Trends in popularity/availability of different species

[Drezno]

I am pretty new to the hobby and really enjoy hearing about the trends (past or current) in popularity/availability of different species. I always think it's interesting to hear about which species are currently a "big thing" or becoming more popular and which species used to be more popular, etc, since it kind of gives me a sense of the history of the hobby, if you will. So yeah, I am not going to have much to contribute in terms of stories, but I would love to hear any comments about that sort of thing from some of you more experienced keepers...

 

[madamoisele]

I don't really follow popularity, so I can't help you too much. My favorites are some of the more common T's, with my personal creme dela creme being the a. minatrix.

 

[jayefbe]

This was before my time, but I've heard that P. irminia was the big thing when it first entered the hobby. Like P. metallica a few years ago big. Now they're commonly available and quite cheap.

I also remember when P. smithi and P. hanumavilasumica first started entering the hobby. They were being snatched up at exorbitant prices, then people realized they look just like most other pokies, the novelty of owning something endangered wore off and they dropped in popularity. The prices are still high, but I don't think many people are buying them.

 

[catfishrod69]

Holothele incei were pretty big there for a while. Now you hardly see them around. Which is too bad because they are awesome spiders.

 

[smithbrian912]

I don't really follow popularity, so I can't help you too much. My favorites are some of the more common T's, with my personal creme dela creme being the a. minatrix.

+1 for A. minatrix. I am not one for buying based on a trend... Cause I just buy what catches my eye. However, just about everything catches my eye.

 

[Drezno]

This was before my time, but I've heard that P. irminia was the big thing when it first entered the hobby. Like P. metallica a few years ago big. Now they're commonly available and quite cheap.

Hah, it's certainly funny to imagine P. irminia being some new phenomenon. Thanks for sharing!

Holothele incei were pretty big there for a while. Now you hardly see them around. Which is too bad because they are awesome spiders.

Yeah, H. incei is definitely on my wish list. The H. incei "gold" is maybe even more beautiful, I think, though maybe even harder to find?

Does anyone have an opinion on what species might currently be experiencing a wave of popularity? I have heard, for example, that maybe N. chromatus is kind of "trendy" right now. Other thoughts? Sorry if nobody else finds this stuff as interesting as I do...

 

[jayefbe]

I don't know if I'd say N. chromatus are trendy. They're kinda along the lines of the perpetually available cheap T (like an Lp) in my book.

I thought the Hapalopus sp "Colombia large" and H. sp. "Colombia small" were pretty trendy for a while. Then I got them and found out that they are completely worth the hype.

 

[catfishrod69]

Same here. N. chromatus are just super cheap, and lots of the time given away. I have 5 of the "Columbia Large", and 2 of the "Columbia Small", and they were totally worth it. They did seem to be trending for a little while, but have died down.

 

[Quazgar]

One I've noticed, though it's perhaps not long enough to call it a trend yet, is that H. lividums are not being sold as much as a year ago. Last summer I was finding slings all over the place for less than $10 apiece, now I can't find slings, and the cheapest I've seen for any are like $35. Still not bad, but where are the cheap little ones?

 

[panterafreak21]

ive have noticed singapore blues are one of the sp you only see a few times a year and when u do fiind them the s quick...personaly a 45$ singapore blue is rather cheap... for there size and color they should cost more.

 

[coldvaper]

I think E. olivacea, M. Balfouri and P. Metallica are still trendy. All are pricy at the moment.

 

[grayzone]

ive actually seen EO and Pmet for rather cheap lately..

N. trippepi got some limelight for a bit, Avics always come and go (very popular genera at times, then i think SADS:sarcasm: scares people off) people breed the things and sell em for dirt cheap. a few months later even slings of common sp. of the genera are expensive again..How do A. versi go from 4-9$ one month, then BAM, back to 25-30 the next?

G. pulchripes was a huge fad (seemingly) for a while too...

Poeci of all sorts seem to get the occasional buzz too..


IMO ALL TARANTULAS are BA.. they all deserve the limelight at one point or another