Tom's Big Spiders - Tarantulas And Inverts

Having just rehoused my juvenile Eresus walckenaeri (Velvet Spider), I figured that it was time to talk a bit about how I care for it.Also in this episode, is the current Jumping Spider and Velvet Spider social media fad and rampant anthropomorphization leading to decline in overall appropriate husbandry in the spider hobby? I'll discuss what I feel are the realistic pros and cons of the attention these "cute" spiders are currently receiving. 

In this episode, I'll go through all of the types of tarantula enclosures I've used, from cheap to pemium, and share my pros and cons of each.

Last week, I had a few folks contact me a bit upset that there was no episode for Sunday.  And, to be honest, this happens every time I miss a week. Although I completely understand that this podcast has become very important to folks for a myriad of reasons, I thought that it might be a good time to explain why I do the Tom's Big Spiders stuff . In this episode, I'll go through the entire history of TBS from the original blog, to YouTube, and now the podcast. My hopes are that folks will understand my motivations for putting out this information and appreciate that, sometimes, I just need a day off. My apologies for spending an entire episode talking about me. Next week, it's back to spiders! 

I've been asked to do this one many times over the years, but there is honestly no way for me to scientifically prove which ones are faster. However, in this episode, I will share the ones that I think are fastest based on my own personal experience. What are YOUR fastest spiders? 

First, I read a listener question and talk about last week's episode. Then, I get a lot of emails and comments from panicked keepers who are alarmed to discover that their arboreal slings and juveniles are actually burrowing.  The fact is, MANY arboreal species will do some burrowing as slings and juveniles, and the correct setup should allow for and encourage this behavior. Unfortunately, many folks don't do enough research, and some of the "sling" and "juvenile" tarantula enclosures being sold do not permit for an appropriate setup. In this episode, we discuss how to keep these species correctly, why it's important to have the correct setup, and why this issue has become so prevalent. 

Deaths can really rattle a tarantula keeper and cause them to second guess their tarantula care. In this episode, I speak about a few recent instances I had where my fear of deaths led me to do some pretty stupid things. 

In this episode, I'll discuss some of the perks to keeping "true" spiders and Mygalomorphs and why tarantula keepers may want to one day give them a try. 

I have it on pretty good authority that Eupalaestrus campestratus or "Pink Zebra Beauties" will be available in the US hobby again very soon. As I'm sure that many folks will be scrambling to add a sling to their collections, I figure that this would be the perfect time to revisit the husbandry for this amazing species. 

We've all experienced it. You post a picture of your beloved spider only to have some cretin respond with, "EWWW...KILL IT WITH FIRE."  As people who love these animals, it can be quite infuriating to have someone suggest that they would burn our pets to death. Where does this vitriol come from? Is there a way for us to turn these types of comments into a positive? In this episode, we'll discuss the issue. 

In this episode, I'll walk you through how I care for and set up my Poecilotheria ornatas, the largest Pokie species available in the hobby. I'll also share some frustrations about an annoying comment someone left on my latest video. Check out the Tarantula Sustainment Project!

In this episode, I answer three listener questions: How do I research new tarantula species; how to keep mature male tarantulas comfortable; and do I take into consideration my dogs getting haired? Thanks to the Tarantula Talk forum and Cody Barton, Carrie Hollister, and Martin Shelby for the questions!Resources:Mike's Basic TarantulasArachnoboardsWorld Spider CatalogTarantula Talk 

I've spoken often over the years about how hobby stigmas keep some folks from trying out Old World tarantula species. However, there is actually a flip side to this issue. Sadly, some hobbyists will ignore so called "beginner species" due to stigmatization. In this episode, we'll discuss how the hobby accidentally renders some species unappealing to experienced keepers. 

In this episode, I'll discuss the species I keep that really bring the fun during feeding time. We'll also talk how to safely work with a tarantula that has a particularly lively feeding response. A huge thank you to Jennifer Thomas for the podcast topic suggestion!Interested in spider taxonomy? Check out Arácnido.

In today's episode, I'll discuss the care and share my experiences with three species of Nhandu: N. chromatus, N. tripepii, and N. coloratovillosus. 

In this episode, I talk about how Billie and I set up and keep our B. dubia and B. lateralis roach colonies. I'll also talk a bit about how I manage to keep my crickets alive.A huge thanks to Matthew Kołodziejski for the topic suggestion! Be sure to check out the Tarantula Talk Facebook group for all things tarantulas! 

After posting up my video and podcast about Old World tarantulas, I received some interesting comments and questions about  ways to reduce the risks of keeping them. In this episode, I'll discuss some of the more common ideas and weigh in on whether they make sense or are mearly overkill. 

The impetus for this podcast is two-fold: first off, I’ve had a LOT of folks over the years ask me to cover urticating setae more thoroughly. Secondly, after posting my video on Old World species, several folks commented that they avoid New Worlds because of the hairs. Many have pointed out that, as a hobby, we spend so much time talking about venom potency and bites, that we never adequately address the issues posed by urticating hairs. In this episode, we take a look at urticating setae, the risks, and how to prevent exposure.  

Recently, I was chatting with a fellow keeper about some of the almost "foolproof" slings that are easy to raise to adulthood. These are the species that don't start off too tiny, eat great, grow fairly quickly, and are quite hardy overall.  After giving it some thought, I realized that there are several species that fit this bill. In this episode, I'll discuss 10 tarantula species that are easy to grow up from spiderlings! 

Every once in a while, someone will get the wrong idea from something I've said. Unfortunately, I don't always draw a hard line when it comes to many topics, which can apparently leave my personal view on some subjects up to interpretation. In this episode, I’ll discuss my thoughts on two topics that have come up quite a bit recently and try to clarify my views on them. 

Tarantulas may be very easy to keep and low maintenance, but they sure have a tendency to do things slowly and on their own schedules. In this episode, we talk about some common hobby situations that require that keepers show patience.