Tarantula Forum – A Friendly and Informative Place for Tarantula Enthusiasts

December 3, 2016December 3, 2016 / cancerides / 2 Comments

For those who get hooked on the hobby, the topic of tarantulas can become all-absorbing. Suddenly, all of your free time is spent researching husbandry, learning scientific names, and observing and caring for these amazing creatures. However, unlike more “common” hobbies, like scrap booking, gaming, cooking, or any other pastime that doesn’t involve giant spiders, it can be very difficult finding like-minded folks to share your enthusiasm with.

We’ve all been guilty of it. We corner a spouse to share our excitement over finding a species online for a good price. Or, a coworker asks how our weekend was, and we respond by showing them photos of a recent molt. This can leave folks smiling uncomfortably and nodding politely as they try to figure out what the hell a “Poecilotheria” is and how to get away from you. After all, family, friends, and co-workers can only take so much spider talk before it becomes a bit overwhelming … and annoying. It doesn’t take long for you to be a person to avoid, a bit of an eccentric pariah, as folks try to keep from getting trapped into hearing more tarantula talk.

Heck, I know my wife, family, and co-worker were probably getting a bit tired of hearing about spiders every time I opened my mouth, which is why I started to blog about it. I just needed to get it out of my system (and spare some loved ones in the process).

So, where do you go when to find friendly like-minded people who share your love for tarantulas.

Facebook groups have become a very popular destination for those wanting to share their love of tarantula keeping. Most people have Facebook pages, and it’s very easy to find a group that will work for you.

Forums are another option, and there are many out there that offer great experiences and a wealth of information. One place I like to recommend is the Tarantula Forum. I’ve been a member for many years, and I’ve found the folks there to be incredibly affable and helpful. Want to post pics of a current molt? Or share your excitement over a recent acquisition? This is a wonderful place to do it and receive a warm response.

Even better, perhaps you have a question about husbandry or a particular species, but you’re afraid to ask. For those who have been on other social media sites or forums, you know how a seemingly innocent question can often lead to a lynch mob-type response. I can honestly say that I’ve never seen anything but positive, helpful, and encouraging replies to husbandry questions on the Tarantula Forum. It doesn’t matter how elementary or basic your question may be, the folks there will offer sound advice without a measure of judgment.

Personally speaking, I go there to chat with other keepers and to have some fun. It’s a blast keeping up with some of the other keepers I’ve met through the forum, YouTube, or my website. Between my blog and the YouTube channel, I spend much times answering questions (which I love). Sometimes, however, I just want to unwind and socialize, and this forum has been a great place for that.

So, if your friends and family are currently scattering when you approach, or if you have a question that you would love some advice on, be sure to check out the Tarantula Forum. It’s truly warm and welcoming community of keepers. And if you do, be sure to introduce yourself and drop me a line (you can find me under Tomoran with my familiar O. philippinus avatar!).

Pet Center USA – A Review

December 26, 2014 / cancerides / 5 Comments

In an earlier post about how to shop for tarantulas online, I provided a list of reputable dealers. Among the names I included was Pet Center USA, a vendor I had yet to make a purchase from, but whose stellar reputation demanded that it be included on the list.

Well, I can now wholeheartedly recommend Pet Center USA from my own experiences.

An amazing selection and a great reputation.

Pet Center USA is run by Paul Becker, a very well respected and knowledgeable tarantula dealer. At any given time, Paul offers a staggering number of tarantula species for sale, and his prices are often lower than many other dealers. He is also recognized as being very approachable and helpful to anyone new to the hobby or even more established collectors who have questions.

When I noticed that he was offering Poecilotheria hanumavilasumica slings at an extremely reasonable $55, I knew the time had come to make my first purchase from him. After finding C. dyscolus blue slings on sale for the holidays, I placed my first order for two of each species.

Paul’s communication was excellent throughout. He responded to correspondences quickly, and his emails were always very affable and polite. I always enjoy when a vendor makes a little small talk, as it adds a personal touch to the transaction (and increases the likelihood that I will buy there again in the future). As an added courtesy, Paul also sends out an informative email after you order which details how he keeps the tarantulas and includes directions on how to properly rehouse them. I thought this was a very nice touch, and I expect this information would be especially appreciated by someone new to the hobby.

My order was shipped promptly via FedEx overnight, and it arrived at my local FedEx facility on a Tuesday. As expected, the packing was topnotch; the specimens were shipped in a foam-lined cardboard box with a heat pack included (temps were currently in the 30s in my state). The spiders were packed securely in plastic dram bottles, which were then wrapped up and taped in newspaper. The rest of the box was also padded out with damp newspaper.

My package of new Ts from Pet Center USA.

Pet Center sent the Ts in a foam lined box with a heat pack and damp newspaper for padding.

