Bug Gel...

[Luke Horton]

As we all know "Bug Gel" is virtually pointless to give to your T and provides no sense of hydration what so ever, but there I am in a reptile shop owned and run by a well know zoologist (been on tv) that is using it for all of his T's!!

After noticing this I pointed out to him that it is no good and he should start using fresh water immediately, and with this he laughed and said "I think i would know better than you whats best for my stock" and just walked away!

Is there any way that we can help get the message out to small businesses or is it just that they don't care and are just using it to promote sale of Bug Gel to make more profit?

Cheers Luke Horton

P.s I managed to get a Greenbottle Blue Tarantula (Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens) before i left would have saved more but not enough cash!

[Phil Lilley]

Re: Bug Gel...

It's a problem with many (not all) shops. I've read lots of people who were given advice and stock, that's just not needed.

The problem is, many (not all) shops are there just to make money, so it's not just the sale of the Ts, it's everything else they'll need to (I heard of one chap spending over £150 on his set up for his first T ).

The best you can do is mention it to the shop owner.

[Peter Roach]

Just because he has been on TV doesnt mean that he knows anything.

Only thing that you can do is mention that 'as he is so knowledgeable' he should know that tarantulas have a pumping stomach and do not have the chewing mandibles that insects have and therefore cannot chew the gel to get the moisture.
Ask him if he has read 'The Tarantulas keepers guide by Stanley Schultz and if not, why not. He would probably learn something.
As as last resort you could mention that the word would soon get around the hobby and he soon wont be selling many tarantulas when people find out that he cant be bothered to provide them with water and that he is only giving them gel so that he can make a few £'s selling the rubbish.