Somebody Tell the Dark Den to Stop!! (Unless I'm Wrong)

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Hisserdude

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Mold...lol...spores on the tarantula:eek::rofl: omg
To be fair, I've dealt with that type of mycelium before, (likely Leucocoprinus sp), and it's very dusty when touched, so the tarantula COULD have carried some spores over to new enclosure in its setae... But Petko probably introduced some spores by hand and tong as well, and if he didn't sterilize that substrate it probably already has spores in it, (as Leucocoprinus and the like are brought into enclosures through unsterlized substrate), so it doesn't even really matter TBH...

And yeah he's pretty oblivious to some basic facts about many of the species he keeps, despite having a very large collection and meaning well, (for the most part). He should really do some more reading on the forums and such in his spare time... If he doesn't believe all his "haters", then he should at least pick up some notes from other people's threads here ya know?

And for the love of god I hope he doesn't pair those B.albopilosum, or at the VERY least if he for some reason goes through with it he better label the offspring as hybrids, we have enough hybrids being sold as pure breds in the hobby... If he did go through with it that would be very bad for the hobby in general though, as it could send a message to a lot of newcomers that hybridization is fine and that it's "OK" to do, when in reality it should only be done by experienced breeders who will meticulously label all offspring produced as hybrids, or even better, simply not at all.
 

boina

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I like the dark den
I watch his videos all the time.
And that's exactly the problem. You are new to tarantulas, you like him, he's entertaining and cool, and you have no way of separating the good from the bad from the nonsense in his videos - and among the good there's a lot of bad and nonsense mixed in.

and if he didn't sterilize that substrate it probably already has spores in it, (as Leucocoprinus and the like are brought into enclosures through unsterlized substrate)
Yes, Leucocoprinus often is in the substrate. Other mold comes in from the air. If you sterilize the substrate the fist thing falling into it, it being a mold spore, a mite egg or a pathogenic bacterium, will have the pristine substrate all to itself and multiply like crazy. Sometimes, sterilizing the substrate goes well, because the first thing in it is some harmless saprophyte. If it doesn't go well you don't have a problem, you have a desaster.

Please, don't promote sterilization. It's better to just pick up a small spoon of earth from the outside to seed your enclosure to provide competition, or use springtails and isopods.
 
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Ungoliant

Malleus Aranearum
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Long story short- Dark Den got a MM B. albopilosum and i'm 100% that its nicaraguan. But hes planning to breed it with his honduran "hobby form" tarantula Annie, Please correct me if i'm wrong but that's a nicaraguan am I right? If so, comment him to don't breed them on the Youtube comments.
Well that's an interesting video. I do like his video quality and have watched a number of his videos before -- he seems to be one of a handful that gets the concept of using a tripod instead of posting shaky handheld footage.

That being said, I can't say I would recommend picking up a tarantula with tweezers or breeding a Nicaraguan Brachypelma albopilosum with a hobby form.

Nor do I worry about transferring mold spores; they're ubiquitous. (It's more practical to address the conditions that allow mold to take over.)

It's partly why I stopped making videos myself. I never had the following he did, but the comments section was absolutely toxic. When other YouTubers got in on it and made videos specifically calling me out, I bailed on the whole thing. Not interested in the drama.
To be clear, I didn't mind people disagreeing with my keeping. There is always something new to learn. But absolute basic aspects of my husbandry were being corrected for what pet stores suggested. And it was happening nearly every video. It gets exhausting.
That's a shame; I always looked forward to your videos and still share them with people.

Perhaps just disable the comments section? It doesn't matter what topic the video is about: YouTube comment threads often devolve into flaming garbage heaps.
 

AnObeseHippo

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I’m afraid the damage may have been done. I watch his videos regularly and I’m pretty sure they’re filmed about a week or so in advance. No clue how close to pairing he was though. He may have been planning to do it in a month
 

Potatatas

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Back in the 90s there was a group of amibitous young gentlemen that thought long and hard about what motivates people to do what they do and they came up with the anagram "CREAM - Cash Rules Everything Around Me". They continued - "get dat money. Dolla dolla bill y'all".

And I think those fine gentlemen's discovery still holds true today and Petko needs content for the machine.
 

Venom1080

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It's partly why I stopped making videos myself. I never had the following he did, but the comments section was absolutely toxic. When other YouTubers got in on it and made videos specifically calling me out, I bailed on the whole thing. Not interested in the drama.
Ah, always wondered why you stopped. Shame. One of like three tarantula channels I enjoyed. You should get back into it. Comment sections can always be turned off..
 

korlash091

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One of the reasons i started in this hobby a year ago were his videos, i found them funny and he seemed to know what he was doing, but i have to be honest, since he moved to the new place, it looks like he just makes videos for the likes and to get more subscribers, handles a lot, and does a lot of stuff that if find weird, or just plain bad for the Ts.

