The OFFICIAL YouTube thread for tarantula care and husbandry channels

[StampFan]

1. The Dark Den
2. The Dark Den
3. The Dark Den

(In that order lol)

I fully agree with pronouncing species names in his accent! Such a fantastic channel. Fun, informative and at the end of the day, he doesn't pretend to be an expert.

Also enjoy his vids.

I can't help but wonder if his deaths in the recent video and potential mite issues are from using dirt and wood and such from his local forest.

 

[StampFan]

I like jon3800 more than dark den. He can take criticism very well. And I respect that.

Dark den is the opposite.

Jon3800 will actually pull out a chaulkboard and teach info on particular species or Genus. Some actual facts. Something sorely missing in social media in general.

 

[athlete96]

Also enjoy his vids.

I can't help but wonder if his deaths in the recent video and potential mite issues are from using dirt and wood and such from his local forest.

I wouldn't rule it out.. he didn't go over his sanitation procedures. It could also be random. Without him telling us we won't know.

I do feel bad he's had to face so many deaths in a row.

 

[Dennis Nedry]

Jon3800 will actually pull out a chaulkboard and teach info on particular species or Genus. Some actual facts. Something sorely missing in social media in general.

From memory his centipede Diablo didn't have any wood in its enclosure and was kept on coco peat so I wouldn't think that's the cause of death (for the pede at least)

 

[StampFan]

From memory his centipede Diablo didn't have any wood in its enclosure and was kept on coco peat so I wouldn't think that's the cause of death (for the pede at least)

Theoretically though if there are mites in a neighbouring enclosure they would migrate. They are bugs....on the same shelves. Its obviously one possible cause, and he obviously cares about his animals and I enjoy the vids a lot. But if there's anything I know that grabbing anything from outside will bring the outside things indoors. And that can start a problem.

 

[Dennis Nedry]

Theoretically though if there are mites in a neighbouring enclosure they would migrate. They are bugs....on the same shelves. Its obviously one possible cause, and he obviously cares about his animals and I enjoy the vids a lot. But if there's anything I know that grabbing anything from outside will bring the outside things indoors. And that can start a problem.

True, but I assume that as its a large pede there'd need to be quite a lot of mites to kill it so quickly which would be pretty obvious

 

[StampFan]

True, but I assume that as its a large pede there'd need to be quite a lot of mites to kill it so quickly which would be pretty obvious

It's very odd that there were 4 deaths in the same time period. People criticize Jon3800 when he has a death or two in a collection of 200 which is almost to be expected. I sincerely hope for Petko this was just coincidence and not a larger issue with a pest, chemical, fungus, etc.

 

[Dennis Nedry]

It's very odd that there were 4 deaths in the same time period. People criticize Jon3800 when he has a death or two in a collection of 200 which is almost to be expected. I sincerely hope for Petko this was just coincidence and not a larger issue with a pest, chemical, fungus, etc.

I think it was a coincidence for a couple of them, the camel spider which likely died due to the fact that they often have short captive lives, also it was wild caught (it might have been coming to the end of its natural life anyway). The centipede was also very likely WC so may have been old.

 

[boina]

Theoretically though if there are mites in a neighbouring enclosure they would migrate. They are bugs....on the same shelves. Its obviously one possible cause, and he obviously cares about his animals and I enjoy the vids a lot. But if there's anything I know that grabbing anything from outside will bring the outside things indoors. And that can start a problem.

That's just the American/Canadian way of thinking and it's not born out by evidence. European keepers usually bring everything in from the outside - and have done for decades - without 'sanitizing' anything. And they are quite successful in keeping tarantulas and don't have more deaths than anyone else in general.

The European school of invert keeping teaches the following: Don't keep your enclosure sterile. Take dirt, moss and wood from the outside, preferably from a forrest because it doesn't get treated with pesticides, and put it directly into your enclosure with everything in it (except ants and large centipedes). The bugs in there will create their own naturally bioactive environment that will prevent outbreaks of just one species that will become a pest. Mites are natural scavengers and are actually good for your enclosure unless they take over. That won't happen if you have a lot of other bugs from the outside in there to compete with the mites.

This 'sanitizing' stuff is completely useless and even counterproductive in not only my opinion.

