What do you name them?

[Tivia]

I only have three Ts right now and only one has a "pet name". I had two versicolors originally, so I called them Thing 1 and Thing 2. Thing 2 passed away sadly, so I only have T1 left. I haven't named my other two, but I'm not opposed to it. I call them by their scientific names as I don't know common names all that well. If people want to name their Ts, have at it. It doesn't bother me any.
I'm lucky that I live with someone who is very knowledgeable about Ts and was once a very active member here (an 'old timer' if you will), so I can pick his brain with questions if need be. I have not personally run into any issues with any member here, but I've sat on the side lines and watched some serious flaming go on. I've found that a lot of the 'controversial' members have a lot of experience and valuable info to share and a low tolerance for bull-oney.

 

[Poec54]

I name all of them. I try to educate people about spiders, and other 'creepy crawlies' and I have found that people are FAR more receptive of them when they are named.

Names are fine for the public. They don't own tarantulas, few probably ever will, so there's not much point in them learning the scientific names. They won't use them, won't remember them. But that has nothing to do with this forum, which is a gathering of tarantula owners/collectors/breeders/dealers. We're specialists. This site was created so we'd have things to talk about of more substance than regular threads about clever name suggestions.

 

[EulersK]

You can sound a little harsh at times . You slammed me pretty hard the other day for my OBT thread .

And he slammed me pretty hard when I got bit twice in one month when I first started keeping. Sometimes people deserve to be slammed.

I really don't get the whiny attitude on here the last few months. It's not one user - it's several. Out in the world, in an actual forum, you expect the harsh people like Poec54 to come out of the woodwork. The people that won't hold your hand and will reprimand you for mistreating the animals you're caring for. It's not that we welcome it in the real world, but we certainly expect it. We acknowledge that not everyone is coddling or even particularly nice. Anyone that has spent any time in a university can think of a professor that is just plain mean, and yet their know their field above all else. I don't really see how this is a vastly different scenario.

Is it his obligation or right to demean users? That's up for debate, and even I'll admit that he's a thorny bush. But he knows what he's talking about. And for the record, I've never seen him immediately attack a user for ignorance on husbandry. No, that doesn't come until the user has repeatedly ignored advice and given justification for their poor actions. Or just plain didn't do basic Tarantulas 101 research. As a side note, don't think that Poec54 is the only harsh old-timer around here. He's just the most active of them. This post could have been about any one of them, but in the spirit of staying somewhat on topic, here you are.

 

[Vanessa]

Who cares why people name them? They are just as entitled to name them as you are entitled not to. Just leave people alone to do their own thing and get on with yours. If you feel that a post is 'beneath' you - move onto one more in line with your own interests. This superiority complex that some people have isn't welcoming anyone to want to be here. People who are afraid to post - don't post. And maybe a spider dies because of it. That's not cool in my books... not cool at all.
Obviously you give far more importance to these posts than you think because you have spent such an abundance of time on it.

 

[Vanessa]

The people that won't hold your hand and will reprimand you for mistreating the animals you're caring for.

Except this isn't a thread about someone mistreating their tarantula - it is a completely harmless thread about naming them. There is a huge difference.

 

[Brendan Straut]

The insinuation was that by thinking of clever names for Ts, people are somehow mistreating them or neglecting them. That's just silly. That's all I was saying. Poec54 is a wonderful asset to this community, and more often than not reprimands with more than enough reason, (like getting bit twice in a month).

 

[EulersK]

Except this isn't a thread about someone mistreating their tarantula - it is a completely harmless thread about naming them. There is a huge difference.

Since we're obviously referring to Poec54 here, let's go with it. Read the first few pages. Just like everyone else, he gave his input. And he actually threw in his two cents and walked away - he didn't post for quite some time. And then someone calls him out and makes a smart remark. I absolutely agree with you in your first post, to be clear. "This superiority complex that some people have isn't welcoming anyone to want to be here. People who are afraid to post - don't post. And maybe a spider dies because of it. That's not cool in my books... not cool at all." I agree, but where we differ is that I do not see this superiority complex that you're referring to. People with a (sometimes excessive) passion for these animals? Sure, and conversations certainly get heated. But people with a superiority complex do not answer basic questions about husbandry, which many senior users do.

I don't believe that you've read the more recent, long posts. This thread derailed quite some time ago; we've been talking about the attitude of the forum for literally pages now.

 

[Vanessa]

I did read through it - until my Drama Meter went off the charts. No, I decided to respect the initial post and provide a logical, and fact based, reason why naming tarantulas is more beneficial than some people think and why it should not be so easily dismissed as being trivial.

