Pros and cons of popular tarantula YouTubers?

[viper69]

People who watch these vids for entertainment all have one thing in common....not enough ts of their own.

And have way too much free time on their hands.

I find YouTube pointless and the word used to describe some as Influencers, plain stupid. A social media influencer —> a person with even more free time on their hands than their “fans”.2

YouTube is a mixed blessing. It can inform but more often than not it’s solely for entertainment. Admittedly I do watch my share of “reality tv” tarantula videos from time to time but on the whole most are vague, uninformative and on par with any other clickbait garbage. I wish it wasn’t this way but that’s how it is. Unfortunately, as far as younger people know, this is the way it is and will always be. And that’s just sad.

I remember a time when public television and networks like animal planet and National Geographic regularly showed informative, exciting and educational documentaries without all the celebrity BS. Twenty five years ago that all went out the window though. With few exceptions (Such as Tom Moran) YouTube content is mostly junk food for the mind.

My impression is that people watch with more interest in the host and his or her screen antics than the actual subject matter. When I became interested in keeping Ts I wanted to find current and accurate information regarding care. What I found (with a few exceptions) was lackluster at best. It’s like watching Dr Phil only with more legs.

Agree about National Geographic- now they show stupid “reality” TV shows.

Dr Phil is someone that abused his power with a very young woman who worked for him— he’s pure garbage, not too far from a pedophile.

 

[The Seraph]

I am not going to do the whole broken record, just wanted to point out someone who I believe to do really good educational videos; @EulersK, whom everybody seems to have forgotten existed. Otherwise, I agree with all the sentiments that have been expressed regarding tarantula youtubers.

 

[Ztesch]

You guys that want to see the arachnologists in the field are sleeping on lovetarantulas. I believe it's Andrew Smith's channel. He has a bunch of documentary style vids of him and other arachnologists in the field. Check him out.

 

[Paul1126]

And have way too much free time on their hands.

Watching a 10 min video = having too much free time?

You guys that want to see the arachnologists in the field are sleeping on lovetarantulas. I believe it's Andrew Smith's channel. He has a bunch of documentary style vids of him and other arachnologists in the field. Check him out.

What a show off! Look at him handling

 

[u bada]

People who watch these vids for entertainment all have one thing in common....not enough ts of their own.

haha... yeah as soon I doubled my collection this year I really watch less youtube vids!

... but I just like to watch any sort of video of tarantulas, even 20 sec bad ones... I'm just never going to have the space to have more than I have right now and seeing them in videos is just more instructive than 2D pics, and I think videos put you closer to how they'd look and act if they were in front of you.

I do wish there were more "educational" en situ vids out there... but one thing that needs to be acknowledged, believe it or not, is that making youtube videos or any videos is really a LOT of work- so much footage, so much editing, so much decisions to be made what goes in a vid, what doesn't, music editing etc., even for cringey vid makers, they put in work there, really is a full time job (and then you factor in watching all your statistics, the tech aspect, and dealing with youtube the company)... and most likely the "educational" arachnid specialists and other enthusiasts don't have it in them or certainly the funds to just shoot endless amounts of footage and make videos.

Shout out to Tom Moran for sho, his videos I can watch and learn and not feel so guilty LOL

 

[Vanisher]

I have a youtube video on my own. It turned out that i thought i was to bad with speaking english in public that i stopped upload!

 

[viper69]

Watching a 10 min video = having too much free time?


What a show off! Look at him handling

1- no...watching frequently- Yes

 

[Paul1126]

1- no...watching frequently- Yes

If I watch 2 I have too much time on my hands?
What if I work 8 hours a day and spend 2 hours at night on YouTube?

 

[velvetundergrowth]

Pros: I'm bored and like looking at spiders

Cons: These people usually seem to care about their YouTube status waaay more than the animal's welfare, which is sure to result in tragedy (for the animals)

 

[LurkingUnderground]

I was just browsing YouTube and because I regularly watch T related content, I always have folks like Exotics Lair, The Dark Den etc. show up on my suggested and it made me think — I’ve watched content like theirs and they have some problematic husbandry advice or none at all (side-eyeing Exotics Lair) BUT I do think that influencers like them have helped people see tarantulas and keeping them in a “different” or more positive way, if nothing else. Exposure itself is important. I’m not a fan of click bait video titles and the drama and whatever else but sometimes a little campiness can soften people’s views.

Of course, entertainment focused YouTubers like these shouldn’t be seen as 100% knowledgeable (side-eyeing The Dark Den for his pairing mistakes) BUT all the same — thoughts on folks like these and the pros and cons of their influence within the hobby?

