Whats up with Poecilotheria metallica?

[JC]

Hey guys, just one question for ya. Does anyone know why Poecilotheria metallica hasn't really made it all that well into the the hobby? I know they are critically endangered in the wild but still :? . Just trying to understand why these guys are not in the hobby all that much. Here are some of the basic questions I'm looking to be answered:

1) How long does it take a .5 inch sling to grow to adult(power-fed and regular)?
2) What is the average egg yield?
3) Are they harder to keep than your average pokie(lets say P.regalis)?

 

[Paramite]

They are not rare anymore. They are simply expensive because people are willing to pay for them that much.

 

[JDeRosa]

I think they haven't been in the pet trade for that long so there really aren't a lot of offspring to go around...yet.
Mine I got in January at about .75", It's now July and it's about 3.5 inches. But I think it's a female. They usually grow slower.

 

[Exo]

I agree with Paramite, they are only expensive because they are the ''in thing''. Considering their appearance, they will always be popular and expensive.

 

[Sathane]

Bang on. I hope this is still the case when I breed my girl.

They are not rare anymore. They are simply expensive because people are willing to pay for them that much.

 

[seanbond]

they can def be found in the for sell section.

 

[Moltar]

Two years ago they were virtually unheard of in the US. Since then availability has gone up and prices have come way down. There are only 2 or 3 generations of CBB P. metallica raised in the states (in any great numbers, that is)

 

[sean-820]

Hey guys, just one question for ya. Does anyone know why Poecilotheria metallica hasn't really made it all that well into the the hobby? They are in the hobbyI know they are critically endangered in the wild but still :? . Just trying to understand why these guys are not in the hobby all that much. Here are some of the basic questions I'm looking to be answered:

1) How long does it take a .5 inch sling to grow to adult(power-fed and regular)?
2) What is the average egg yield?
3) Are they harder to keep than your average pokie(lets say P.regalis)?

They are bred commonly, but their colour allows them to be worth so much, but when they first got into the hobby i think they wre liek 400$ for a sling and now they are half that, so they are definitly going down in price.

 

[ThomasH]

Wait, if they are endangered, doesn't that mean that they could be protected under federal law from hobbyists? Sort of like the Eastern Indigo Snake?
TBH

 

[sean-820]

They are endangered in the wild. Now im sure its illigal to capture them so they are now captive bred so it doesnt affect wild populations.

 

[Sathane]

I believe captive breeding of endangered species is actually encouraged providing the species doesn't pose any serious risk to the local ecosystem.

As stated above, it would be illegal to wild capture them.

 

[ThomasH]

I believe captive breeding of endangered species is actually encouraged providing the species doesn't pose any serious risk to the local ecosystem.

As stated above, it would be illegal to wild capture them.

Drymarchon couperi requires a permit to breed or move across state lines. It is also illegal to take from the wild. That is pretty much legal protocol for all endangered species. Look up the Endangered species Act! The species in question could very well end up on this.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endangered_Species_Act
Under the Endangered Species Act you *potentially* have to get permission from the federal government to import or export, take, possess, sell, deliver, carry, transport, or ship! Luckily metallica isn't on this act *yet.*
TBH

 

[Paramite]

Two years ago they were virtually unheard of in the US. Since then availability has gone up and prices have come way down. There are only 2 or 3 generations of CBB P. metallica raised in the states (in any great numbers, that is)

Don't expect for the prices to go down below certain point. Germany is a good example of this... You can get M. balfouri cheaper than P. metallica and basicly everyone has atleast one metallica.

 

[pandinus]

Drymarchon couperi requires a permit to breed or move across state lines. It is also illegal to take from the wild. That is pretty much legal protocol for all endangered species. Look up the Endangered species Act! The species in question could very well end up on this.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endangered_Species_Act
Under the Endangered Species Act you *potentially* have to get permission from the federal government to import or export, take, possess, sell, deliver, carry, transport, or ship! Luckily metallica isn't on this act *yet.*
TBH

