Pros and cons of popular tarantula YouTubers?

[Swagg]

Oh my god, what is this you’ve just introduced me too. Reminds me of the ‘cringey tarantula videos thread’
View attachment 337763

The best part about this video is they got the species wrong

 

[thatdadlife619]

The best part about this video is they got the species wrong

And the writhing in pain had me laughing too I’d have a lot more respect if they used any poecilotheria sp. or an obt

 

[viper69]

thoughts on folks like these and the pros and cons of their influence within the hobby?

The Nazi parody videos sum up the problems on such things. The first one in particular.

As someone who deals in confirming if information is accurate or not- one always needs to consider the sources

There was a guy in the hobby, busy collecting species AND publishing all these new Avics. Well they are all a morphotype for now. Yet for over a decade were considered "new species". Consider your sources.

 

[emminotte]

Thoughts on other Youtubers to recommend? I mostly just watch my local Youtuber when it comes to Tarantulas, alongside with Tom Moran. And well, I kept hearing about Exotics Lair and the Dark Den, but they don't seem to have a good reputation about Tarantula keeping, hahaha. Either way, are there any more Youtubers that you guys can recommend?

 

[AphonopelmaTX]

There is a whole thread on this same subject.

Pros and cons of popular tarantula YouTubers?

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...

arachnoboards.com

 

[emminotte]

There is a whole thread on this same subject.

Pros and cons of popular tarantula YouTubers?

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...

arachnoboards.com

Thanks a bunch!

 

[viper69]

Generally for YouTube = monkey see, monkey do

There are some good things on it, but generally not.

 

[WolvesInSpaceMarines]

The thread that AphonopelmaTx recommended is perfect. If you don't want to sift through, I'd recommend Tom's Big Spiders (which you already know, based on your post) and the Tarantula Collective. Richard is great for his cinematography and entertainment while also being educational and informative. The Dark Den is okay for entertainment, but like you said, I don't know if he's the best for husbandry advice. I can't watch Exotics Lair. I'm still a newb, so I'm far from the most informed person, but even I can tell that he makes a lot of bad mistakes for the sake of being entertaining. The first example was trying to separate his M. balfouri slings from the mother. It was awful.

I hear Tarantula Haven is also a good source of information, but I don't watch his stuff as much. Outside of those, I think viper said it best, they generally aren't great and I'm sure other beginners have followed their example for T keeping, which isn't necessarily good.

 

[Arthroverts]

Nukamedia Exotics is a pretty cool channel in my opinion, though it hasn't been uploaded to in a while. Produced by an AB member too, trying to remember his username so I can tag him...

Thanks,

Arthroverts

 

[eazy-lee]

I like dark den i think petko is getting better his set ups look great but big lack of water dishes, I absolutely cant stand exotics lair such a bad influence in the hobby for the younger gen small enclosures no dishes banging and sliding and spinning enclosures and just talking nonsense, i find the tarantula collection probably the best one

 

[viper69]

The guy already did publish several arachnological papers. He's not a professional scientist, as far as I know. As in "not having a position at a research facility". Decent science nonetheless.

One of the world’s most respected and famous T experts is all self-taught. He is asked by governments to head up conservation plans.

 

[Table]

I honestly think their doing nothing wrong, but I can see how some newbies could be mislead by some.

 

[Garnet3942]

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?

I don't think excotic lairs gives very good info mainly because people got mad at me in this just because I believed something he said that was not true, I don't like be scolded or hated just because I made a small mistake.. Using angry emojis won't give me the answer! But that's not the point.. I have noticed he moves his arms around caressly while talking and I beleive it riles up his T's sometimes. Other than him mentioning the scientific name of T's (which has helped me remember their names) He is not that great of a T youtuber. I have seen some things that I do beleive were right on his channel but not everything so now if I watch him I watch with caution. He has gotten rid of fears and made some people buy T's and honestly I wanted a A. Chalcodes because of him but my dad was meh about that species because they can be moody. (That usually goes with most beginner species all spiders have different moods sometimes) I ended up getting a G. Pulchra because they look awesome and have a great "personality".

 

[Moakmeister]

I hate Exotic Lair's almost disturbing commitment to doing everything with one hand and filming with the other. Like dude, if you just get a six dollar tripod and use both hands, your job would become about 650% easier, but he just won't do it. I've seen him struggle to do stuff because he's only using one hand AND looking through the camera at the same time, so he's not even properly focused.

Other than that hes cool.

 

[Cas S]

There is a whole thread on this same subject.

Pros and cons of popular tarantula YouTubers?

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...

arachnoboards.com

isnt that this thread?

 

[ColeopteraC]

I hate Exotic Lair's almost disturbing commitment to doing everything with one hand and filming with the other. Like dude, if you just get a six dollar tripod and use both hands, your job would become about 650% easier, but he just won't do it. I've seen him struggle to do stuff because he's only using one hand AND looking through the camera at the same time, so he's not even properly focused.

Other than that hes cool.

May be for the ‘theatrics’ or to spread the time on his videos. YT does punish their creators if videos are too short. Could just be the invert world equivalent of a 4 minute intro of brain dead rambling...

 

[purplephilia]

isnt that this thread?

AphonopelmaTX was probably posting on a thread that was originally its own thread but got merged here by a moderator.

 

[Cas S]

AphonopelmaTX was probably posting on a thread that was originally its own thread but got merged here by a moderator.

oh ok

 

[Minty]

So what I’ve found is that I’ve completely lost interest in watching tarantula youtube videos. Unless it’s a look at a newly discovered species, there’s nothing else a youtuber can do to excite me now.

 

[Magicis3]

Tom Moran is they way to go IMO. He makes everything simple for the viewer while educating them. I found myself often binge watching his video