Why not just one?
- Thread starter melanie5
- Start date
- Joined
- Dec 1, 2007
- Messages
- 177
I get this quetsion quiet often when I tell people how many spiders I have.
So I was just wondering, how come we can't just have one?
(for me it's cause there are way too many cool spiders
Good question. When I got my first T (a G. rosea), my best friend predicted I'd have a dozen within a year. Well, I don't have a dozen, but it's only been a month and I have 3.
They're just fun to watch. Last night my silly girl Natasha was "cleaning house". She wadded up all the silk she'd laid on the substrate, dragged it out of her cocohut and left it for the trash pick up (me!). Then she just STOOD there for like 30 minutes. Perched up high on her legs - hard to describe but it looked really funny.
- Joined
- Nov 28, 2007
- Messages
- 91
I compare it to people who have fish. I don't know many people who collect fish that have just one. I got my first two T's two weeks ago and have 5 more comming next week. Can't wait.:clap:
- Joined
- Oct 4, 2005
- Messages
- 2,136
I was at a gathering of friends a while ago and had pics of my T's with me. Someone wanted to look at them so I let her, and as she flipped through the pics, I told her each spiders name. The conversation was like this:
"How can you tell them apart?"
"Can you tell your kids apart?"
"Yes."
"I can too."
"Oh, well why do you have so many?"
"How many kids do you have?"
"Three"
"Why do you have so many?"
"Because I like kids, and I enjoy having them around."
Ok, I like tarantulas, and I enjoy having them around."
I left her with a puzzled expression on her face. People who don't like bugs are so funny sometimes.
"How can you tell them apart?"
"Can you tell your kids apart?"
"Yes."
"I can too."
"Oh, well why do you have so many?"
"How many kids do you have?"
"Three"
"Why do you have so many?"
"Because I like kids, and I enjoy having them around."
Ok, I like tarantulas, and I enjoy having them around."
I left her with a puzzled expression on her face. People who don't like bugs are so funny sometimes.
- Joined
- Aug 18, 2006
- Messages
- 207
It's like having potato chips you can't have just one. And also just like chips before you know it the bag is gone.
- Joined
- Aug 28, 2007
- Messages
- 549
The more you have, the more fun exciting things are going on. More T's = more molts, feedings, etc. I really like coming home and seeing which one is doing what, which is in pre-molt, etc. Plus, they are all very cool to look at and watch.
- Joined
- Apr 3, 2006
- Messages
- 1,085
I have 40 T's and it's not enough. Even though I'm way past the " I NEED EVERY COLOR AND SPP OF EVERYTING £$#¤" phase of T keeping I feel that I need more T's to look at and to spend my time around. Not that I have any free time really, but still.
Maybe 60 is the magic number for me? I almost wish they stayed in the juvie phase for ever =)
Maybe 60 is the magic number for me? I almost wish they stayed in the juvie phase for ever =)
Haha Mina I love your story.
It's weird that people react the way they do. First thing they say, is yuk, bugs and spiders .
I started with the T's about 6 months ago and I now have 19 and I'm not finished yet.
As spartybassoon said, I too love to come home to my T's. The first thing I do when I come home, is check all the T's. And I love just watching them, how they groom, feed, or even just when they're sitting still.
It's like an addiction
.It's weird that people react the way they do. First thing they say, is yuk, bugs and spiders
. I started with the T's about 6 months ago and I now have 19 and I'm not finished yet.
As spartybassoon said, I too love to come home to my T's. The first thing I do when I come home, is check all the T's. And I love just watching them, how they groom, feed, or even just when they're sitting still.
It's like an addiction
I definitely think it's an addiction. I wonder what our brainwaves look like when we're looking at pics of spiders and observing our own.It's like an addiction
Just one, no way. So many kinds, colors, sizes, and behaviors. If you have one you can also get either too obsessive or bored with it.
- Joined
- Mar 25, 2006
- Messages
- 315
It could be to do with the amount of time we have to spend on our T's. If you have lots of time 2 or 3 won't need enough doing to them to fill the time. I have 19 and I know that's about the limit for me, any more than 20 and some may not get the amount of time they need for their basic care. Only having 1 or 2 isn't enough as I want to fiddle with them and there is nothing left to do.
- Joined
- Aug 23, 2007
- Messages
- 1,186
I started with one who crawled to me for help.
Then there were 2 in a pet store including an H livid who looked miserable...
That's it, I thought. Then I read an inspirational thing which said:
"Try New Things."
Next day, 5 more.
Then there were 2 in a pet store including an H livid who looked miserable...
That's it, I thought. Then I read an inspirational thing which said:
"Try New Things."
Next day, 5 more.
- Joined
- Sep 14, 2007
- Messages
- 489
Let me put it this way; the ONLY Xmas party I am going to this year is for my local T club. It's at the club president's house, and he has over 300, plus a few token snakes, and some scorps.
I currently have 5 Ts, with 5 more coming home after the party!!! :clap: Lack of space, and a somewhat reluctant hubby, are what prevent me from having a house full like el presidente'.
I currently have 5 Ts, with 5 more coming home after the party!!! :clap: Lack of space, and a somewhat reluctant hubby, are what prevent me from having a house full like el presidente'.
Why not just one ? Because there are just to many to choose from,appearance and behaviour wise.Plus it is just sooo addictive ! When I first got started I figured I might get maybe 4 or 5. I'm up to 14 now and am looking to do some breeding as soon as I can line up a few males.