I strongly doubt it ever will make it on the list. Andrew Smith and the BTS have been working tirelessly to try and sanction the setup of protective measures for a number of pokie species that are thought to only have numbers in the low 100s in the wild by setting up a small patch of land as a sanctuary, but that act alone has been a huge ordeal as many people in the world just dont really seem to care. To be honest its kind of a tough call really when you put things in perspective from people like the indian government who have a country suffering from overcrowding and poverty it doesnt really make sense to those people to save a patch of foest that could become a factory to help fuel a low economy and create jobs for scitizens or could become housing to help people afford a roof over their head to raise a family just because some sort of spider that a bunch of white guys in some other country think is cool lives there. it's really sad but i think thats what a lot of it boils down to, conservation is very critically important but its also very difficult because of scenarios like the one above either help out the people you were appointed to protect and provide for, or save a spider that seems to be economically worthless to you. in a way their screwed no matter what they do. I still hope very much for the salvation of our beloved tiger spiders and the many other endangered species of the world, but just wanted to reflect on the fact that despite the way many campaigns monstrocize it, not all deforestation and species loss is being carried out by brutal corporate fiends intent on world destruction.

sorry to hijack the thread. sometimes i just start typing and just end up going on and on...

BTW any updates on Smith's Pokie book? is it out and i missed the release, or are we still waiting? I caught his lecture at ATS a few years back and have been waiting ever since




John

 

[tony77tony77]

Two years ago they were virtually unheard of in the US. Since then availability has gone up and prices have come way down. There are only 2 or 3 generations of CBB P. metallica raised in the states (in any great numbers, that is)

what do u mean two years ago? More like 4 years ago.

 

[ThomasH]

I strongly doubt it ever will make it on the list. Andrew Smith and the BTS have been working tirelessly to try and sanction the setup of protective measures for a number of pokie species that are thought to only have numbers in the low 100s in the wild by setting up a small patch of land as a sanctuary, but that act alone has been a huge ordeal as many people in the world just dont really seem to care. To be honest its kind of a tough call really when you put things in perspective from people like the indian government who have a country suffering from overcrowding and poverty it doesnt really make sense to those people to save a patch of foest that could become a factory to help fuel a low economy and create jobs for scitizens or could become housing to help people afford a roof over their head to raise a family just because some sort of spider that a bunch of white guys in some other country think is cool lives there. it's really sad but i think thats what a lot of it boils down to, conservation is very critically important but its also very difficult because of scenarios like the one above either help out the people you were appointed to protect and provide for, or save a spider that seems to be economically worthless to you. in a way their screwed no matter what they do. I still hope very much for the salvation of our beloved tiger spiders and the many other endangered species of the world, but just wanted to reflect on the fact that despite the way many campaigns monstrocize it, not all deforestation and species loss is being carried out by brutal corporate fiends intent on world destruction.

sorry to hijack the thread. sometimes i just start typing and just end up going on and on...

BTW any updates on Smith's Pokie book? is it out and i missed the release, or are we still waiting? I caught his lecture at ATS a few years back and have been waiting ever since




John

I never said anything about Indian/International law, I am talking about American law. There is a big difference between third world "animal sanctuaries" and the Endangered Species Act.
TBH

 

[pandinus]

I never said anything about Indian/International law, I am talking about American law. There is a big difference between third world "animal sanctuaries" and the Endangered Species Act.
TBH

i wouldnt hold your breath but who knows, anything's possible.


John

 

[Moltar]

what do u mean two years ago? More like 4 years ago.

When I joined this forum in early 2007 P. metallica slings were going for $400+/- and generally selling out before they were even ready to ship. Sure, there were a few here and there before that but in early 2007 they were still practically ungettable unless you had some kind of in and the price was tremendously high. If we're looking for dictionary definitions here maybe that's not "virtually unheard of" but it's still "hard as hell to get".

 

[hamfoto]

I know they are critically endangered in the wild but still :?

How do you "know" they are critically endangered??? You've been to India and carried out a full survey of their distribution?

The only pokie that we know is critically threatened is P. smithi in Sri Lanka.

Chris

 

[hamfoto]

Wait, if they are endangered, doesn't that mean that they could be protected under federal law from hobbyists? Sort of like the Eastern Indigo Snake?
TBH

NO...because this is not an endemic species to the United States...the Endangered Species Act only applies to US organisms. CITES protects internationally.

Chris