The "Good" & the "Bad" about tarantula keeping.

[BoyFromLA]

• Pros:
  • You get to keep tarantulas
• Cons:
  • Space is limited
  • Life is not eternal
  • Shipping charge is expensive

 

[Westicles]

Rich people don't brag about spiders on internet forums, except for me of course.

Spread your wealth, Edan!!! Lol

 

[YungRasputin]

the only negative in my mind is the things which absolutely no keeper can control - such as bad molts - it’s gut wrenching to read stories about other keepers putting all their love, time and energy into raising a specimen from a sling and then, randomly, they lose them to a bad molt

truly hate how we haven’t advanced arachnid veterinary care but perhaps one day this will change

 

[Venom1080]

Obviously, it's kinda tough finding a good helper if you're going away for a week or three.

The stigma around it makes me avoid bringing it up with strangers.

People aside, it's a laid back, easy to do, and diverse hobby with something for everyone.


Oh! Random deaths we find too hard to explain is probably the only flaw with the animals themselves.

 

[BoyFromLA]

Rehousing would be on the top of my list.

Only if you were nearby, I’d help rehousing them all. I love doing rehousing.

 

[Craig73]

Only if you were nearby, I’d help rehousing them all. I love doing rehousing.

I’ll meet you on the side of the highway, it’ll be like roadside assistance

 

[QuinnStarr]

Bad -
Rehousing would be on the top of my list. Followed by bolting, hair kicking and threat posing. Pretty much anything that will raise my anxiety through the roof.

Good -
Enjoyable and relaxing to look at and easy to care for. Hard to stay in a funk when you have pretty T’s to admire. We also listen to Madonna’s Vogue song and you would be surprised how good they are at it, like naturally gifted. Some strike a pose way too early, but love them anyways.

I think threat poses are hilarious. Obviously I don’t do anything to encourage them - I don’t want to stress them out any more than necessary for a rehousing or a water dish refill or whatever - but my Xenesthis threat posed a mealworm so hard today that it fell over backwards.

I couldn’t help but laugh. Silly spood.

also, I will help with rehousing ANY day. I find them weirdly cathartic. It gives me something to focus on 100% and rehouse time is the only time I can get anyone to take my children so they’re out of my hair for 20 minutes.

 

[Craig73]

I think threat poses are hilarious. Obviously I don’t do anything to encourage them - I don’t want to stress them out any more than necessary for a rehousing or a water dish refill or whatever - but my Xenesthis threat posed a mealworm so hard today that it fell over backwards.

I couldn’t help but laugh. Silly spood.

also, I will help with rehousing ANY day. I find them weirdly cathartic. It gives me something to focus on 100% and rehouse time is the only time I can get anyone to take my children so they’re out of my hair for 20 minutes.

Arachnophobia problems. Love my tarantulas, but also a struggle. I wouldn’t change it for the world though. I’ve learned a ton through the board and about myself along the way. Awe, haha.

 

[Tim Benzedrine]

the only negative in my mind is the things which absolutely no keeper can control - such as bad molts - it’s gut wrenching to read stories about other keepers putting all their love, time and energy into raising a specimen from a sling and then, randomly, they lose them to a bad molt

truly hate how we haven’t advanced arachnid veterinary care but perhaps one day this will change

I was coming in to express what you posted. It isn't that common, but it happens and it is not always the fault of the keeper.

 

[YungRasputin]

I was coming in to express what you posted. It isn't that common, but it happens and it is not always the fault of the keeper.

most definitely, don’t want to jinx myself but in the 26 years I’ve been keeping arachnids there was only 1 time when my G. rosea was a little stuck, and I helped them out and had a positive outcome that I've come close to that but never had anything as bad as say, Tom’s bad pokie molt vids - still hard to watch, v unfortunate

really feel molting is the only weakness arachnids have truthfully

 

[greeneyedelle]

really feel molting is the only weakness arachnids have truthfully

"85% of tarantula deaths occur during ecdysis." Blew my mind when I read that. The one thing we literally have no control over and it's the largest cause of death in arachnids by a huge percentage. And I believe that statistic isn't just captive, so even if it comes down to husbandry, they're still just as susceptible to it in the wild. Scary stuff.

