Hobby Vs. Hoarding

[MarkmD]

For me it's not just a brilliant (hobby) but a lifestyle, personally I've always been fascinated by them and what they do, hence lifestyle choice to keep them, as said by many, thay are very low maintenance only require minimum attention (food/water and good enclosure etc) other than enjoying looking/observing their activities, you don't need to do anything, nothing wrong with having 2 or 100+ T's as long as they are cared for properly, then you can be called what you like, hobbyist or hoarder etc.

 

[Formerphobe]

The number of tarantulas that denotes pet, hobby, obsession, hoarding, etc will vary dependent on the individual.

In the 1970s and 80s I kept only one or two tarantulas at any given time. I had a lot of other commitments (pets, family, time, job, money constraints, etc)
When I got back into the Hobby of Keeping Tarantulas in 2009, I started with one. Because the internet made research, information and acquisition so much easier, I currently keep 70ish. I check on each of my tarantulas twice a day. One day a week is dedicated to maintenance (feeding, watering, rehousing, etc). More than 70ish and their upkeep becomes a chore as I still have other commitments. That number will vary per person.

Some people have hundreds to thousands. A large portion of those may be transient numbers of slings. And there are some people for whom tarantula keeping/breeding/sales is their day job, or a side job/hobby.

I'm sure there are spider hoarders just as there are cat and dog and bird, etc hoarders. Spiders don't cause the inevitable (and literal) stink when they get out of hand. And I like to think that the tarantula keepers are a cut above the average animal hoarder. For one thing, most Ts cost the hobbyist money and can be sold if populations get too high. Mammal and avian hoarders are usually 'rescuers' gone awry. To me, 'hoarding' means too many to appropriately care for.

Am I obsessed with my tarantulas? Ummm, probably. I tend to be an OCD type person. LOL I keep detailed records on my tarantulas just as I do on my dogs, guinea pigs, my infirm mother, etc.

For me, 70ish is a manageable number that allows me a significant variety of color and behavior, and also the opportunity to observe the similarities and differences, not only of different species, but of the same species.

 

[MarkmD]

The number of tarantulas that denotes pet, hobby, obsession, hoarding, etc will vary dependent on the individual.

In the 1970s and 80s I kept only one or two tarantulas at any given time. I had a lot of other commitments (pets, family, time, job, money constraints, etc)
When I got back into the Hobby of Keeping Tarantulas in 2009, I started with one. Because the internet made research, information and acquisition so much easier, I currently keep 70ish. I check on each of my tarantulas twice a day. One day a week is dedicated to maintenance (feeding, watering, rehousing, etc). More than 70ish and their upkeep becomes a chore as I still have other commitments. That number will vary per person.

Some people have hundreds to thousands. A large portion of those may be transient numbers of slings. And there are some people for whom tarantula keeping/breeding/sales is their day job, or a side job/hobby.

I'm sure there are spider hoarders just as there are cat and dog and bird, etc hoarders. Spiders don't cause the inevitable (and literal) stink when they get out of hand. And I like to think that the tarantula keepers are a cut above the average animal hoarder. For one thing, most Ts cost the hobbyist money and can be sold if populations get too high. Mammal and avian hoarders are usually 'rescuers' gone awry. To me, 'hoarding' means too many to appropriately care for.

Am I obsessed with my tarantulas? Ummm, probably. I tend to be an OCD type person. LOL I keep detailed records on my tarantulas just as I do on my dogs, guinea pigs, my infirm mother, etc.

For me, 70ish is a manageable number that allows me a significant variety of color and behavior, and also the opportunity to observe the similarities and differences, not only of different species, but of the same species.

Very well said.

 

[prairiepanda]

My Link Acton figure has 28 points of articulation and a sword that actually slides in and out if the sheath, my Blade Liger has an incredible 32 points of articulation, my Iron Man only has 24 articulating points but has the most impressive balance in my collection.

