Communal Tarantula Project

[brachymad]

Stonemantis
Yes they are regalis I keep about 35 of them in a group . They all came from the same eggsack and have never been appart . Thay are just over a year old and range in size from 1" to 4" legspan. Quite a large range.
This is there curent home

 

[Ronj]

Any species preferences?

Anything OW will be fine with me.

I do want to point out how beutiful they look together in the previous post. I also respect people that try communal enclousures. There is always an exception to the rule, I just hate to see such a beutiful spider become dinner, especially female spiders.

 

[jmhendric]

http://www.arborealtarantulas.info/ Try this link I believe Mike Jacobi has talked about pokey's together and has done it. I remember reading somthing that said to start them together as slings and give them plenty of hiding. I also read that the growth rates were faster in a comun setup. Anyway not an expert myself but I am sure if you posted on that at his web site you would get the info you are lokkin for.

 

[Thoth]

Major drawback with any sort of pokie communal set up, is there are too many ts to keep track of when doing any sort of cage maintenance, so you have a a high risk of of escape, of getting tagged (possibly more than once) or both.

 

[Nate]

Everything is impossible untill someone manages it. My pokies will all die one day . I think I will keep them together for the time being.

How long have they been together?

*EDIT
N/M I see your answer.

 

[stonemantis]

Anything OW will be fine with me.

I'll get back with you on that one. Hopefully this educational venture will produce viable results.

 

[stonemantis]

http://www.arborealtarantulas.info/ Try this link I believe Mike Jacobi has talked about pokey's together and has done it. I remember reading somthing that said to start them together as slings and give them plenty of hiding. I also read that the growth rates were faster in a comun setup. Anyway not an expert myself but I am sure if you posted on that at his web site you would get the info you are lokkin for.

Thanks for the link. I found that quite educational.

 

[stonemantis]

Now that I have the species in mind (kind of undecided still). What would be the best natural decorations for the enclosure? (Hides,climbing accessories,waterdish, etc...) I want to do this right because just a cave at the top of the enclosure and a waterdish doesn't look that natural. Let me know any inexpensive ideas.

 

[angelarachnid]

Keep them in small containers, unlike brachymaid (whos set up i have seen) i have found they live better together in smaller containers.

While they are together they keep on "touching/interacting" with each other i have a hunch that when this stoppes with an individual then canibalism occurs. Losing this interaction is easier in an open space.

Brachymaids continer is very big so maybe is getting a similar result from a larger container.

My best bet is to go for formosa.

In the next few BTS journals there are some articles on Pokie species and husbandry, might be an idea to join if you are considering keeping pokes together.

another species which does very well in groups is Holothele Incei

Ray

 

[angelarachnid]

Sorry forgot to add,

i keep my tanks as basic as possible (ever seen a spid burrow or tree hole in the wild? there is no decoration......or water dish.............i tried looking for water dishes in order to find spider burrows and to see if they used tarantula SPONGE in the wild, did not find any the upturned coffae jar lid or the $20 plastic one which looks like a rock) decoration is only (with the exception of Avics) for the eye of the owner so dont wast your money.

Adult Avics and groups of juv A. minartix do very well with Bromeliads palnted in thier tanks.

Ray

 

[FryLock]

Sorry forgot to add,

i keep my tanks as basic as possible (ever seen a spid burrow or tree hole in the wild? there is no decoration......or water dish.............i tried looking for water dishes in order to find spider burrows and to see if they used tarantula SPONGE in the wild, did not find any the upturned coffae jar lid or the $20 plastic one which looks like a rock) decoration is only (with the exception of Avics) for the eye of the owner so dont wast your money.

Adult Avics and groups of juv A. minartix do very well with Bromeliads palnted in thier tanks.

Ray

LOL Ray.

Talking of plants and avic's i remeber reading in a paper that at least one of the Pachistopelma.sp live in Bromeliads in the wild, but im to tanked up to give a refence for the paper (would not be hard to find google Pachistopelma).

