Where are all my Illinois keepers at??

[Ztesch]

Dang, I should've watched this thread. Definitely got rolling, which is great! Pretty much corroborates our hypothesis that there's a ton of arachnoculturalists in Illinois, we just don't know of one another.

Hey guys, I'm Kyle! I mostly keep baboons, but lately I've been acquiring some Asian arboreals. I've been in the hobby on and off for a while, but I just built an exotics room and started expanding a bit. Would be cool to network with some regional peeps for trades, breeding loans, etc!



Are you talking about the All Animal Expo?



Had no idea Streamwood had a show. Is it still going on?

Also, any of you hit the Chicago Reptile Show at the Holiday Inn in Crystal Lake? It's super small and mostly the balls/cresties, but last time I was there they had a pretty great invert vendor. Nothing too exotic, but more than your typical regional show selection (at that table, anyway).

The show in Streamwood is from like 04-05. I dont even remember the name. Just a sign for a reptile swap in a barn.
They had cool <edit>. I remember them having baby alligators.

I went to the Crystal lake expo last year. It was pretty small. They had exo's for cheap, so I picked up a couple of them.

 

[ArachnidSentinl]

The show in Streamwood is from like 04-05. I dont even remember the name.

I just did some googling, and it was called "Watson's Reptile Swap." Apparently he sold his property and it merged with the AAE at some point.

On a more hilarious note, the first hit in google is a kingsnake.com thread titled "Streamwood swap busted!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

 

[Tony]

awesome.. I was there that day...
I went out for food and passed a CONVOY of DNR and other vehicles...When I got back, the place was locked down...Quite the mess..
The guy with the snake, a copperhead iirc... I just looked him up, hasn't been on here in 9 years

For decades the swap was in the middle of nowhere, and then people moved in, on all sides, built big homes and complained about Lee's operation. Lee sold the property at a high point I think, because it took years for it to get developed... .
But I think he made out in the end.

 

[ArachnidSentinl]

Wow, dude. That's a pretty wild story. Occasionally I see some sketchy stuff at the AAE (e.g. phasmids) and I've always wondered when some hick would bring in a hot under the table; I guess lessons were learned!

 

[RJ2]

Hi all! Jeremy from Humbolt park.

 

[Ztesch]

Hi all! Jeremy from Humbolt park.

What's up man

 

[RJ2]

just chillin, <edit> Anyone working on some breeding projects? im trying to breed my L.nigerrimum, and a H.himalayana.

 

[Tony]

Humboldt? I grew up near Cali and augusta

 

[RJ2]

awww yeah augusta and campbell! 40+ yrs!!

 

[liquidfluidity]

I don't do FB and I'm not seeing anything for Iowa yet so I am making contact with a couple of the surrounding states. After 20 years, just getting back into it

 

[Almadabes]

Hi guys,

I'm local to Tinley - thought I'd drop a post for any future breeding projects or discussion.

I've also gone to the all pets expo a few times

I've bought a few things from Evil's Arachnids - when I go to this show I am mostly going for their booth since they post their inventory online frequently and I often want to check something specific out.
I've bought 1 E. uatuman sling from The Webbers Den.

Both do a good job of taking care of their spiders from what I've seen, prices are good, nice selection.

Evil's are more of your Instagram-ready kinda guys.
Webbers den feels very simple/homemade in comparison - you'll see alot of soda cups lol.

You can see most of Evil's stock out - Webber's setups give them more resources to hide with, and as a result, a lot of their stock is burrowed or hidden. The uatuman we bought was completely hidden and we didn't see it at the time of purchase, but the little dude is doing great and I'm sure he was more comfortable at the show.

Both vendors have encouraged me to give them a call with any questions after my purchase - not needed for me, but it's good to hear that they want to help someone take care of their spider even after they've gotten their money.

I would avoid most herp dealers at this show like the plague - You will see sponges, woodchip substrate, uneaten prey, and desert species in swampy conditions. I have also overheard incorrect husbandry information being given to new keepers. Most of those guys only sell T. albo and A. seemanni anyway.

 

[Ztesch]

Hi guys,

I'm local to Tinley - thought I'd drop a post for any future breeding projects or discussion.

I've also gone to the all pets expo a few times

I've bought a few things from Evil's Arachnids - when I go to this show I am mostly going for their booth since they post their inventory online frequently and I often want to check something specific out.
I've bought 1 E. uatuman sling from The Webbers Den.

Both do a good job of taking care of their spiders from what I've seen, prices are good, nice selection.

Evil's are more of your Instagram-ready kinda guys.
Webbers den feels very simple/homemade in comparison - you'll see alot of soda cups lol.

