At what point do you consider yourself intermediate?

Methal

Arachnosquire
Joined
Nov 5, 2014
Messages
61
I see spiders on a local news website's classifieds, call on them and get the following question: "how much experience do you have keeping?"

To which I answer (usually) 2 or 3 years, my collection is about 22 specimen large.

I didn't start out keeping the "beginner" species. I started out with the "bad" ones. why? ....well i'm an arrogant prick to be honest. I've had 1 obt die (out of 15-17 i lose count) and 1 pumpkin patch on a bad molt, and one very very small togo starburst.

Wish there was a little experience bar like in video games, and when you got to a new level something went "DING! Grats new level!" and you could assign new level points to various species or ...ya know? stuff and things...ok i need to get away from the computer games.

anyway what do you consider to be the "turning point"? when did you realize you weren't all that bad at the Tarantula thing?
 

Bugmom

Arachnolord
Joined
May 28, 2012
Messages
646
No amount of time and experience can trump common sense.

So in my case, never ;):p

I dunno, I bought an H. mac sling back when I was first getting into old worlds. Bad idea. I sent him to live with a local friend and he went on to grow up and make beautiful babies (of which I did NOT want any lol). I wasn't ready for the speed and defensiveness of that little thing. I'm not sure anything tangible changed between then, and the year or so later when I got pokie slings (but I'd still take a pokie over an H. mac). Then I ended up with an OBT who had the usual OBT attitude, and I did fine.

I think the real answer for me was when I felt comfortable around the faster, more defensive species, and that took a year or so. I started with Psalmos and went from there. I think comfort level makes a big difference. No amount of educating yourself can prepare you for how you're going to FEEL when a pokie runs up your arm. :astonished::anxious: (Edit: 1 year or 20 years into keeping, it's okay if you wet yourself, we'll all understand :rofl:)
 
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TownesVanZandt

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May 12, 2015
Messages
1,041
anyway what do you consider to be the "turning point"? when did you realize you weren't all that bad at the Tarantula thing?
I started out with a couple of the "easier" OW terrestrials. I suppose I realised that things were going all right after a year and a half or so, when I could dig out and rehouse my then sub-adult P. lugardi without any hiccups and without having to drink half a bottle of wine to calm my nerves beforehand :singing:
 

Tfisher

Arachno-Geek
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Sep 28, 2014
Messages
251
I just wrote something similar to Bugmom.. So instead of double posting I'll just agree with her. (and because my speech was all over the place) :)

With what your comfortable with really determines everything. If your unsure of getting a particular species, you probably shouldn't.

Also the label of beginner, intermediate and expert keeper kind of looses me. Are you able to be an expert keeper if you only prefer to have NW T's? If you enjoy having species of Latrodectus or sicarus but wouldn't like having a Pokie or Obts would you still be able to obtain the title "Expert"?

Keep what you like and if you feel your not ready for something that you may want in the future build yourself up to it. Don't take a risk or set yourself or the T up for failure.
 

Rittdk01

Arachnoknight
Joined
Oct 4, 2016
Messages
258
Hmmm I have an adult pink toe, a juvenile pink toe, a great big rosehair, a juvenile rose hair and my stirmi. I just got an lp, a juv ghost ornamental and some slings. No deaths yet and once I get some time under my belt with the stirmi I will consider myself intermediate.
 

Ellenantula

Arachnoking
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Sep 14, 2014
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2,009
I've had some fasties&hots (and some that were both!), so I suppose I could upgrade myself to intermediate level. But in my heart of hearts and based on my comfort level... I may hold onto to beginner level for a few more years yet. Just because you can doesn't mean you should.... Why not be honest, eh? :)
 

Walker253

Arachnobaron
Joined
Jun 12, 2016
Messages
554
I began to consider myself an intermediate when things slowed down. I don't see my OW's as lightning quick and unmanageable. I control the situation. I'm still nervous when I do something in their environment, but I have a plan and I can execute it. Mistakes can still happen, but I learn from them.
You can't put a timeline on when it will happen. It may be months for some, years for others.
 

