So who managed to watch full video? Just so I can prepare enough drinks xD BTW, sorry for the scare on 17:21 I have no idea what was that lol One thing to add, I forgot to mention 8, the tortoise! He is hibernating, together with ants!
I remember when you started in the living room. A few tarantulas and I remember the wall enclosure in the box frame. You’ve come such a long way and everything is beautiful!! I’m so proud of you man!!! Forever a DD fan 💕
I remember catching his channel when he fed his centipede the devil I was hooked an in a few weeks got my first tarantula idk where I’d be without petko
Since you've cut back to one video a week, the production value has really gone up! Just wanted to let you know that all the extra work on your part hasn't gone unnoticed. Keep up the great work!!🖤
Years ago, YT suggested I watch some guy, in his apartment, talking about tarantulas and other things that terrified me. But, this guy was so friendly, I watched, and here we all are years later! Things are looking great there! Thanks for the full tour, Petko!
Our hobby and love for our pets is at risk. Copied This is my own personal post and yes it is real! Pet owners beware! This pertains to any and all of you. Below is an amendment to legislation in Congress that "slipped" in last minute and passed the House. It is now in the Senate. It for the most part banning the sale of 1000's of species of saltwater fish, coral, freshwater fish, reptiles, amphibians, arachnids and birds. These same law makers asked us over the last two years to stay home. Millions of people listened and found love for new hobbies such as these. Now you threaten to take them away. Dog and cat owners look to be sparred at the moment but what's next? We as Americans continue to let our freedoms be erroded and responsible pet ownership is one of those that looks to go away as well. With the emerging mental health crisis, taking millions of pet owners away from their pets. Not to mention the many jobs lost across the country I strongly urge you to please reconsider these measures. Please note that I do have a vested interest in this as I am a sales representative for Fritz Aquatic. An aquarium chemical manufacturer based in Dallas, Texas. We provide products to all aspects of Aquatics including aquaculture of fish and coral, public and private aquariums but also for human food production. We do and work with many great people to make this hobby sustainable for years to come. I wouldn't have left my 15 year career as a union Carpenter four years ago if I didn't have such a deep passion for this. Please don't take my passion for making this earth and peoples every day life better with aquariums. CONTACT OUR SENATORS NOW! contactsenators.com Here is the ACT rules.house.gov/.../BILLS-117HR4521RH-RCP117-31.pdf “ Changes proposed in the COMPETE Act will affect bird keepers, reptile and amphibian enthusiasts, and any other organization, business, or person who works with non-native wildlife. The definition of “wildlife” covers almost every animal, no matter how many generations it may be removed from its wild counterparts, with very few exceptions aside from dogs and cats. The consequences for reptile and amphibian keepers, bird owners, aquarists, and other pet owners if the COMPETES Act passes will be severe. This means every reptile, amphibian, arachnid, bird, fish, coral, and invertebrate will be subject to the new restrictions, whether captive-bred , ranched, farmed, aquacultured, maricultured, or collected from a wild source or fishery. With more than 10,000 species of birds, reptiles, amphibians, arachnids, fish, corals, and invertebrates kept by hobbyists and in trade, it is likely only a small fraction of species would initially be able to overcome the onerous listing process on the “White List.”
I don't understand why Exotics Lair is so huge and you have less subs. Your channel is far superior in every aspect. The numbers should be the other way around! The way you talk to us, explain stuff, film, edit etc. You show true passion and knowledge of your hobby, while the other guy acts like an amature and goofy "oh my gosh guys"...etc etc". Seriously, thanks so much for all the work you put into the channel. I'm enjoying all of it.
Oh whaaat?! Never realized that EL has more subs. Back in the days when i started with ceeping spiders, i watched every Video from petko (i'm still doing it, but back than it was way more for education purpose than it's now). Not just Because they are freaking entertaining, but also because you could get so much Information out of them, when you've just started in the Hobby. Sure, i also watched some EL Videos, but it allways felled like they where Not so much for education, but more for the fun of it. More like: "oh, crap, my tarantula is attacking me, how funny,haha!", whereas petkos Videos are more like: how to handle a tarantula so that they Not escape/attack!... Petko, you realy are doing a great Job in educating people in how to take good care for there spiders! Keep up this excellent work! And PS, go get a Macrothele! They are awesome!
You're doing a great job Petko, what a year! We love the care you put into your hobby as it's just not possible for us to have a collection like yours. Keep it up and a big thank you from California! Subscribed at 50k and you're nearly 600 now, big things coming in 22 I'm sure.
I used to be terrified of spiders and insects, but also intrigued by them. I kinda lost my fear of spiders when I went to the jungle, but finding your channel and watching your videos have encouraged me to like and actually touch and interact with some of the harmless spiders, such as orb weavers and jumping spiders. Thanks to you, I have a completely different reaction when I see a spider or a bug. Now I try to relocate them in a safe place instead of just swatting them away and I can say that I love spiders now, much as I love cats and dogs. It's heartwarming to see how much you care for them and I feel that I'm a better person thanks to you and people like you, who respect the nature and care for all animals. Thank you, Petko!
