Tom's Big Spiders - Tarantulas and Inverts cover art

All Episodes

Tom's Big Spiders - Tarantulas and Inverts — 388 episodes

#
Title
1

Tangerine Dreams! Selenobrachys philippinus Care and Notes

2

The "Confounding" Caribena versicolor Care and Tips

3

Some Harmful Practices, Myths, or Misconceptions in the Tarantula Hobby

4

Tarantula History: Which Species Have Been in the Hobby the Longest?

5

Theraphosa apophysis "Pinkfoot Goliath" Care

6

Death By Tarantula Bite! Fact or Myth?

7

The Infamous "Mexican Redrump" Tliltocatl vagans Care and Notes

8

Tarantula Hoarding - A Discussion

9

Tarantula Feeding Revisited

10

C. lividus "The Cobalt Blue Tarantula" Care

11

Are Tarantula Enclosures too Small and Cruel?

12

The H. maculata "Togo Starburst Baboon" Care Revisited

13

The Best Non-Tarantula Spiders for the First Time Keeper

14

9 Controversial Tarantula Topics

15

Wild Caught Tarantulas in the Hobby

16

The Ten Least Visible Spiders I Keep

17

Green Tarantulas!

18

Using AI for Tarantula Care Research

19

How to Prevent (or Come Back from) Tarantula Hobby Burnout

20

The Ultimate M. balfouri "Socotra Island Blue Baboon" Care Guide

21

Tarantulas Seized and the C. cayaneopubescens (GBB) Care

22

Best Tarantula Species to Keep to Gain Experience

23

The Big Guns - Updates on My Largest Tarantulas

24

Who Will Care for Your Tarantulas in an Emergency?

25

Tarantula Males Discussion

26

If I Could Only Keep 5 Tarantulas

27

P. metallica "Gooty Sapphire Ornamental" Care

28

Tarantula Molting Guide

29

Amazing Spider Mothers!

30

Some Tips for Setting Up Moisture Dependent Tarantulas

31

How To Explain Large Tarantula Collections

32

Anti Exotics Legislation - Why Are We Targeted?

33

Aphonopelma Species Update 2025

34

A Crash Course in Mygalomorphs vs. Araneomorphs - Different Spider Infraorders

35

Worth a Second Look ft. H. gigas (Cameroon Red Baboon)

36

Updates on Some Recently Rehoused Tarantulas

37

Arboreal Tarantula Genus Comparison

38

My Favorite Spiders to Feed

39

Confronting My Potential Bias When It Comes to Old World Behaviors

40

So, You Want a Giant Tarantula: A Species Comparison

41

Showcase Spiders! The Most Visibile Tarantulas I've Kept 2025

42

The 5 Most Defensive Tarantulas I Have Raised

43

The Importance of Experience in the Tarantula Hobby

44

What's Wrong Here? Using Error Analysis To Improve Tarantula Care

45

Top Ten Most Asked Tarantula Questions in 2024

46

A Discussion of Tarantula Temperatures

47

Keeping Tarantulas in the Winter - 2024

48

Tarantula Handling: Some Things to Consider

49

Sprucing Up A Tarantula Enclosure without Rehousing

50

Tarantula Questions That I Find a Bit Frustrating

51

Do Spiders Dream? and "Old World Tarantula Anxiety"

52

The "Mysterious" T. albopilosus or Curly Hair Tarantula

53

Tarantula Prices - Why Are These Things So Expensive?

54

Feedback on Defensive Tarantulas and the "Heart Attack Pack"!

55

The Most Defensive Tarantula Species I've Kept

56

Assessing the Risk of Overexploitation to a Tarantula Species in the Pet Trade - A Breakdown

57

Grammostola Pulchra "The Brazilian Black" Care...and Orbweaver Spider News

58

Andrew Smith's Tarantula Documentaries and Why We Love Fossorial Tarantulas

59

When Burrowing Tarantulas Don't Resurface

60

Why Arboreal Tarantulas Shouldn't Be Overlooked

61

Tarantulas with Undeserved Bad Reputations (and Jorō Spider News!)

