Claim OwnershipTom's Big Spiders - Tarantulas and Inverts
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© 2024 Tom's Big Spiders - Tarantulas and Inverts
Description
A podcast devoted to the proper care and upkeep of tarantulas and other inverts. After keeping a G. porteri for over 16 years, I decided that I wanted to add another tarantula to my collection. Several years later, I now keep over 100 specimens and 90+ different species. It’s safe to say that I am now completely addicted to the hobby.I’m NOT an expert, and I’m currently still learning about keeping these fascinating creatures. In fact, there are so many species, that I suspect that I’ll still be learning years from now. This blog is a bit of a journal to track my interest in the hobby and to share some of the information I’ve learned. A teacher by trade, I enjoy passing along what I’ve information and techniques I’ve discovered and helping others in their successful pursuit of this hobby. I enjoy hearing from folks, whether through comments on the blog or email.I have done and continue to do a lot of research, and I will only be discussing animals I personally keep, so the information I present should be current and accurate. I also regularly update older posts with current photos, observations, and information. However, this is an ever-evolving hobby, so I implore anyone interested in keeping these animals to use whatever they find here as a springboard for further research on techniques or species-specific care.
318 Episodes
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For years, tarantulas designated as "terrestrial" were given a couple inches of substrate and a hide for a setup. Now, although this isn't necessarily wrong, I've found that many of my so-called "terrestrial" species will continue to burrow right on through adulthood if given the substrate depth to do so. In this episode, I'll discuss how I'm changing how I keep many of my terrestrial species and list off some of the ones that currently burrow as adults.
In this episode, we break away from talking about spiders for a bit and instead discuss the care for T. stigmurus. This amazing little scorpion can produce asexually and can be kept communally. I started with only one specimen back in October of 2016, and have kept dozens since!
First, we discuss some listener feedback from last episode.Then, I've had a bunch of folks ask me to cover this over the years, and I honestly thought that I had already done so! In this episode, I go over a dozen species of spiders I keep that love blanketing their enclosures in webbing.Happy Mother's Day to all!
First off, we discuss last week's episode and some of the feedback I received (a HUGE thank you to all who took the time to comment!).Then, it's the battle of the orangey/black dwarfs as Davus pentaloris "The Tiger Rump" takes on Hapalopus formosus "The Pumpkin Patch"!
If someone would have told me back in early 2018 that this podcast experiment would continue for over 300 episodes, I would have laughed. But here we are, in our seventh year, still churning out shows. That said, I always worry that the program will eventually jump the shark and overstay its welcome. To kick this one off, we’ll discuss the fine line I try to walk producing shows that will appeal to both beginners and more advanced keepers alike and how you can all help as we move ahead.Then, ...
As I've spent more time keeping tarantulas, I've realized that questions "what is a good beginner species?" and "what is a good species to raise as a first time sling? have two very different answers. Just because a species is easier to care for as an adult does not always make it an easy one to raise up. In this episode, I'll discuss the species I tend to recommend when asked what species make for good first-time slings.
How do you know when you’re getting too many tarantulas? How can you tell when you’re reaching what should be your limit?In this episode, we’ll discuss the importance of establishing routines and setting boundaries early on to avoid having your collection turn into a hoard.
I've encountered this scenario many times...an upset keeper emails me to ask what he did wrong because his adult female didn't make it to the supposed max life expectancy. In many cases, it sounds like the animal died of natural causes, but the thought that it should have lived longer can eat away at a concerned keeper. In this episode, we discuss some of the maximum lifespans given for tarantulas online and break down why some might live longer than others. I will also share the a...
In this episode, I talk about my experiences with the three Theraphosa species: Theraphosa stirmi (the Burgundy Goliath Birdeater), Theraphosa blondi (the Goliath Birdeater), and Theraphosa apophysis (Pinkfoot Goliath Birdeater).