For the aquarium get a magnet cleaner and just do the front glass. Either a Magfloat or Flipper with the scraper work the best. Leave the algae on the side glass if you like, it makes the fish feel safer and provides a biofilm for the shrimp and babies to feed on. To get rid of the snails you can get just 1 Assassin Snail (though it may feed on the baby shrimp) or I use Panacur C which is a deworming product for dogs/cats, but is fish and shrimp safe. You are doing a fantastic job mate, Keep up the awesome work. BTW where was Thor?
Your Dark Den is absolutely beautiful. I love the way you decorate your enclosures and really impressed with your talent to build AND decorate. Yes I watched the whole video and really enjoyed the tour. Thank you for sharing !!
This is the most fascinating animal enclosure video I've ever seen 🤯 the lights, the spacial organization, the unique and gorgeous design of the enclosures, everything is so beautiful and perfectly taken care of. This is extraordinary!!
I absolutely love this video. You have a dream set up and it’s amazing that you were able to put all of this together. I also enjoy random things that you say even if you don’t mean it to be funny it comes off as funny. It really lightens the mood when you’re looking at creatures that would normally scare people. I feel like people might watch your videos just for you even if they don’t necessarily love everything that you show. Keep rocking it
@The Dark Den At 13:49 for the mantis, have you considered building an enclosure with a small window that can open and close. You attach a small box to the window then open it so it releases flies into the enclosure. Obviously the box attachment to the window will be completely sealed. alternatively, you could build a box with some kind of timing mechanism. Place said box in the enclosure and after some time it opens and releases flies so the mantis can feed. The timing mechanism can be a simple motor controlled by an arduino or raspberry pi board. Let me know your thoughts and keep doing what you do best! :D
Quite possibly the most epic video i have ever seen, holy crap! Petko is honestly an addictive personality to watch, and the dark den is looking amazing. Best wishes pal, thank you for the content.
I just discovered this channel and already fell down the rabbit hole. I love how you care for your pets everything looks so "clean" and fancy i love it! Keep up the good work men! Amazing reptile/tarantula channel
You did it ! You showed all your spider buddies and other friends all in one video. I've been a long time subscriber and I'm just so happy with how well you've taken care of your pets thru out the years. And also your amazing enclosures that you build. Thank you for your content, Petko!
The snails are probably Breeding In The Filter!..... I had the same problem! I opened up my filter and in the screen there was 1000's of tiny snails! drop some small crayfish in the tank, make sure there 2 big to eat the fish but small enough to take care of the snails. and replace your filter inserts and clean the lines out. hope this helps :)
Those little blue fish are called Neon Tetras. There are several fish you can add to that to help with that algae. Try Hillstrem Loaches. They eat algae and only get about an inch long, mystery snails work too.
Petko, I've been watching for several years now. I've seen the DD change incredibly over time. Congratulations on doing a fantastic job! If things didn't change and grow over time, something would certainly be wrong. Obviously your growth and change reflects on the incredible human being that you are. Your videos are and have been my favorites over the years. Once again, congratulations on all your hard work. It reflects who you are so well.
Me and my dad got our first tarantula recently, he used to work with spiders in the past but your videos have really helped me understand the differences in behaviours and species, I'm very thankful for your chanel 💛
Hey Petko - a little aquarium tip: a general maintenance is just changing like 20% of the water every week or two (just a few liters) and getting a regular clean kitchen sponge which you can scrape the algae on the front glass off with really easily, you don't have to fear anything it's simple. Other than that your aquarium looks like it's doing really good! . Also the snails you got are called bladder snails (Physella sp.) and they will continuously multiply so long as they have enough food. It's not necessarily a bad thing tho as they eat the food uneaten by fish and other organic waste therefore actually helping you keep the tank cleaner. If you still want to slow down their reproduction - you can sometimes find their translucent eggsacks on the leaves of plants and squish those.
Man I remember when you only had a little less than 100k subscribers and did videos in your apartment. Saw when you had the studio and then the 2nd one and now you’re basement! Awesome!
Wow the den looks really really good petko.. you should be very proud of your self . And you seem like you got it all done before the baby came because you know once you have that you're going to be a busy busy Petko..lol.. Thank you for showing us
You've come so far from your humble beginnings... from that random Croatian guy with a few tarantulas, to the wildly popular channel you are now. Through it all, you never sold out or lost touch with your fans. Looking forward to seeing what the next few years have to bring!
What an INCREDIBLE video! You take such pride in everything in the Dark Den. Absolutely amazing, informative and interesting video! Thank you for sharing your hobby. I've been watching you from the very beginning and never miss a video!
SO many interesting critters! Kudos to you for taking on the responsibility of their welfare and upkeep. No wonder you raise the roaches for feeders - it would take a hefty bank balance and a considerable chunk of time to source meals for such a large and diverse lot on a regular basis. Kudos to the design and atmosphere of the Dark Den as well - so many keepers just slap some commercial tanks on metal shelves in a multi-purpose room. You have created an environment that caters to the animals, but expresses your personality as well. I am thankful that I discovered your channel early in your TH-cam career and have enjoyed seeing you and your menagerie grow and mature. I look forward to the future of your channel and your endeavours.
