Tom's Big Spiders - Tarantulas and Inverts

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,...

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 Tarantulas Arachnoboards World Spider Catalog Tarantula 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 addr...

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 spe...

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.

Well, since we spent a previous episode talking about some of the more diminutive species I keep, I figured that it would be fun to talk about the giants in this episode! What are the biggest tarantulas in my collection? In this episode, you'll find out. 

First, I talk a bit about a recent mishap that I had involving one of my slings.  Then, although I've created a few sling guides, I've had a lot of folks ask me for specific advice on how to raise the tinies of slings. In this episode, I share some of the tips and tricks I use when growing up the wee ones. 

I take a lot of ribbing for saying that every species of tarantula I talk about is "one of my favorites." The truth is, I've enjoyed keeping every species I've ever raised. However, over the years, many folks have asked if there is any species that I don't like, and the answer is...complicated. In this podcast, I talk about the species that I failed to appreciate at first...

I often get folks asking me to do a podcast or video on the many dwarf tarantulas out there. Well for years I struggled to put one together because a) there are so many out there that I haven't kept and b) there is a lot of debate over what constitutes a "dwarf" tarantula. In this episode, I talk about the smaller species of spiders that I've kept and my experience with them. 

Yes, I think that all tarantulas should be given water dishes. However, in the great debate over whether they are "needed" or not, some important points are often overlooked. In this episode, we talk about creating a system to keep your tarantulas adequately hydrated. 

Way back in November of 2018, I decided to make a list of the top 15 favorite tarantulas in my collection. At that time, I freely admitted that the list would likely change as time went on (heck, I wanted to change it shortly after posting it!). Well, in this episode, I revisit the question "which are your favorite tarantulas" and put together another list of my current 15 current favori...

We've all been there...after discovering an unwanted pest, you recognize that the time has come to treat for it. Whether it be roaches, fleas, lice, or even ants, we all panic at the thought of an exterminator coming in and spraying chemicals that could kill our pets. In this episode, Billie joins us to discuss her experience as a pest control company manager treating various critters as safe...

In this episode, we discuss ten hazards keepers should be aware of when keeping tarantulas. 

I often get asked how long a certain species of tarantula lives for, and I sometimes struggle with the response as there are many variables that can lead to longer or shorter lifespans. I also think that some hobbyists set themselves up for disappointment when they assume that their spider will live to the older estimates given online. In this episode, I discuss my feeding regimes over the years a...

Back in 2019, I was a guest on the Animals at Home Podcast, and I had an absolute blast talking to the host, Dillon, about the tarantula hobby. At the end of the interview, we agreed that should Dillon ever decide to get his first tarantula, we should get back together to answer some of his questions. Well, a full pandemic later, and that time has come! In this episode, Dillion and I discuss some...