Cost of keeping T's?

[CrystalRose]

Out of all the pets I have (and I have a lot lol ) my T is definitely the cheapest to maintain. I figure it will cost me about 80 cents a month in feeders. I can't feed any of my other pets for that little. Sure wish I could though!

 

[Hanska]

Unless I missed it, no one mentioned anything about keeping a goldfish in a bowl.

Might have jumped to a conclusion there a bit but he did mention buying a gold fish.

 

[awiec]

While you did get plenty of answers, I have exact numbers because I just keep track of things like that. I have 13 T's and 2 P.mira (some wild nursery web spiders I caught for fun). Since you said you had fish and I assume you have reptiles because of your name I'll do a comparison between a small dog, herps, fish and spiders.
Dog:
We spent about 300 bucks on ours and it cost about another 200 to fix him and another 150 for shots. His food costs about 30 dollars but he don't eat that much so lets say this bag lasts for 2 months. We give him a flea treatment which costs about 40 bucks for 3 months worth of treatment. We don't take him for checkups and pay for baths about twice a year(20 bucks) since we usually clean him ourselves. His leash collar, cage,bed and toys probably add up to 100. Treats probably also add another 6 dollars a month.
So currently the cost of a small dog that is not taken to the vet regularly is:
300+200+150+(30x6)+(40x4)+(2x20)+100= $1040 the first year and yearly up keep (assuming there is no emergencies or need to buy new toys) is $452 but this is not necessarily a good care plan so 500 should be added if we were to take him to get check ups a few times a year so not counting treatment or medication=$952

Fish:
I'll use my Koi as an example (never keep koi in a tank you'll kill yourself)
I had a left over stand and 55 gallon tank from my mother's failed saltwater project so I got both for 200, but normally you'd pay around 400-500 for such a setup. The filter cost 70 bucks and the replacement medium is 30 (changed every month). We also have a water testing kit that cost 40 bucks, this lasts for about 4 but depends how often you test it. We also have some chemicals to help condition the water in an emergency so they total up to about 30 dollars and are replaced every 2 months. We also have some bubblers that were 20 and a water mover that was 50. Food cost 12 bucks but has lasted for 8 months. You also need lights which cost 60, which this doesn't count the power you consume to run the whole set up. We also have rock which cost about 12 bucks and an under gravel filter which was 25. Finally the fish themselves cost 20 dollars each.
So first time purchase of a fish set up:
400+70+(12x30)+(40x3)+(30x6)+20+50+60+(12x 1.5)+12+25+(2x20)=$14915 and yearly maintenance (not including cost of power or your time)= 678 without medication for your fish (one of ours got fin rot so we've spent 40 on a remedy)

Snake:
I have a sand boa, probably the lowest maintenance snake you can get an he cost 60 bucks plus 40 S&H. His tank cost 20 bucks, which he can probably stay in for the rest of his life. His heat pad was 18, the reptile carpet was 9 dollars, his bedding 12,his water dish 5, the moss used for his shed box was 10 an the tupperware that was his shed box is a buck. As for food I buy frozen mice at a show, I pay 5 to get in and 3 for 10 pinkie mice, I usually feed him twice a week so I have to buy more food every 5 weeks.
Initial first year cost of a snake:
60+40+20+18+9+12+5+10+1+(8x 10.4)= $258 now yearly maintenance will be different for the next few years until he is fully grown, so we will say I will eventually have to have to pay a dollar per mouse: $ 178 but throw in an extra 30 in case a heat pad breaks or something else needs to be replaced: $208 My leopard and crested gecko incur similar costs, but the snake's cost is what I specifically remember.

Spiders:
As I said I have 15 spider but the two wild ones cost me nothing in container costs and are pennies to feed each month so they will not be included.
I will break it down for the first T I have then include what it costs me to keep 13 yearly.
1 Tarantula:
My A.versicolor,Bob Marly, cost 25 dollars, his container cost 30 cents and he can probably stay in it for a year. I feed him dubia roaches which I bought 50 small ones for 5 from a show that costs 5 to get in, their food and water crystals were 1 dollar each. His sub-strait cost me 6 dollars and his cork log was a piece broken off a 10 dollar log. I bought a mister for 3 dollars. I also feed him once a week, but there are pre-molt weeks where there is no eating but we will assume a dubia dies almost every week. He/She needs no heat or light so that can just be included in your personal living cost.
1st year of keeping one T: 25+.30+6+10+10+1+1= $35.5 and the same would be for yearly up keep but will be around $10 a year once they reach maturity and no more cage changes are needed and will be even cheaper if you breed your own food.

13 T's:
Now lets say I bought all of my T's in one year so that is a total of around 450 because I got a few freebies, have some of the more expensive species and I ordered a few online. Their total container costs were about 30. I've spent about 30 on cork bark, 12 on sphagnum moss that I've used a fraction of, 25 bucks on sub-strait that I still have a bucket of (I mix my own blend so its more than if you just use eco earth). I am also a little fancy and offer my T's 3 different feeder insects; Dubia (50 for $5), Crickets (10 for $1 and we'll assume I buy some every month) and I have a colony of banana roaches ($15 bucks for years worth of food). They all eat the same roach food and water crystals and the occasional fruit so that's 2 bucks for their up keep. Each T is fed once a week. Once again they require no heat or lights, anything extra that you want for their tanks or fancy cages.
First year with 13 T's:
450+30+30+12+25+10+12+15+2= $584 as for yearly up keep once they all are in permanent cages and if I continue to offer all 3 types of food: 2+15+10+12= $39

So a break down of this text wall:
Yearly up keep:
1 Dog: $452-952 (Depending on vet visits)
2 Fish: $678
1 Snake: $178
13 Spiders: $39

The initial cost may be a little higher for my T's than my snake but I can take care of 13 of them for under $40 a year compared to my snake. My plants require a higher up-keep cost than that and you can shove the containers everywhere; I have a small book shelf that comfortable houses all the cages.

 

[darkness975]

If you can't afford a T get a goldfish. That's the only exotic I can think of that is cheaper from my experience

Wrong. Goldfish require spacious aquariums, weekly water changes of 25% or more, electricity for the filter (or 2 recommended as they produce massive waste and ammonia), etc. An aquarium large enough for a goldfish has to be strong enough to hold 30 or more gallons of water (glass or acrylic). The only similarity between goldfish and Tarantulas is that in MOST instances you do not need to heat the home of either animal (and depending on the species or your home heating may be necessary for one or both animals).