The OFFICIAL YouTube thread for tarantula care and husbandry channels

[Staehilomyces]

I feel the same way about The Dark Den. I used to look forward to his vids so much, but now they've lost their "comfortable" feel, and they've lost the theme of tarantulas. I think a bit of variety is beneficial - my channel is mainly focused on centipedes, yet I've also featured velvet worms, millipedes and my first tarantula. However, there's a line to be drawn. In the end, you've got to remind yourself what your channel is principally about.

 

[Paul1126]

I feel the same way about The Dark Den. I used to look forward to his vids so much, but now they've lost their "comfortable" feel, and they've lost the theme of tarantulas. I think a bit of variety is beneficial - my channel is mainly focused on centipedes, yet I've also featured velvet worms, millipedes and my first tarantula. However, there's a line to be drawn. In the end, you've got to remind yourself what your channel is principally about.

I'm still subscribed but never watch his videos, I don't know what it is I just don't enjoy them anymore.

 

[Staehilomyces]

Yeah, same here. The last vid I watched was the centipede unboxing, and that's only because I love pedes.

Exotics Lair must have something Dark Den doesn't, even though he has far inferior filming gear (which gives me hope for my channel).

Part of the reason I don't watch many of his vids is because he uploads so often now that I can't keep up, and his videos have become less of a "treat".

 

[DanBsTs]

I found that getting videos of all of my pets rather than "just" my tarantulas has been great. You get those who love them who might never of seen a Tokay gecko. They see Zeus (mine) and think he's fantastic.

Similarly when they see my spiders, centipedes, Harley Quinn my Tri coloured hognose, giant water bug, Stheno my tiger salamander, vinegaroon, scorpion, assassin bug, Typhon my Caucasian Shepherd puppy and Pandora my Senegal parrot.

Now my channel is absolutely tiny compared to the popular channels but showing other pets off is a good thing in my eyes. And obviously it works both ways. Someone might find videos of say Zeus as they love lizards and go on to watch my tarantula videos and find they're not ugly monsters but beautiful inverts.

Variety is the spice of life.

I enjoy your format on your channel. It’s straight and to the point and you always have great footage and pictures.

 

[Thekla]

Now that Exotics Lair has surpassed the Dark Den by 50K subscribers, can anyone tell me why his channel was mostly overlooked and ignored in this discussion?

To me, it seems as though The Dark Den is so mainstream that it has lost its 'purity'. In an effort to appeal to all kinds of audiences, Petko has included videos displaying all sorts of inverts and even mammals (let alone his vlog-style escapades to random forests, caves, etc.). Exotics Lair has managed to surpass Petko's channel by over 50K, WITHOUT fancy technology, equipment and enclosures, and without having ANY poecilotheria in his collection! This is something to ponder indeed.

Exotics Lair also manages to hit millions of views on a WATERING VIDEO!! I think the key to his success is his 'purity'; meaning that he only focuses on tarantulas (at least 90% of his videos are about tarantulas). He doesn't waste our time with frogs, lizards and geckos, rodents, those damn assassin bugs, and other non-arachnids.

And I swear....if I have to see one more fricken Dark Den vlog video on a train station going from Wvlepkovich to plefkovatish....!!!

I normally don't involve myself in discussions like this, but I think this is a bit unfair. It sounds to me as if he's not allowed to include other animals or topics in his channel. He never claimed that his channel would be exclusively about tarantulas, and I for one love watching his vids. I think it's interesting to learn about other invertebrates or other animals... for example, I never cared about frogs, but the way he is dealing with his dart frogs, made me more interested in them. And those little captions are hilarious.

I could list all the things I like about his channel (e.g. those little outdoor adventures, his collaboration with Tarantula Dan, his ingenuity and creativity when it comes to enclosures and stuff) and explain those in length, but that would go beyond the scope.

But what I really love are his editing skills. It's not only quite professional but entertaining as well. I enjoy editing myself (mostly fanvids/music videos), so I really appreciate the quality in his vids.

As for Exotic Lair, I only started watching his vids when Petko mentioned he'd surpassed him. And I really like his videos, his humour is great (as is Petko's), but what puts me off sometimes is the filming itself. Most of the times he handles the camera/phone with one hand and everything else with the other. Don't get me wrong... he has really nice hands, but sometimes I wished he'd put down the camera and go in front of it so I can see who's behind the camera. I think it builds some kind of bond/trust when you can actually see the person making all those videos.

Well, these are my two cents on the matter.

 

[basin79]

I enjoy your format on your channel. It’s straight and to the point and you always have great footage and pictures.

Cheers ears.

 

[DanBsTs]

I think if I had to choose a favorite channel it would have to be Tom Moran’s channel. Very informative. Basin79 is good. Eeriearachnids is also good. Drako’s Ts, the Black Widow, the Spiderman. All very good.

 

[basin79]

I think if I had to choose a favorite channel it would have to be Tom Moran’s channel. Very informative. Basin79 is good. Eeriearachnids is also good. Drako’s Ts, the Black Widow, the Spiderman. All very good.

Tom's my favourite. His videos aren't overly long and you get what you expect. Fantastic youtuber.

This channel could well take over though. Absolutely no idea why they don't have 50-100k subs.
https://www.youtube.com/user/giantspiderscom

 

[DanBsTs]

Tom's my favourite. His videos aren't overly long and you get what you expect. Fantastic youtuber.

This channel could well take over though. Absolutely no idea why they don't have 50-100k subs.
https://www.youtube.com/user/giantspiderscom

I’ve never seen this channel. I will have to check them out.