 

[stonemantis]

I chose 10 P. formosa for my communal enclosure. I have 18"w x 18"d x 24"h enclosure with hollowed stump with climbing vines and a waterdish. I'll post pics as soon as I get my camera working again.

 

[Bearskin10]

I chose 10 P. formosa for my communal enclosure. I have 18"w x 18"d x 24"h enclosure with hollowed stump with climbing vines and a waterdish. I'll post pics as soon as I get my camera working again.

Good luck with your formosa, I have had my 4 living together for 9 months now with no problems, they still share the same little retreat on the back of one of the pieces of cork bark I have in there and they often share there meals... This link has a couple of pics.... http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showpost.php?p=600585&postcount=14

Greg

 

[stonemantis]

Good luck with your formosa, I have had my 4 living together for 9 months now with no problems, they still share the same little retreat on the back of one of the pieces of cork bark I have in there and they often share there meals... This link has a couple of pics.... http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showpost.php?p=600585&postcount=14

Greg

Awesome pics. I do agree they share meals. My P. formosa are sharing a meal as we speak. Hopefully I can get some pics of them feeding together. They are all about 2" at the moment and hopefully I can get them to mature and cohabit with each other until the time is right (for mating). I have two different bloodlines in the mix and I want to have a successful communal breeding group as well.

 

[Nate]

Do you have better luck with a communal setup with P. Regalis then A. Avicularia?

When I first go into the hobby I had interest in a A. Avicularia communal setup and was informed from multiple reputable breeders that I would eventually end up with one fat Tarantula.

 

[stonemantis]

Do you have better luck with a communal setup with P. Regalis then A. Avicularia?

When I first go into the hobby I had interest in a A. Avicularia communal setup and was informed from multiple reputable breeders that I would eventually end up with one fat Tarantula.

Any reputable tarantula breeder would advise against communal experiments due to the high risk of losing a valued pet. You always run a risk when attempting the communal setup. I do know that A. avicularia prefer foliage and P. regalis like it kind of basic. I'm currently experimenting with P. formosa and they seem to be tolerant of each other and are even feeding together. It all depends on the species really.

 

[Strubles]

LOL Ray.

Talking of plants and avic's i remeber reading in a paper that at least one of the Pachistopelma.sp live in Bromeliads in the wild, but im to tanked up to give a refence for the paper (would not be hard to find google Pachistopelma).

is this the paper?
http://www.scielo.br/pdf/rbzool/v20n1/v20n1a04.pdf

I don't know if is a good idea take a comunal tank with Pachitospelma.

Anyway Calaça have found a ctenidae species living in the same bromeliad of pachistopelma's.

By the way use more than one bromeliads for it species with you want make a comunal tank...
after I mate mine I will try do this with three or four...


great pic of regalis

 

[Drachenjager]

If you're starting with juvis, as you should, consider the possibility that they may breed in the future. It's probably a good idea to order them from different dealers so they come from different egg sacks. Inbreeding is a no no. ;-)

Why? I doubt that it would cause probs in inverts like it does in mammals

 

[LimaMikeSquared]

I have one group of three going strong at about 2 inches. I have found the key is lots of hiding places and plenty of food. I put up a post about recording my set up. It is here:

http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=92988&highlight=communal+p+regalis

But if you want to look at the pics look on this post - i set up a hosting account for them. The first article is the same.

http://www.tarantulas.us/forums/showthread.php?t=4700&highlight=communal+regalis


LMS

 

[mcy]

I have been directed to this thread.

Dont worry about the inbreeding thing there is no scientific proof this occurs in theraphosid spiders. last year a 3rd generation inbred male fathered 1140 young, (previous BTS journal article) he was very large at around 20cm leg dia disproving the rubbish about inbred males being smaller and infertile.

Ray

i have always been told otherwise thanks for clearing this up