When I opened up the package, I was delighted to discover that Paul also included a freebie (and who doesn’t love a freebie?). I now have an adorable little Aphonopelma anax sling. Very cool.

For extra protection, the bottles were wrapped and taped in newspaper.

My new Ts still in their dram bottles.

The animals themselves arrived in great shape, and all five have been rehoused and fed. For these specimens, I decided to follow Paul’s instruction and just pop the top, pull the paper towel plug, and let the animals come out on their own (this is a technique I’ve also used in the past with aggressive/defensive species). Four of the Ts were out and had secreted themselves away by the morning. The fifth, an adorable little P. hanumavilasumica sling, had adapted its shipping container as a hide. Oh, well!

A perfect experience all around!

For those looking for a tarantula vendor with a great selection, low prices, great packing, and fantastic service, Pet Center USA is definitely a shop to check out. And, if you’re new to the hobby or just have questions about tarantulas, don’t hesitate to drop Paul a line.

One of my C. dyscolus slings purchased from Pet Center USA

Autumn’s Eight-Legged Experience Review

July 17, 2014March 11, 2018 / cancerides / Leave a comment

NOTE: THIS VENDOR IS NO LONGER IN BUSINESS!

After being burned once on a transaction with a private party selling Ts, I’ve been a bit gun-shy to order from anyone but established and reputable dealers. However, while perusing the For Sale/Trade/Want To Buy section of arachnoboards, I stumbled on an ad for .5″ Hapalopus sp. Columbia Large (Pumpkin Patch) slings for an amazing price of $18 each.

Now, I had been pricing this species out for months, and the cheapest I had found them for was about $35 for 1/3″. I knew the vendor, Autumn, from the boards, but I wasn’t aware that she had started selling. I checked her review thread, and found glowing reviews going back several months.

Interested, I clicked on a link to a very clean website offering several types of slings and many cool sling packages. The prices were outstanding, and the shipping charges were the lowest I had seen. For $10, she was offering Priority shipping with LAG. Even better, if you spent $50, Priority shipping was FREE. Wow. For those who didn’t want to chance a two-day journey, Autumn also offered overnight shipping for a very reasonable $35.

I ordered three Hapalopus sp. Columbia large slings. Not only were the spiders VERY reasonably priced, but I got the free Priority shipping with LAG on my purchase as it was over $50. On top of that, I even got a free B. albopilosum sling. To call this transaction a bargain would be an understatement.

Autumn’s communication throughout the entire transaction was amazing; she is very pleasant and affable. Corresponding via text (phone is also an option), she kept me updated on my order and even asked which freebie I wanted. The tracking information was texted directly to me, which was very convenient.

Shipping was prompt, and the packing was EXCELLENT. The slings were first nestled safely inside straws, then the straws were wrapped in moist paper towel and enclosed in a larger dram bottle. The bottle was packed and padded in a foam-lined Priority box. These little guys were very well protected.

Packing from Autumn’s Eight-Legged Experience.

Packing from Autumn’s Eight-Legged Experience. The box is foam-lined and the slings are cushioned by bags.

A peek inside the dram bottle shows the straws containing the Ts. These are cushioned by moistened paper towel.

The straws containing my tiny slings. This was a wonderful packing job.

My new acquisitions arrived lively and in great shape; it’s obviously that they have been well cared for. Three of the slings have already taken a prey item.

I won’t hesitate to order from Autumn again, and I highly recommend her. Her prices, service, and packing are EXCELLENT. I’m glad to have discovered this new dealer. Visit Autumn’s Eight Legged Experience Now!

A 1/2″ H. sp. Columbia sling purchased from Autumn’s Eight-Legged Experience.

Michael Jacobi’s Spider Shoppe – A Review

May 10, 2014 / cancerides / Leave a comment

I had first heard of Micheal Jacobi when I purchased the Kindle edition of his TARANTULAS book from the Animal Planet Pet Care Library. I very much enjoyed this book, and found it to be a very accessible read and an excellent introduction to tarantula keeping. About that same time, I stumbled across an advertisement for his online store, Micheal Jacobi’s Spider Shoppe. I knew that it would only be a matter of time before I placed my first order with him, as he had a very diverse selection in stock, and his prices were quite fair.

Well, last week I was given a little extra incentive to do so when Michael announced a three-day blowout sale in preparation for a trip he was taking oversees. To receive the price list, folks needed only to be signed up for his newsletter (or sign up before the sale). I immediately jumped on the site and signed up.

Man, am I glad that I did.

The list was extensive, and the prices were amazing (and I honestly thought his prices were good already). Unfortunately, the sale started on a Wednesday, and I didn’t get paid until Friday, so I missed out on a couple fantastic deals (I almost bought them anyway, but I didn’t want my wife to kill me). I was able to grab three .5″ C. darlingi slings ($10 each), three 1.5″ H. incei gold juveniles ($20 each), and one 1.5″ P. regalis juvenile ($25).

