Any "normal" person? What is a "normal" person? I agree a SENSIBLE, RESPONSIBLE person will, but in my nearly 40 years experience as a human I can say those qualities are rather far from "normal."If anyone truly wants a Pokie, they WILL do their research. Any NORMAL person will. People around this forum should stop being with the mindset that everyone who wants an OW T will definitely buy it as a first, second or third choice without doing any research. You know nothing of people who are in the hobby for the wrong reasons. In my country people with 2+ bite reports from OBTs and Pokies recommend them for a second spider, and you sweat around here.
And yet how many times do we hear about people getting them as firsts and getting bit? Enough to have cause for concern. Good for you that people in your country are happy to get bit and recommend them to inexperienced keepers. By all means continue with the cavalier attitude towards OWs. Just don't moan when the impact of the minority effects the hobby as a whole and we have to give it up by law.If anyone truly wants a Pokie, they WILL do their research. Any NORMAL person will. People around this forum should stop being with the mindset that everyone who wants an OW T will definitely buy it as a first, second or third choice without doing any research. You know nothing of people who are in the hobby for the wrong reasons. In my country people with 2+ bite reports from OBTs and Pokies recommend them for a second spider, and you sweat around here.
Im basing it on read bite reports exactly on this forum.
Like already said, no amount of online research can prep you for an OW, why we advice against it.. we'll see more bite reports if we tell newcomers "go ahead, it's your 1st T, jump in the deep end and get yourself a poeci" most bite reports I have read are from inexperienced people who get complacent, you won't easily see an experienced member like poec54 writing a bite report, why? They don't get complacent
+1. Bites should be rare events, and most happen to the inexperienced. All too often they rush things and get advanced species before they're really ready for them. 2/3's of my collection is OW, and most of my NW's are tropical and high strung. I've never been bit because I went in stages with the species I got (not necessarily by choice, but that's all that was available 40 years ago). That prepared me for what to expect and what the do's and don't are. Had I jumped into fast, feisty spiders too soon, it wouldn't have gone smoothly. There's no rush. This isn't Beat the Clock. There's nothing to prove. There's a very real possible of regulations and bans if we show that we can't handle the responsibility of owning spiders. You're not doing this in a vacuum. All of us can be impacted.
tbh how many of us would follow those stupid ignorantly implemented regulations and bans if they did make them. Nobody has died from a T bite. Very few go to the hosptial.
OMG, she's BEAUTIFUL <3 <3
+1 to BobGrill Do your research first, then ask questions second.
They don't care if they're deadly or not, if they have a reason to ban a T they'll do it, part of germany has banned poecilotheria, it can happen in your country too.. and toddlers, children and elders will very easily end up in hospital if bitten by an escaped OW
Great choice, B. smithi is gorgeous and a great starter, always visible and easy to work with.. and so is thrixopelma
+1 to lalberts9310, it only taken one idiotic person to mess it up for everybody else.
No valid reason is required for governments to ban tarantulas. They have all the authority, they make the rules. If we don't comply, they confiscate. Let's try to keep it from getting to that point.
They aren't the easiest to find but there is a guy in Michigan whom has imported a few (and is the person I bought mine from). He usually goes to the reptile shows in Taylor, MI and I'll see if I can dig up his contact info as he's the only person I've ran into that consistently has them. Though if you want to plan a road trip then I'd suggest coming up here and enjoy some fine Michigan food and weather and get some nice spiders. Of course Ohio has to have reptile shows so I'd suggest finding one close to you and do your shopping there.
Keep me posted if you find them again....I'd like more.
If bans and regulations were in place you wouldn't be able to get tarantulas so whether we'd follow said rules is irrelevant, they'd be unobtainable without punishable risks.
Well marijuana's banned, but it's relatively easy to get.
It's a bit easier to grow and smuggle pot, tarantulas are different as they are live animals
Lol, I bet it would be a lot easier to breed and sell t's under the table than a bunch of pungent plants requiring lots of light and power.