I remember those times with the table, the funky tripod and tarantulas constantly running away lmao. I love seeing how much your channel grows by the time! Love your content as always :3 💕
Wow! Thanks for the full tour! That must've taken a long time to film and edit. It's crazy to think how this all started- one small shelf with a couch- and now you have a whole basement in your own house! So happy for you! 😄 (Plus a wife, and a baby on the way- life is good, eh? 😊) You do a great service by educating about all these lesser loved creatures in a fun and entertaining way. Reading the comments on each video shows how many people you've helped overcome their fears- in addition to the improvement to these people's mental health, think of how many spiders have been saved as a result! You deserve all the success you've achieved, and I believe that success will only continue, and your channel grow. Cheers! 😊
Hey man I’m not sure if you can see how long I’ve been subbed for, but I used to watch you back when you were still way small. I saw this video and clicked on it to see how you’ve been doing, and I’m AMAZED at the growth I see. I had a smile for the whole video. May your life be full of joy for the rest of your days
So much work to make a room that beautiful!! It really shows your passion for keeping animals naturalistically, stunning enclosures!! You KNOW all the inhabitants are happy when even the hissing roaches won’t hiss lol Ooo I need to go watch your camel spider video
I have a ton of fish tanks and in my experience its fine to not gravel vacuum the soil at all if its planted, just take out leftover food or if theres big piles of that brown dust that can build up, I don't think it has a name but its basically just underwater dirt/dust
Some potential advice about the Crested Gecko. What is the temperature in the room? Crested geckos do very poorly in warm/hot conditions and aggression is often a sign of that stress. My crested gecko is a sweetheart but whenever we have a heat wave and no Air Conditioning he becomes an absolute monster. He'll bite anything and everything. Just a suggestion! Love your collection.
Nephila spiders need more room than that, you can’t just put multiple in one little enclosure, most people recommend that nephila spiders even need a whole corner of a room to feel truly comfortable.
This channel is a lot of fun, and I hope you earn a decent living from it. If so, you should probably hire staff to help you care for all these animals. 150 is a lot, and I’d bet every dollar I have you plan to acquire more and don’t mean to stop anytime soon. It is not hyperbolic to say that the Den has become a zoo. Zoos need zookeepers. If I were a teenager in the area, I certainly wouldn’t demand very much money to be able to interact with all your pets!
Perhaps a clown Plecostomus or a male Albino Bristlenose Pleco for your aquarium, to keep the algae down (you'd still have to feed algae tabs or zucchini/yellow peppers). Thanks for the excellent tour.
14:07 they're easy to feed i used to have a "colony" of phyllocrania paradoxa i just bought maggots for fishing and kept them in a fridge every week or so i took out like 20 maggots (they'll last for moths if you keep them in a fridge) and put them in a jar on my window sill i provided them with a little bit of food like a small piece of cheese after a few days they will pupate turning red and becoming immobile at that stage i just threw the pupas into my mantis enclosure they will hatch in a few days and be trapped with the mantids
The plant your so impressed over is Epipremnum aureum, it loves warm moist, growes up big trees, common name is Devil's Ivy. It grows 6 to 8 feet as a horizontal groundcover, but the trailing, climbing vines can grow as long as 40 feet. That is what you see whit the one long stont vine, it´s trailing, it will set aerial roots that will make new growbace in every soil, moss & tree debris it finds on its trail ^^ This plant has medium severity poison characteristics. Presence of insoluble raphides, Symptoms may include oral irritation, vomiting, and difficulty in swallowing. Make sure your pets dont feed on them. Avoid plants from arum family Araceae whit pets that eat anything green.
Sashaaaaaa!!!! It's been a while since the last time we saw her, I remember when she was so small at your apartment, glad to see her doing great. Also glad to see you doing great 😃
I'm am here to watch video and hide under my blankets. Also, you and your videos, I can't thank you enough. I was terrified of spiders but since watching your videos over the past couple years, I've lost my fear and have gained a loving admiration for the little critters and have even scooped up little celler spiders, with hands, to safer areas so they wouldn't get cleaned away or showered on. I've even had bold jumping spider come up next to me and sit and watch TV with me.
The contrast of the crab and dart frog enclosures. While the crab one is more impressive, the crabs are hardly ever outside. The dart frog one isn't as impressive, but the dart frogs are always out showing their gorgeous colors and thus they make up for it. That's the difference between crabs and dart frogs. Crabs are nocturnal, while dart frogs, like humans, are diurnal. So if you're looking for a perfect show creature that isn't nocturnal, the dart frog is perfect
Very well done making a nice clean exhibit room. Also your enthusiasm is warming and infectious. Keep it up and thanks for the entertainment and education.
