When is a collection complete?

[Arachnobrian]

I started preparing some tanks the other day, and started having to shuffle things around to make more room for them. Also considering the possiblity of needing more shelving to accomodate these new tanks.

My collection has varried in numbers over the past several years, usually keeping it under 30. It currently totals 14 T's, with a lizard tank(2), frog(1) and a scorpion(1). Oh, and one of the female T's is possibly gravid.

A count of tanks in my small apartment is currently 33 gal.(1), 10 gal.(4), 5 gal.(2), 2.5 gal. (2), Small Exo-Terras (2), and a variety of kritter keepers of different sizes. Once all filled I still will require more for the slings currently growing.

I admit my original intention was to create several (4-6) nice display tanks of certain female species, which I did, and went a little overboard IMO. lol

No regrets, I enjoy the pets I own and will continue for years. Parting with any of the females I have raised from slings would never be an option, they are pets after all.

Just pleased with myself for not going completely overboard, however having a possible gravid female might qualify me. lol

It's an addictive hobby.

 

[Nerri1029]

at 85 pets now.

does not include slings from breeding.

and I'm looking at more. YES very addictive.

But there's few pets you could keep so many ( with variety ) for such a small cost/ pet

so it's not a destructive obsession... er..... hobby

 

[jayefbe]

at 85 pets now.

does not include slings from breeding.

and I'm looking at more. YES very addictive.

But there's few pets you could keep so many ( with variety ) for such a small cost/ pet

so it's not a destructive obsession... er..... hobby

Yeah, my exotics pets collection consists of 20 pythons and 20 T's. I could house and feed over a hundred T's with the space and money that it takes to keep this many snakes. So the result has been getting more T's and less snakes.

 

[Arachnobrian]

When you tell people you have a tarantula as a pet, they usually mention a friend who has an exotic pet.

When you mention you have 10 or more tarantulas as pets, suddenly you get a different look.

 

[ZergFront]

Well, this hobby certainly differs from having mammalian pets. If/when someone here tells me they have 300-1000 arachnids whether reptiles are among them or not, I would say "LUCKY! Good for you!" (if they kept them properly which I know the majority on here do )

However, if someone here told me they had even over 50 cats/dogs I would think, "Hmmm, hoarder?" Although I have heard very RARELY someone keeping that many or more and STILL giving proper vet treatments, food, shelter, etc. but it is not a very realistic number if you do not have the space, money and time. Cats and dogs can't live off of 2-3 insects a week.

One couple I've heard of having over 60 cats on a big lot of property (farm-sized) and they all looked very healthy. Majority of them were taken in strays or given up to them, spade and neutered.

Some on here I'm surprised though haven't started hiring employees to give a helping hand.

 

[Sathane]

In a word - never.

There will always be a spider you want. Even when you think you have them all, a new species may be discovered.

 

[ZergFront]

In a word - never.

There will always be a spider you want. Even when you think you have them all, a new species may be discovered.

+1 :clap:

I'm STILL waiting for a bright green tarantula (that is mature. Not green at first like blue fang slings ) I know it's out there somewhere...

but yeah. I think with my list it's like one step forward and two steps (or more) back.

 

[ZooRex]

In a word - never.

Beat me too it

 

[Roski]

Never, and that's kind of why I love it. It's the fountain that never dries

 

[WARPIG]

I don't think collections are ever complete.

I wanted a complete collection when I set out to find what that 'Movie' spider was (B smithi), then I educated myself as best I could with the help of books and several websites and initially made a list of 20 must haves, to complete a definative collection .

After several months of collecting, I had my must haves, and now I have more than 100.

Now I know I can't have every T in the hobby, so I decided besides a few terrestrials to specialize in a few Pokies and every hobby Avi.

Just when I think that I have most of them, several avis pop up in Europe and they are now 'Must Haves' but I have to wait yrs for them to get here.

Oh well, I waited for A diversipes, I can wait for them as well.

Again, no collection is EVER complete.

PIG-

 

[jayefbe]

I'm continually trying to focus my own collection on pokies, avics, lampropelma, psalmos and pamphos. Problem is, every single day I see a new species, start drooling, and decide that's the next one for me (E olivacea, anyone?).

It's just hopeless.

 

[FireGuyX]

I currently have five tarantulas and this is my wishlist

Brachypelma smithi
Lasiodora difficilis
Aphonopelma seemanni
Aphonopelma crinirufum
Psalmopoeus irminia
Psalmopoeus pulcher
Psalmopoeus reduncus
Theraphosa apophysis

I get these tarantulas I'll feel complete. I wish I had a job, I would be buying most of the T's right now.

 

[KJE]

I think a collection is complete when you can't care for even one more. Of course, even then there are always ways around that with trades.

 

[Warren Bautista]

MY collection will be compete once I obtain adult females of every Poecilotheria sp. (hanumavillasumica, smithi and uniformis included!).

Even then, I'll probably find a few Ts that I need to have.

 

[Roski]

I think a collection is complete when you can't care for even one more.

That's not a complete collection, it's an understaffed one

 

[sharpfang]

When ?

When you don't Feel like havin' Your pets own YOU......

Jason - Too many pets.....Love'em all though...

 

[jayefbe]

MY collection will be compete once I obtain adult females of every Poecilotheria sp. (hanumavillasumica, smithi and uniformis included!).

Even then, I'll probably find a few Ts that I need to have.

I'm assuming you mean more than just one female one of each species, right? One would never do.

Right now, I REALLY want a subfusca communal. Gotta wait til my sling grows up and depending on the sex either send it off for a 50/50 or find a MM.

 

[Warren Bautista]

Yep, maybe 2 or 3 of each sp, and a few males to go along with them.

 

[Arachnobrian]

Yep, maybe 2 or 3 of each sp, and a few males to go along with them.

Sounds like more of an investment.

 

[Steve Calceatum]

(E olivacea, anyone?).

Yes please!!!!! Got any you want to part with???

Things hapen in this hobby. I thought I had it all figured out...I was ONLY going to have my rosehair. Then I saw the GBB, A. versicolor, and P. metallica. So, I made a list, checked it twice, and revised it a couple more times to reflect my newly budding curiosity.

I ended up with a P. irminia that opened the doors to more temperamental T's, and sparked my primary interest in arboreals. So I revised the list again....and again....and again. Then I saw the E. olivacea. So I took that list, used it for TP, and resigned even trying to put limitations on the experiences of my hobby.