Where do people buy T's

[Burak Toprak]

I'm looking to get a C. cyaneopubescens as my 2nd T and I got my A. avicularia from petsmart. Just wondering where people get tarantulas from that's reputable.

 

[Asgiliath]

I bought my first two slings online from Jamie’s Tarantulas and I’ve purchased a few from an exotics shop that keeps them properly but most of mine have come from expos.

The last ten or so from the same dealer at Repticon. It helps to find one person/group that you like and form a client relationship with them.

 

[Vanisher]

When i bought lots of tarantulas, i bought is from expos and from friends that was in the hobby. Nowdays i buy tarantulas very seldom

 

[chanda]

I've purchased mine a variety of places. My favorite place to buy them is at reptile shows because they usually have such an amazing selection, plus I can talk to the vendors/breeders and can see the spiders in person before I buy them. I've also purchased from local exotic pet stores (though not from big chain stores like PetSmart). Pet stores are ok - but you need to take a good look at the spider before you buy it to make sure it appears to be in good health. Big chain stores in particular sometimes do an awful job of housing their animals appropriately, putting terrestrial spiders in arboreal cages and vice versa, using inappropriate substrate, keeping dirty sponges in water dishes, leaving excess feeders (or dead feeders) in enclosures, and keeping the cages too wet or too dry. (Smaller pet stores are not immune from this either, though my experience has been that they generally have a better idea of how to care for their animals.) You can also purchase through the Classifieds here on AB - either look for local breeders/sellers so you can pick up the spiders in person, or have them shipped. And of course, there's always Craigslist. I've purchased a lot of spiders there!

"Reputable" is a concept of varying importance. If you are buying online and having the spider shipped, of course you want a reputable seller that will actually send you your spiders, knows how to pack and ship them correctly so they survive the trip, and will offer a refund or replacement if something goes wrong. If you are buying sexed spiders, you are likely paying a premium to get the desired sex - so you want a reputable seller who knows how to accurately sex the spider - and who may offer some sort of recompense if their sexing turns out to be wrong.

On the other hand, if you're buying slings or unsexed spiders at a show - or picking up spiders from the local shop or even Craigslist - you have the opportunity to see and assess the condition of the spider in person before you buy it. As long as you're not paying a premium for a sexed spider, it is not quite so important that the seller has an established reputation. For example, when I've purchased Craigslist spiders, it's been from some hobbyist who is moving, wants out of the hobby, has a girlfriend/spouse who hates their spider, needs a little cash, or wants to get rid of one spider to make room for something different. They aren't in the business of selling spiders, so wouldn't be "reputable sellers" - but there's nothing wrong with the spiders, either - and the prices are sometimes very good!

 

[TwiztedNinja]

So far its been chain stores, reptile stores, reptile shows, and private party local sales

 

[scooter1685]

In all honesty, I have only ever purchased from 2 tarantula sellers. I don't trust the locally-owned pet shops around me, because the ones people talked about the most as having lots of "rare" reptiles or inverts are obviously ignorant. I got mites from one of them when I purchased a baby anerythristic boa, and I saw another selling boas as "het motley." Not sure if anyone here knows anything about boa genetics, but there is not and will NEVER be a boa heterozygous for motley. They either show it or they don't have it. May not be true with motley corn snakes, I don't know much about breeding colubrids, but that's how motley works in boas. Another one sort of ripped me off when they let me put some of my babies at their stall at the expo. Sold a few of my babies, but at about a quarter of their listed value and they kept 60% of that and refused to show me a receipt for the purchase.

There's a chain store with a branch near me that has one T on display at a time, but they always have sponges in the water dishes and their setups are absolutely abhorrent. An arboreal T with a light dusting of substrate, no hide at all, a sponge in the water dish, and an enclosure that's only as tall as the T. Poor little thing is always huddled into as small of a ball as it can manage on the back of the enclosure. I feel bad for it, but with the setup it has I'm afraid it might already have a bacterial infection or something. Plus, if I buy it they'll just order more and care for them just as poorly.

I don't like confrontation, but I don't like being taken advantage of either. I told those pet shops I didn't appreciate their shady business practices and haven't been back since. Didn't make a big deal of it, no posting online or making a scene in their place of business, but I won't deal with a business I don't trust.

I had good experiences ordering from Fear Not Tarantulas. Heard good things about Jamie's Tarantulas, Palp Friction, Pinchers & Pokies, and a few others, but I haven't personally done business with them.

 

[CommanderBacon]

I think half of my collection came from expos and the other half I got through the mail. I have ordered from Fear Not Tarantulas and have had really good experiences with them, but dealing with individual vendors I've found on AB and others I've found through word of mouth has worked fine for me, too.

If a pet shop doesn't seem experienced in tarantulas but insists on vending them (*cough*PETCO*cough*), I would never buy from them unless it's an amazingly good deal that I would be foolish to pass up. Or, in the one instance of my A seemanni, I had a raging bout of PMS and bought her because I felt really sad seeing her so unhappy and got all weepy.

PMS is the devil.

 

[mack1855]

Online dealers,only because the animals im interested in keeping are not available locally.I am probably paying more
due to shipping costs,but im ok with that.