To start this one off, I share some of the feedback I got from last week's episode and respond to a couple comments.Then, at 21:25, it's been five years to the day when I last covered some tips for ordering tarantulas online. In this episode, we will review the dos and don't as well as discuss some new issues that have presented themselves over the last five years.
A couple of years ago, I stumbled on an article about the "inadvertent domestication" of animals raised for the sole purpose of being released back into the wild. This is when, despite our best efforts, captive animals were becoming inadvertently domesticated by temporarily or even permanently adapting to a captive environment , which was making them less fit to survive in the wild. This could often occur within a single generation of captive-reared animals.And that got me thinking...Many spe...
I've been doing this a while now, and there is one occurrence that I will never understand...when keepers ask for advice and then ignore it. Luckily, it doesn't happen often, but when it does, the results can be quite tragic. In this episode, we'll discuss a few of the more egregious experiences I've had with this type of behavior.
Over the years, I've continued to constantly switch up what I use for substrate when it comes to housing my tarantulas. In this episode, I review what I've used in the past and share an inexpensive "recipe" I'm currently using that yields a LOT of substrate for very little money.
In this episode, we discuss some instances where folks have lost large parts or all of their collection due to mishap or an overlooked environmental hazard.
Within the past couple weeks, I spoke with two teenagers who were interested in getting their first tarantula. Both had many questions about where they should start and what they should prepare for. In this episode, I lay out several things anyone thinking about getting a tarantula should do...and some things that they shouldn't.
First, we discuss the "controversy" a recent episode caused. Then, I field a question from a long-time YouTube subscriber about changes that I've made in how I set up fossorial tarantula enclosures.
Well, it had to be done! In this episode, two popular genera of giant tarantulas will duke it out for hobby superiority! Okay, that's a bit dramatic; in reality, we will compare the two genera and talk about the similarities and differences.
To start this one off, we'll discuss some feedback to last week's episode.Then, after reflecting on 10 years of doing the TBS stuff, I realized that there is one major issue that I will never overcome.
Recently, I've received some comments on my YouTube videos with folks saying that my tarantulas are "skinny" or "underfed", which left me a bit confused. However, after speaking with a hobby friend, I realized that, through social media, many folks new to the hobby may be exposed to photos of chubby Ts. For many, a spider with a bloated abdomen is the norm.In this episode, we'll discuss overfeeding tarantulas and feeding schedules. A huge thank you to Charlotte for the awesome topic idea!
Happy New Year! In this episode, I give my take on whether or not it's appropriate to say that tarantulas have "personalities." We will also discuss whether tarantulas need enrichment to avoid boredom.
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Oh, this is a great topic
You’re my favorite 😁
Hi Tom, I got into the hobby jus thg a few months the ago at the age of 53. Once I decided to get my first T, I began with exhaustive research. Your rop beginners list motivated me to start with my Tlictocatl Albopilosus and it was a decision that I do not regret one bit. recently I have added two slings to my collection recently. a Chromatopelma cuaneopubescence and a Lasiodora parahybana. All of these amazing creatures were on your top beginners list and I am grateful for your guidance in my decisions. Will I get an old world? Sure, when the time is right, but I have nothing to prove to anyone and so I sip this hobby rather than gulp it. Thank you for all that you do.
The head-lopping chromatus has to be called Lizzy Borden 🤘
really interesting. I have a camera on my T albopilosum enclosure and I noticed a long time ago she would randomly jump sideways and then stress curl several times a day. one day I turned sound on the camera and she was reacting and getting upset by the vibrations of my big dogs when they'd suddenly bark (usually at mailman). I moved her into a quieter part of my house never saw it again . just figured I would share a case where something loud WAS stressing the T . poor girl ! lol
love the podcast. I had isopods in my roach colony and I had an explosion of them and they ended up actually killing off my colony
happy Easter Tom!
them nats! aooooahhhhhh
Love the podcast.
Love this podcast. Great information for keepers of all skill levels.