M. balfouri communal

[miss moxie]

I've got a question about setting up a balfouri communal. I find most communals to be a poor idea, but the overwhelming success stories I've seen on this species in particular has made me want to give it a shot. I looked through the 'similar threads' that came up when I went to make this thread and saw part of the answer to one of my questions but I figured I'd ask that one again as well as my others.

So, here it goes:

1. I've seen that it's alright to set up a communal of specimens that aren't sac-mates, which is good because it's been hard to find the number I want from one seller. Is this true? Have people had success with this?
2. If I introduce specimens from two different sacs, how long do I have to introduce the second set of sac-mates to the first set of sac-mates? I believe it'd be a bit hard to orchestrate it so that both deliveries would arrive on the same day, after all. So if I got the first delivery of balfouri into the enclosure, how long would I have to add the second delivery of balfouri, before the first set got "too established"? One day? One week?
3. What size parameters should I stay between? For example, if the first set of sac-mates are 1.5", what size should the second set of sac-mates fall within? 1"-2", a difference of half an inch smaller or larger? Less? More?

Thanks a bundle, friends.

 

[nicodimus22]

You should talk to Tom Moran. He has posted a series of videos on the subject, and I'm sure he could answer your questions.

There are more but you can only post a few videos at a time here.

 

[miss moxie]

@nicodimus22 Haha I've actually watched all of those videos! It was the latest one, with all the sub-adults interacting that sealed the deal for me. But he mentions in the video where he houses them for the first time that they are all sac-mates he purchased from Fear Not Tarantulas. So I'm not sure he'd have the answers to my questions, but I'll give him a shout anyway and see if he's got any insight.

 

[nicodimus22]

Oh. Well, it goes to show that good keepers do lots of research before doing something.

 

[Venom1080]

@Blue Jaye has a big communal. Don't know if she's experimented with different sac mates though.. I'd be a little surprised if she has.

 

[miss moxie]

Oh. Well, it goes to show that good keepers do lots of research before doing something.

Flatterer!

@Blue Jaye has a big communal. Don't know if she's experimented with different sac mates though.. I'd be a little surprised if she has.

Thanks for tagging her, hopefully she'll chime in next time she's on.

 

[MetalMan2004]

How many are you going to put in your communal? Just curious.

 

[miss moxie]

How many are you going to put in your communal? Just curious.

It'll depend on what I can get my hands on, but I'd like around 10. It's more interesting to me, watching a large group like Tom Moran's interact together. Have you seen his newest communal video? It's incredibly fascinating and entertaining.

 

[Blue Jaye]

@miss moxie first answer contact me if you need many balfouri at one time. I have a freaking army of them lol. Second when creating a communal it's better to put the all together at the same time. While I have added new specimens to the communal with success. I've also experienced the new guy hanging on the lid or wall hoping for escape..

@Venom1080 yes I have put different sac mates together and it worked out fine.

 

[RemyZee]

Im interested in doing this, too, at some point. These guys are so stinking cute!! For folks who have them, do you normally pull sacs to prevent an over abundance?

 

[Trenor]

@miss moxie first answer contact me if you need many balfouri at one time. I have a freaking army of them lol. Second when creating a communal it's better to put the all together at the same time. While I have added new specimens to the communal with success. I've also experienced the new guy hanging on the lid or wall hoping for escape..

@Venom1080 yes I have put different sac mates together and it worked out fine.

I agree with all that. Including ordering from @Blue Jaye who is a great seller.

I have two communal setups. The first one (3 slings in it) was all sack-mates and all added together. The second one (4 slings) came from the same vendor but it was part of a cleanout. From the size differences between them, they were at least from two sacks but could have been three. I'd add them all together to prevent one group from claiming territory to defend before the others were introduced. Even if this meant one set had to do a temp setup while waiting on the others.

When I do the next rehouse most of them will be grown and I've been thinking of combining the two communal setups into one large communal.

Overall, they were easy to raise as a communal and I've had no losses. Good luck.

 

[Blue Jaye]

Im interested in doing this, too, at some point. These guys are so stinking cute!! For folks who have them, do you normally pull sacs to prevent an over abundance?

I usually start taking individuals at around the 1 1/2 to 2 inch size. But when putting together a communal I start with all females except for this last communal. With that one everyone was already 3 + inches from a smaller enclosure. I started pulling males when I see them and I always seem to get lucky and see the mature males right after they molt so I pull those two. I would rather introduce a new male from a different blood line so I'm not breeding siblings. While there's been no proof that breeding siblings is a bad thing. I'm not comfortable with it so I just don't go that route.

 

[RemyZee]

I usually start taking individuals at around the 1 1/2 to 2 inch size. But when putting together a communal I start with all females except for this last communal. With that one everyone was already 3 + inches from a smaller enclosure. I started pulling males when I see them and I always seem to get lucky and see the mature males right after they molt so I pull those two. I would rather introduce a new male from a different blood line so I'm not breeding siblings. While there's been no proof that breeding siblings is a bad thing. I'm not comfortable with it so I just don't go that route.

Interesting. So a group of females are ok together? They won’t fight all the time?

 

[Trenor]

Interesting. So a group of females are ok together? They won’t fight all the time?

Yes, I have two in one of the communal and they get along fine. Some people have had multiple generations from several females all in the same enclosure.

 

[Walker253]

I'm sitting on 1.4.(3 of the females are mature, the 4th is smaller but breedable) I'd love to stick them together, but that was so much money for the group. That's one expensive meal. When the male matures, I'd definitely make a communal the offspring.

 

[miss moxie]

I'm sitting on 1.4.(3 of the females are mature, the 4th is smaller but breedable) I'd love to stick them together, but that was so much money for the group. That's one expensive meal. When the male matures, I'd definitely make a communal the offspring.

Tom Moran actually got back to me and mentioned speaking to someone who who had an adult female living with two juveniles (Not offspring) and had no issues at all. This species really does seem to fit the bill of "communal" 100% rather than just tolerating one another. I'm sure that if food was scarce, there would be casualties. That's nature. But no responsible keeper is going to let any of their Ts go hungry, so not an issue in captivity.

 

[Trenor]

I do feed my communal setups well. Like a lot of burrowing species, it can be tough to tell how much they have eaten by abdomen size when you can't see them as often. I choose to err on the side of them slightly overeating rather than have them not get enough food.

A few of my "slightly" plump slings here.

They had no issues with sleeping in the same big burrow. They even molted close to each other even though they are very vulnerable during that time. This one molted in a web tunnel with one of its roommates just an inch or two away in the burrow mouth.

 

[WolfSoon]

A few of my "slightly" plump slings here.

Cute kiwi butts!

I'm a total beginner at Ts but I really admire M. balfouris and those who know how to keep them!

 

[Blue Jaye]

Interesting. So a group of females are ok together? They won’t fight all the time?

Yes a group of females is just fine together. I've never had them fight. Even as sub adults and adults they still share food together. It's pretty amazing!