 

[Minty]

I normally don't involve myself in discussions like this, but I think this is a bit unfair. It sounds to me as if he's not allowed to include other animals or topics in his channel. He never claimed that his channel would be exclusively about tarantulas, and I for one love watching his vids. I think it's interesting to learn about other invertebrates or other animals... for example, I never cared about frogs, but the way he is dealing with his dart frogs, made me more interested in them. And those little captions are hilarious.

I could list all the things I like about his channel (e.g. those little outdoor adventures, his collaboration with Tarantula Dan, his ingenuity and creativity when it comes to enclosures and stuff) and explain those in length, but that would go beyond the scope.

But what I really love are his editing skills. It's not only quite professional but entertaining as well. I enjoy editing myself (mostly fanvids/music videos), so I really appreciate the quality in his vids.

As for Exotic Lair, I only started watching his vids when Petko mentioned he'd surpassed him. And I really like his videos, his humour is great (as is Petko's), but what puts me off sometimes is the filming itself. Most of the times he handles the camera/phone with one hand and everything else with the other. Don't get me wrong... he has really nice hands, but sometimes I wished he'd put down the camera and go in front of it so I can see who's behind the camera. I think it builds some kind of bond/trust when you can actually see the person making all those videos.

Well, these are my two cents on the matter.

Exotics Lair May be a Singaporean, so he might be hiding his identity for a good reason.

 

[Greasylake]

Exotics Lair May be a Singaporean, so he might be hiding his identity for a good reason.

Does Singapore not allow keeping inverts?

 

[SonsofArachne]

I generally watch Exotics Lair, Dark Den, and Tarantula Dan (glad he stopped holding everything in his vids - especially the OW's).

 

[Bipolar Spider]

Does Singapore not allow keeping inverts?

No, endangered animals so illegal

 

[Chris LXXIX]

a train station going from Wvlepkovich to plefkovatish....!!!

'Fictional' but reliable city names where the best native writers killed themselves at 25, after publishing a cheap, sad philosophy novel about 'Existence and Communism', that no one wanted to read.

 

[Chuckmater]

Does Singapore not allow keeping inverts?

He's not from Singapore he's from Malaysia

 

[PanzoN88]

Even though some youtubers sadly partake in handling their eight legged investments, I will watch any and all of then for the simple reason that we all have one obvious thing in common: the hobby. I do have two favorites though, with a third not far behind.

 

[MikeofBorg]

Not absolutely. People with the worst "stock" usually have just one because they don't know better....many who have a lot, have them because they know how to care for them properly and do.

Exactly right. If you properly care for your collection, having 4 like me or 500 like some, you will have a healthy set of Ts. If you do, like I see some folks on Craigslist do, and have a desert species on soaking wet coconut fiber you will have sick Ts with 1 or 100. Or an Arboreal the same way with nothing to climb or web on. When I was a kid we raised hogs. We had 500 head at one time and a healthy herd by keeping up with vaccines, nutrition and cleaning. We also pastured them in a huge field. Hogs are not dirty like some folks think, they have to wallow in mud to thermoregulate. Anyway the farm down the road didn't vaccinate and lost all their hogs pneumonia. The kind you can vaccinate from. And they had maybe 15 hogs. Just shows proper care goes a long way to keeping any animals healthy. No matter how many.

 

[WildSpider]

Love:
The Spiderman
Exotics Lair
Bob TheSpiderHunter
tarantulaguy1976
The Dark Den
Tom Moran
Mark's Tarantulas

TarantulaDan is also very informative but I've found myself watching less of his videos since he started eating crickets.

 

[basin79]

Love:
The Spiderman
Exotics Lair
Bob TheSpiderHunter
tarantulaguy1976
The Dark Den
Tom Moran
Mark's Tarantulas

TarantulaDan is also very informative but I've found myself watching less of his videos since he started eating crickets.

I want Mark's Tarantulas 4k video camera. It's absolutely brilliant.

 

[WildSpider]

Now that Exotics Lair has surpassed the Dark Den by 50K subscribers, can anyone tell me why his channel was mostly overlooked and ignored in this discussion?

To me, it seems as though The Dark Den is so mainstream that it has lost its 'purity'. In an effort to appeal to all kinds of audiences, Petko has included videos displaying all sorts of inverts and even mammals (let alone his vlog-style escapades to random forests, caves, etc.). Exotics Lair has managed to surpass Petko's channel by over 50K, WITHOUT fancy technology, equipment and enclosures, and without having ANY poecilotheria in his collection! This is something to ponder indeed.

Exotics Lair also manages to hit millions of views on a WATERING VIDEO!! I think the key to his success is his 'purity'; meaning that he only focuses on tarantulas (at least 90% of his videos are about tarantulas). He doesn't waste our time with frogs, lizards and geckos, rodents, those damn assassin bugs, and other non-arachnids.

And I swear....if I have to see one more fricken Dark Den vlog video on a train station going from Wvlepkovich to plefkovatish....!!!

I myself actually enjoy Petko's escapades. It spices things up a little for me. As for Exotics Lair, I think the thing that won me over was all the Sponge Bob clips, lol. Love Exotics Lair!

Tom's my favourite. His videos aren't overly long and you get what you expect. Fantastic youtuber.

This channel could well take over though. Absolutely no idea why they don't have 50-100k subs.
https://www.youtube.com/user/giantspiderscom

I especially enjoy watching Tom's videos on his M. balfouri communal. It is so cool to watch them interacting with each other.