 

[ETHER]

1. The Dark Den
2. The Dark Den
3. The Dark Den

(In that order lol)

I fully agree with pronouncing species names in his accent! Such a fantastic channel. Fun, informative and at the end of the day, he doesn't pretend to be an expert.

not even gonna lie, Dark Den is by far the best IMO, he is the only one I have the lil bell on for live new vids updates lol so def agree with that list!

I just wish outta all the builds I seen for enclosures I would have found one that showed me to put the black silicon before the foam haha... but yea totally did it anyways after hours of thinking about it staring at my materials. But I guess thats another post...

 

[ETHER]

People who watch a lot of tarantula you tube vids have one thing in common.....


Not enough tarantulas.

hahahahaha when your right, your right!

 

[ETHER]

dude just needs to stop purchasing more T's and lawn equipment for that new camera set up. I like his stuff but i watch for entertainment...not necessarily for information on how to keep etc, which is almost true for all youtubers in the hobby imo. A select few do give some good sound info though.

hahaha right, I always just wish he would put more into his enclosures too, so many gorgeous T's and such lame enclosures IMO, though I'm the type who wants my spiders to be featured on "Cribs" lolol...

and, at first I actually got alot of good info though I think I mentioned it before and if not, his vids are def dated... but compared to alot, hes def decent. I stick with Dark Den for the full package of when it comes to the Spider Vids, and Tom Moran due to the fact that he has so many vids I can put on his channel and pass out (and usually get woken up by his intros to a vid I have not seen yet lol)

 

[ETHER]

Another of our Members has a very good channel @z32upgrader Greg Rice
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5sJ2jEDbNXpIG1E37_9CLA/videos

will check this out, thank you for sharing

 

[ETHER]

Where/when does Dark Den refuse to acknowledge criticism?

I would also like to know where he has refused to acknowledge criticism.
I feel like Jon has just been used to more criticism as he is older as far as when he uploaded. so the hobby was smaller, meaning you have more keepers being very temperate with people doing things differently.


..Where Petko (Too me) seems to reach alot more young people getting into the hobby and alot (and I mean alot) more views due to his video quality blowing all others out the water so theres not such an audience to criticize (just yet?). I have more so seen him be aware that he thought he would or some would say should be criticized only to receive love, but never seen him not acknowledge. Maybe I missed some comments though.

 

[ETHER]

Please.. tell me more? Where did you get this information? Links? What do you mean violently threatened.. I feel like a kid that just got told santa isn't real. Please elaborate

just gonna stay outta this one lol

 

[ETHER]

Jon3800 will actually pull out a chaulkboard and teach info on particular species or Genus. Some actual facts. Something sorely missing in social media in general.

those are by far my favorite vids from him!

 

[ETHER]

That's just the American/Canadian way of thinking and it's not born out by evidence. European keepers usually bring everything in from the outside - and have done for decades - without 'sanitizing' anything. And they are quite successful in keeping tarantulas and don't have more deaths than anyone else in general.

The European school of invert keeping teaches the following: Don't keep your enclosure sterile. Take dirt, moss and wood from the outside, preferably from a forrest because it doesn't get treated with pesticides, and put it directly into your enclosure with everything in it (except ants and large centipedes). The bugs in there will create their own naturally bioactive environment that will prevent outbreaks of just one species that will become a pest. Mites are natural scavengers and are actually good for your enclosure unless they take over. That won't happen if you have a lot of other bugs from the outside in there to compete with the mites.

This 'sanitizing' stuff is completely useless and even counterproductive in not only my opinion.

interesting, I mean, back when I caught and kept everything from salamanders to black widows when I was younger I took everything from their environment as is, but I admit seeing and reading a lot about sterilizing things I bring in has me doing it on everything. Hell, I even got in the habit of washing my hands like craaazy when doing anything related to my animals haha..

 

[SingaporeB]

I wouldn't rule it out.. he didn't go over his sanitation procedures. It could also be random. Without him telling us we won't know.

I do feel bad he's had to face so many deaths in a row.

I appreciate his death videos, makes me feel better about my loses which are sizable in dollars too.
.

 

[SingaporeB]

Jon3800 = 100% informative. great content. genuine love and respect for the animals he keeps translates as well. learned alot from him. Sidenote : Can we chip in and get him a camera set up please lol?

TRIPOD

Video cam with 120p HD for slow motion.
.

 

[EmilzHernandez]

@SingaporeB Do tell us your amazing proof that Brian B is a good person. You're absolutely insufferable