This was awesome... I even learnt a few new facts... But most notable is that it's so clear this guy really loves his created Dark Den, he seems to truly enjoy his life of keeping such interesting creatures... 10)10
Best enclosures ever!! Best channel ever!! Huge time and commitment for making such a wonderful space to the eye.. A perfectionist indeed.. I had a corn snake when living in London, would have loved a Tarantula too but moved back to New Zealand, so alas.. Now I am living 'Tarantula ownership' through you!! My favourite being a Brachypelma Smithi.. Kind wishes to you, your family and all your animals for 2022..
Nice! For cleaning the aquarium! have you seen the aquarium glass cleaning magnets! You can clean the inside of the glass without getting your hand wet from the outside! with thes (aquarium glass cleaning magnets) best invention ever!
For the aquarium: I do prefer a simple plastic card over most of the products I have tried for cleaning the glass, just scrape away just before the next water change. I personally think that fighting the snails is useless, view them as helpers instead. If you have too many, you feed too much. You could try finding a competitor like horn snails, which won't multiply. If you were to introduce snail eating fish, they'd probably feed on the shrimp too.
I’ve recently become addicted to Tarantulas. After I was gifted 1 a month or so ago I have since purchased 2 more. I found your channel tonight and love it! Subbed
I used to breed hissers and the best thing ever was letting little kids check them out and telling them that they are farting roaches. Oh! Advice for your mantids, get black soldier fly grubs, put holes in the lid and leave the tub in to turn into flies. I did that for my panther chameleon. He loved it and it was so much easier to keeping flying insects.
Get a magnetic glass cleaner for your fish tank, cleaning part goes in the tank and the other part you drag across the outside of your tank, saves you getting wet.
Thank you for showing ALL the dark den. It was extremely interesting to see all the various creatures living happily together.... have a Merry Christmas and blessings to you and your family in the new year. Looking forward to fun videos in 2022😁👍
@@TheDarkDen Nah, I think it made the video better. I've just finished watching it, and I must say it is my second favorite detail in this video, right after the _Pterinochilus lugardi_ at 42:55 that got defensive for nothing just as the camera was turning. She was like those people in tribunes of football matches who realize they're being recorded by the camera just as the frame changes.
Now you can build a Dark Den Enclosure by yourself, all info in this video: th-cam.com/video/MeCUfJNr_Vs/w-d-xo.html
That’s what I’m saying I seen his videos when he uploaded I think every Wednesday
So who managed to watch full video? Just so I can prepare enough drinks xD
BTW, sorry for the scare on 17:21 I have no idea what was that lol
One thing to add, I forgot to mention 8, the tortoise! He is hibernating, together with ants!
me + mad respect for editing this all!
Casting to the ps4 right now
I watched every second of your hard work great job I enjoyed it 👏👍🙌
Wait was the hamster in it I did not see it
17:21 sounds like the audio track from your camera mic
I remember when you started in the living room. A few tarantulas and I remember the wall enclosure in the box frame. You’ve come such a long way and everything is beautiful!! I’m so proud of you man!!! Forever a DD fan 💕
I remember catching his channel when he fed his centipede the devil I was hooked an in a few weeks got my first tarantula idk where I’d be without petko
Same here.
I think that picture frame enclosure is one of the hes had. I miss the days of the flat but love the new dark den.
Yeah I used to watch his videos for scorpions back in those days and I remember it!!
I remember the living room and his couch tooooooo! So happy to see the healthy growth…Nobody deserves it more than Petko and his Dark Den brood!!!
Since you've cut back to one video a week, the production value has really gone up! Just wanted to let you know that all the extra work on your part hasn't gone unnoticed. Keep up the great work!!🖤
Years ago, YT suggested I watch some guy, in his apartment, talking about tarantulas and other things that terrified me. But, this guy was so friendly, I watched, and here we all are years later! Things are looking great there! Thanks for the full tour, Petko!
Our hobby and love for our pets is at risk.
Copied
This is my own personal post and yes it is real! Pet owners beware! This pertains to any and all of you. Below is an amendment to legislation in Congress that "slipped" in last minute and passed the House. It is now in the Senate. It for the most part banning the sale of 1000's of species of saltwater fish, coral, freshwater fish, reptiles, amphibians, arachnids and birds. These same law makers asked us over the last two years to stay home. Millions of people listened and found love for new hobbies such as these. Now you threaten to take them away. Dog and cat owners look to be sparred at the moment but what's next? We as Americans continue to let our freedoms be erroded and responsible pet ownership is one of those that looks to go away as well. With the emerging mental health crisis, taking millions of pet owners away from their pets. Not to mention the many jobs lost across the country I strongly urge you to please reconsider these measures.
Please note that I do have a vested interest in this as I am a sales representative for Fritz Aquatic. An aquarium chemical manufacturer based in Dallas, Texas. We provide products to all aspects of Aquatics including aquaculture of fish and coral, public and private aquariums but also for human food production. We do and work with many great people to make this hobby sustainable for years to come. I wouldn't have left my 15 year career as a union Carpenter four years ago if I didn't have such a deep passion for this. Please don't take my passion for making this earth and peoples every day life better with aquariums.