You can see most of Evil's stock out - Webber's setups give them more resources to hide with, and as a result, a lot of their stock is burrowed or hidden. The uatuman we bought was completely hidden and we didn't see it at the time of purchase, but the little dude is doing great and I'm sure he was more comfortable at the show.

Both vendors have encouraged me to give them a call with any questions after my purchase - not needed for me, but it's good to hear that they want to help someone take care of their spider even after they've gotten their money.

I would avoid most herp dealers at this show like the plague - You will see sponges, woodchip substrate, uneaten prey, and desert species in swampy conditions. I have also overheard incorrect husbandry information being given to new keepers. Most of those guys only sell T. albo and A. seemanni anyway.

Ya Evil Arachnids has good stock to choose from . He can be a little pricy though. I got some steals from webbers den about a month ago. I picked up a P. Vitatta and I. Mira @ super low prices. However the holes on the cups he had were a little big. I didnt want to risk it and rehoused. He also has alot of good stock. Mostly old worlds and more specifically pokies.

Hey if you want to network with the locals for breeding purposes, check out our facebook page. Search Chicagoland Tarantula Hobbyists. We have 40+ members and most of the major breeders in the area in this group.

 

[Almadabes]

Ya Evil Arachnids has good stock to choose from . He can be a little pricy though. I got some steals from webbers den about a month ago. I picked up a P. Vitatta and I. Mira @ super low prices. However the holes on the cups he had were a little big. I didnt want to risk it and rehoused. He also has alot of good stock. Mostly old worlds and more specifically pokies.

Hey if you want to network with the locals for breeding purposes, check out our facebook page. Search Chicagoland Tarantula Hobbyists. We have 40+ members and most of the major breeders in the area in this group.

Thanks for the suggestion! I'll check out that group. Always looking for local breeders to pick up from, shipping can make me anxious sometimes.

Yup - we've decided when we get a pokie we will probably go to him, the prices are very appealing.
We live in an apartment right now - so I'm just minimizing risk to my neighbors. I don't expect any escapes, I've done well to prevent them, and I do have OWs already - but god forbid one gets out, a kid starts bugging it, it retaliates, and I get evicted/sued.
I'm pretty comfortable with the OW I already keep, but only cause they never leave the burrow.

 

[Ztesch]

Thanks for the suggestion! I'll check out that group. Always looking for local breeders to pick up from, shipping can make me anxious sometimes.

Yup - we've decided when we get a pokie we will probably go to him, the prices are very appealing.
We live in an apartment right now - so I'm just minimizing risk to my neighbors. I don't expect any escapes, I've done well to prevent them, and I do have OWs already - but god forbid one gets out, a kid starts bugging it, it retaliates, and I get evicted/sued.
I'm pretty comfortable with the OW I already keep, but only cause they never leave the burrow.

Ya pokies can definitely be really quick. Most of them would rather hide but when they want to bolt they are lightning fast. I agree better safe then sorry. Although if you take proper precautions while rehousing and feeding you should be ok.

 

[neens]

Hey all!

Been lurking on the AB for a little while now. I just moved to IL from Florida 2 months ago. Not a fan of the cold haha. I'm in south IL 30 minutes from St Louis.

I only have two T's at the moment. An adult female Lasiodora parahybana, she was my first and a gift from a family friend, I've had her for maybe 2-3 years. Just got my second T maybe a week or 2 ago. Unsexed Tliltocatl albopilosus, looks to be a juvenile not quite full grown, I'm so in love though! I'm really interested in getting more T's in the near future and one day growing a collection on top of all my other pets that I own.

 

[USNGunner]

Hey All. Just found this one.

I'm by the Quad Cities on the Mississippi River Adjacent to Davenport and Bettendorf Iowa.

 

[antinous]

Originally from the Chicago suburbs, went to undergrad at UIUC, just finished my masters at Loyola, and now I’m in central Illinois (Peoria) for a while until I land a job.

 

[IamNick]

Sup?
Haven't been on Aboards in a while, and just saw this, figured I'd throw myself out here. I'm Nick, from the NW side of the city (Go Taft!), but now I'm out in Crystal Lake. I got into Ts slowly a few years ago, started off with a G Pulchra from Evils at the AAE, and within the past year and a half, 2 years, I've delved deeper into the hobby and am up to 8 Ts now, I believe.

 

[liams98]

Hey! I have just started getting into the hobby finally in ‘21. I currently have 3 T’s. A p. machala, t. Verdezi, and an a. Seemaani. I’m in Elk Grove. <edit>

 

[Tony]

Hey! I have just started getting into the hobby finally in ‘21. I currently have 3 T’s. A p. machala, t. Verdezi, and an a. Seemaani. I’m in Elk Grove. <edit>

roselle checking in!