My C elegans builds castles out of substrate, my G pulchra is docile even right after molting, my G rosea is always active and doing interesting things.

I spend more time dusting and re-posing my action figures than I do for tarantula maintenance. My most expensive T cost me $40 with enclosure, and my most expensive action figure cost me $85.

Lets face it, tarantulas have collectors appeal, are inexpensive to care for, and take very little time. This, to me, is a hobby. My cat that demands hours of attention each day and requires emotional stimulation is pet. 20 action figures or tarantulas is a collection, 20 cats is a hoard.

 

[Formerphobe]

My cat that demands hours of attention each day and requires emotional stimulation is pet.

Sure that cat isn't a dog?

 

[spiderengineer]

But I do think that taking care of a lot of t's should take some time. If not, then it probably isn't done correctly.

T's are one of those animals were if you care to much for it you will most likely kill it with kindness.

 

[Cydaea]

T's are one of those animals were if you care to much for it you will most likely kill it with kindness.

Water (this can include misting/soaking substrate where necessary): 10 seconds. Look for & remove boluses/poop/exuvia/mold: 30 seconds. Catch cricket and feed to T: 20 seconds. One minute per T, and you're done for the rest of the week (or 2 weeks even). That's all the care most T's need, really. Doing more than that is mostly for aesthetics (cleaning/rearranging things), or for the keeper's peace of mind. Not in the spider's best interest.

I have 11 T's but could easily care for 20 or 25. More than that and I would probably feel overwhelmed, or at least always think I forgot something. 30 minutes a week, on saturdays. Or sundays. Or mondays. Or whenever I feel like it. Or skip a week. T's are very forgiving. It's still proper care, a lot of people (even hobbyists) tend to overestimate a T's needs.

 

[Formerphobe]

I currently keep 70ish. I check on each of my tarantulas twice a day. One day a week is dedicated to maintenance (feeding, watering, rehousing, etc).

Even though I check on mine twice a day, I don't necessarily do anything. With many of them 'checking' means peering into an apparently empty enclosure. LOL But, I also get to catch many doing neat stuff: grooming, molting, re-arranging substrate, enlarging burrows, relocating ping pong balls, throwing pebbles, I find tossed exuviae, webbing, just general spider stuff. It affords me opportunity to observe spider behavior, keep accurate records, and to get some pretty decent pictures on occasion.

I am also aware of the daily routines that some individuals have. Deviation from individual routines alerts me to impending molts, weather changes, etc. I can often tell when someone has been in my room as to how the spiders are acting.

Back in the winter during a particularly nasty bout with the flu, I didn't check on my spiders for two or three days. Sometime during the 48+ hours that I was near comatose my 5" Mystery Brachypelma got stuck and died in his maturing molt. I might not have been able to do anything to save him even if I had been monitoring him throughout, but I could have at least attempted to cut him loose and given him a better chance of survival. I still feel guilty over that loss.

Checking my Ts of a morning also gives me some indication of what the weather is going to be like for the day. If terrestrials are up on their hides or walls, and/or burrowers in a higher chamber or in the mouths of their burrows, then inclement weather is to be expected. They are much better predictors than the weather channel, and equally as good as my arthritis.

Due to the very low humidity in my house, some slings will occasionally need a few drops of water before the next maintenance day. I would rather dribble water as necessary than find dessicated slings once a week.

Feeding my Ts takes a long time because I like to watch them hunt and eat. Unless I give them something messy like roaches or hornworms, there are generally no cricket boluses to clean up that I ever see. I leave the poop except for occasionally cleaning off the side to facilitate better pictures. I usually only top off water bowls unless substrate is causing wicking. Once a spider has customized it's enclosure, I don't muck with it. Substrate only gets changed during rehousing, and even then I recycle substrate. Actual 'maintenance' is minimal. Most of my spider time is spent observing.

As MarkmD said, "it is a lifestyle."

