Wild Tarantulas in the West Coast (CA and nearby states)

[Froboy696]

So I am looking for information on the types of Ts that you can find in the state of Californa and nearby states.

I am planning on spending a week traveling around the region to add some more to my collection since I had fun in the Dominican Republic doing this but couldn't actually bring it from one country to another. So this is kinda making up for my loss and wanting to fill up the empty hole that I have now from having to give it up.

Can anyone tell me what kinds of Ts there are within the west coast of the USA?

 

[Teal]

Aphonopelma are what is native in the US. The species depend on specific locations. You can find A. iodius in the Sierra Nevadas east of Fresno (I see you're in Lemoore, so relatively close). You can find different species in the desert land down by Bakersfield. These are the two places I have personally observed tarantulas.

If you are going to collect, please do so responsibly. A single hobbyist only needs to take one or two specimens from the wild for their personal collection. Please do not collect for resale.

 

[Froboy696]

Aphonopelma are what is native in the US. The species depend on specific locations. You can find A. iodius in the Sierra Nevadas east of Fresno (I see you're in Lemoore, so relatively close). You can find different species in the desert land down by Bakersfield. These are the two places I have personally observed tarantulas.

If you are going to collect, please do so responsibly. A single hobbyist only needs to take one or two specimens from the wild for their personal collection. Please do not collect for resale.

Awesome. I've wanted an A. iodius for a while! Can you tell me more about the area near bakersfield?

 

[AphonopelmaTX]

Mod Note

Do not share specific places to collect wild tarantula in a public forum. Sharing general/ ambiguous locations such state, county, or city is fine, but there is always a risk someone out there will over collect for the pet trade based on location information shared publicly. This thread is now on my radar.

 

[Teal]

Awesome. I've wanted an A. iodius for a while! Can you tell me more about the area near bakersfield?

Unfortunately, I cannot.

Mod Note

Do not share specific places to collect wild tarantula in a public forum. Sharing general/ ambiguous locations such state, county, or city is fine, but there is always a risk someone out there will over collect for the pet trade based on location information shared publicly. This thread is now on my radar.

Even without the mod note (that is very much appreciated and that I totally agree with), the places I have seen Ts there are also where we hunt with our hounds so I would not share specifics for that reason as well (as we have had issues eith AR crazies threatening us and the dogs in the past when they discovered locations we used).

 

[Anoplogaster]

I have found Aphonopelma in San Fernando. That’s about as specific as I’ll get here. Honestly, I prefer to tickle them out of their holes and admire them until they retreat. I don’t collect them. If I want to own one, I’ll just purchase a CB at an expo. No sense in disturbing a wild population.

 

[Tenebrarius]

I have found Aphonopelma in San Fernando. That’s about as specific as I’ll get here. Honestly, I prefer to tickle them out of their holes and admire them until they retreat. I don’t collect them. If I want to own one, I’ll just purchase a CB at an expo. No sense in disturbing a wild population.

now this is a good ideology. I always preach CBs, their is just no point in getting a WC when you can get a CB, and fi you cant get it CB then it is a multitude of other Ts to choose from. You sir I respect very well for your concern of wild populations.

to: <OP>

you don't need to take WC, if you want to go about observing that is cool. BUT I find it extremely superfluous (Tribute to my best friend ) to take something you can easily obtain. Now I am not stopping you or telling you what to do, just explaining how it is really just unreasonable.

 

[AphonopelmaTX]

I have found Aphonopelma in San Fernando. That’s about as specific as I’ll get here. Honestly, I prefer to tickle them out of their holes and admire them until they retreat. I don’t collect them. If I want to own one, I’ll just purchase a CB at an expo. No sense in disturbing a wild population.

Realistically, taking one or two tarantulas from a single location won't affect the wild population any if it is a common species. The problem comes in when people publicly share specific location information and start collecting en masse to sell adults at those pet expos. Not many want to wait 5-10 years for a baby American Aphonopelma sp. to get big and pretty.

Even buying "CB" spiderlings of some species can be a bit tricky if one doesn't ask for detailed information about whether the parents were also captive bred. I've been seeing a lot of threads lately of wild caught Brachypelma albopilosum dropping egg sacs on their unsuspecting owners. One will really have to make sure "CB" means captive bred and not captive born (from wild caught parents that is).

 

[Anoplogaster]

Even buying "CB" spiderlings of some species can be a bit tricky if one doesn't ask for detailed information about whether the parents were also captive bred. I've been seeing a lot of threads lately of wild caught Brachypelma albopilosum dropping egg sacs on their unsuspecting owners. One will really have to make sure "CB" means captive bred and not captive born (from wild caught parents that is).

Yeah, and it would certainly still require a judgement call regarding the honesty of some sellers. I’d imagine some people would just lie to sell the spider.