 

[Poec54]

- If you feel that a post is 'beneath' you - move onto one more in line with your own interests.

- This superiority complex that some people have isn't welcoming anyone to want to be here.

- People who are afraid to post - don't post. And maybe a spider dies because of it.

- Obviously you give far more importance to these posts than you think because you have spent such an abundance of time on it.

- The important issue is not that these threads are 'beneath' me; I don't care. They're beneath the people we really need to attract and bring back. I don't see you or any of the other complainers putting much effort into answering questions and helping people. Why aren't you carrying more of the load?

- The most important people to 'welcome' here by far are the big collectors/breeders/taxonomists. They're worth their weight in gold. Without them, we're a school with no teachers. That's where we're headed. You're working on chasing off the last of the teachers.

- I've helped many people and saved many spiders in the process. One reason why I have so many positive responses.

- I periodically take a stand on a pointless thread, and try to explain to members the connection between the increasing frequency of those and the increasing scarcity of 'experts.' Some get it, some don't.

 

[Poec54]

I decided to respect the initial post and provide a logical, and fact based, reason why naming tarantulas is more beneficial than some people think and why it should not be so easily dismissed as being trivial.

There's a difference. Naming spiders has value to the uninformed general public; it's trivial on a tarantula forum. When someone comes here asking about why Twinkles isn't doing well, we tell them we need to know the genus/species, size, sex, temp, cage set up, etc.

 

[Vanessa]

Why aren't you carrying more of the load?

I was an active member on a handful of forums many years ago - when people like Rhys and Stan were still active. I left because of people like you who go out of their way to belittle those who have less knowledge. Because of people who feel that the only voices worthy of being heard are those belonging to "big collectors/breeders/taxonomists".
I guess these forums are still more about stroking a few egos instead of trying to help people be better tarantula keepers. I joined again in the hopes that there might be some new, more accepting, voices about. Unfortunately it is still as elitist as ever.

"The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires." William Arthur Ward

 

[Toxoderidae]

Now, I take sides with Poec for just a few reason, which may seem trivial to both arguments.

I have named a couple of my spiders. Would I do it again? No. I simply refer to them as "Poecilotheria spp. "Male1" and so on.

Everyone who is calling Poec's argument useless and stupid ISN'T giving a valid reason as to why. All they're saying is "it's not hurting so stop bashing" or "you're mean poec"

When in actuality, it IS hurting. I absolutely DESPISE it when people (certain user with a K I'm referring to) come on saying "Little Darling" or "My precious princess" is sick, or happy or anything like that.
If you want to be educated and NOT ridiculed on a LEARNING forum for discussion, please stop acting like this. You know how we get pissed when someone uses common names because they're arbitrary and generally a problem? THAT'S HOW THIS IS. People, This isn't rocket science. Go to The Watering Hole or some retarded facebook community for idiots who think they're cool because they own spiders, and add feelings and thoughts to primitive arthropods if that's your thought process.

What Poec's saying is true. I've more or less left the mantis hobby completely due to idiots doing this stuff, humanizing their pets, and acting like this is a forum for small children, or people with learning disabilities. Even the big mantis keepers have either left, post once every year or two, or have become so clustered, that they've just gone with the "You can't beat 'em, join 'em" mentality. This hobby is still relatively new, and we're effectively killing it. I hate to say it, but this generation is so self-absorbed with feeling, emotion, and making sure everyone's happy and tip-top, they can't take any criticism or anyone saying "<EDIT>." Please people, use a LITTLE common sense, just enough so you don't look like you're disabled.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

All of those concerns about the people that aren't anymore here lead me to think about Homer & the Indian CEO of Kwik E Mart.

Listen and replace "Kwik E Mart" with AB expert, muahahahah

 

[Brendan Straut]

A school is just as pointless without any students. You need teachers willing to teach and students willing to learn. I'll admit that some of the people on these forums are not willing to learn and indeed have a minimal interest in the hobby. There are also people like me who are eager to learn, and who did do their research before, not after, getting a T. I never was on this sight during the Golden days, I wasn't even aware until this thread there was such a time, but I've still found this website to be an indispensable resource, and I've tried to carry my weight recently by answering simple questions I'm qualified to answer (which is not very many). The issue of attitude is present in any hobby, forum, or really any community, but we're all here because we have a shared interest/obsession. And let's be real, this isn't the most popular hobby. Reclusive, venomous spiders are not most people's idea of a pet or hobby. That means that the few of us that are here are it. Let's try to focus on that, and foster that interest in new people, because one day the students do become the masters, if they don't then the knowledge goes no where.