Despite the fact that Mr. Jacobi was obviously fielding dozens of emails and pulling stock, his communication was excellent. When a T I wanted had sold out, he responded immediately with the info so that I had an opportunity to quickly adjust my order. Payment info and shipping info was sent promptly, and although I expected a delay in shipping due to the volume of business he was doing, my package was shipped as soon as I gave the go ahead. He even sent a little FAQ-style email with a lot of useful information and tips. Very cool.

Box was well packed and properly labeled to prevent damage.

Packing was excellent, with foam insulation, heating pack, and air bag padding inside the box. Individual tarantulas were well-packed in dram bottles and the drams were then taped up in another layer of thick paper towel for added shock protection.

The box opened and showing the receipt, a business card, and some very cool stickers.

The box opened with the top piece of foam and a couple pieces of padding removed. Spiders are well packed in dram bottles surrounded by a layer of thick paper towel.

The tarantulas themselves were lively and in excellent health. Even cooler, every one I ordered was much larger than I was expecting. The C. darlingis all measured about an inch, and two of the H. inceis were about 1.75″ with the third a beefy 2+”.

And the P. regalis? Well, I haven’t gotten an accurate measurement yet, but this “1.5” inch juvenile is actually over 3″. What a fantastic surprise and a discovery that made this purchase even more of a phenomenal bargain.

One of the three H. incei juveniles purchased from Michael Jacobi. Unfortunately, my picture doesn’t really capture the amazing color.

Speaking of lively, one of the C. darlingi slings launched itself from container after I removed the piece of paper towel blocking holding it in. To say that the little bugger was fast would be an understatement. Luckily, I always work over either a box or large plastic bin to prevent escapes. After leaping from the dram onto my hand, he actually ran off of my hand and right into his new enclosure. Thanks, buddy!

I could not be more pleased with my purchase from Micheal Jacobi’s Spider Shoppe. The prices were amazing, the communication was outstanding, the packing was perfect, and the animals were in great shape. This was an A+ experience, and I would definitely recommend Mr. Jacobi to any enthusiast looking for a professional and trustworthy vendor.

A quick note: as Michael will be travelling extensively over the next several months, his online store will not list tarantulas for sale for time being. Those interested in pricing or ordering will want to sign up for his newsletter.

Box of Roaches … A Review of Jeremy Stichler!

May 9, 2014May 9, 2014 / cancerides / Leave a comment

Having amassed a collection of 47 tarantulas and counting that now includes many larger spiders, I was finding it more difficult to keep adequate food supplies handy. Although I’ve used mainly crickets for prey, I also keep a small quantity of Blaptica dubia and Blatta lateralis roaches. Having found that the dubias were easier to maintain and relatively odorless, I started keeping a lookout for a fairly priced starter colony.

While perusing the for sale page on Arachnoboards, I stumbled on an ad for 125 count starter colony of large Blaptica dubia for only $27 shipped. The vendor was Jeremy Stichler (Jerm357) who had several pages of sparkling reviews on the boards. Having priced out starter colonies before, I was expecting to pay much more for this many roaches (and that was not counting the 10% overcount he offered on top of it). Even better, he guaranteed all larger roaches unless specified that you wanted smaller ones. I jumped at this tremendous bargain and immediately emailed Jeremy.

Communication was excellent, as Jeremy emailed me back immediately with payment information. Correspondence was friendly and very professional, which is always a huge plus in my book. He also shipped quickly, and my package was mailed USPS Priority on that Monday and arrived on Wednesday.

Box arrived in great shape.

Packing was excellent, with the roaches double-boxed and insulated with newspaper. There wasn’t a single dead roach in the bunch, and all were quite lively when I opened the package. In fact, one of the larger males quickly shot out of the package and landed on my arm. Now, I know I have dozens of giant, hairy spiders, and most would find that frightening, but I don’t think I’d ever seen a roach that big. And, perhaps I panicked just a bit when I tried to quickly brush it off and the little beast barely budged. Wow, those suckers are strong…

After opening the first box, I discovered a second box safely nestled in a bed of newspaper. (Note: Notice my 3-year-old’s creepy Mega Blok figure. Those little pagan-looking totems are all around my house. Should I be worried?)

The second box is now open. A piece of cardboard serves as a spacer. You can now see some of the roaches…yum!

With the cardboard moved aside, you can now see more of the little buggers.

With the cardboard (and some of the roaches) out of the way, you can now see a bunch of very large and healthy roaches.

All of the roaches have been rehoused in their new home (I will post later about their new quarters), and all are eating well. I honestly couldn’t have been more happy with my purchase from Mr. Stichler. I wouldn’t hesitate to buy from him again.

This was an A+ experience, and I would highly recommend Jeremy Stichler to any hobbyist looking for a dubia feeder roach starter colony.