 

[Burak Toprak]

I'm honestly very in between getting a T. blondi, C. cyaneopubescens, or a C. lividum. There are no expos near me since I live on long Island that I've seen, I might try fearnottarantulas.

 

[scooter1685]

Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens all the way. So far, mine is very active and super colorful compared to most of my other slings. I'm loving it way more than I expected to.

Theraphosa have pretty bad urticating hairs and are prone to kicking them. They're big and impressive, and I think they're beautiful, but not nearly as colorful as the GBB.

C. lividum is OW. Nothing against them, I do plan to get one in a few more years, but I've heard that they are much more prone to bolting than most NW tarantulas, their venom is stronger, they're super fast, and most of the time you won't get to see it at all.

They're all beautiful. Just my two cents.

 

[mack1855]

C.cyaneopubescens...is your best choice.The other two are..a little advanced animals,but up to you.
You might do some research on them?.

I love my T.blondi..But he is moody..real moody.FYI.

 

[Colorado Ts]

I'm looking to get a C. cyaneopubescens as my 2nd T and I got my A. avicularia from petsmart. Just wondering where people get tarantulas from that's reputable.

I purchased 5 C. cyaneopubescens in early October, from Fear Not Tarantulas. They were very friendly and worked with my schedule. My slings arrived healthy and went immediately into their new enclosures.

There are several reputable online venders that I would personally recommend:
Fear Not Tarantulas
Jamie's Tarantulas
Arachnoiden
Swift's Invertebrates
Pinchers and Pokies
Micro Wilderness

Any of these sites will provide you with friendly honest professional treatment. They are easy to work with and will ensure that your online buying is as nice an experience as possible.

I've also purchased tarantulas from private parties through Craigslist, however, be careful. I've recently backed out of 2 sales on Craigslist due to very scketchy situations...and I'll leave it at that. But I have gotten several nice deals on Craigslist.

 

[Vanisher]

I've purchased mine a variety of places. My favorite place to buy them is at reptile shows because they usually have such an amazing selection, plus I can talk to the vendors/breeders and can see the spiders in person before I buy them. I've also purchased from local exotic pet stores (though not from big chain stores like PetSmart). Pet stores are ok - but you need to take a good look at the spider before you buy it to make sure it appears to be in good health. Big chain stores in particular sometimes do an awful job of housing their animals appropriately, putting terrestrial spiders in arboreal cages and vice versa, using inappropriate substrate, keeping dirty sponges in water dishes, leaving excess feeders (or dead feeders) in enclosures, and keeping the cages too wet or too dry. (Smaller pet stores are not immune from this either, though my experience has been that they generally have a better idea of how to care for their animals.) You can also purchase through the Classifieds here on AB - either look for local breeders/sellers so you can pick up the spiders in person, or have them shipped. And of course, there's always Craigslist. I've purchased a lot of spiders there!

"Reputable" is a concept of varying importance. If you are buying online and having the spider shipped, of course you want a reputable seller that will actually send you your spiders, knows how to pack and ship them correctly so they survive the trip, and will offer a refund or replacement if something goes wrong. If you are buying sexed spiders, you are likely paying a premium to get the desired sex - so you want a reputable seller who knows how to accurately sex the spider - and who may offer some sort of recompense if their sexing turns out to be wrong.

On the other hand, if you're buying slings or unsexed spiders at a show - or picking up spiders from the local shop or even Craigslist - you have the opportunity to see and assess the condition of the spider in person before you buy it. As long as you're not paying a premium for a sexed spider, it is not quite so important that the seller has an established reputation. For example, when I've purchased Craigslist spiders, it's been from some hobbyist who is moving, wants out of the hobby, has a girlfriend/spouse who hates their spider, needs a little cash, or wants to get rid of one spider to make room for something different. They aren't in the business of selling spiders, so wouldn't be "reputable sellers" - but there's nothing wrong with the spiders, either - and the prices are sometimes very good!

The best thing buying from expos is as you said you see them in person before you buy them, and that you dont have them shipped. Then it is very fun to go to reptile expos aswell

 

[Burak Toprak]

The best thing buying from expos is as you said you see them in person before you buy them, and that you dont have them shipped. Then it is very fun to go to reptile expos aswell

All the expos are very far from me and the ones that are close are 4-5 hours away and also months away.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

At the grocery. People purchase T's at the grocery

 

[Vanisher]

All the expos are very far from me and the ones that are close are 4-5 hours away and also months away.

Then you have to buy online

 

[FrmDaLeftCoast]

100% of my tarantulas have been purchased from the this websites classified section...oops....I lied, I also did make a purchase via tarantula forum's classified section.

 

[CommanderBacon]

At the grocery. People purchase T's at the grocery

brb moving to Italy XD

 

[Colorado Ts]

I believe that there is a Reptile Expo in Denver, February 22nd & 23rd.

So I'll get to go to my first expo...I might even post my experience and impressions. I'm hoping to make a couple contacts with local breeders and enthusiasts and pick up a couple species that are on my list for this year.

 

[vancwa]

At the grocery. People purchase T's at the grocery

I always inspect the bananas.