 

[matypants]

I'm pretty much done here. I'm a 45 year old former Marine (2nd marines '90-94) and I don't need this. I certainly don't need anyone telling me I'm soft because I can't handle some douche acting like they are my internet professor that I have to kiss up to. Screw it. This place is a waste of time.

 

[Andrea82]

How about everone takes a deep breath and start over.
It would be more constructive to tell what you want, instead of what you don't want or like. Bashing people get us nowhere.
This goes for both 'sides'!

If this is not possible, then I suggest that the mods put a lock on it,since it is deteriorating fast.

 

[Vanessa]

Online forums are about bringing a diverse demographic of people, who share the same interest, together from all corners of the world. Some of them you are going to like - some of them you won't. Some you will agree with - some you won't. Some will have a lot of knowledge - some of them won't. It is an online forum - not some local group meeting at the neighbourhood library!
A handful of people do not control who uses this forum and how this forum is used - it is a platform for everyone. You would think that we have to put up with enough people judging and being intolerant of this hobby outside of it - it is just detrimental all round when those judgmental and intolerant people are within it.
I would never still have tarantulas today, or know what I know about them, if I had stayed on these forums. Good thing my love of spiders trumped how toxic places like this can be for them.

 

[xhexdx]

Hi everyone!

I went through and quoted what I think are important enough posts for me to address specifically. Best of luck to those of you with the time and energy left to read through it.

Some people don't name pets unless they're fluffy but I name them all.My Grammastola Pulchripes are Veronica and Belial, my Asian Forest scorpion is Barbie (or Barbera) (even after I sexed that it was a male and not a female a few months ago); My P. cambridgei is Pumkinhead and Muspel for my P. Muticus. I don't know about the Avic pink toe yet, it reminds me of a tiny little kitten.

This is a difficult post for me. At first, I can understand Poec's initial response, which, to me, isn't nearly as offensive as the first two quoted below this. More on that later.

For now, what I'd like to say specifically to @ArachnaeEsoterica is this: If you're going to try and list your spiders (both here and in your signature, which I believe is actually not even allowed...), then please list them correctly. My assumption is you're still pretty new in the hobby, and that's fine, but I would suggest you (and a couple others on here) understand that the correct way to type an animal's binomial nomenclature is with the genus capitalized, species NOT capitalized, and in all italics.

Example - Grammostola pulchripes

AE (Can I call you AE?) - you're all over the map with yours. You use a common name with the scorpion, and then your last one you somehow create this hybrid 'Avic pink toe', which honestly just confuses the crap out of me. As a side note, it's spelled Grammostola, not Grammastola.

These are all things you learn over time and I understand that, so please don't think I'm trying to berate you. More on that topic further down as well.

I don't name mine because it would be too hard to remember them all. Also the fact that they aren't really pets. Naming your tarantulas is like naming fish in a fish tank.

It's not a fact that they aren't pets; it's an opinion. It's your opinion and you are certainly entitled to it, but that's really as far as it goes. Same with your last sentence - that's your opinion and you should state it as such.

Nothing just nothing. it would be completely pointles

Your opinion.

Yeah agree, it`s not like a cute puppy or a cat

It is just as much like a puppy/cat as it is unlike a puppy/cat. What exactly is your point here?

Names fall by the wayside as a collection grows. There are those that would think it's foolish to start in the first place. The time spent coming up with clever names is better spent learning about the animals themselves. How many members know the countries and climates their spiders are from and which subfamilies they're in?

Your first two sentences I can agree with. Your last sentence I can understand and relate to. It's this one that gets me though:

The time spent coming up with clever names is better spent learning about the animals themselves.

This is, as I've said to several others already, your opinion. @Poec54, I remember years ago when you were newer to the forums (definitely NOT new to the hobby though) and from what I recall, you and I operate off of very similar logic/reasoning. That said, you've got no idea how much time is spent learning about the animals vs coming up with a name. Granted, one can assume (probably within reason) that most people don't spend much time on the former. But really, that's not for you to say, and is thus far the most offensive thing said in this thread.

I play video games. I breed fat tailed geckos. I run ~20 miles a week. I do what *I* want to do, within the law, and it's not for anyone else to decide but me.

the only inverts in my collection that have names are the ones that have a lot of personality.

Google 'anthropomorphizing'. It's what you're doing right now.