62

Phormictopus Genus Update with 16 "Species"

63

Skeleton Tarantulas! Ephebopus Genus Review ft. 4 Species

64

Planning for a Tarantula Presentation

65

Not What I Expected - 7 Tarantula Species That Defied Expectation

66

The "Spectrum" of Tarantula Terrestrial, Fossorial, and Arboreal Enclosure Setups

67

Common Tarantula Keeper Mistakes Part 2

68

Tips for Raising Huntsman Spiders

69

Tarantula Setups - Real vs. Fake Plants

70

A Rainbow of Spiders 2 - Some of the Most Colorful Spiders I've Kept

71

Terrestrial Tarantulas That Burrow (or Rethinking How We Keep Terrestrials)

72

Tityus stigmurus or the "Brazilian Yellow Scorpion" Care

73

The Most Heavily Webbing Spiders I Keep

74

D. Pentaloris "The Tiger Rump" vs. H. formosus "The Pumpkin Patch"

75

The Future of the Podcast and Signs Your Old Tarantula Is Dying

76

The Best Tarantula Species for Folks Raising up Their First Slings

77

The Importance of Establishing Routines with Growing Tarantula Collections

78

Tarantula Max Lifespans - A Realistic Discussion

79

The Goliath Birdeaters - Theraphosa Genus Review

80

Dos and Don'ts When Ordering Tarantulas Online

81

The "Domestication" of Tarantulas - Why our Pets Are Not Quite Wild Animals

82

Why Bother Asking? When Keepers Ask Questions and Ignore the Answers

83

Tarantula Substrate - Some Inexpensive Mixes

84

Tarantula Collection Killers

85

I Want a Tarantula - Where Do I Start?

86

How I've Tweaked My Fossorial Tarantula Setups

87

Pamphobeteus vs. Phormictopus! The Battle of Two Giant Tarantula Genera

88

The One Issue in the Tarantula Hobby I Will Never Overcome

89

Tarantula Feeding Schedules and Fat Ts

90

Do Tarantulas Have "Personalities"?

91

The A. geniculata vs. The N. chromatus - Two Classic Tarantulas

92

The GBB vs. The Brazilian Blue Beauty

93

Tarantula Species That Need it Drier As Slings

94

Eresus walckenaeri Care and the Velvet/Jumping Spider "Fad"

95

Tarantula Enclosure Blowout!

96

A History of Tom's Big Spiders and Why I Do This

97

The Fastest Spiders That I Have Kept

98

Is Your Enclosure and Setup Killing Your Juvenile Arboreal Tarantula?

99

When Losing Confidence Leads to Mistakes

100

10 Reasons to Give True Spiders a Shot

101

E. campestratus "Pink Zebra Beauty" Care and Notes

102

BURN IT WITH FIRE! How to Understand and Deal With Tarantula Hatred

103

Poecilotheria Ornata (Fringed Ornamental) Care and Tips...and a Note on Sri Lankan Pokies

104

Researching Tarantula Species and Two Other Listener Questions

105

Beginner Tarantula Species Stigma

106

My Tarantulas With the Best Feeding Responses

107

Genus Nhandu Care and Discussion

108

Some Tips on Keeping Roach Colonies (and Keeping Crickets Alive!)

109

Old World Tarantula Don'ts

110

The Urticating Hairs of New World Tarantulas

111

The Easiest Tarantula Species to Grow Up from Slings

112

Clearing the Air - My Thoughts on Bioactive Enclosures and Digging Up Tarantulas

113

Patience Is a Virtue - The Importance of Staying Calm in the Tarantula Hobby

114

Monster Spiders! The Largest Tarantulas in My Collection

115

The Itsy Bitsy Spider - Tips for Raising Tiny Slings

116

Tarantula Species That Failed to Excite Me...At First

117

Tom's Little Spiders - A Discussion of the "Dwarf" Species I've Kept

118

Having a System to Keep Your Tarantulas Hydrated

119

My 15 Favorite Tarantulas That I Keep...For Now 2023

120

Safe Pest Control for Tarantula Keepers ft. Billie

121

10 Things Around Your Home That Could be Dangerous for Your Tarantulas

122

Tarantula Lifespans and Feeding Regimes

123

A Chat with Dillon from Animals At Home!

