Tom's Big Spiders - Tarantulas And Inverts

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.

In this episode, we compare two very similar species: the A. geniculata or "Brazilian Black and White" and the N. chromatus or "Brazilian Red and White." Both are awesome species and, in my opinion, hobby staples. But which has more to offer?

First, I have an important message from the US Tarantula Sustainment Project.Then, we're going to have a little fun. In this episode, we'll compare and break down two species that are often confused for each other, the C. cyaneopubescens (GBB) and the D. diamantinensis (Brazilian Blue Beauty). Which spider is the "best"? Who knows! But we will attempt to find out!Be sure to chime in with your vote on either Spotify or tomsbigspiderspodcast.com! 

In this episode, I'll talk a bit about the tarantula species that I've raised that buck the old "keep 'em moist" rule for slings. 

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.