There are people that get the impression that you are trying to be pretentious by rattling off the scientific names to them. I suppose there could be something to that if you know that the person could not care less about the scientific name. I think of, and usually refer to mine using the proper designations, but I have several that I also have pet names for. For example, my Lasiodora parahybana, the L.P., in writing is "Elpy". My B. smithi is "Geronimo" due to a rather frightening plummet taken early on as a s'ling. A couple I've named after folks that mean something to me.
But I really don't like using the common names in the pet trade very much either, for the obvious reasons. At the end of the day, naming is a convention that I use sporadically depending on the circumstances. But it doesn't make a person less of a keeper if they like to use a pet name as long as they are aware that it isn't always useful to refer to them in that manner..
On the matter of "pets" it's a matter of semantics. I don't consider more primitive creatures to be pets, but I don't think that is any worse than thinking of them as specimens either. I'm not a scientist, and not even a collector, so "pet" is as good a description as any. "Pet fish" does sound weird, though.

Hi Tim. This is one of your shorter posts so I figured I'd quote it in its entirety. Pretty much everything you've said here, and in your subsequent posts, I agree with. Good to see you're still around.

Some of us can walk and chew gum at the same time...

Hi to you too, @Formerphobe !

Not giving silly names to deaf pets doesn't mean a person has no imagination or creativity, just that they prefer to use it in other ways, like designing cage layouts, or in artistic fields. One could argue that it takes infinitely more imagination to make a painting or create music than it does to make up spider names.

At this point, I've pretty much determined the rest of your 'contribution' here to be crap. I think I quote you later on but can't remember. Guess we'll find out when I get there...
One thing I'm going to suggest you do, is begin your posts with 'in my opinion', unless you're actually quoting scientific fact.

I think its amazing that you can catch crap on this website just for *considering* naming a T. If you don't have the time or interest to name your T's more power to you. Don't tell people who do that they are wasting their time and should be spending it elsewhere. As if a name is going to take precedence over husbandry and care in the eyes of a new owner.
My Albo is unnnamed, unsexed, my LP is Donna (From Parks and Rec) and my Avic Avic is Arwen (Lord of the Rings)

Agreed.

I wouldn't quite call it crap.

And I don't care what you'd call it. Can't call it much worse without it being against the rules.

I wouldn't quite call it crap. We've had many pointless 'What should I name my spider' threads, seems like the majority are by people that don't know much about husbandry, breeding, or taxonomy. Maybe naming is the priority.

BTW, I've been doing this a lot longer than you have, helped many more people than you have; is it really up to you to tell me what I'm allowed to say to people here?

This post encapsulates the elitist mentality you have and is exactly what we don't need here. I'll concede you're knowledgeable, but if you're not approachable, then it doesn't do anyone any good.

Not sure how much weight my posts carry around here nowadays, but I'll say this anyway: Shut up.

Also, if you're so concerned about your time, maybe you shouldn't be in the "Tarantula Chat" forum telling other people that their forum is a waste of time.

Exactly. Take your valuable time elsewhere and stop wasting ours.

How about this ? If you want to name them then name them if you don't then don't . Now isn't that simple . If you are into the scientific end of T husbandry then good , if you are into the fuzzy little pet end then also good . I don't think either side is right or wrong , just that you should respect the views of those who differ from your opinion .

Agreed.

Perfect, name them what you want at home, and let's not tie up the forum with the naming threads.

The forum isn't exactly short on space. Get out of this thread if you've got nothing more to contribute.

Never said I know the most, there's a lot of people that know much more than I do. But almost all of them have stopped coming here. Those are the guys we all can learn from. It would be nice that when they do make a visit, we'd have more to offer them than threads on naming spiders, spider tattoos, my rose hair won't eat, etc. I'd love to get some of those guys back. There used to be big collectors, breeders, & taxonomists from all over the world gathering here for regular discussions. Cutting edge stuff. That's what we need again.

We've still got that, just not here. There are places other than AB for us to grow and learn.

Poec, The reason many do not frequent this forum is not because people talk about silly stuff. It is because this site is known for being toxic. My first day back I saw a few threads that were so toxic I spoke to the top dog about it. This before I made a single post after years of being away.

There is great knowledge here and it can be a great place to learn and share. But the way that many here are treated is just horrid.

And this is why I rarely stop by. I left to get away from the exact crap that this thread has turned into. This post is spot-on.

Bit of ignorance here, where is that list? Honest question. I see you can sort top members via number of msgs, via positive ratings, and a couple of others. I'm curious because when I read old threads while researching things I'll come across members that I forgot about from when I was most active (2004-2006/7) and jogs my memory of the quality of their posts. I remember Steve Nunn posting, Rick West, B.F. something (Eastern European/Russian sounding) or I've butchered it, RobC, someone that was really good with the scientific side of centipedes, and probably a good few I don't remember. Good times.

