How many slings is too many for a beginner?

[VaporRyder]

Having kept significant animal collections before, I was never going to get just ‘one or two’. Having decided to get back into keeping again, purely focussed on tarantulas, I have - in just a few months - reached 19 animals (from tiny sling to large juvenile). I have pretty much got all the species I am particularly interested in, but there are a few more I would like. I won’t go much above 20 though - too many and it becomes a chore, rather than a pleasure, to look after them - and I am mindful that as my young animals grow, I will need to upgrade their housing.

 

[Xenocide]

I have 9 slings and I see them all as individual pets still rather than a collection. I figure if I ever consider the Ts I have as a collection, then I have crossed the threshold that goes deeper into the hobby where more of my time is being taken up.

I consider them both individual pets and also as a collection but I don’t have too many to where I feel overwhelmed and can’t focus on each one at a time, giving whichever one at that moment my undivided attention. My two LP slings for example, each have their own personality. One is more pet rockish and laid back, where as the other is already trying to kick hairs and runs away from the flashlight. Pretty cute actually.

I got my first OBT as a freebie, it was my number 8 addition. I can't tell you the order I've gotten all my spiders in, but that one sticks out because I couldn't believe it and was so scared to unpack it when I saw the label! I ended up watching some rehousing videos by Tom and getting to it with three catch cups ready.

Tom Moran is my favorite to watch. How did your OBT turn out? Is it fairly defensive?

No not at all, i have been catching and releasing all sorts of animals since i was a small child, i treat them with the respect they deserve but none are out to get you.

I never joined into the whole old world fear, i go by my own experiences and what i feel i can safely deal with. I am much more concerned keeping my guests safe and informed. Its sad but it forces me to scare them initially. I feel like most of the fear that is spread about those animals is spread in order to keep brash or simply very young people safe and that sometimes scares away some who might otherwise have a great time keeping them and thats ok, better safe than sorry.

In my 3 years keeping spiders i have never had anything go wrong and i dont plan on starting now.

they are molting fine, the winter will be the first hurdle since i keep all my animals in my bedroom for now and i wont heat it excessively, by then they will hopefully all have gotten big enough to withstand some temps around 18°C. Poecilotheria species are said to be very hardy and i don't foresee any problems but a weak animal might not make it. Unless my luck holds i wont have 11 females at the end and i will give the males away to be bred anyway but u are right space is the main issue when it comes to new additions. I will get a new shelf just for them soon.

Well I commend you, I personally couldn’t do pokies yet. I know they aren’t particularly defensive typically but man can they bolt when they decide to and I’d rather gather my bearings with a fast arboreal first with something that’s potentially even faster but with less risk factor on the bites, like say a Tapi or Pslamopoeus. So 18 degrees equates to roughly 65 Fahrenheit. I’m no expert but that would freak me out a little bit, is a space heater set to maintain like 68 or in your case 20 degrees a viable option to consider?

All animals that can still adequately look after ten years from now are allowed. You need space, time and the necessary change. A terrarium and the contents for an adult specimen cost more than a Deli cup! The animals are bought quickly, but you should be aware of your responsibility beforehand. You wouldn't be the first to screw it up...

I feel confident I’m aware of where I’m at currently and I’ve thought ahead, I already have some enclosures bought for some of my juveniles. Expenses for adult enclosures shouldn’t be an issue but if for some reason I wasn’t as financially stable by time they were adults, there’s always the Tom Moran Sterilite style approach.

Having kept significant animal collections before, I was never going to get just ‘one or two’. Having decided to get back into keeping again, purely focussed on tarantulas, I have - in just a few months - reached 19 animals (from tiny sling to large juvenile). I have pretty much got all the species I am particularly interested in, but there are a few more I would like. I won’t go much above 20 though - too many and it becomes a chore, rather than a pleasure, to look after them - and I am mindful that as my young animals grow, I will need to upgrade their housing.