Marijan2

Arachnobaron
Joined
Oct 21, 2012
Messages
505
I guess i considered myself intermediate after first successful pairing and incubation of eggs. Intermediate level is i suppose state where you generally know all the details about T keeping, regardless of what you keep, and can give solid advice to other people that you personally tried.
 

Walker253

Arachnobaron
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Jun 12, 2016
Messages
554
I guess i considered myself intermediate after first successful pairing and incubation of eggs. Intermediate level is i suppose state where you generally know all the details about T keeping, regardless of what you keep, and can give solid advice to other people that you personally tried.
What would you consider an advanced then an expert keeper to be? That seems pretty "advanced" to me. Not being argumentative, but you have a really high standard. Impressive
 

Chris LXXIX

ArachnoGod
Joined
Dec 25, 2014
Messages
5,845
I've never considered myself "something". I started to keep T's in '92, a couple of breeding (for trade/fun, cash wasn't the purpose) in the past (prior the Italian arachnids ban of 2003) owned (and worked with) basically all the continent T's except for Oceania ones :-/ and cough cough European ones (who cares about those tiny OW's like I.valentinus? Not me).

Still learning today, enjoying this passion, praising the Goddess 0.1 Pelinobius muticus PBUH -- Peace Be Upon Her

Things like that :angelic:
 

Marijan2

Arachnobaron
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Oct 21, 2012
Messages
505
What would you consider an advanced then an expert keeper to be? That seems pretty "advanced" to me. Not being argumentative, but you have a really high standard. Impressive
Uh... For advanced i guess successful upbringing of "harder species" slings to juvenile stage, breeding some hard breeders like Chromatopelma sp., Cyriopagopus spp., Pamphobeteus spp. and similar.

Expert on the other hand is all of the above, with addition of multiples of planned experiments to personally learn new things so you can improve outside of what you read in the books or the internet. Or in other words, contributing to this hobby with new things
 

creepa

Arachnoknight
Joined
Sep 24, 2010
Messages
260
Why do you have to put a label on keeping tarantulas?
A beginner is a beginner but after that is all about bragging rights imo...

Like: "I'm a super expert in keeping tarantulas because i only keep oldworlds and shizz..."

There is no such thing as intermediate or expert or pro or whatever, that is a subjective title that has nothing to do with keeping tarantulas.
 

Venom1080

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Sep 24, 2015
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Uh... For advanced i guess successful upbringing of "harder species" slings to juvenile stage, breeding some hard breeders like Chromatopelma sp., Cyriopagopus spp., Pamphobeteus spp. and similar.
being an advanced keeper and a advanced breeder are two very different things.
 

Marijan2

Arachnobaron
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Oct 21, 2012
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505
being an advanced keeper and a advanced breeder are two very different things.
Well, you're right there. But i have no idea what could "advanced" keeper even mean in that regard? Number of T's? Years how long you're in hobby? Knowing all scientific names and recognizing genus on 1 look?
 

Venom1080

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Well, you're right there. But i have no idea what could "advanced" keeper even mean in that regard? Number of T's? Years how long you're in hobby? Knowing all scientific names and recognizing genus on 1 look?
i think after 4 years of keeping 10 or so different genera, some one can call themselves advanced. @Haksilence whats your opinion?
 
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Haksilence

Bad At Titles
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i think after 4 years of keeping 10 or so different genera, some one can call themselves advanced.
I disagree, I don't think you can put a time limit on it and 10 genera is far too low, a keeper could have 10 different genera of new worlds.
I would say, if you follow or buy into the ladder system you progress and consider yourself at the appropriate skill level when you are comfortable (don't mistake for complacent) with that rung of the ladder. If you've progressed far enough to comfortably keep, rehouse, care for a genus like cyriopagopus or poecilotheria I would consider that intermediate. When you start comfortably caring, rehousing and breeding super defensive genera like stromatopelma, or caring for more exotic expensive, harder husbandry genera like xenesthis, pamphobeteus, or theraphosa, I would consider that advanced.