 

[Stan Schultz]

I see that a lot of people refer to tarantula keeping as a "hobby". I own two T's at the moment and consider them pets. I clean the enclosures and feed them regularly as with any other pets. At what point does it then become a hobby? I think that if some people have 4..5..6, 10, etc. T's they are either breeding or hoarding them. Usually people don't collect dogs, cats, birds or gerbils/rabbits and call that a hobby right? If they do its called a job or there just crazy, just ask the cat lady who lives down the block. I am not trying to offend anyone here. I just want to know why people call keeping a pet a hobby.

It's a matter of perception and the biases of the perceiver.

If you're filthy, stinking rich, you're "eccentric." If you're dirt poor, you're a "crazy old coot."

If you ask my next door neighbor, he thinks I should appear on TV, then be institutionalized. Ask about anyone on these forums, and most will laugh in your face! (Well, a few still think I should appear on TV, then be institutionalized. ) This falls into the same bin as beliefs, "I think," IMHO, etc. And, not too terribly important.


Oh! Look! A new pet shop! Let's stop and see what they have in their tarantula department!

:roflmao:


May your little 8-legged addiction always love you!

 

[Scourge]

I currently keep around 200 spiders (not including recent / pending eggsacs) and spend about 5 hours a week looking after them. But for me and many others this is not the whole hobby. We might also be interested in the taxonomy / phylogeny etc. of the group, and involved in research. Many of us also travel looking to find new and existing species in the wild. And as already mentioned, many find interest in establishing the habitats and communities that the spider live in. IMO there's more facets to keeping spiders than there is to keeping, say, a dog or a cat. I think this helps to differentiate it as a hobby, rather than 'pet keeping'.

 

[Amoeba]

I really didn't start to notice how many bugs I had until I had about 20 because it was beginning to take a little bit to feed and water everything. I went from buying 3 crickets a month to buying a full dozen. I plan to have somewhere between 50-100 not because I can't handle more but because I see it as a manageable number for me that won't consume more than a couple book shelves. I plan to get into some more casual breeding and I'm also looking to expand my scorpion collection atm.

19 tarantulas (2 full adults, 3 immature adults, and the rest are between .25" and 2"), 5 scorpions, 2 centipedes, and a giant vinegaroon.

Collection numbers shouldn't include sacs that just hatched as they inflate the number.

 

[Aviara]

The media really has pushed the term "hoarding" so much lately that it gets applied to so many people with good intentions. I've seen animal rescuers in town, many of which have 10-30+ animals in their care at a time, called hoarders. I've been called a hoarder for owning 7 snakes, a bunch of invertebrates and a few other animals, even though my animals are supplied with fresh water at all times, food on a healthy schedule and appropriate attention. On the other hand, I've seen people who are technically hoarding animals, but because they only have a few it is not recognized as "hoarding". I have two neighbors, one on either side of the barn my horse boards at. One has on average 7 dogs at a time, all attention-starved and usually underfed and covered in fleas. He is a backyard breeder of "hunting dog" mutts. He is not considered a hoarder by most because he usually stays within the legal dogs-per-household limit in my area. The other one has only one dog and until recently one cat, but she did not feed these animals at all or provide them with water. The dog was unsocialized and allowed to wander the neighborhood. Both of these would be hoarders, not because they have a large amount of animals, but because the amount of animals they own exceeds their ability or willingness to care for animals.

That really is the difference between a hoarder and a person who properly cares for a large amount of animals. Before getting another tarantula (or any animal) - ask yourself: Do I have the financial stability, energy, and time to care for this animal? Can I handle any emergency veterinary or other bills that this animal might need? Will I be able to provide an appropriate home for this animal for the duration of its lifetime?
For tarantulas you should also consider if you are prepared for the speed, venom potency and any special needs (ex. maintaining higher humidity) the species is known for.

 

[Niffarious]

The media really has pushed the term "hoarding" so much lately that it gets applied to so many people with good intentions.

Agreed. Since when does 'having a lot of something' = hoarding?

