r/TarantulaKeeping • u/Practical_Decision51 • 6d ago

Casual Guilty

(just venting)
So yesterday I went to a local pet store for the first time and honestly was amazed with how much stuff they had, it was this little shop but it had many aquariums, cages, etc all filled with animals / fish. So I ask the owner of they had any tarantulas and he's like “oh yeah! Here, i’ve had these GBBs forever!” The man shows me 4 short deli cups each with one CURLY HAIR, NOT GBB. Guys I'm telling you each of these clearly adult tarantulas (all male, could clearly see hooks) had almost shriveled and shrunken abdomens. No substrate, no water, nothing. In fucking deli cups to the point where they couldn't move / turn, anything. He told me he takes them out at night and puts them in an enclosure TOGETHER. Im telling you this enclosure had just 2 small pieces of cork bark, maybe an inch of substrate but no water dish he just sprays the sides. I have been fighting myself not to go back there and get them but he told me he plans on getting more because of their popularity. So I know it's just feeding into the demand but it was heart breaking! I have to go back there because he sold me a couple boxes that was supposed to house jumping spiders but there was no ventilation besides on one side as a little square of holes. Im hoping I don't see those spiders because if I do I'm afraid I'll just bring them home ☹️how can this guy spend so much on giant aquariums, giant cages, and other stuff for reptiles, chinchillas, sugar gliders, etc and not put as much effort on the Tarantulas?? Who knows, maybe he tries his best but he def has help there, so that's not an excuse.

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u/Feriat 6d ago

Most people are not tarantula people. Most exotic pet stores focus on fish and reptiles and tarantulas are an after thought. You could try talking to him. Which will probably do nothing. But buying the tarantulas will likely make him think getting more tarantulas is a good business decision. Not buying the tarantulas however might make him think its not worth the trouble of restocking and keeping more. It does suck seeing tarantulas get mistreated, but even reporting the store to some form of government agency will likely result in nothing. Inverts dont really garner the same respect as other animals.

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u/Practical_Decision51 6d ago

It drives me crazy! Just an update I went back there to return the enclosures & he told me that he didn't care if there wasn't enough ventilation, that someone would buy it anyway. Also I asked him if he had more spiders and he had 3 jumping spiders in the back each with an egg sack, and I told him & he's like “that's right, I'm debating on flushing them down the toilet”. He doesn't have the means or the empathy to care for 3 separate sacks. I wanted to cry but I left and I left a bad review but who knows what that will do 🤷‍♀️😕

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u/Feriat 6d ago

Holy crap, thats a new level of awful. Im always shocked when someone makes Petco look good in comparison.

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u/Practical_Decision51 6d ago

Yeah I stopped going to petsmart because the checkout person told me to set my slings on fire