CONTACT OUR SENATORS NOW!
contactsenators.com
Here is the ACT
rules.house.gov/.../BILLS-117HR4521RH-RCP117-31.pdf
“
Changes proposed in the COMPETE Act will affect bird keepers, reptile and amphibian enthusiasts, and any other organization, business, or person who works with non-native wildlife. The definition of “wildlife” covers almost every animal, no matter how many generations it may be removed from its wild counterparts, with very few exceptions aside from dogs and cats. The consequences for reptile and amphibian keepers, bird owners, aquarists, and other pet owners if the COMPETES Act passes will be severe. This means every reptile, amphibian, arachnid, bird, fish, coral, and invertebrate will be subject to the new restrictions, whether
captive-bred
, ranched, farmed, aquacultured, maricultured, or collected from a wild source or fishery. With more than 10,000 species of birds, reptiles, amphibians, arachnids, fish, corals, and invertebrates kept by hobbyists and in trade, it is likely only a small fraction of species would initially be able to overcome the onerous listing process on the “White List.”
I don't understand why Exotics Lair is so huge and you have less subs. Your channel is far superior in every aspect. The numbers should be the other way around! The way you talk to us, explain stuff, film, edit etc. You show true passion and knowledge of your hobby, while the other guy acts like an amature and goofy "oh my gosh guys"...etc etc".
Seriously, thanks so much for all the work you put into the channel. I'm enjoying all of it.
Oh whaaat?! Never realized that EL has more subs. Back in the days when i started with ceeping spiders, i watched every Video from petko (i'm still doing it, but back than it was way more for education purpose than it's now). Not just Because they are freaking entertaining, but also because you could get so much Information out of them, when you've just started in the Hobby. Sure, i also watched some EL Videos, but it allways felled like they where Not so much for education, but more for the fun of it. More like: "oh, crap, my tarantula is attacking me, how funny,haha!", whereas petkos Videos are more like: how to handle a tarantula so that they Not escape/attack!...
Petko, you realy are doing a great Job in educating people in how to take good care for there spiders! Keep up this excellent work!
And PS, go get a Macrothele! They are awesome!
Crazy how everything started from a simple shelf and small table .
I'm proud of you keep up the great work
This is his dream collection..
yeah :3
I love barking tree frogs
Nice frog zoo
You're doing a great job Petko, what a year! We love the care you put into your hobby as it's just not possible for us to have a collection like yours. Keep it up and a big thank you from California! Subscribed at 50k and you're nearly 600 now, big things coming in 22 I'm sure.
This is officially my third collection tour on this channel
You've gone far petko
As always, love the content!
It would probably be a pain, but I would love to see a video where you feed the slings, they're so cute and we hardly ever see them
I used to be terrified of spiders and insects, but also intrigued by them. I kinda lost my fear of spiders when I went to the jungle, but finding your channel and watching your videos have encouraged me to like and actually touch and interact with some of the harmless spiders, such as orb weavers and jumping spiders. Thanks to you, I have a completely different reaction when I see a spider or a bug. Now I try to relocate them in a safe place instead of just swatting them away and I can say that I love spiders now, much as I love cats and dogs.
It's heartwarming to see how much you care for them and I feel that I'm a better person thanks to you and people like you, who respect the nature and care for all animals. Thank you, Petko!
For the aquarium get a magnet cleaner and just do the front glass. Either a Magfloat or Flipper with the scraper work the best. Leave the algae on the side glass if you like, it makes the fish feel safer and provides a biofilm for the shrimp and babies to feed on. To get rid of the snails you can get just 1 Assassin Snail (though it may feed on the baby shrimp) or I use Panacur C which is a deworming product for dogs/cats, but is fish and shrimp safe. You are doing a fantastic job mate, Keep up the awesome work. BTW where was Thor?
Thor is shown at 12:24, right after Linda ;)
Introducing animals to feed of other animals should always be the last option.
Your Dark Den is absolutely beautiful. I love the way you decorate your enclosures and really impressed with your talent to build AND decorate. Yes I watched the whole video and really enjoyed the tour. Thank you for sharing !!
Olive oil on the acrylic hinges! Just dip your finger and touch all of the hinges.
I watch this because I'm not too fond of spiders, it's like therapy.
This is the most fascinating animal enclosure video I've ever seen 🤯 the lights, the spacial organization, the unique and gorgeous design of the enclosures, everything is so beautiful and perfectly taken care of. This is extraordinary!!
I am from the Balkans, Bosnia, and basically, the way this guy shows off his pets is the same way my mom shows me off to house guests.
17:23 THE NOISE SCARED TF OUTTA ME LOL
You can put a bunch of soldier fly larva in the mantis colony cage and as they finish pipeting they will be flying snacks and help reduce your work
I lost you channel for awhile like a solid 2 years happy to see it’s still going strong and I’m happy TH-cam recommended this to me again
If there was a Westminster Spider Show, your spiders would win "best in show!" They are beautiful.
