Tips for those keen on collecting Tarantula Species? - Your approach & things you wished you knew

[Uptick]

Tarantula keeping, being such an addicting and fun hobby, I'm sure it has turned many hobbyists into collectors without them(you) even realizing.

As someone new to the hobby, I was wondering if anyone might be willing to give some tips or advice on your personal approach when it comes to collecting? Or perhaps, things you wished you had known at the start of the journey?

Do you prefer to buy Slings, Juveniles, or Adults?
What's the ratio of Slings, Juveniles, Adults you like to maintain?

How do you typically grow your collection?
Do you buy lots of slings and hope for females? (what happens when you end up with too many males?) or do you simply buy juvenile females?

Do you find yourself constantly buying or do you try to breed your own and use them to offset the cost of the hobby by either selling or trading with other hobbyists?

 

[Enn49]

When I began my collection I was terrified of spiders so I thought long and hard about what to start with. Knowing I wouldn't be handling I decided to go for a T that I really liked the look of and bought a juvenile OBT. At this point I should say I had many years experience with snakes including rear-fanged and had read up on the effects of OBT bites.
As I have no intention of breeding I tend to buy just 1 of each species, usually slings so I can watch them grow and develop their adult colours but I do buy juvenile females on occasion. I always feel a little sad if one of the slings I have raised turns out to be a male knowing they will die sooner rather than later.
The temptation to buy just one or two more is always there and there is no known cure for the addiction. I am now up to 81 with 3 more on their way soon.

 

[Metalman2004]

There is one major thing that I think a lot of people forget. Just because you have room for 20, 30, 50 or more sling enclosures, that doesn't mean you have enough room for them all once they need adult enclosures.

 

[Enn49]

There is one major thing that I think a lot of people forget. Just because you have room for 20, 30, 50 or more sling enclosures, that doesn't mean you have enough room for them all once they need adult enclosures.

That's very true. That's one reason why I have a love of dwarf Ts, at 2" dls they take up very little room.

 

[kormath]

space!!

I filled up my space with about 30 4x4" and 2x2" sling enclosures, Now 2 years later i'm going "WTF am i going to do with all these 12x12" enclosures?"

make sure you don't buy more than you have space to keep