Misinformed public yet again

[Colin D Wilson]

A local pet shop started to stock reptiles etc more often about 6 months ago, and now they've progressed into Arachnids.

I pop in now and again to get crickets, locusts etc and noticed firstly a sign indicating that in the tank was a "Chilli Rose", had the correct scientific name below that, not bad so far. the specimen seemed to be in good health. The longevity for male and female were incorrect, and temp and humidity was a bit off but i notified them of this.

Now for the good (?) part. I went in yesterday and in a tank on a shelf was a spider (i initially identified it as a 3.5 - 4 inch N.coloratovilusum, 90% sure!) i enquired about it regarding price (£40 with a glass "perfecta" tank, mesh lid and decor) and the assistant gave me a scrappy piece of paper, the spider was named as a brazilian white banded (common names yuk !!!)

This was some of the more ridiculous information on this sheet to be passed on to the general public who were interested in buying it.....

Poison in fangs and abdomen (eh?)
flicks stinging hairs (wow)
4th deadliest (Hard luck L. mactans you've just been pushed down the list a bit)

I asked the assistant where the info came from and she said they use a "spider book" for info (probably written by marvel comics and called "the bumper Xmas book of spiders"

Is this not just another of the scenarios we as serious hobbyists can do without, I intend to go back in on thursday and educate the regular exotic "expert" when she's back at work.

[Nicola Dolby]

She should be easy to find. She's the one in the red and blue lycra suit and the red baloclava! Seriously its a shame people sell animals under such false pretences, makes you wonder how they are being looked after.Thanks Colin

[James Box]

that's always worrying...the smallest amount of actual research would've corrected their mistakes. if they couldn't take the time to do that, imagine what else they haven't taken time for.

[Bryan_Dennis]

A couple of years ago i saw a Hetrometrus spp (eventually key'ed out to H.longimanus) being sold as a P.imperator...that in itself wasn't that bad because they do look very similar to the untrained eye.
However the scorpion was in a glass enclosure with sand as substrate and believe it or not a hamster/rat drinking bottle stuck on the side of the glass..lol
I pointed out to the assistant that the scorpion came from Asia and not Africa and that considering they are a tropical species sand was totally wrong as a substrate.
I also asked if he had ever witnessed the scorpion trying to drink out of the bottle.."No" he said but he assumed he would do as soon as it got thirsty enough!!!

Needless to say i corrected him and left the store.

2 weeks later I was back in the store and saw that the poor old scorpion was still on the same substrate, was still marked up as a imperator and that the drinking bottle was still in place...

There was only one thing to do.....I brought the scorpion!!
I haven't been back in that store since cause i'm afraid of all the other animals i'll have to rescue..!

[Colin D Wilson]

Bryan,

got the same end result, myself and my daughter are going to buy the spider when we go to re-educate and dispose of the "information sheet"

it will be nice being the owner of the 4th deadliest Tarantula

[Rich.Harrington]

Had a similar thing with a general petshop with a B. vagans being sold as a "Black Jungle" and being told it was about the most agressive and "poisonous" spider I could buy without a liscence. I'm just glad that these places can't get their hands on the truely dangerous and venomous species or we would be seeing alot more "joe bloggs found dead in his flat after escaped black widow" stories.

[James Box]

...and here we have the legendary two-headed dog...born with only one head!!!

i really would love to know what these people are thinking!!!

[Colin D Wilson]

James, Nice example.......

I think the answer to this......

i really would love to know what these people are thinking!!!

would be how much money they could make out of this

...and here we have the legendary two-headed dog...born with only one head!!!

[James Box]

haha i think you have indeed hit the nail on the head!

[Colin D Wilson]

Well, we're now the proud owners of a "deadly" spider, complete with poisonous abdomen , had another look at the piece of paper (apparently the woman who originally had the spider gave them this. still i aired my views on them not checking up first and passing this information onto the public) and the other information generally said

"if bitten, you've basically had it!!"
"feed 5 or 6 crickets every two days"

you get the jist though eh,

seems a nice little chap, had a little flick as i popped him into a cricket box for travelling, other than that i'm fairly happy with it. probably paid a bit over the odds but we got a £30.00 glass tank that we can use as well so not so bad actually thinking about it as i write this.

will post a piccy soon for you all to (hopefully) confirm species. (just got to wait for my camera batteries to charge...yes i know i'm a photographer and i should be prepared :, if you look for Colin in a thesarus it'll say "plonka" as an entry )

[Rich.Harrington]

"if bitten, you've basically had it!!"
"feed 5 or 6 crickets every two days"

Maybe they thought they were selling you "the general"

[James Box]

5 or 6 crickets every two days! sounds like an attempt to sell more crickets to me!
they must've noticed it wasn't eating that much in the shop...you did say it was relatively healthy looking, but that would make it a big fat blob!
well it's a nice addition to the collection...lol just don't get bitten

[Colin D Wilson]

Here's the little chap, quite a looker i think.



indentification opinions welcome !!

[mike halewood]

Stunning T Colin, no idea what it is though!!

[mary walters]

Acanthoscurria geniculata???
Thats my opinion for what it's worth.