HOLY CRAP I WAS LITERALLY BING WATCHING YOUR CHANNEL YESTERDAY AND WAS HOPING FOR THIS SOON!!!
This was a pleasure to watch, I remember the vids you use to make on your couch 🥲😍😍😊👏🏾 keep going buddy
Been watching since season one and I must say The Dark Den has had quite a evolution. Looking good.
I absolutely love this video. You have a dream set up and it’s amazing that you were able to put all of this together. I also enjoy random things that you say even if you don’t mean it to be funny it comes off as funny. It really lightens the mood when you’re looking at creatures that would normally scare people. I feel like people might watch your videos just for you even if they don’t necessarily love everything that you show. Keep rocking it
@The Dark Den At 13:49 for the mantis, have you considered building an enclosure with a small window that can open and close. You attach a small box to the window then open it so it releases flies into the enclosure. Obviously the box attachment to the window will be completely sealed. alternatively, you could build a box with some kind of timing mechanism. Place said box in the enclosure and after some time it opens and releases flies so the mantis can feed. The timing mechanism can be a simple motor controlled by an arduino or raspberry pi board. Let me know your thoughts and keep doing what you do best! :D
I miss the couch action man, you've come this far bro. Hope you the best Petko!
The most amazing setup on youtube. Likely on earth when it comes to insects and arachnids. Looking good Petko keep her going man!
*exotic lair sad noises*
Quite possibly the most epic video i have ever seen, holy crap! Petko is honestly an addictive personality to watch, and the dark den is looking amazing. Best wishes pal, thank you for the content.
I just discovered this channel and already fell down the rabbit hole. I love how you care for your pets everything looks so "clean" and fancy i love it!
Keep up the good work men! Amazing reptile/tarantula channel
You did it !
You showed all your spider buddies and other friends all in one video.
I've been a long time subscriber and I'm just so happy with how well you've taken care of your pets thru out the years.
And also your amazing enclosures that you build.
Thank you for your content, Petko!
The snails are probably Breeding In The Filter!..... I had the same problem! I opened up my filter and in the screen there was 1000's of tiny snails! drop some small crayfish in the tank, make sure there 2 big to eat the fish but small enough to take care of the snails. and replace your filter inserts and clean the lines out. hope this helps :)
And clean your filters with dilude peroxide if u re-use them.
This man has a lot of passion, can't wait to see the big enclosure finally be finished
Those little blue fish are called Neon Tetras. There are several fish you can add to that to help with that algae. Try Hillstrem Loaches. They eat algae and only get about an inch long, mystery snails work too.
Petko, I've been watching for several years now. I've seen the DD change incredibly over time. Congratulations on doing a fantastic job! If things didn't change and grow over time, something would certainly be wrong. Obviously your growth and change reflects on the incredible human being that you are. Your videos are and have been my favorites over the years. Once again, congratulations on all your hard work. It reflects who you are so well.
So excited for this and a big thank you for doing it!!!! It’s so wonderful to see how far you have come since the first dark den!
Yes back in the times when he used to record from his front room on his couch 😂
Me and my dad got our first tarantula recently, he used to work with spiders in the past but your videos have really helped me understand the differences in behaviours and species, I'm very thankful for your chanel 💛
Hey Petko - a little aquarium tip: a general maintenance is just changing like 20% of the water every week or two (just a few liters) and getting a regular clean kitchen sponge which you can scrape the algae on the front glass off with really easily, you don't have to fear anything it's simple. Other than that your aquarium looks like it's doing really good!
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Also the snails you got are called bladder snails (Physella sp.) and they will continuously multiply so long as they have enough food. It's not necessarily a bad thing tho as they eat the food uneaten by fish and other organic waste therefore actually helping you keep the tank cleaner. If you still want to slow down their reproduction - you can sometimes find their translucent eggsacks on the leaves of plants and squish those.
Man I remember when you only had a little less than 100k subscribers and did videos in your apartment. Saw when you had the studio and then the 2nd one and now you’re basement! Awesome!
You've grown so much over the years my friend! Congratulations on your success and hard work
Wow the den looks really really good petko.. you should be very proud of your self . And you seem like you got it all done before the baby came because you know once you have that you're going to be a busy busy Petko..lol..
Thank you for showing us
You've come so far from your humble beginnings... from that random Croatian guy with a few tarantulas, to the wildly popular channel you are now. Through it all, you never sold out or lost touch with your fans. Looking forward to seeing what the next few years have to bring!
What an INCREDIBLE video! You take such pride in everything in the Dark Den. Absolutely amazing, informative and interesting video! Thank you for sharing your hobby. I've been watching you from the very beginning and never miss a video!