124

The Tarantula Hobby Exam Part 3

125

Why You Need a Curtain-Web Spider - Husbandry Notes on Dipluridae

126

The Truth About Old World Tarantulas

127

Brachypelma Genus Review!

128

A Conversation with Veterinarian Dr. Andy Anderson about Tarantula Health Pt. 2

129

A Conversation with Veterinarian Dr. Andy Anderson about Tarantula Health Pt. 1

130

What's Changed in My Tarantula Care - And WHY?

131

Fossorial Tarantulas - Tips and Care Notes for The Burrowing Species

132

Tarantula Collection Organization and Management (and How to Prevent Burnout)

133

The First Annual TBS Spider Awards! 2022 Year in Review

134

Listener Comments on Last Episode and Ephebopus Update

135

5 New Years Wishes for Those Just Getting into the Tarantula Hobby

136

"Dying" Tarantula Mystery and Pseudhapalopus sp. Blue Care

137

Questions Every Tarantula Keeper Gets Asked

138

Cleaning Tarantula Enclosures

139

Three Thrixopelma Species

140

Bad Tarantula Dealers - How Do They Get Away With It for So Long?

141

10 Things That Can Stress Out Keepers When the Weather Gets Cold

142

Aphonopelma Genus Discussion

143

Raising Tarantula Slings - A Guide

144

Tarantula Laws in Other Countries and My Response to an Angry Comment on Last Week's Episode

145

Laws to Be Aware of When Buying Tarantulas in the US (and Feeding Schedules)

146

An Interview with Emile and Erin from The Tarantula Sustainment Project

147

Tips to Make Your First Poecilotheria Experience Less Intimidating

148

When Panic Leads to "Over Caring" for Your Tarantulas

149

Tarantulas As Pets - The Good, the Bad, and the Misunderstood.

150

I Killed My Tarantula - How Do I Forgive Myself?

151

Male Tarantulas - Should He Stay or Should He Go?

152

Tarantula Enclosure Sizes Revisited

153

The Slowest Growing Tarantulas I've Raised

154

Is This Normal? 11 Common Tarantula Behaviors That Cause Keepers Anxiety

155

Tarantula Ailments - A Discussion of Some Causes, Preventive Measures, and Remedies

156

Beginners Receiving Advanced Species as Freebies and "Free Range" Tarantula Keeping

157

Multiple Hides, Cross Ventilation, and Critter Keepers

158

When Is It Okay to Start Giving Advice?

159

Species of Tarantula Slings That Give Keepers a Difficult Time

160

Some Enclosure Ideas from Amazon in a Pinch

161

Listener Questions ft. Bright Lights, Spiders I Won't Keep, and Clearing Away Webbing

162

These Will Kill Ya! 5 Spiders With Exaggerated Reputations

163

Considering Your Living Situation BEFORE Starting a Tarantula Collection

164

The "Death" Episode

165

The Differences Between New and Old World Tarantulas

166

How Do I Know If I'm an Expert Keeper?

167

Arachnophobic? Blame Entertainment!

168

What Makes an Advanced Tarantula Species?

169

Persistent Myths in the Tarantula Hobby

170

A Code of Conduct for the Tarantula Hobby

171

Why So Nasty? Tarantula Temperament Revisited

172

Tarantula Stress

173

Show Me Reptiles Expo and GBBs and "Semi Arboreal" Setups

174

7 Topics Sure to Start Friction on Social Media

175

The Tarantula Care Exam Part 2 - Advanced

176

Where to Buy Tarantulas Online in the US

177

The State of the Tarantula Hobby in the US 2022

178

Bad Molt Update and Xenesthis sp. blue

179

5 Species That Need to Be More Established in the Hobby

180

Exotics Hobbies Threatened in the US

181

Signs of an Uninformed Hobbyist

182

Tarantulas In the News!

183

Tarantula Hybridization

184

Ending Enclosure Snobbery

185

Tarantula Handling Revisited

186

Awesome M. balfouri Story and Keeping Slings Dry?