Same, 20ish is gonna be my cap. I’m gonna give these guys some time to grow because I don’t wanna hit my cap and decide a year from now I’m super interested in a particular species and not have room for it. I’m still studying species all the time, there’s more being added to my wishlist all the time but only 10 or so more would be realistic for me to keep.

 

[Wolfram1]

Well I commend you, I personally couldn’t do pokies yet. I know they aren’t particularly defensive typically but man can they bolt when they decide to and I’d rather gather my bearings with a fast arboreal first with something that’s potentially even faster but with less risk factor on the bites, like say a Tapi or Pslamopoeus. So 18 degrees equates to roughly 65 Fahrenheit. I’m no expert but that would freak me out a little bit, is a space heater set to maintain like 68 or in your case 20 degrees a viable option to consider?

if i understood you correctly you have children around. I wouldn't get any spiders with such potent venom at all in that case its just not worth the risk.
no thats not an option for my bedroom i like to sleep cooler and so far i have not noticed any averse reactions to colder temperatures in my spiders. If it causes them to grow slower so be it.
I don't like to over-generalise but once you see some of the incredible footage of wild tarantulas in a snowy area of Chile you loose some of the fear of "colder room temperatures", there is a video on you-tube by birdspiderCH. Some people climatize their room to a certain temperature for their spiders year around, my room-temperature depends on the season, right now its probably around 26-30°C in winter i keep my whole appartment at 18°C with very short dips during daily ventilation. I also feed less during winter.

Edit: I would treat a Tapi or Pslamopoeus with the same respect as a Pokie. Medically significant is medically significant no matter what species and some of the Scolopendra species scare me a lot more than ether at least when it comes to the bite reports i have read.

 

[Xenocide]

if i understood you correctly you have children around. I wouldn't get any spiders with such potent venom at all in that case its just not worth the risk.
no thats not an option for my bedroom i like to sleep cooler and so far i have not noticed any averse reactions to colder temperatures in my spiders. If it causes them to grow slower so be it.
I don't like to over-generalise but once you see some of the incredible footage of wild tarantulas in a snowy area of Chile you loose some of the fear of "colder room temperatures", there is a video on you-tube by birdspiderCH. Some people climatize their room to a certain temperature for their spiders year around, my room-temperature depends on the season, right now its probably around 26-30°C in winter i keep my whole appartment at 18°C with very short dips during daily ventilation. I also feed less during winter.

Edit: I would treat a Tapi or Pslamopoeus with the same respect as a Pokie. Medically significant is medically significant no matter what species and some of the Scolopendra species scare me a lot more than ether at least when it comes to the bite reports i have read.

I think if you’ve kept them at those temps then you know what you can get away with. Yeah, it’s good to treat every species with the same level of caution but the reality is that some species can be really nasty if bitten. I already have one OW to focus on and I said I wouldn’t get anymore and I’m sticking to that plan for the time being while I grow and get comfortable with it.

 

[Hakuna]

It’s not a matter of how many slings. It’s a matter of finding space to accommodate the specimens once they are fully grown, adult individuals.

If you can not find room for their adult enclosures, then do not get them.

 

[scooter1685]

Just my opinion, but if you think you're starting to have too many it may be time to stop buying more.

It's a little difficult to answer the question for me, personally. When I first decided to get a tarantula I bought two. I only had them for about a year. I didn't get another for around 12 years, for various reasons. When I decided to get more, I ordered five slings. Within a year I had 23. Once I reached 30 I decided I would only purchase more if I could get a really good deal on them. Now I have 39, and I've only bought four of them so far this year.

I'm definitely at my limit, at least for now. I do have room to house another... oh 15-20 depending on enclosure size. The issue is that I have a new puppy that is still in training, a new baby that's not even a month old yet, and a few other circumstances that take up lots and lots of time and resources. Things would need to calm down a bit for me to consider adding more. Too many demands on my time, attention, and wallet at the moment

 

[VaporRyder]

They’re definitely moorish lol

I think Viper is right, to an extent, that some people buy more because the ones they have aren’t really doing anything!