This channel has grown so well from the original dark den in your apartment ,keep growing and making the cool content petko , love from UK 🇬🇧
SO many interesting critters! Kudos to you for taking on the responsibility of their welfare and upkeep. No wonder you raise the roaches for feeders - it would take a hefty bank balance and a considerable chunk of time to source meals for such a large and diverse lot on a regular basis. Kudos to the design and atmosphere of the Dark Den as well - so many keepers just slap some commercial tanks on metal shelves in a multi-purpose room. You have created an environment that caters to the animals, but expresses your personality as well. I am thankful that I discovered your channel early in your TH-cam career and have enjoyed seeing you and your menagerie grow and mature. I look forward to the future of your channel and your endeavours.
I remember those times with the table, the funky tripod and tarantulas constantly running away lmao.
I love seeing how much your channel grows by the time!
Love your content as always :3 💕
Wow! Thanks for the full tour! That must've taken a long time to film and edit. It's crazy to think how this all started- one small shelf with a couch- and now you have a whole basement in your own house! So happy for you! 😄 (Plus a wife, and a baby on the way- life is good, eh? 😊)
You do a great service by educating about all these lesser loved creatures in a fun and entertaining way. Reading the comments on each video shows how many people you've helped overcome their fears- in addition to the improvement to these people's mental health, think of how many spiders have been saved as a result! You deserve all the success you've achieved, and I believe that success will only continue, and your channel grow. Cheers! 😊
Hey man I’m not sure if you can see how long I’ve been subbed for, but I used to watch you back when you were still way small. I saw this video and clicked on it to see how you’ve been doing, and I’m AMAZED at the growth I see. I had a smile for the whole video. May your life be full of joy for the rest of your days
To clean the aquarium use a magnetic tank scrubber right b4 vids! looks really nice aside from that for a natural tank!
He's so kind and considerate towards his animals. It's nice to see how much he cares about them
So much work to make a room that beautiful!! It really shows your passion for keeping animals naturalistically, stunning enclosures!!
You KNOW all the inhabitants are happy when even the hissing roaches won’t hiss lol
Ooo I need to go watch your camel spider video
I have a ton of fish tanks and in my experience its fine to not gravel vacuum the soil at all if its planted, just take out leftover food or if theres big piles of that brown dust that can build up, I don't think it has a name but its basically just underwater dirt/dust
Some potential advice about the Crested Gecko. What is the temperature in the room? Crested geckos do very poorly in warm/hot conditions and aggression is often a sign of that stress. My crested gecko is a sweetheart but whenever we have a heat wave and no Air Conditioning he becomes an absolute monster. He'll bite anything and everything. Just a suggestion! Love your collection.
Truly Epic Setup! Love your channel, keep up the great work!
Thank you for this video Petko!
Nephila spiders need more room than that, you can’t just put multiple in one little enclosure, most people recommend that nephila spiders even need a whole corner of a room to feel truly comfortable.
This channel is a lot of fun, and I hope you earn a decent living from it. If so, you should probably hire staff to help you care for all these animals. 150 is a lot, and I’d bet every dollar I have you plan to acquire more and don’t mean to stop anytime soon. It is not hyperbolic to say that the Den has become a zoo. Zoos need zookeepers. If I were a teenager in the area, I certainly wouldn’t demand very much money to be able to interact with all your pets!
Perhaps a clown Plecostomus or a male Albino Bristlenose Pleco for your aquarium, to keep the algae down (you'd still have to feed algae tabs or zucchini/yellow peppers). Thanks for the excellent tour.
14:07
they're easy to feed i used to have a "colony" of phyllocrania paradoxa
i just bought maggots for fishing and kept them in a fridge every week or so i took out like 20 maggots (they'll last for moths if you keep them in a fridge) and put them in a jar on my window sill
i provided them with a little bit of food like a small piece of cheese
after a few days they will pupate turning red and becoming immobile
at that stage i just threw the pupas into my mantis enclosure
they will hatch in a few days and be trapped with the mantids
I can’t explain how excited I was while watching this. Congratulations on your hard work I really admire you 🫶🏻
The plant your so impressed over is Epipremnum aureum, it loves warm moist, growes up big trees, common name is Devil's Ivy. It grows 6 to 8 feet as a horizontal groundcover, but the trailing, climbing vines can grow as long as 40 feet. That is what you see whit the one long stont vine, it´s trailing, it will set aerial roots that will make new growbace in every soil, moss & tree debris it finds on its trail ^^
This plant has medium severity poison characteristics.
Presence of insoluble raphides, Symptoms may include oral irritation, vomiting, and difficulty in swallowing.
Make sure your pets dont feed on them.
Avoid plants from arum family Araceae whit pets that eat anything green.
Buy the ticket, take the ride. And what a ride. Thanks for the tour. Love the animals.
Sashaaaaaa!!!! It's been a while since the last time we saw her, I remember when she was so small at your apartment, glad to see her doing great. Also glad to see you doing great 😃
Sasha has passed away unfortunately. Sashenka is his lover.
@@ahmetkerem4769 ok, now I wanna cry T.T
An hour long video? Yes please!
Always look forward to the uploads.