Pd:sorry for my english
 

AnObeseHippo

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Back in the 90s there was a group of amibitous young gentlemen that thought long and hard about what motivates people to do what they do and they came up with the anagram "CREAM - Cash Rules Everything Around Me". They continued - "get dat money. Dolla dolla bill y'all".

And I think those fine gentlemen's discovery still holds true today and Petko needs content for the machine.
I think it’s an oversight and not him being desperate for content... I don’t think he’s that messed up of a person.
 

cold blood

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Is anyone else creeped out by the 'cult' following that some YouTubers have? I find it utterly pathetic tbh. I've recognized some of your comments @boina and @Liquifin and it's saddening that people jump right to his defense like he's some sort of deity. I get it, he has great camera work, his videos are amazing quality wise, etc. but it doesn't mean what he does is 100% right. It's pathetic how many people jump and attack those who try to correct them.
The thing about him, is that when he started this just 3 years ago, his followers dont seem to realize he was a complete newb to ts at the time....even now, hes got a whole 3 yrs experience...sorry its just not enough to be called or thought of as an expert....and it explains his inconsistency and rampant mistakes. Then look at someone like boina, making a correction and getting blasted by his followers who dont realize shes got way way more experience.

I really hate to see newcomers get lauded as you tube experts and followed like that....imo the followers are being decieved into thinking they are getting expert info.

Nothing personal, he does good camera work and is personsble...but IMO hes just an intermediate level keeper thats keeping waaaay too many ts considering his experience...and again, to someone with lots of experience, his lack of experience often shows in his vids.

And his followers have no clue because they cant recognize improper info.
 

Chris LXXIX

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The thing about him, is that when he started this just 3 years ago, his followers dont seem to realize he was a complete newb to ts at the time....even now, hes got a whole 3 yrs experience...sorry its just not enough to be called or thought of as an expert....and it explains his inconsistency and rampant mistakes. Then look at someone like boina, making a correction and getting blasted by his followers who dont realize shes got way way more experience.

I really hate to see newcomers get lauded as you tube experts and followed like that....imo the followers are being decieved into thinking they are getting expert info.

Nothing personal, he does good camera work and is personsble...but IMO hes just an intermediate level keeper thats keeping waaaay too many ts considering his experience...and again, to someone with lots of experience, his lack of experience often shows in his vids.

And his followers have no clue because they cant recognize improper info.
Unfortunately that's a very common, worldwide practice, since the Internet 'social network' era 'exploded' -- no matter 'The Dark Den' for a moment, now.

All you have to do is using well technology devices (and indeed he's skilled), being funny a bit, being able to talk properly, being able to create a couple of DIY stuff (like his enclosures) and voilà... time will do the rest :pompous:

This 'medium' (I mean the Internet, today available to everyone, everywhere, combined with the social network users-base) very often basically stomped upon the old good - direct, achieved on the field - knowledge etc

This opinion of mine now isn't directed to Petko and his channel only but about basically almost everything, in fact every Youtuber with - some to medium visibility - has an 'army' of followers prone to maule those that goes against their 'way of doing things' just that, ironically but obviously, including clueless ones.

It's a sort of 'monster' escaped from the scientist control, with a life of his own :)
 

Potatatas

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I think it’s an oversight and not him being desperate for content... I don’t think he’s that messed up of a person.
I'm just cynical about these things and always think big youtubers to be money hungry, click baiting, attention seekers. Plus he does put up 3 10min vids a week and that's a lot of content. To sustain that he needs to keep buying more pets or disregard his current pets need to be left alone for 5 mins.

imo the followers are being decieved into thinking they are getting expert info
I never realised he wasn't an experienced keeper! Had me fooled. saw hus huge collection and how confidently he comes across and to me it seemed like he has had these for years. I had heard he wasn't the best youtuber to take info from so I just check his vids for entertainment rather than proper info (Tom Moran all the way).

Btw some things he does is cringey as ....
 

AnObeseHippo

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I'm just cynical about these things and always think big youtubers to be money hungry, click baiting, attention seekers. Plus he does put up 3 10min vids a week and that's a lot of content. To sustain that he needs to keep buying more pets or disregard his current pets need to be left alone for 5 mins.
I’d love it if he put up 3x10min videos a week. His wednesday ones are usually only 3-5 minutes long. Still a lot of content, but if he makes clips 30-60s long then with his large collections, he can do weekly feeding, or rehousing, or watering videos without needing to constantly grow his collection. I think he jusg likes collecting stuff (See: his can collection)

But as you said, you are being cynical and just assuming the worst of people. :meh:
 

Chris LXXIX

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But as you said, you are being cynical and just assuming the worst of people. :meh:
Depends, points of view. Seeking to make cash (just for saying) by/from your own created stuff (like a YT channel is) isn't being a worst person (at least for me).

