most passionate followers. It's even a bit overwhelming, since I had always thought this was a niche hobby. Nothing on Facebook impresses me, and I was genuinely surprised and impressed by how large, friendly and dedicated some of the communities are on there.

 

[viper69]

I disagree, there are exotic forums with far more information on their animals.

Dendroboards is one.

 

[SonsofArachne]

If i was a betting man, id put all my money on exotic fish keeping having the biggest most active forums.

Your probably right, awhile back I ran into a forum that was just for keeping 'River Monster' type fish and even that was fairly busy.

sexism/racism/bigotry in both the herp and arachnid hobbies

I can't say that really noticed too much of that here. Some of the most respected people on here are women, as for race I haven't seen it even mentioned. Maybe you're referring to to The Watering Hole, but I really don't pay too much attention to what's going on there.

 

[Vanessa]

Maybe you're referring to to The Watering Hole, but I really don't pay too much attention to what's going on there.

I don't go near the Watering Hole... it's where intelligence and decency goes to die.

 

[Nightstalker47]

There are still a very large percentage who feel that both those communities are the realm of the 'old boys club' and treat anyone not fitting that description with contempt.

What on earth are you talking about?

trying to address the elitism/sexism/racism/bigotry in both the herp and arachnid hobbies, so it hasn't changed that much in the almost two decades that I have been around, unfortunately. This forum is no different and those issues exist here as well

Just absurd, and I feel this needs to be addressed, how no one has said anything in rebuttal is beyond me.

First off, I have never in all my time here seen a member make a sexist or racist remark on this forum. And if they did, best believe they would be called out for it...and the post would be deleted in a matter of minutes. To say or insinuate that AB or our hobby as a whole has a sexism/racism issue is akin to baiting, and unworthy. I wont even waste my time on that nonsense.

Now there are always going to be differences of opinion between certain members, the reasonable ones are capable of taking it in stride and not resorting to victimization, or name and shaming the whole forum. I have had plenty of debates with many of the members on here, were still friends and I can still learn from them...it comes down to not taking a difference of opinion as a personal attack.

 

[antinous]

I have noticed recently that there have been a fair amount of people making posts, and putting up videos, trying to address the elitism/sexism/racism/bigotry in both the herp and arachnid hobbies, so it hasn't changed that much in the almost two decades that I have been around, unfortunately. This forum is no different and those issues exist here as well - despite it being the largest forum with membership from every walk of life around the globe.
There are still a very large percentage who feel that both those communities are the realm of the 'old boys club' and treat anyone not fitting that description with contempt. Denying that it exists is part of the problem and is also present on this forum. So, while it is the largest and most active, I wouldn't go so far as to say it is the friendliest to a lot of people.

What on earth are you talking about?

Just absurd, and I feel this needs to be addressed, how no one has said anything in rebuttal is beyond me.

First off, I have never in all my time here seen a member make a sexist or racist remark on this forum. And if they did, best believe they would be called out for it...and the post would be deleted in a matter of minutes. To say or insinuate that AB or our hobby as a whole has a sexism/racism issue is akin to baiting, and unworthy. I wont even waste my time on that nonsense.

Now there are always going to be differences of opinion between certain members, the reasonable ones are capable of taking it in stride and not resorting to victimization, or name and shaming the whole forum. I have had plenty of debates with many of the members on here, were still friends and I can still learn from them...it comes down to not taking a difference of opinion as a personal attack.

I'm in 100% agreement with @Nightstalker47. I have not seen any of the 'racist' or 'sexist' remark on here or any of the tarantula or herp groups I'm a part of. In fact, out of all the hobbies I've been a part of, we're the most open minded.

 

[Andrea82]

I have noticed recently that there have been a fair amount of people making posts, and putting up videos, trying to address the elitism/sexism/racism/bigotry in both the herp and arachnid hobbies, so it hasn't changed that much in the almost two decades that I have been around, unfortunately. This forum is no different and those issues exist here as well - despite it being the largest forum with membership from every walk of life around the globe.
There are still a very large percentage who feel that both those communities are the realm of the 'old boys club' and treat anyone not fitting that description with contempt. Denying that it exists is part of the problem and is also present on this forum. So, while it is the largest and most active, I wouldn't go so far as to say it is the friendliest to a lot of people.

I don't think that applies any more, not since the new moderators came in. They do a mighty fine job in keeping things respectful and fun around here. When I joined four years ago, things sometimes went out of control, agreed. But I haven't seen situations like that in a looooong time.
You haven't been around much lately, I think

 

[SonsofArachne]

I don't go near the Watering Hole... it's where intelligence and decency goes to die.

I hope you don't feel like you're being shut down (at least by me) but it would be helpful if you could provide some recent examples (within the last couple of years) of what you are talking about. As far as The Watering Hole, it's supposed to be a open ideas forum and while I disagree with some of what I have read I don't think censoring their opinions is the answer.

 

[Bierschneeman]

I do "not have sufficient privledges to view the content in the watering hole"

i wonder, do i need to post more, or exist longer.

I do like the very structured tiers of privileges. I noticed I was highly restricted on Emotes, and i am still slightly restricted. I think i used to be restricted from buy and sell, but now i can view, not post.

no point, just observation, since i just attempted to enter the watering hole for the first time, because it was mentioned here.

 

[antinous]

I do "not have sufficient privledges to view the content in the watering hole"

i wonder, do i need to post more, or exist longer.

I do like the very structured tiers of privileges. I noticed I was highly restricted on Emotes, and i am still slightly restricted. I think i used to be restricted from buy and sell, but now i can view, not post.

no point, just observation, since i just attempted to enter the watering hole for the first time, because it was mentioned here.

You have to go to your 'Preferences' and check the box that says 'Join' right beside where it was 'The Watering Hole'.

 

[SonsofArachne]

I do "not have sufficient privledges to view the content in the watering hole"

i wonder, do i need to post more, or exist longer.

I do like the very structured tiers of privileges. I noticed I was highly restricted on Emotes, and i am still slightly restricted. I think i used to be restricted from buy and sell, but now i can view, not post.

no point, just observation, since i just attempted to enter the watering hole for the first time, because it was mentioned here.

You don't choose The Watering Hole, The Watering Hole chooses you.

Seriously not exactly sure when you can access it. Like you I tried when I first signed up - I was mildly annoyed when I couldn't, but I understand it now. I do know you have to specifically request entrance through your profile page.

You have to go to your 'Preferences' and check the box that says 'Join' right beside where it was 'The Watering Hole'.

What he said.

 

[Bierschneeman]

You have to go to your 'Preferences' and check the box that says 'Join' right beside where it was 'The Watering Hole'.

weird setup.

 

[antinous]

weird setup.

It’s generally a forum where more serious things are discussed (well anything can be discussed really) so it’s to keep those who don’t want to see it or who are too young to (especially since kids using the internet are younger than ever).