24:22 or something
You can try putting an assassin snail so it can eat the pond snails off
And also feed the shrimps some boiled veggies
I'm am here to watch video and hide under my blankets. Also, you and your videos, I can't thank you enough. I was terrified of spiders but since watching your videos over the past couple years, I've lost my fear and have gained a loving admiration for the little critters and have even scooped up little celler spiders, with hands, to safer areas so they wouldn't get cleaned away or showered on. I've even had bold jumping spider come up next to me and sit and watch TV with me.
24:17
Its called Neon Tetra
I recommend you using Methylene Blue for anti Fungal infection for your tank.
Thank you for taking the time to do this!
The contrast of the crab and dart frog enclosures. While the crab one is more impressive, the crabs are hardly ever outside. The dart frog one isn't as impressive, but the dart frogs are always out showing their gorgeous colors and thus they make up for it. That's the difference between crabs and dart frogs. Crabs are nocturnal, while dart frogs, like humans, are diurnal. So if you're looking for a perfect show creature that isn't nocturnal, the dart frog is perfect
Very well done making a nice clean exhibit room. Also your enthusiasm is warming and infectious. Keep it up and thanks for the entertainment and education.
An hour of Petko showing us his beautiful collection of animals?
Christmas came early
I picked up my first T - A. Chalcodes in part because of your vids!! Hell yeah!
So much has changed since I last watched this channel. I am so happy with the new things!
I'm so glad im not the only one who's crested geko is un-tameable. Mine would rather bite me than spend any time with me.
can we appreciate how much hard work and passion he puts into these videos 😭 thank you so much for these videos petko
I'm late to the show but can now enjoy it with breakfast! Perfect video to watch after waking up to Almost a foot of snow outside ❄️
This was awesome... I even learnt a few new facts...
But most notable is that it's so clear this guy really loves his created Dark Den, he seems to truly enjoy his life of keeping such interesting creatures... 10)10
Watching this it made me remember when you were in a room in an apartment i believe? You have come a long way! Very happy for you!! So exciting!!
Best enclosures ever!! Best channel ever!! Huge time and commitment for making such a wonderful space to the eye.. A perfectionist indeed.. I had a corn snake when living in London, would have loved a Tarantula too but moved back to New Zealand, so alas.. Now I am living 'Tarantula ownership' through you!! My favourite being a Brachypelma Smithi.. Kind wishes to you, your family and all your animals for 2022..
been looking forward to this all week x
EARLYYYYY LETS WATCH THIS HOUR LONG VIDEO
1h dark den? whooooo baby! thats what ive been waiting for, thats what its all about!
Nice! For cleaning the aquarium! have you seen the aquarium glass cleaning magnets! You can clean the inside of the glass without getting your hand wet from the outside! with thes (aquarium glass cleaning magnets) best invention ever!
It took so long to find you again !!! The Dark Den looks amazing !!!!
this is literally amazing i’ve been watching you for years and to see this much growth is awesome bro
The new den looks so great, cant believe u started on your sofa and now ur here!!!
For the aquarium: I do prefer a simple plastic card over most of the products I have tried for cleaning the glass, just scrape away just before the next water change. I personally think that fighting the snails is useless, view them as helpers instead. If you have too many, you feed too much. You could try finding a competitor like horn snails, which won't multiply. If you were to introduce snail eating fish, they'd probably feed on the shrimp too.
Here we go!
Petko already giving off dad vibes with socks & sandals at 0:44
Nice tour Petko.
The Timelapse of the Tarantula was great.
Waw! You have one of the best collections I have seen, so many spiders and all in lovely big homes👍
I’ve recently become addicted to Tarantulas. After I was gifted 1 a month or so ago I have since purchased 2 more. I found your channel tonight and love it! Subbed
The communal Balfouri enclosure has the look of something from Mirkwood from the Hobbit! Awesome 👌🏻
I used to breed hissers and the best thing ever was letting little kids check them out and telling them that they are farting roaches. Oh! Advice for your mantids, get black soldier fly grubs, put holes in the lid and leave the tub in to turn into flies. I did that for my panther chameleon. He loved it and it was so much easier to keeping flying insects.
Get a magnetic glass cleaner for your fish tank, cleaning part goes in the tank and the other part you drag across the outside of your tank, saves you getting wet.
Thank you for showing ALL the dark den. It was extremely interesting to see all the various creatures living happily together.... have a Merry Christmas and blessings to you and your family in the new year. Looking forward to fun videos in 2022😁👍
Got chills with that song!! Amazing! It goes with the whole thing of spider enclosures 👌🏻
0:44 , ah yes, the best thing to wear in a full animal room tour. I love it!
I was hoping no one will spot that xD
@@TheDarkDen very trendy xD
@@TheDarkDen
Nah, I think it made the video better. I've just finished watching it, and I must say it is my second favorite detail in this video, right after the _Pterinochilus lugardi_ at 42:55 that got defensive for nothing just as the camera was turning. She was like those people in tribunes of football matches who realize they're being recorded by the camera just as the frame changes.
Been waiting for this since you moved into the new house!
You've come a long way since the couch my friend, congratulations.