187

True Spiders vs. Tarantulas; Some Differences For Keepers to Know

188

Most Common Mistakes Tarantula Keepers Make

189

Are Lists That Rank Tarantulas By Difficulty Useless?

190

Getting Ready for the Winter with Your Tarantulas

191

The Top 3 Worst Reasons To Enter the Hobby

192

Luring the Wrong Kind of People Into the Hobby

193

Halloween Special - Tarantulas with Orange

194

Pamphobeteus Revisited

195

Just How Deadly or Dangerous Are Our Spiders?

196

What If I HAVE to Heat My Tarantulas?

197

Why Is the Tarantula Hobby So Addictive?

198

Buying Tarantulas Online

199

C. versicolor and Why are Tarantulas So Expensive?

200

Tarantulas and Children

201

Hidden Threats to Tarantulas in Your Home

202

The Tarantula Care 101 Exam!

203

Amazing Tarantula Communal Behavior and O. violaceopes Care

204

Blue Tarantula Update!

205

The Most Bizarre Comments or Suggestions I've Received Over the Years

206

Swift's Inverts, H. maxima, and Rehousing Critique

207

Feeders and Is Not Fearing OW Tarantulas a Bad Thing?

208

Why Is Such a Simple Hobby So Difficult?

209

The Giants - Getting Measurements of My Largest Tarantulas

210

Phormictopus Mess and Molting Mishap

211

Top 100+ Favorite Tarantulas A-Z Commentary Pt. 3

212

Top 100+ Favorite Tarantulas A-Z Commentary Pt. 2

213

Top 100+ Favorite Tarantulas A-Z Commentary Pt. 1

214

There Are Levels to This...Right?

215

Let's Talk About Substrate!

216

My Favorite Old World Species...For Now

217

Crisis of Confidence

218

My New Linothele Species!

219

Omothymus violaceopes "Singapore Blue" Care

220

Risk vs. Reward in the Hobby

221

What the Heck Are These Poecilotheria "Hobby Forms"?

222

Being an Informed Hobbyist with Guest Luis Roque

223

New World vs. Old World Species - The Debate

224

Listener Question, Being Kind, and Reusing Substrate

225

Power Outages and Burrowing Spiders That Won't Come Up to Eat

226

Planning for an Emergency

227

The P. murinus or OBT Rehousing and Update

228

Some Cool Tarantula Products and the "H" Word

229

Tips for Smoother Rehousings

230

Giving Unsolicited Husbandry Advice

231

Q & A with Billie from Tom's Big Spiders

232

The Queen Is Dead and Pamphobeteus Care

233

Deaths in the Collection and E. campestratus (Pink Zebra Beauty)

234

Nhandu Genus Review and Buying Unsexed Slings

235

The Fastest Growing Tarantulas In My Collection

236

Winter FAQ for 2021 - Considerations for When the Weather Gets Cold

237

No, a Bite from a Tarantula Is NOT Inevitable

238

Bad Mistakes? I've Made a Few...

239

Top Obscure or Uncommon Tarantulas in My Collection

240

Idiothele mira (Blue-foot Baboon) Notes

241

Updates on Last Week's Episode and Avoiding Wild Caught Ts

242

Some Thoughts on Tarantula Euthanization Methods (and Aphonopelma Tips!)

243

Tarantula "Collections" - Good or Bad?

244

Keeper Cards and Birupes simoroxigorum Care

245

Most Asked Tarantula Related Questions

246

The "Best" Tarantula Enclosure and Xenesthis Update

247

Caribena versicolor "Antilles Pinktoe" Discussion

248

Does an Aggressive Feeding Schedule Impact Longevity?

249

Blue T News and When Species Are "Extinct" from the Hobby

250

Feeding - What Works for You?

251

Beginner Anxiety (or When Will I Stop Worrying?)

252

P. metallica Communal Development

253

DKS Revisited and Cross Ventilation

254

Psalmopoeus Genus Review and Bioactive Thoughts

255

Tarantula Temperament and Putting Your Tarantula First

256

Hoarding, Pet Store Hate, and Sacrificial Males

257

When Tarantulas Burrow

258

Veterinary Care and the "Non Science" Behind Rehousings

259

Sicarius thomisoides Notes (and Other Ramblings!)