 

[OddballSpoods]

The Good- It’s an easy hobby to become enmeshed in because as long as you use common sense, it’s easy to maintain a considerable amount of T’s. They’re living art and it’s so wonderful and soothing to watch them just exist. Care requirements for most species are pretty simple. They’re also just really cool and it’s enjoyable to set up enclosures and enrich their environment.

The bad- People judging you for how much money you spend in the hobby. People coming into your home and saying rude crap about being violent toward them. The pet stores trying to jump into the trade for profit and misinforming people on tarantula husbandry.

 

[kingshockey]

the good its pretty satisfying raising a dinky lil t you can barely see into an adult with all its colors etc.
the bad (sad) having that tiny sling mature into a male and knowing its days are numbered now and nothing you can really do about it

 

[AphonopelmaTX]

The Good

• Having giant spiders around me at all times is what it is all about. Maybe it is something we, as tarantula keepers, take for granted, but I often take a step back and for a moment of fascination that spiders can get as big as my hand or larger. I mean really, at the end of the day tarantulas are spiders just the same as the teeny tiny ones that build cobwebs along the floorboards. They are amazing creatures.

The Bad

• Maintaining feeder insects. Crickets, roaches, mealworms, or whatever takes so much more work than the tarantulas themselves.
• Playing in dirt. My least favorite activity is mixing up the soil I use (50/50 mix of topsoil and coco fiber). Dirt ends up all over the place, underneath my fingernails, and I end up having more chores to do. Sometimes I wish I had a volunteer assistant to do that for me.

 

[TheHound]

The Good

• The satisfaction involved with watching the spiders grow and thrive under your care
• The fascination involved with generally observing their ways, so alien to a big hairy primate like myself
• The appreciation of their beauty, especially when you bring them through various changes from sling to adult
• Being able to go into the tarantula room and peace out from other nonsense by observing them and doing maintenance if necessary. There's a degree of zen to it that shuts out other concerns for that moment
• Being able to geek out about them to people who are interested

The Bad

• Definitely agree with the post above that maintaining the feeders is more laborious, and also less rewarding, than maintaining the actual tarantulas. I'm sure I can improve efficiency here, but it's still a faff
• Sourcing attractive, sizeable display enclosures in the UK. Many seem to have some kind of drawback or require some extra DIY work, which is not my thing
• I suppose getting the slings cared for when on holiday, but I am lucky to have an exotic pet shop very close by that will take them on such occasions

 

[greeneyedelle]

The Good

• The satisfaction involved with watching the spiders grow and thrive under your care
• The fascination involved with generally observing their ways, so alien to a big hairy primate like myself
• The appreciation of their beauty, especially when you bring them through various changes from sling to adult
• Being able to go into the tarantula room and peace out from other nonsense by observing them and doing maintenance if necessary. There's a degree of zen to it that shuts out other concerns for that moment
• Being able to geek out about them to people who are interested

The Bad

• Definitely agree with the post above that maintaining the feeders is more laborious, and also less rewarding, than maintaining the actual tarantulas. I'm sure I can improve efficiency here, but it's still a faff
• Sourcing attractive, sizeable display enclosures in the UK. Many seem to have some kind of drawback or require some extra DIY work, which is not my thing
• I suppose getting the slings cared for when on holiday, but I am lucky to have an exotic pet shop very close by that will take them on such occasions

Brilliantly said

 

[Arachnophobphile]

Posting something on AB to find out you are dead wrong later, (hangs head in shame).

Arguing with someone on AB only to feel like dog !@#$ afterwards realizing it's a real person with the same emotions as you.

Guilty, guilty and guilty, these are the bad for me and learning to rise above these ugly human mistakes.

 

[greeneyedelle]

I don’t know @DomGom TheFather I think you’ve got a future in bumper stickers lol

 

[DomGom TheFather]

I don’t know @DomGom TheFather I think you’ve got a future in bumper stickers lol
View attachment 406132

If that's real, the only question i have is why it's not on my car.

 

[greeneyedelle]

If that's real, the only question i have is why it's not on my car.

Hahahaha I’m not talented enough in photo shop to fake it, and even though I only ordered one, they sent me two, so you can have it!