That being said there should be an associated x years of experience, since although I've been keeping a relatively short while in comparison, I've progressed through the ladder very rapidly and have gotten to the point of keeping several of the above mentioned species, and breeding S calceatum. But due to my relatively short time in the hobby I would not consider myself a full fledged "advanced keeper" I think that title is best reserved for those that have 10 years or so in the hobby and either have strong taxonomical knowledge or have done research of their own.
 

dopamine

Arachnobaron
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Feb 7, 2010
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341
I've been keeping tarantulas off and on since the late 90s and I still feel like a newb most of the time.
 

Andrea82

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This always a subject of discussion, and I find myself being able to explain what beginner steps could be, and how to progress from there. But after Psalmopoeus and or A.geniculata as next steps for beginners I am like, well, uhhm, I don't know, what do YOU feel like keeping?
I don't think intermediate or advanced titles are set, because every person is different. There are of course stereotypically species like S.calceatum for advanced/expert level, but even that can be a subjective term.
I don't think keeping only NW tarantula can not make you an expert. If someone keeps NW for a decade, he/she still is more experienced than a beginner starting with pokies or H.maculata. I guess there are no iintermediate or advanced keepers. Only intermediate and advanced tarantula.
Just thinking out loud :D
 

Venom1080

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I disagree, I don't think you can put a time limit on it and 10 genera is far too low, a keeper could have 10 different genera of new worlds.
I would say, if you follow or buy into the ladder system you progress and consider yourself at the appropriate skill level when you are comfortable (don't mistake for complacent) with that rung of the ladder. If you've progressed far enough to comfortably keep, rehouse, care for a genus like cyriopagopus or poecilotheria I would consider that intermediate. When you start comfortably caring, rehousing and breeding super defensive genera like stromatopelma, or caring for more exotic expensive, harder husbandry genera like xenesthis, pamphobeteus, or theraphosa, I would consider that advanced.

That being said there should be an associated x years of experience, since although I've been keeping a relatively short while in comparison, I've progressed through the ladder very rapidly and have gotten to the point of keeping several of the above mentioned species, and breeding S calceatum. But due to my relatively short time in the hobby I would not consider myself a full fledged "advanced keeper" I think that title is best reserved for those that have 10 years or so in the hobby and either have strong taxonomical knowledge or have done research of their own.
tarantula husbandry is very simple, even for beginners. the extra steps for keeping tropical spiders like that is adding cross vent and keeping sub moist. i could keep those as my second spider and be fine. Poecilotheria and Cyriopagopus are two of the advanced genera out there, they are very fast and can be super defensive, not to mention their venom. very few people would be able to handle them as one of their first few spiders. mind you, im talking about a advanced keeper, not a breeder or taxonomist. breeding has nothing to do with caring for tarantulas, thats a whole different thing. some one could study and learn every discovered theraphosid genus out there, and they would be a beginner keeper if they ever got a tarantula. i consider the most advance spiders to be Lampropelma, Stromatopelma, Heteroscodra, Omothymus, and Cyriopagopus. Theraphosa, Pamhos, etc. are intermediate species IMO.
 

Marijan2

Arachnobaron
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Oct 21, 2012
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tarantula husbandry is very simple, even for beginners. the extra steps for keeping tropical spiders like that is adding cross vent and keeping sub moist. i could keep those as my second spider and be fine. Poecilotheria and Cyriopagopus are two of the advanced genera out there, they are very fast and can be super defensive, not to mention their venom. very few people would be able to handle them as one of their first few spiders. mind you, im talking about a advanced keeper, not a breeder or taxonomist. breeding has nothing to do with caring for tarantulas, thats a whole different thing. some one could study and learn every discovered theraphosid genus out there, and they would be a beginner keeper if they ever got a tarantula. i consider the most advance spiders to be Lampropelma, Stromatopelma, Heteroscodra, Omothymus, and Cyriopagopus. Theraphosa, Pamhos, etc. are intermediate species IMO.
I mean, if you're breeding advanced species you first need to keep them, no?
 
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