260

The Pitfalls of Exaggerating (or Downplaying) the Risks of Keeping Venomous Arachnids

261

Xenesthis Species First Impressions (and "Swampy" Enclosures)

262

The Anthropomorphization of Tarantulas

263

The Sad Story of My O. Philippinus

264

Herpcult Enclosure Review and M. Robustum Notes

265

Tarantula Communal Setups - Some Thoughts

266

My Tarantula Won't Settle In - Some Things to Consider

267

If I Could Only Keep 10 Tarantulas...

268

Theraphosa Species (T. blondi, T. stirmi, and T. apophysis) Husbandry

269

New Word Tarantulas: Bites, Venom, and Hairs.

270

The Dangers of Isopods and Wild Caught Shame

271

Temperatures and Enclosures Revisited

272

Blue Tarantulas!

273

M. Balfouri Communal Death and Are Avics More Fragile?

274

Common Beginner Missteps, Avic Sling Enclosure, and Mixing Dirt

275

Phormictopus Genus Discussion

276

Feeder Options in Case of Quarantine and Water Dishes (Again!)

277

Moisture Dependency a "Hoax"? And Preparing for an Emergency

278

Yes, It Can Happen to You! Mistakes and Mishaps Some Keepers Think Are Myths.

279

Keeping Moisture Dependent Species (and Listener Question)

280

Sexing Tarantulas and Determining Maturity

281

Tips for Starting a YouTube Channel and Moving Your Tarantula Collection

282

The Most Visible Tarantulas in My Collection

283

Chilobrachys Genus Review

284

Mystery Illness and Tarantulas in Entertainment Media

285

The EMODE Website and the Importance of Doing Research Before You Buy

286

The Impact of Fear Mongering YouTube Clickbait on the Hobby

287

Some Housekeeping and Tips on Setting Up Different Types of Enclosures

288

The Stigmatization of Old Worlds (and Some Thoughts on the Ladder System)

289

Using Substrate and Prey from Outside and Wire Mesh - What are the Risks?

290

Scented Candles, Bright Lights, and Stereo Systems - Are They Harmful to Tarantulas?

291

Winter Topics, Bioactive Updates, and Full Interview with Animals at Home

292

Harpactira pulchripes and My Experiences with Cleaner Insects

293

Bonus Episode 2 - Communal Updates

294

Enclosures, Handling, and Protecting Males Revisited

295

The "OBT" Revisited and Animals At Home Interview Excerpt

296

Just How Dangerous Are Tarantulas in the Home?

297

Grammostola pulchripes (the Chaco Goldenknee)

298

My Attempt at a Tarantula "Glossary"

299

The Best Showcase Spiders In My Collection

300

Article Review and My Issue with Tarantula Growth Rates

301

Spiderlings vs. Adults

302

The Basics of Breeding Tarantulas

303

Tips for Maintaining Moist Substrate

304

Knowing When to Say When - Keeping Your Collection from Becoming Unwieldy

305

Chilobrachys sp. Electric Blue Notes

306

Ceratogyrus darlingi (The Rear Horned Baboon) Notes

307

Old Worlds As "Beginner Species"

308

Some Breeding Projects and P. metallica Notes

309

H. Chilensis Update, Substrate Talk, and the Importance of Foliage in Enclosures

310

Did I Say That? Clarifying My Opinions on a Few Issues.

311

Best "Starter" Old World Tarantulas

312

Listener Questions Part 2 - Species that Gave me Trouble and Moving from Terrestrials to Arboreals

313

Listener Questions Part 1 - Mold/Fungus, Protecting Ts from Other Pets, and Teaching vs. Scolding

314

Some Activities for "Advanced" Keepers to Keep the Hobby Fresh (and Updates!).