But for me it is a positive thing, I like watching them all do nothing until one of them does something! And then next week it will be someone else!

 

[Baby T]

It is like asking 'how long is a piece of string?' Everyone is different. If you are a beginner (like me) don't go too overboard with too many species. Get a small collection and try to learn as much about the individuals you have got, otherwise you will end up with too many, before you even know how to look after the first one. There is no rush, tarantulas are not going to disappear off of the face of the earth.
I have been into the hobby for less than a year, so far I have 2 adults (both female) 2 juveniles, and 5 slings, and I don't plan on getting too many more for a while unless something takes my fancy.. I found that starting off with new worlds (obviously), that do not require too much moisture (humidity) is what worked for me. Don't think about numbers of T's, just concentrate on looking after what you have got. And don't take on more than you can handle.

Twice the length from the middle to the end. The piece of string that is...

 

[Xenocide]

Just my opinion, but if you think you're starting to have too many it may be time to stop buying more.

It's a little difficult to answer the question for me, personally. When I first decided to get a tarantula I bought two. I only had them for about a year. I didn't get another for around 12 years, for various reasons. When I decided to get more, I ordered five slings. Within a year I had 23. Once I reached 30 I decided I would only purchase more if I could get a really good deal on them. Now I have 39, and I've only bought four of them so far this year.

I'm definitely at my limit, at least for now. I do have room to house another... oh 15-20 depending on enclosure size. The issue is that I have a new puppy that is still in training, a new baby that's not even a month old yet, and a few other circumstances that take up lots and lots of time and resources. Things would need to calm down a bit for me to consider adding more. Too many demands on my time, attention, and wallet at the moment

Yeah man definitely time for a cool off for me. We’ll see. Having kids will cut into lots of time, especially a newborn but you’ll adapt and figure it out, no problem.

They’re definitely moorish lol

I think Viper is right, to an extent, that some people buy more because the ones they have aren’t really doing anything!

But for me it is a positive thing, I like watching them all do nothing until one of them does something! And then next week it will be someone else!

I just found one of my LP’s molted. it’s always exciting! The C. Versicolors chilling on the lid is always exciting as well

Twice the length from the middle to the end. The piece of string that is...

I’m listening to The Exotic Pet Collective with Dustin who runs Simply Spiders. That pick 4 mystery box is screaming at my wallet right now.

 

[VaporRyder]

I'm kidding. Kind of. And while I have all that covered, as they mature and I move them to their bigger homes, I look at the empty small enclosures and think;

"Well, you know, it's already sitting here........................................"

Vicious circles.

This is the real danger! The cute empty sling house looking up at you, longing for a new resident!

 

[spideyspinneret78]

This is the real danger! The cute empty sling house looking up at you, longing for a new resident!

This is so true. I had to stick mine on the top shelf of the closet so I'm not always glancing at them and getting ideas.

 

[Xenocide]

This is so true. I had to stick mine on the top shelf of the closet so I'm not always glancing at them and getting ideas.

It’s funny this was mentioned when only 5 minutes before I caught a house spider in one of mine. This is a curse indeed.

Gonna let the little dude back outside now.

 

[USNGunner]

I definitely agree that going in green with a bunch of OW’s would be foolish. I have one and stopped there which was still foolish in itself but it leaves me one to focus and learn, grow with without becoming overwhelmed.

This is what I kept telling my grandson. "Dude, medically significant!" He loves the Gooties and asian spiders. "Not a good idea!"

Then I got psalmo's. LOL. They are lightining fast, but I have a healthy respect for the little buggars and go out of my way to "talk through, walk through, do" when rehousing. The grandson came out the other day and told me he had watered the P. Victorii.. My initial reaction was "cool". Then it registered what he said. "Wait, you did what?" "I watered the psalmo's Grandpa" just very matter of factly. That was when I got a little excited.

