Lampropelma Communal?

[Poec54]

Does anyone know of Lampropelma violaceopes being kept communally?

 

[xhexdx]

Well, nobody else is posting all though this thread has had several views...

So I'll post!

Nope, I haven't heard of it and haven't tried. If you give it a shot I'd be interested to hear about it.

 

[Poec54]

I've hatched out two violaceopes sacs this year, and am tempted try a few sac mates together in a communal 32 oz deli cup, like I'm doing with regalis.

 

[Planetary]

Try it, my personal opinion maybe try it in a slightly larger enclosure . Ive only owned two lampropelma but they both seem to burrow more than act arboreal. Maybe giving them a bit more space may help a bit

 

[korg]

Never heard of it and a google search yields nothing... but I would say go for it. Kind of a sick experiment in a sense, but actually trying it out is probably the only way hobbyists are going to get any answers. If they are obviously killing each other you can always pull the plug.

 

[Poec54]

I separated most, and left about 15-20 in the deli cup for now, and just gave them their first meal tonight (they molted to 2nd instar a week ago). There's some of them on the sides now, eating. I'll probably put 5 or 6 in a cup for a communal experiment.

When I bred them, I left the male in overnight, like I do with Poecs, and took him out the next morning. I'm hoping they have a tolerence for each other similar to Poecs.

 

[viper69]

Poec, I haven't heard of this either. Keep us posted in this thread please on the progress. Anything would be interesting to learn.

 

[freedumbdclxvi]

I am definitely interested in how this goes.

 

[herpguy]

There are probably a lot of "communal" tarantula species out there that we don't know about due to nobody being brave enough to be a pioneer. I have heard multiple accounts of large South American T species in the Theraphosa and Pamphobeteus genera sharing communal burrows. However, there are few people willing to risk thousands of dollars on such a prospect.
I salute you Poec54 and look forward to seeing your results on this! A Lampropelma violaceps communal setup would look beautiful!

 

[Poec54]

Well, I just set up a communal cage for 6 Lv's: 32 oz deli cup with 2 rings of small holes near the top, 2" of substrate, plastic plant, long fiber spagnum, and a small water bowl. Basically the same set up I'd use for a single Lv (or Poec) sling, except twice the substrate, to allow for more tunneling and turret building. Any more than 6 and it gets hard to account for them; I don't want less than that to start with, as I want to have 2 or 3 females for long-term cohab.

The 6 I selected had already eaten their first meal yesterday as part of a larger group not yet separated (not all of them ate). I'm hoping their interest in crickets will lessen the odds of cannibalism. The best chance for success will be with slings from the same sac.

 

[JZC]

Figured I'd bump this. How'd the communal go?

 

[freedumbdclxvi]

Yeah, i want to know as well.

 

[MarkmD]

Sounds like you had a good setup for them, how did the communal go?

 

[Poec54]

Sounds like you had a good setup for them, how did the communal go?

I had sales to two big dealers and had to break up my communal to fill the orders. All 6 were fine at 2nd instar.

I had another LV sac, and put eight 2nd instars in a community deli cup. They weren't together nearly as long as the first group, but I found some legs laying around. Two had been eaten by the others, so I broke up that group. Intital assessment is that LV's are not going to work as communals.

 

[freedumbdclxvi]

Interesting. Were the first six placed together at first or second instar?

 

[Poec54]

Interesting. Were the first six placed together at first or second instar?

In both cases they were sac-mates, and always together. I was surprised that the ones from the second sac started eating each so soon. Doesn't bode well for future attempts. The first sac probably would have started doing it too, certainly by their next molt.

 

[Pociemon]

I have thought of trying the same thing with l niggerrimum when my next sack is ready. But i dont think it is a good idea when i read this thread.

 

[Poec54]

I have thought of trying the same thing with l niggerrimum when my next sack is ready. But i dont think it is a good idea when i read this thread.

I wouldn't. It seems that Poecs may be fairly unique in tolerence for each other, and even then there are disasters with them.

 

[Pociemon]

Absolutely, not every poecs are good either. But it is good people try it so we all can learn some more.

 

[macbaffo]

Good luck Rick! Keep us posted!