Just a thought

[newtots]

just wanted to say, don't always listen to the pet store workers.. There are some very knowledgeable ones but also some terrible ones. I got an avicularia avicularia from a local pet store. Personally I would say I rescued it but I'll let others judge that. He's a good 3 1/2-4" male, and they had him in a small critter keeper with not much height. When I bought him (39$) they handed me a g rosea paper and said his care is exactly the same as a g rosea. Now I'm no expert but I'm pretty sure the 2 species are like night and day in their care. My avic is in a large critter keeper right now until pay day which is in 3 days.. But has tons to climb and play on and is much happier

 

[Chubbs]

just wanted to say, don't always listen to the pet store workers.. There are some very knowledgeable ones but also some terrible ones. I got an avicularia avicularia from a local pet store. Personally I would say I rescued it but I'll let others judge that. He's a good 3 1/2-4" male, and they had him in a small critter keeper with not much height. When I bought him (39$) they handed me a g rosea paper and said his care is exactly the same as a g rosea. Now I'm no expert but I'm pretty sure the 2 species are like night and day in their care. My avic is in a large critter keeper right now until pay day which is in 3 days.. But has tons to climb and play on and is much happier

At least you've got the intelligence/common sense to know when someone is giving bad advice. A lot of people would probably just go "But the guy at the pet store said...." I always tell people you're better off asking questions on a forum such as this one.

Avicularia as you know are arboreal, so that's probably the biggest difference. They need a tall enclosure and a tall piece of bark to web against. So you're getting a new enclosure for it in a few days? That's good, as I don't really like using Kritter Keepers for Avics. Avics need lots of cross-ventilation, which these lack. I'd probably be tempted to go back to that store and tell that guy he's an idiot. [emoji14]

 

[Oodalolie]

You know, I've noticed lately that big chain pet stores are bringing in more and more exotic animals. For example, my local pet store had three baby green tree pythons ($600 each) and within one month they were all gone. Don't really think they were sold... It only hurts the animal :/ most people are not educated. They go, oh it's a snake, they're all the same.
Drives me crazy.

 

[timc]

Aside from the bad advice pet stores give one of the things that really gets on my nerves is that a lot of stores, both chains and local, gorge feed. I can't stand seeing a tarantula for sale with 4 to 10 crickets running around irritating a tarantula that is clearly not hungry. In my opinion this just goes to show that it might be better to let a couple spiders suffer their fate and let these stores learn to not carry tarantulas instead of rescuing individuals at the expense of encouraging profit-hungry ne'er-do-wells. I feel bad for almost every spider I see in a pet store, but at some point these stores need to learn or abandon the care of tarantulas

 

[Entity]

Yeah well they wont learn their lesson. When that one dies they get them at such a low cost, they just replace it. What bothers me is ive been hearing stories of pet stores selling OW species from time to time. and aggressive NW's...that is scary, eventually someone is going to get hurt because of their ignorance and the hobby is going to take a hit...thats what scares me the most.

 

[newtots]

This store had a Damon diadema, 2 rosea and the avic. I was surprised they had bark for the Damon diadema but not the avic. They were housing him like a rosea and that really got on my nerves. I bought him because I find it hard to see one being raised wrong. And yes they were attempting to gorge the roseas... But there was a sign saying they were sold waiting to be picked up. I just hope that the new owner does their research

 

[Entity]

hmm...never seen one have whip scorpions either.

 

[bpete]

years ago I worked part time for one of the big box pet stores in aquatics. at that time they had not gotten into the exotics such as herps and T's but it was still the same profit over everything deal. I was encouraged to give bad advice for a sale. of course I always tried to give accurate information or admit that I did not know the answer and would try and find out. but I always knew that others were giving bad advice such as when a customer would bring their dead fish in and tell me how or what they kept it in or with incompatable species. needless to see I could only stand so much and looked elsewhere to suppliment my income.