Tarantulas are also not as active as some pets, so if you have more, there's more of a chance that something interesting will be going (molts, being out of their hide, etc.) There's also a lot of "collector mentality" for a lot of owners.
- Joined
- Jul 7, 2005
- Messages
- 3,203
Here's how I handle it because it's *almost* always women who ask more than one round of questions:
"Why do you have so many spiders?"
"Well, frankly I think they're fascinating creatures."
"What do you see in them? Don't you think they're creepy?"
"Nice shoes...how much did those cost you?"
"I, uh...<price>"
"Why do you have so many shoes?"
"I don't understand how that's similar."
"Great...we're on the same page. I've got to get going but you're pretty hot, so can I have your phone number?"
They generally don't bother me after that. Or I get a phone number. Whatever.
"Why do you have so many spiders?"
"Well, frankly I think they're fascinating creatures."
"What do you see in them? Don't you think they're creepy?"
"Nice shoes...how much did those cost you?"
"I, uh...<price>"
"Why do you have so many shoes?"
"I don't understand how that's similar."
"Great...we're on the same page. I've got to get going but you're pretty hot, so can I have your phone number?"
They generally don't bother me after that. Or I get a phone number. Whatever.
- Joined
- Aug 31, 2007
- Messages
- 80
I had one spider for a long, long time, and it died. Then I got online to get a replacement, because I had always wanted a Mexican Red-Knee. When I ordered it, the dealer said, "Yeah, would you like this G Aureostriata sling, it's only $10, what a deal!" I really didn't want *two* tarantulas, but I thought, for $10, how could I go wrong, right? So I got it and yeah, it was cool.
Then we went to a reptile show, and I was like, I'm only going to look because I'm here for cages and supplies, but they had L Parahybana slings, and they were just $5! And then they had a really pretty B Vagans, and it was a good size and not too expensive. But man, was it pretty! So at this point I'm up to four.
Then I realized, it's not a very well-rounded T collection, I need an arboreal. Then I fell in love with the A Purpurea species but figured I could never afford one. Then lo and behold, a sling became available on the FS boards here for $35! Well, I just couldn't pass *that* up.
Then I decided to really round out my collection I needed a grown tarantula, all mine were pretty small. So we went to ANOTHER reptile show, and they had a nice-sized GBB sling, and they had P Murinus slings dirt cheap, and I thought, I think maybe I could handle an OBT if I got it tiny, and hey it's only $8. And while I was there, I went ahead and picked up a B Dubia colony because hey, they gotta eat, right? And I friggin' hate crickets.
So that's the first seven. And the roach colony. In three months. What's YOUR excuse?
Then we went to a reptile show, and I was like, I'm only going to look because I'm here for cages and supplies, but they had L Parahybana slings, and they were just $5! And then they had a really pretty B Vagans, and it was a good size and not too expensive. But man, was it pretty! So at this point I'm up to four.
Then I realized, it's not a very well-rounded T collection, I need an arboreal. Then I fell in love with the A Purpurea species but figured I could never afford one. Then lo and behold, a sling became available on the FS boards here for $35! Well, I just couldn't pass *that* up.
Then I decided to really round out my collection I needed a grown tarantula, all mine were pretty small. So we went to ANOTHER reptile show, and they had a nice-sized GBB sling, and they had P Murinus slings dirt cheap, and I thought, I think maybe I could handle an OBT if I got it tiny, and hey it's only $8. And while I was there, I went ahead and picked up a B Dubia colony because hey, they gotta eat, right? And I friggin' hate crickets.
So that's the first seven. And the roach colony. In three months. What's YOUR excuse?
I love them because they're so different. I enjoy their diverse personalities and appearances. Plus, they're easy to maintain, don't bark/shed/cough hairballs/scratch etc. I just love them. I've always loved spiders though. I started out with one grammostola aureostriata juvie from a reptile show late October. I then ordered ONE a.seemani female from someone on here and ended up getting four freebies (another a.seemani, h.lividum, aphonopelma sp., and g.rosea). Then I had been looking at c.fasciatums for a while because I think they're just gorgeous so I got one from a second reptile show. But that morning before the show I went to a pet store "just to look" and walked out with my little avic avic that I felt the need to rescue. During that time I also bought a b.dubia starter colony. So in less than two months, I'm up to 8 t's and a roach colony.
i think i enjoy the different appearances, behaviors, etc... i also tend to buy either larger individuals, or i purchase small groups of different species slings. like my last order was 4 species, but 17 total tarantulas. and then sometimes the seller throws in freebies
i'm up to around 140 now. and i won't claim that i have a lot of free time. being a graduate student, i often spend 10+ hours a day on campus, and even 4-5 hours a day on weekends. and then i work on stuff from home. but they serve as a good stress reliever. i can just dedicate an hour or so, twice a week, to feeding and watering and caring for them, and it gives me a feeling of actually accomplishing something that isn't school-related.
and then sometimes the seller throws in freebies i'm up to around 140 now. and i won't claim that i have a lot of free time. being a graduate student, i often spend 10+ hours a day on campus, and even 4-5 hours a day on weekends. and then i work on stuff from home. but they serve as a good stress reliever. i can just dedicate an hour or so, twice a week, to feeding and watering and caring for them, and it gives me a feeling of actually accomplishing something that isn't school-related.