My girlfriends family friend was dating someone who went to jail and had a bunch of tarantulas and theyu didn't know what to do with them. Since I owned one they reached out to me and I ended up taking a few that were visible in the enclosures. I am planning on moving to Germany within a few months and want to sell all of them without shipping them preferably. whats the best way to go about doing so ?
Best way to sell T.s
- Thread starter empte
- Start date
There are a couple of ways to rehome the animals. My biggest concern when it comes to it involves making sure they end up in good homes. There are a number of tarantula groups on social media platforms that do breeding loans, trades, and rehomes. You just have to be careful in how you post, as the sale of animals is typically banned in those groups. Ask around on a Facebook group if there are keepers open to rehoming and ask for them to message you directly.
In those groups, there are typically regional chats where you can interact with people that post from around your area.
Another note to consider is if there are any legislations in your area that may restrict how they are moved / sold.
Finally, asking for a price has its own pros and cons. I don't typically put a price tag on any of mine, as I'd rather give a spider away for free to a good home where it will thrive than try and make a dime. You are also much more likely to find rehoming prospects if the animal is sold for a good deal or free. I have made more than one road trip for a good spider opportunity.
In those groups, there are typically regional chats where you can interact with people that post from around your area.
Another note to consider is if there are any legislations in your area that may restrict how they are moved / sold.
Finally, asking for a price has its own pros and cons. I don't typically put a price tag on any of mine, as I'd rather give a spider away for free to a good home where it will thrive than try and make a dime. You are also much more likely to find rehoming prospects if the animal is sold for a good deal or free. I have made more than one road trip for a good spider opportunity.
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You can post on the classifieds here. You need to be an active member though or pay the small fee.
You could also try any local stores that sells T's, I'd assume you would have to give them a major discount though.
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Since you are looking for someone local so you don't have to ship, you could try listing them on sites like Craigslist or NextDoor that have local classifieds listings. I have acquired more than a few tarantulas (and a scorpion) through Craigslist ads. There are always a number of people in my area with active Craigslist ads offering tarantulas for sale. I tend to avoid the ones from dealers because I can buy from local dealers at the reptile expos that happen every few months - but I do look at the ones from individual owners looking to rehome a spider. If you go that route - and are concerned about the spider going to a good home, with someone who can take proper care of it - you can ask the people responding to your ad about their previous experience with tarantulas, especially if any of the spiders in question are more appropriate for more advanced keepers.
Because you do mention that you could use the money, I'd suggest middle-of-the-road pricing. You don't want to just give them away - but if the prices are too high, you won't be able to move the spiders. You'll see people asking top dollar online for some of their spiders - but you'll also see a lot of those ads staying up for months, suggesting that they aren't actually getting those prices. Check around online for the going rate (in the US) for similar spiders (same species, roughly the same age/size) and set your price point a bit lower to make your ad more inviting. If you aren't getting any serious responses, you may have to drop the prices as you get closer to the date of your move.
Because you do mention that you could use the money, I'd suggest middle-of-the-road pricing. You don't want to just give them away - but if the prices are too high, you won't be able to move the spiders. You'll see people asking top dollar online for some of their spiders - but you'll also see a lot of those ads staying up for months, suggesting that they aren't actually getting those prices. Check around online for the going rate (in the US) for similar spiders (same species, roughly the same age/size) and set your price point a bit lower to make your ad more inviting. If you aren't getting any serious responses, you may have to drop the prices as you get closer to the date of your move.
CentiPete
Arachnopeon
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Charging a reasonable price, lets say 10-15% below market value will also dissuade insincere buyers, which will heighten the chance the animals will get a decent home.
Pricey enough to discourage impulse buys, a bargain for those in the know, if the animal is in good condition.
Pricey enough to discourage impulse buys, a bargain for those in the know, if the animal is in good condition.
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Find a local social media group. And place information there. No freebies to avoid freeloaders that have petshop contacts for resell.
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There are larger vendors that buy collections, but they'd need to know what species are for sale and the offered price would be on the lower side because they're just going to add them into inventory and resell.
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Smart move!! Cheaper T prices AND the world’s largest exotics show!!!!!
TechnoGeek
Arachnosquire
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FB groups are your best bet. You can't post live animals in the group cause that'll get them flagged and removed, but you can send a message in the group chat if they have one and many groups have dedicated channels to selling. This increases the odds of a true hobbyist buying your animal since casual people looking for an impulse buy aren't likely to be active in a community group for months to years.
As for the price, I usually charge something that's below market value but not dirt cheap. 25% below what pet shops would sell the same animal for is a good idea.
Good luck.