What is something you're currently trying to improve on in the hobby?

[spideyspinneret78]

I have a few goals/ things I'm working on.

-Trying to learn as much as possible about breeding before dipping my toes into it (probably sometime next year). Watching lots of videos, researching, etc. Saving up money for necessary supplies.
-Impulse control. Of course I say this right as I'm about to go to a reptile show this weekend LOL. I'm planning on getting something this time but I'm trying to cut down on new purchases overall.
- Improving my photography skills. I'm on a budget and can't afford specialized equipment right now, but I do have a macro lens on my phone and I'm really enjoying it.
-I want to work on networking with like minded hobbyists both in my general area and in other states, especially for any future breeding projects.

What are some of your goals/ things you're currently working on? It could be anything from improving your husbandry skills to learning something new, reorganizing your spider room, or anything really. I'm curious to know how all of you have been improving your skills and growing as keepers.

 

[Tim Benzedrine]

What I'D like to improve in the hobby isn't a personal goal insofar as my husbandry, which may not be perfect- but I've had pretty decent success rate I think (but far from perfect)- is squelching the dissemination of misinformation. Of course, I'm not an expert, but I do have the knowledge to gently explain that some advice and "myths" are total hogwash. And that ability is seldom needed here at AB, of course, there are several people better equipped to offer advice and observations than I.

 

[BoyFromLA]

I would like to breed some of hard-to-find species (ex: Homoeomma chilense, Pamphobeteus solaris) so that it may readily be available, with reasonable price tag on it.

 

[DomGom TheFather]

I'm slowly taking over the kitchen closet.
If i can wear her down enough, my wife will relinquish control and all of my spiders will be neatly organized in one safe area, out of the way, where temps are prime and everything's peachy.
Halfway there.
Of course, this space will only be sufficient with the collection as it stands. Just enough room for adult enclosures and everything in there. If i make any pairing attempts or aquire new inmates, the space will tighten up... So, impulse control is also on my list. If i do end up breeding, my eyes are on the cabinets.

 

[l4nsky]

Well, won't go into TOO much detail here, but...... I'm trying to make tarantula breeding a plug and play endeavor to quickly establish captive populations of new species and reduce collection pressure on wild populations by increasing supply and reducing prices, which reduces the incentive to poach and smuggle wild specimens.

Imagine if I could not only tell you the burrow temperature, burrow humidity, gestation time, and food intake of a female that all resulted in an eggsack, BUT I could also provide a system that accurately replicates the scenario time and time again. Well, I'm getting closer .

https://arachnoboards.com/threads/achievement-s-unlocked.351180/

 

[spideyspinneret78]

Well, won't go into TOO much detail here, but...... I'm trying to make tarantula breeding a plug and play endeavor to quickly establish captive populations of new species and reduce collection pressure on wild populations by increasing supply and reducing prices, which reduces the incentive to poach and smuggle wild specimens.

Imagine if I could not only tell you the burrow temperature, burrow humidity, gestation time, and food intake of a female that all resulted in an eggsack, BUT I could also provide a system that accurately replicates the scenario time and time again. Well, I'm getting closer .
View attachment 425330
https://arachnoboards.com/threads/achievement-s-unlocked.351180/

That's awesome!

 

[Liquifin]

Two things from me: PRICES & AVAILABILITY.

Prices is something that is affected by greed and marketability. And one of the problems of availability is the of lack of actual breeders and not some random person claiming to be a breeder. A lot of fake and inexperienced breeders nowadays with rare species with no idea how to produce them. No wonder a lot of species are gone for good. A lot of the rare species goes into the hands of typical hobbyists which is why a lot of the loan requests with rare species are regular hobbyists which creates problems. It's annoying to me because I'm here stuck with females and random people are requesting a loan with their male. Do you have any idea how much time, money, and effort goes into the craft of breeding? And you want a split of offspring? It's these kinds of people that end up stuck with the rare species. A lot of spider businesses hate loans and would just request for a buy rather than a split.

I sure do wish I can help with the problem of rare species or lack of species of. But people who are getting these rare or hard to produce species are mostly inexperienced breeders or a bunch of normal people most of the times and not the actual breeders themselves. It's really a constant loop cycle of how species in the hobby disappear.

 

[spideyspinneret78]

Two things from me: PRICES & AVAILABILITY.