The only one I have with a real name is one of my firsts, an Lp, that I named Pinky. Very original. I named my first one Elsie. Any others have been more nicknames or variations of the species name, more for ease of saying and easier for others who visit to remember. I know the scientific names of all my T's and think it's something every keeper should as well (of theirs I mean, not mine, I'm not that narcissistic haha). If someone realizes why it's important it can pique their interest in other aspects of the hobby beyond how cool looking their pet is. Then possibly more. Ripple effect.

Hey @edesign ! Good to see you! I doubt I'm on the list you're referencing either, although I haven't looked. Don't get me started on Robc...

I believe the "toxic" comment stretches back a long ways. It's not just the few old timers who are still here (I haven't been active enough lately to really notice anything), this forum has had plenty of members blasted with attitude even when I first joined. I've been on both sides early on but these days I try to keep it civil and understanding. Mellowing with age heh.

I agree with this as well. Been trying to exercise the 'civil/understanding' muscles but this thread has been a difficult one.

Thank you EulersK. Those that disagree with my approach, why aren't they stepping up & answering questions and helping people on a regular basis? Why aren't they sharing their knowledge? Don't have the time, don't care, don't have much experience? If they can give better answers, why don't they? Anyone can sit and complain. Walk the talk.

I just looked at my ratings. I've got 9,268 positive ratings, and 33 negative (mostly from one person). What's that, about 99.5%? Likewise almost all of the ones I've given have been positive. Toxic? Doesn't sound like it. Seems like people get along here pretty well.

Are you specifically out to just contradict/argue? Or is it to toot your own horn? At this point I suppose it could be either, but this post doesn't really have much substance other than one or both of those goals.

yet this site has more than its fair share of people providing incorrect husbandry, posting about it, and taking offense when a knowledgeable individual attempts to correct them.

This has truth to it as well, and I have personal experience with it. It gets tough correcting the same stuff over and over, and at a point you just stop sugar coating things and answer in a matter-of-fact way that is often times misinterpreted as being a jerk.

I was infamous for search engine scolding. I've long since learned to just keep scrolling. It's amazing how fast you can get 10 pages deep if you do that lol. Also why I don't post much even when I am browsing. I'm not inclined to add "me too" responses most of the time. If it's already been answered I'll keep scrolling. But yeah, I always do lament the same posts popping up daily on ANY forum. I've just become apathetic in a way, people are lazy in general and want to be spoon-fed, it's a double-edged sword feeding that though. On one one you keep people interested in the hobby but on the other you're also enabling the behavior.

I agree with all of this

I have no idea what happened to the thread but i'll stick to the topic

The only one i kinda named is a p. Regalis male, Bort. Friends and family named some but i honestly don't remember moat of what they came up with. Neither do i call/present any of them by anything other than their scientific names (g. Rosea was called fru fru, rosie, rozy and miško)

I assume you're kind of new as well and just want to offer a correction to you - you've got the capitalization backwards. Genus should be capitalized, species lowercase.

I only have three Ts right now and only one has a "pet name". I had two versicolors originally, so I called them Thing 1 and Thing 2. Thing 2 passed away sadly, so I only have T1 left. I haven't named my other two, but I'm not opposed to it. I call them by their scientific names as I don't know common names all that well. If people want to name their Ts, have at it. It doesn't bother me any.
I'm lucky that I live with someone who is very knowledgeable about Ts and was once a very active member here (an 'old timer' if you will), so I can pick his brain with questions if need be. I have not personally run into any issues with any member here, but I've sat on the side lines and watched some serious flaming go on. I've found that a lot of the 'controversial' members have a lot of experience and valuable info to share and a low tolerance for bull-oney.

Sounds like you've got a pretty stand-up guy at home.

 

[mistertim]

Poec, are

Names are fine for the public. They don't own tarantulas, few probably ever will, so there's not much point in them learning the scientific names. They won't use them, won't remember them. But that has nothing to do with this forum, which is a gathering of tarantula owners/collectors/breeders/dealers. We're specialists. This site was created so we'd have things to talk about of more substance than regular threads about clever name suggestions.

In fairness, I think you're being a little myopic here. People giving their tarantulas names hardly keeps them from coming here or talking about scientific tarantula things, or being able to talk about the same.

 

[Lander9021]

Some people don't name pets unless they're fluffy but I name them all.My Grammastola Pulchripes are Veronica and Belial, my Asian Forest scorpion is Barbie (or Barbera) (even after I sexed that it was a male and not a female a few months ago); My P. cambridgei is Pumkinhead and Muspel for my P. Muticus. I don't know about the Avic pink toe yet, it reminds me of a tiny little kitten.

My grommastola rosea is called sativa