At that point we had a re-emphasis on "What do "teleporting" mean?" "What the heck were you thinking?", and the "Don't open enclosures on Grandpa's T's without a backup." "These are way faster than your hamorii." He was suitably chastised and I'm pretty sure he got it. He just got a little too comfortable in the middle of our feeding session. I'm glad he's learning, but there always needs to be a healthy respect and I prefer a 2nd set of eyes and hands just in case.

 

[Xenocide]

This is what I kept telling my grandson. "Dude, medically significant!" He loves the Gooties and asian spiders. "Not a good idea!"

Then I got psalmo's. LOL. They are lightining fast, but I have a healthy respect for the little buggars and go out of my way to "talk through, walk through, do" when rehousing. The grandson came out the other day and told me he had watered the P. Victorii.. My initial reaction was "cool". Then it registered what he said. "Wait, you did what?" "I watered the psalmo's Grandpa" just very matter of factly. That was when I got a little excited.

At that point we had a re-emphasis on "What do "teleporting" mean?" "What the heck were you thinking?", and the "Don't open enclosures on Grandpa's T's without a backup." "These are way faster than your hamorii." He was suitably chastised and I'm pretty sure he got it. He just got a little too comfortable in the middle of our feeding session. I'm glad he's learning, but there always needs to be a healthy respect and I prefer a 2nd set of eyes and hands just in case.

Those pokies are something like else on the eyes aren’t they? Sounds like he learned his lesson, can’t help but feel some respect for the kid and his eagerness to learn. How old is he? My 5 year old wanted to take the uneaten prey out of the enclosures while I did it today and I had to kindly tell her no but you can rinse the substrate out of these water dishes for me and refill them from a safe distance, it’s okay if a little bit gets on the sub and she feels involved that way while being safe.

Looks like I won’t be getting anymore T’s for the time being, I ordered the mystery box and an extra C. Versicolor from Simply Spiders (seems like a super awesome company) and let my wife know and she said absolutely not, she’s drawing the line for the time being and I feel like a total bonehead now cancelling the order. It’s embarrassing and wastes the sellers time. She was gracious enough to allow me 12 slings for now which were originally only four, then eight, now 12 with one being an old world so I can’t complain really. Still a little bummed but I’ll get that order back in down the road it’s just not meant to be at the moment. Gonna focus on the ones in front of me. 12 while not enough is also realistically more than plenty for a guy as green as me. I have to respect her boundaries as well. I’m dying inside a little though, not gonna lie.

 

[Realregallover]

I know this question almost can’t be answered as everyone’s limits and schedules are different so I’m gonna ask for people with larger collections and other newer keepers starting their journey, when did you personally cap out for a period of time and say enough is enough, I need to focus on what’s in front of me before I advance my collect any further? I’m currently at 12 slings. At first I thought 4 would be enough, then 8, now I’m at 12 and still, I’m browsing sites. It’s addicting. I could see my cap to settle on for the winter comfortably being 20, I’m also laid off in winters which helps. What was your experience with this inner drive to collect but remaining realistic on what’s best for you and your T’s? They are gonna get bigger is gonna be the eye opener. My space would probably be capped at 20ish without some major rearrangements as adults is my estimate.

We are good with roughly 600 Regals and that's doing the normal 40 hours per week with 2 people. Our Regals are smaller but still has the same maintenance as other animals. For beginners we would recommend as many as you think you can handle and not neglect some for days. Regallover.

 

[PeculiarPests]

I started off with two slings as a beginner. Had those for 18 months. Spent a lot of quality time researching. Observing. Making mistakes and rectifying mistakes. Learning their behaviour.

I now have 11 tarantulas after 18 months. My two slings are now juveniles.

I don't think it's a good idea to throw yourself in the deep end. Nothing beats experience. I would always start small and learn, learn, learn.