Prices is something that is affected by greed and marketability. And one of the problems of availability is the of lack of actual breeders and not some random person claiming to be a breeder. A lot of fake and inexperienced breeders nowadays with rare species with no idea how to produce them. No wonder a lot of species are gone for good. A lot of the rare species goes into the hands of typical hobbyists which is why a lot of the loan requests with rare species are regular hobbyists which creates problems. It's annoying to me because I'm here stuck with females and random people are requesting a loan with their male. Do you have any idea how much time, money, and effort goes into the craft of breeding? And you want a split of offspring? It's these kinds of people that end up stuck with the rare species. A lot of spider businesses hate loans and would just request for a buy rather than a split.

I sure do wish I can help with the problem of rare species or lack of species of. But people who are getting these rare or hard to produce species are mostly inexperienced breeders or a bunch of normal people most of the times and not the actual breeders themselves. It's really a constant loop cycle of how species in the hobby disappear.

If you could change anything to address this problem, what would you suggest? Rare species are always going to be desirable, even for average people who aren't breeders. Obviously we want to encourage more people to participate in captive breeding since we have a shortage of breeders. As an experienced breeder yourself, what do you think we can collectively do about this? I'm just curious because it's clearly an issue, and there are species that we need to have established in captivity.

 

[Liquifin]

what do you think we can collectively do about this?

I wouldn't really call myself an experienced breeder completely because I feel like I haven't given enough back to the hobby to claim that yet, despite having credibility and whatnot.

I have a lot to say, but I'm going to get backlash, so I'm just going to make it simple.

There is no easy answer. Hobbyists, conservationists, breeders, and businesses will never see eye-to-eye other than they want tarantulas. I feel like while this hobby loves tarantulas, but the motives are not all the same. So no one can know what's right for the hobby. Just look at the Poecilotheria's that are part of the ESA protected species and what not. I produced P. ornata and barely any businesses wanted them. Why? because they are Locked within State which means it won't sell as easily as let's say P. regalis. So you get the gist, not everyone will have the same motives, intentions, or ideas. I did give a lot of them away for free to contribute to the hobby. It really depends where you stand. But overall, who knows what is right long term?

 

[A guy]

Got some expensive species(sp. solaris, megascopula, seladonia, blondi,etc.) I'm hoping to produce and help to lower their prices so much more people can appreciate them.

 

[Marlana]

I would really love to see Chilean species more established in the hobby. We won’t get those back. Not just H.chilensis either but also Euathlus and the Grammostola species native to Chile. I’ve been buying multiples as I see them available and trying to figure out who else keeps them. I’ve been following who’s successful and trying to figure out why they were successful. I’m not a very experienced breeder with tarantulas but have bred many true spiders. But at this point I’m not sure it matters…breeders are rarely breeding them or rarely successful so why not try? Either they don’t care enough to spend the time buying, raising, and breeding…or they failed. All I can do is try my best

A little off topic but has anyone heard about the vendor that recently sold H.chilensis…but the slings weren’t actually chilensis at all. I’ve been seeing the discussion in tarantula groups on Facebook and it’s very obvious the slings aren’t H.chilensis. Awful…

 

[Smotzer]

For me the improvements come from the much broader invertebrate hobby, im working on producing some first CB Opiliones and im working hard to be able get the first CB and captive cultures of some millipedes hopefully within the next year which is a pretty big undertaking as I am currently having to grow in preparation and collect all the specific food sources for this particular genus ahead of time. I am going to recreate a study in a lab with one particular genus, and emulate another study in my home with another genus. I’m hoping to start the recreation study in the lab by the spring!

I have some bigger long term projects with Mastigoproctus in the works but I’m years away from the rewards of that project.

and for me just continuing to push The Millipede Enthusiast’s Database forward with the digestion and uncovering of, and writing about otherwise unknown or forgotten research for species that have proved difficult to culture in captivity!

For me the great thing is that the hobby is as broad as my interests in it are and I can privot which ever way I feel like to improve an aspect of the hobby I choose. Sometimes it is Theraphosidae, sometimes it’s Thelyphonida, sometimes is Diplopoda or Isopoda, and other times it’s Opiliones and Schizomida, or all at the same time! There’s endless ways to improve upon the larger hobby if your willing to dedicate the time and energy to a project!