Next Step in the Hobby

Medusa · Oct 29, 2014

I've been collecting t's for quite some time. I currently have almost 50 individuals in a variety of sizes, sexes, terrestrial vs. arboreal, and NW vs. OW. I enjoy looking at them, feeding them, watching them molt, and rehousing when needed. I've researched prior to each purchase so feel pretty comfortable that I'm providing good care for each. I think I'm ready to move forward in the hobby but I'm not sure where. The logical next step might be to consider breeding but I have absolutely no interest in it, partly due to the problems I'd encounter with shipping. (I live in the toolies so getting something to a shipper is at least a 25 mile round trip, plus my schedule is such that doing so, or being available for shipper pick-up is inconvenient.) I also considered setting up a communal of H. incei or somesuch but after further research decided against it. So, what could be next? Anyone have ideas?

Poec54 · Oct 29, 2014

Breeding is the next step. I usually don't sell to individuals, as I don't like packing and shipping a bunch of small orders. It's very time-consuming for the little you get from it. I have a full-time job and want to spend my evenings working with my spiders, not packing them up. So I sell wholesale to dealers in bulk. Pack up a few hundreds slings at a time and ship 'em out. Quick, clean, and easy. You get new species in trade (that you couldn't otherwise afford) and/or pay for all your crickets, cages, and shelves. You're still at the point where it's a hobby with a one-way cash flow. When it flows both ways, things change. That limits what you can do and what you can own. I've gotten a large part of my collection from trading slings with dealers and breeders. There's a lot of neat species out there that you don't have, and more being introduced every year. It's nice to be in on the inner loop and tap into those without breaking the bank.

ratluvr76 · Oct 29, 2014

Poec54 said:
Breeding is the next step. I usually don't sell to individuals, as I don't like packing and shipping a bunch of small orders. It's very time-consuming for the little you get from it. I have a full-time job and want to spend my evenings working with my spiders, not packing them up. So I sell wholesale to dealers in bulk. Pack up a few hundreds slings at a time and ship 'em out. Quick, clean, and easy. You get new species in trade (that you couldn't otherwise afford) and/or pay for all your crickets, cages, and shelves. You're still at the point where it's a hobby with a one-way cash flow. When it flows both ways, things change. That limits what you can do and what you can own. I've gotten a large part of my collection from trading slings with dealers and breeders. There's a lot of neat species out there that you don't have, and more being introduced every year. It's nice to be in on the inner loop and tap into those without breaking the bank.

You inspire me Poec..

Poec54 · Oct 29, 2014

ratluvr76 said:
You inspire me Poec..

I've been back in the hobby two years. Look up the thread of mine 'Stan's Visit' when Stan Schultz came to my place in February. There's pics of my spider room.

ratluvr76 · Oct 29, 2014

I checked your thread and I'm stunned and amazed at what you do. This is the type of thing I want to do someday, hubby permitting of course.

Poec54 · Oct 30, 2014

ratluvr76 said:
I checked your thread and I'm stunned and amazed at what you do. This is the type of thing I want to do someday, hubby permitting of course.

It's a lot easier to get the family supporting your hobby when you're breeding and making it pay for itself. A lot of my acquisitions have been from trading the slings I've produced. Ironically, with breeding the bigger the collection you have, the less you spend on it. To do that plan what you get: instead of picking new spiders randomly, try to have larger/older females and younger males. The males mature and you have a female or two waiting for him. A 'one of this, one of that' collection means no breeding, unless you're getting males on breeding loans. Every female that's paired up doesn't lay a sac, or if she does, it may go bad.

Get at least 3 slings at a time of a species. Ideally 5 to 10. Increases the odds of you getting a female or two of that species. Sometimes you wind up with a majority of males, either because a species is prone to it, or due to bad luck. Remember a certain number of spiders die in molt, especially young ones as they molt more often. If you're counting on your one young female, and she dies from a molting complication, you have to start over. However, the pendulum swings once you have adult females; then you want your new slings of that species to be predominately males. You want to be producing egg sacs regularly, and for species in demand (which means not OBT's and LP's).

Also, don't handle your spiders. It greatly increases the chance of bites and escapes. Those work against getting the family behind your hobby.

ratluvr76 · Oct 30, 2014

Poec54 said:
It's a lot easier to get the family supporting your hobby when you're breeding and making it pay for itself. A lot of my acquisitions have been from trading the slings I've produced. Ironically, with breeding the bigger the collection you have, the less you spend on it. To do that plan what you get: instead of picking new spiders randomly, try to have larger/older females and younger males. The males mature and you have a female or two waiting for him. A 'one of this, one of that' collection means no breeding, unless you're getting males on breeding loans. Every female that's paired up doesn't lay a sac, or if she does, it may go bad.

Get at least 3 slings at a time of a species. Ideally 5 to 10. Increases the odds of you getting a female or two of that species. Sometimes you wind up with a majority of males, either because a species is prone to it, or due to bad luck. Remember a certain number of spiders die in molt, especially young ones as they molt more often. If you're counting on your one young female, and she dies from a molting complication, you have to start over. However, the pendulum swings once you have adult females; then you want your new slings of that species to be predominately males. You want to be producing egg sacs regularly, and for species in demand (which means not OBT's and LP's).

Also, don't handle your spiders. It greatly increases the chance of bites and escapes. Those work against getting the family behind your hobby.

So what you're saying, just to recap and make sure I understand, is using the OBT's and the LP's as your bread and butter but also breed the more rare species for the higher dollar pay offs and to get those species "out there" more into the hobby. My plan really has been to get 5 - 10 slings of each species as I aquire them. I wish I could be a little more consistent with that, my husband is already freaking out about 14, most are pair's a few singles. My only trio is my 3 LP slings. He is wanting me to buy them at 2 or 3 inches or adult though LOL.

Poec54 · Oct 30, 2014

ratluvr76 said:
So what you're saying, just to recap and make sure I understand, is using the OBT's and the LP's as your bread and butter but also breed the more rare species for the higher dollar pay offs and to get those species "out there" more into the hobby.

Ah, no. The market's flooded with OBT's and LP's, they're very prolific. You could be sitting on those slings a long time. Certainly not your 'bread and butter'. The ones to breed are on dealer pricelists for $20-$30+. Those are not hard to breed, and still go for a decent price. The goal is to produce slings that dealers want. If dealers are overloaded with certain species and/or can't move them, then you're going to have a tough time finding anybody to buy them, or trade for them. No point in getting yourself into that situation.

Ideally, you want to sell/trade the slings within a few weeks of hatching so you don't get bogged down with maintaining hundreds of vials. Keep a few for yourself, and move the rest out. Hopefully another sac will be hatching out soon after that. Get a cycle of that going, and you'll see a different side of the hobby.

xkris · Oct 31, 2014

hmm all good advices.

i just wish i hadn't gone and check out that thread of yours. you look a lot like my grandpa.
now you ruined all my future enjoyment i was going to get out of arguing with you...*pouts*

Poec54 · Oct 31, 2014

xkris said:
i just wish i hadn't gone and check out that thread of yours. you look a lot like my grandpa.
now you ruined all my future enjoyment i was going to get out of arguing with you...*pouts*

With age comes experience, and sometimes a little wisdom.

Next Step in the Hobby

Medusa

Arachnoknight

Poec54

Arachnoemperor

ratluvr76

Arachnodemon

Poec54

Arachnoemperor

ratluvr76

Arachnodemon

Poec54

Arachnoemperor

ratluvr76

Arachnodemon

Poec54

Arachnoemperor

xkris

Arachnosquire

Poec54

Arachnoemperor