@Potatatas said that they are 'attention seekers', 'click baiting', and 'money hungry'. Now maybe this doesn't goes for everyone, but for a very, very huge portion (no matter which kind of YT channel) of Youtubers is indeed true.

But analyzing a bit what he said, nothing of that suits into being a worst person.

Click baiting, while annoying, is a reality. To gain some cash (depends) by monetizing the videos is a reality. And 'attention seekers', if viewed under another perspective, is a reality as well, for that, the uploader (no matter which) hope for gain visibility/views/audience.

IMO what's worst is how much "fast" sometimes those things goes, including 'hardcore' followers behaviour, rather than what he said :)
 

Liquifin

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Depends, points of view. Seeking to make cash (just for saying) by/from your own created stuff (like a YT channel is) isn't being a worst person (at least for me).

@Potatatas said that they are 'attention seekers', 'click baiting', and 'money hungry'. Now maybe this doesn't goes for everyone, but for a very, very huge portion (no matter which kind of YT channel) of Youtubers is indeed true.

But analyzing a bit what he said, nothing of that suits into being a worst person.

Click baiting, while annoying, is a reality. To gain some cash (depends) by monetizing the videos is a reality. And 'attention seekers', if viewed under another perspective, is a reality as well, for that, the uploader (no matter which) hope for gain visibility/views/audience.

IMO what's worst is how much "fast" sometimes those things goes, including 'hardcore' followers behaviour, rather than what he said :)
First time I actually read a comment from you that sounds wise of wisdom :angelic:, it's actually appealing :astonished:. Normally you have the best jokes in the comments, i'm astonished. :D:troll:
 

EulersK

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Perhaps just disable the comments section? It doesn't matter what topic the video is about: YouTube comment threads often devolve into flaming garbage heaps.
Comment sections can always be turned off..
Agreed, and I certainly considered that. But I do enjoy the back and forth with the 95% of constructive comments. It's the 5% of needless bickering I can't stand. One of the last straws was a comment thread that started by me bringing up the lack of an actual mouth in tarantulas, meaning they can't eat solid foods like reptiles do. This is spider anatomy 101. Some girl with one tarantula swore that she saw her spider eat a cricket whole, and either trolls or more uneducated folks swarmed like flies to back her up. I don't know, I may get back into them. Recently got a new job that affords me much more free time, and I did enjoy the act of actually making videos. We shall see.

I really hate to see newcomers get lauded as you tube experts and followed like that....imo the followers are being decieved into thinking they are getting expert info.

Nothing personal, he does good camera work and is personsble...but IMO hes just an intermediate level keeper thats keeping waaaay too many ts considering his experience...and again, to someone with lots of experience, his lack of experience often shows in his vids.
The exact same thing could be said of RobC's channel. I loved his videos when I first got into the hobby, but I very quickly realized he was just another intermediate keeper (at best) with the cash to lay down for a nice collection.
 

Chris LXXIX

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First time I actually read a comment from you that sounds wise of wisdom :angelic:, it's actually appealing :astonished:. Normally you have the best jokes in the comments, i'm astonished. :D:troll:
Actually, son :kiss: (you are younger than me, so I have the right to call you 'son') I'm serious even when I blatantly joke, u_u
 

Liquifin

Arachnoking
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Agreed, and I certainly considered that. But I do enjoy the back and forth with the 95% of constructive comments. It's the 5% of needless bickering I can't stand. One of the last straws was a comment thread that started by me bringing up the lack of an actual mouth in tarantulas, meaning they can't eat solid foods like reptiles do. This is spider anatomy 101. Some girl with one tarantula swore that she saw her spider eat a cricket whole, and either trolls or more uneducated folks swarmed like flies to back her up. I don't know, I may get back into them. Recently got a new job that affords me much more free time, and I did enjoy the act of actually making videos. We shall see.
Youtube is always full of haters, you can't please everybody. When it comes to toxic comments, it usually stings the person. But honestly, you got to get back on your feet and do the things you stand for. Every time a person becomes toxic online, whether on Youtube, Discord, Reddit, etc. I really just troll them out to annoyance for fun with dumb jokes about science or memes :troll:. I realize that people take in toxicity differently. Every time it happens to me, I just laugh :rofl: and comment back in a troll to boil their blood even more. Despite knowing how serious they're taking it compared to me just playing around. Hey, I don't how high your tolerance to toxicity is, but my whole life has been like this. I tolerate hate very well now, unless they wanna get physical :troll:. It's good for some people to get toxic comments, because it reminds them to stay on tier with everyone else and not get generic over-tiered youtubers who think they are above everyone else at what they do, LOL:p.
 
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