Dark den. I hate his voice. Sadly exotic lairs is who got me into getting tarantulas.

Pros: I'm bored and like looking at spiders

Cons: These people usually seem to care about their YouTube status waaay more than the animal's welfare, which is sure to result in tragedy (for the animals)

I am starting a YouTube channel maybe I can be a voice for knowledge.

 

[velvetundergrowth]

Dark den. I hate his voice. Sadly exotic lairs is who got me into getting tarantulas.

Dark Den seems like a nice guy, but yeah his dialog in the videos can be irritating. I give him a pass tho because he's speaking a 2nd language. For me it's more that I don't enjoy "sensationalist" content, ie, "HANDLING HUGE DEADLY VENEMOUS TARANTULA"...

I wish you the best of luck with your YouTube channel, I'm sure you'll learn from the mistakes made by those before you

 

[LurkingUnderground]

Dark Den seems like a nice guy, but yeah his dialog in the videos can be irritating. I give him a pass tho because he's speaking a 2nd language. For me it's more that I don't enjoy "sensationalist" content, ie, "HANDLING HUGE DEADLY VENEMOUS TARANTULA"...

I wish you the best of luck with your YouTube channel, I'm sure you'll learn from the mistakes made by those before you

I was going to make a joke about snuggling your ts

I was going to make a joke about snuggling your ts

I have some empty cages with moss and substrate in them that I could make a joke about not rolling around in your sleep. With a disclaimer of no spiders were filmed in the making of this video.

Oh yeah the one good thing I think exotic lairs has going for him was the watering videos. You get to see the Ts and the sound of the water filling the cup. Sounds like a bartender pouring you a beer.

 

[Asgiliath]

I was going to make a joke about snuggling your ts


I have some empty cages with moss and substrate in them that I could make a joke about not rolling around in your sleep. With a disclaimer of no spiders were filmed in the making of this video.

Oh yeah the one good thing I think exotic lairs has going for him was the watering videos. You get to see the Ts and the sound of the water filling the cup. Sounds like a bartender pouring you a beer.

I’ll agree with that. The watering videos are very satisfying.

 

[LurkingUnderground]

I’ll agree with that. The watering videos are very satisfying.

I am planning on doing that in my videos too. But my collection is a little small xD

 

[CorCam]

I was just browsing YouTube and because I regularly watch T related content, I always have folks like Exotics Lair, The Dark Den etc. show up on my suggested and it made me think — I’ve watched content like theirs and they have some problematic husbandry advice or none at all (side-eyeing Exotics Lair) BUT I do think that influencers like them have helped people see tarantulas and keeping them in a “different” or more positive way, if nothing else. Exposure itself is important. I’m not a fan of click bait video titles and the drama and whatever else but sometimes a little campiness can soften people’s views.

Of course, entertainment focused YouTubers like these shouldn’t be seen as 100% knowledgeable (side-eyeing The Dark Den for his pairing mistakes) BUT all the same — thoughts on folks like these and the pros and cons of their influence within the hobby?

Petko of Dark Den, Tom of Tom’s Big Spiders, Alex of Tarantula Haven and Kat of Tarantula Kat have all helped me immensely. I had been terrified of spiders my whole life and now we own 7 tarantulas! The first time I did an unboxing by myself was scary, but I recalled all that I learned watching them that it went smoothly with my first three. Whew! I no longer watch Exotics Lair; stopped watching him months ago. His schtick is his hand which I find ridiculous.

 

[basin79]

I've seen some youtubers actually say the unboxing is awkward as due to filming they've only got 1 hand free.

Well put the bloody phone/camera down then!!!!!!!!

Is recording the unboxing more important than your pets well being? NO!!!!!!

 

[Chris LXXIX]

Jon3800 had always a nice assortment of fire alarms and lawn mowers vids, plus a vintage NES straight on the floor amidst T's and everything: it's beyond me that no one noticed that, nut nowadays everyone is focused only about 4K, aesthetics and whatnot

 

[LurkingUnderground]

I've seen some youtubers actually say the unboxing is awkward as due to filming they've only got 1 hand free.

Well put the bloody phone/camera down then!!!!!!!!

Is recording the unboxing more important than your pets well being? NO!!!!!!

You should see my first video unboxing one handed

 

[basin79]

You should see my first video unboxing one handed

I don't understand the whole unboxing thing. Just show a box and then your new pet in the enclosure.

 

[Arachnophoric]

You should see my first video unboxing one handed

I don't understand the whole unboxing thing. Just show a box and then your new pet in the enclosure.

Or - use a tripod and go hands free!