When people ask me about the tarantulas, I compare them to plants. And quite frankly, some of the plants I have are more demanding. Raising tarantulas isn't even comparable to fish or reptile keeping, which are both often referred to as hobbies.

OP - I don't mean to sound rude, but keeping and raising spiders fits the definition of hobby perfectly. If you don't think it does, it's your perception of the word that is off - not those keeping the spiders and referring to at as a hobby.

 

[kgrigoryev]

Thanks for everyone's inputs!!
I love how passionate everyone is here.
Keep it up!

 

[Poec54]

Agreed. Since when does 'having a lot of something' = hoarding?

When people ask me about the tarantulas, I compare them to plants. And quite frankly, some of the plants I have are more demanding. Raising tarantulas isn't even comparable to fish or reptile keeping, which are both often referred to as hobbies.

Reality TV is starting to invade our hobby.

I have a collection of palms and tropical plants in my yard, as do many people in Florida. I like the calming effect of lush vegation; is that 'hoarding?'

 

[Formerphobe]

The media really has pushed the term "hoarding" so much lately that it gets applied to so many people with good intentions.

True hoarding is indeed a disease. Animal hoarders always have the best of intentions. They think they are 'rescuing'. The mental disorder prevents them from seeing the actual misery they are causing. Conditions are hard to fathom until you've had to don a biohazard suit and respirator to enter a hoarder's home to catalogue the dead and capture the dying. Even after repetitive showers, you don't feel clean for weeks.

 

[LV-426]

I went from hobby, to hoarding, realizing I had too many, got rid of some, now back to hobby

 

[zonbonzovi]

I have a collection of palms and tropical plants in my yard, as do many people in Florida. I like the calming effect of lush vegation; is that 'hoarding?'

I think of keeping invertebrates like plant enthusiasts see their own collection. There is that person that keeps a couple of orchids and manages to keep them alive with via the bare minimum care requirements whereas there are those that build a greenhouse and have a sophisticated watering/temperature control system and focus on propagation, rarities, etc. 'Tis a matter of degree and I think that many folks that stick around long term in this hobby don't tend toward the pet side of the equation as all the other aspects(as Scourge mentioned) present themselves. I've kept well over 100 various lifeforms including tarantulas at one time or another and didn't see it as any sort of burden. If it becomes one you're doing it wrong or you've overwhelmed yourself too soon.

 

[Bugmom]

We've got a rat, two snakes, a leopard gecko, two dogs, 19 tarantulas, 2 jumping spiders, and colonies of dubia roaches and mealworms.

I spend 2 hours a week taking care of all them. And they're all rather spoiled.

I spend anywhere from 2 hours to 10 hours a week keeping up with my yard/garden, and I've only got one of those!

 

[cmcghee358]

Caring for 20 Ts takes almost the same amount of time as caring for one. If you have that many, it's also much easier to feed all crickets you got in store without letting them die and you can also breed your food.

Why so many? Because their behaviors are so interesting, but they take long time before anything actually happens. You'll see when both of yours will be in premolt for over a month.

Only a really busy person can't take care of 20Ts in terms of time. I know some people here have more than 100 and they enter their T room only once a week.

I agree with this. I am in the military. I typically work 6 days a week approximately 11-12 hours per day. I also go to school online, as well as pursuing my Professional Military Education. I have a wife and 2 daughters, I cook dinner a few times per week(if I don't get off too late) and do dishes or something.

I have 20 tarantulas, and the 45 minutes a week I spend caring for them is relaxing. Everyday when I wake up I check on them, and every night when I get home I do the same. With the little amount of time I have, caring for 20 is no problem at all.

---------- Post added 04-06-2013 at 06:24 PM ----------

I went from hobby, to hoarding, realizing I had too many, got rid of some, now back to hobby

I would argue that you weren't hoarding. Hoarders have a compulsion that doesn't allow them to get rid of whatever it is they are hoarding. You were probably an over zealous hobbyist that realized they were in over their head and reduced the quantity to a manageable number!