# Avicularia avicularia community setup?



## bjbrokaw (Sep 9, 2008)

Would a 45 gallon aquarium (12"wide x 36"long x 24"tall) be ok for a Avicularia avicularia community setup (maybe 3 of them in there)? It has many large leaved plants and 4 pieces of driftwood for climbing. Would there be a problem with them killing eachother over territory?


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## hairmetalspider (Sep 9, 2008)

bjbrokaw said:


> Would a 45 gallon aquarium (12"wide x 36"long x 24"tall) be ok for a Avicularia avicularia community setup (maybe 3 of them in there)? It has many large leaved plants and 4 pieces of driftwood for climbing. Would there be a problem with them killing eachother over territory?


In short: Yes. There's always a problem with them resorting to cannibalism. You can reduce the risk with a better enclosure for the community, but it will always be there. And actually, a larger enclosure, or so I've read, can lead to higher chances of cannibalism because the tarantulas become territorial of a larger section. 
I would possibly ask Rob about this.


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## hairmetalspider (Sep 9, 2008)

*Oh.*

This was on the previous page, not even a few days old.
Possibly check out the forum a little more in depth next time?

http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=134090


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## Moltar (Sep 9, 2008)

If you want to do a communal setup there are better species than A avic. They're what you could call *tolerant* of communal living. Some species like P regalis and H incei especially are closer to genuinely communal and you're less likely to lose large numbers to cannibalism. Be prepared though, no matter what species you utilize, there WILL be some cannibalism sooner or later.


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## robc (Sep 9, 2008)

bjbrokaw said:


> Would a 45 gallon aquarium (12"wide x 36"long x 24"tall) be ok for a Avicularia avicularia community setup (maybe 3 of them in there)? It has many large leaved plants and 4 pieces of driftwood for climbing. Would there be a problem with them killing each other over territory?


Way to big, start off with a 1/2-1 gal jar, you don't want any territories to be established, you want the entire enclosure to be all 3 of the avics territory


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## Rochelle (Sep 9, 2008)

Yeah, What Rob said.... 
After years of keeping communals - we have never suffered a fatality.
OBT's are also a very good candidate for these kinds of set ups.  
I would avoid communals with avics.


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## bjbrokaw (Sep 10, 2008)

Hmm sounds like OBT's are the way to go. Now how to find spiderlings the same size from different bloodlines....I would need atleast 5 for that size of terrarium, right?


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## desertdweller (Sep 10, 2008)

Yeah, but it's always better to use sac mates.  They are already accustomed to each other and to living side by side.  When they are adults you simply take out one sex so they don't reproduce in the same bloodline.  The males should mature first and it will be easy to spot them.

I am doing this as we speak.  Will leave the mother in with a few sac mates and see how they do.  I suppose it could be said that she will eat her own young.  Guess I will see about that.

As I have offered others, I have sacmates to sell for communals.


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## robc (Sep 10, 2008)

bjbrokaw said:


> Hmm sounds like OBT's are the way to go. Now how to find spiderlings the same size from different bloodlines....I would need atleast 5 for that size of terrarium, right?


Me and Desertdweller (who I highly recommend as a seller!) both have OBT sacs right now so contact one of us and get some slings from the same sac as she stated - totally correct! Rob


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## bjbrokaw (Sep 10, 2008)

How many OBT's do you think would be good for that sized terrarium? (12"wide x 36"long x 24"high)


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## robc (Sep 10, 2008)

bjbrokaw said:


> How many OBT's do you think would be good for that sized terrarium? (12"wide x 36"long x 24"high)


Slings? over 100, that tank is to big for a communual until your T's reach adult hood.....if you want a big communual get a 2.5 gal and have 20 or a 5.5 gal with 30-40.....rob


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## Randomhero148 (Sep 30, 2008)

Why not avics? I was thinking of breeding my soon to be matured avic versicolor and doing a communual with half the sack maybe. Then sell them off when they get to be 2 inch.


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## the nature boy (Sep 30, 2008)

*Really?*



Rochelle said:


> Yeah, What Rob said....
> After years of keeping communals - we have never suffered a fatality.
> OBT's are also a very good candidate for these kinds of set ups.
> I would avoid communals with avics.


Really?  I was thinking about trying this and did a fair amount of research and asking questions and universally I was led to believe that OBTs aren't terribly good at communal living.  What size enclosure do you have?  How many OBTs are in it?  What is your feeding schedule?  Any tips you could give me?  I'd love to try it if there's a chance of it working.

--the nature boy


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## the nature boy (Sep 30, 2008)

Rob,

Likewise, talk to me about keeping OBTs communally.  I've got a 20 gallon, this could be fun.

--the nature boy


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## UrbanJungles (Sep 30, 2008)

You might want to check out this thread I started a while back

http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=111204&highlight=communal+avicularia


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## Travis K (Sep 30, 2008)

I would love a colony of Chicken Spiders Sigh... wishful thinking


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