315

Using Tarantulas to Get Over a Fear of Spiders

316

A Rainbow of Tarantulas and My Top 10 List of Personal Favorite Spiders

317

The "Aggressive" Tarantula Myth (and How to Decrease Defensiveness)

318

Accidental Mystery Spiders (or Buying a Mislabeled Tarantula)

319

Ants! Protecting Your Spiders from These Invaders

320

A Sick Tarantula and H. devamatha Care Notes

321

Sericopelma sp. Santa Catalina and Pseudhapalopus sp blue

322

H. chilensis "Chilean Flame" Fasting Issues

323

Theraphosa blondi and a Substrate Update

324

A Huge Thank You, Some Updates, and N. tripepii

325

Crypsidromus sp. Costa Rica (Black emilia) and Sling Deaths

326

Bioactive Enclosures Update and the GBB as a Beginner Species

327

Aphonopelma Review

328

The Water Dish Debate and Bioactive Updates

329

P. metallica Communal Rehouse and Isopod Issues

330

Ordering Tarantulas Online - Some Things to Know

331

Poecilotheria Review Update

332

Moisture Dependent Species (and the Lingering Importance of Damp Substrate)

333

First Bioactive Tarantula Setup

334

Some Thoughts on Last Week's Episode and Communal Updates

335

Review of "Tarantula Spiders as Pets" as Well as Some Bioactive Enclosure News

336

Selecting the Right Enclosure Size and a New Tarantula Magazine

337

Explaining Large Tarantula Collections to Family and Friends

338

A Comparison of Different Enclosure Types (Glass, Acrylic, and Plastic Bins)

339

Listener Questions Part 2

340

Listener Questions Part 1

341

Is It Okay to Start Spiderlings in Adult Enclosures?

342

Ordering and Shipping Tarantulas in the Winter

343

The Importance (and Pitfalls) of Tarantula YouTube Channels

344

Tarantula Communal Setup Updates

345

Will the Real G. Pulchra Please Stand Up?

346

Things I Wish I Knew About Tarantulas Before I Got Into the Hobby Pt. 2

347

Tips for Getting Your Tarantulas Ready for Winter

348

Top 15 Favorite Tarantulas (At the Moment!)

349

A Discussion of the Nat Geo Article on the Tarantula Trade

350

Euathlus sp. red No More!

351

Handling Tarantulas - A Discussion

352

DKS In Tarantulas - A Paper Review

353

Chilobrachys Species Review

354

Hobby Infighting and Why We Need to Be More Mature and Learn to Get Along

355

Mixed Bag ft. A Call for Help, Substrate, and Buying Ts to Get Over a Fear of Spiders

356

How the Poecilotheria Ruling Highlights the Issue With Hybrids.

357

Thoughts on Keeping Fossorial Ts Like Terrestrials (and My Issue with Trolls)

358

The "Hobby Staple" Tarantula List

359

Tips for Managing a Large Tarantula Collection

360

Fun with Bad Tarantula Articles! (Or, How Bad Info Is Created and Spread)

361

Fish and Wildlife Service Ruling on Sri Lankan Poecilotheria Species.

362

The "Overcomplication" of the Tarantula Hobby

363

Tarantula Seizure and the "Panic"

364

"Intermediate Level" Tarantulas

365

Tarantula Common vs. Scientific Names

366

Tarantula Communal Setups

367

Convincing Your Mate to Let You Get a Tarantula

368

Poecilotheria Genus

369

A Little Venting ... And Substrate Woes Part 2

370

Is Keeping Tarantulas in Captivity Wrong?

371

Brown Boxing - The Tarantula Hobby's Dirty Little Secret

372

Spotting Bad Care Guides

373

Substrate Woes

374

Feeders!

375

ICUs, Tiny Slings, and Shipping!

376

State of the Hobby (Facebook Q&A)

377

Monocentropus balfouri Communal Reflections

378

So, You Want a Tarantula - Here's What You Need To Know

379

Tarantula Deaths In the Collection

380

The Myth of Power Feeding Tarantulas

381

Breeding Tarantulas - Some Things to Consider

382

Beginner Tarantula Lists...Beneficial or Misleading?

383

Tarantula Cage Size - A Discussion

384

Children in the Tarantula Hobby

385

Things I Wish I Knew About Tarantulas Before I Got Into the Hobby

386

Snakes to Tarantulas - Do other Exotic Pets Prepare You For Tarantulas?

387

Special Bonus Q & A Episode

388

Tom's Big Spiders ... The Podcast! (Pilot)