Community living?

[Harmeke]

I have heard conflicting stories of how tolerant the Avics are of each other when kept in groups. Have any of you tried this? I have an extra 55 gal aquarium that I was thinking of turning into a tropical paradise for about 6 or 7 Ts thinking it would make quite an interesting display for my living room! I know the basics, provide enough shelters, keep em well feed, etc...any other suggestions?

Also, is it safe to mix and match species of Avics or should I stick with just one?

Thanks
Patty

 

[deifiler]

Unfortunately, the term 'co-exist' has been morphed into 'communal' over the years. The spiders WILL tolerate each other to a certain extent from what I've read (and my friend had four 1" a.avics' sharing a home) but every account I've read ends in tradgedy, be it the females fighting over the prime nesting area, or a moult meaning the vulnerable spider being feasted on.

If you want to try it, be prepared. It sounds like you're equipped suffienctly, it's just a matter of hoping the spiders will accept each other. I also read the spiders MUST be from the same species, and more importantly the same brood, at least for the females anyway....

Just remove them all if bad siggns show rather than loosing them all...

Hope that helps

 

[phoenixxavierre]

I've tried it and still do it. I've kept up to three in a 10 gallon with no problems. What I would reccomend is to keep around 5 in a 55 gallon to lessen the chances of cannabilism. If you want it as a breeding setup you could do a male and four females and I'm pretty sure from past experience that you'd have no problem. In my setups I've included paper towel rolls, one per spider, plants for them to create webbing on (they seem to really like natural plants like rubber tree plants and pothos type plants), and any other hiding places you'd like to provide. It's of course very important to keep them well fed. I know I'm restating the basics, just wanted to share what I've had success with.

Take care,

Paul

 

[Harmeke]

:? LOL still conflicting stories. We think we are going to try it maybe with four females at first and then when they mature throw in a male and see what we get. We just like the idea of having a beautiful tank filled with plants and spiders i mean who wouldn't love that.

thanks
Kyle and Patty

 

[Harmeke]

after thought: would we need to wait for the females to mature of could we put all juvies in if the male matures faster than the females

Kyle

 

[phoenixxavierre]

Originally posted by Harmeke
after thought: would we need to wait for the females to mature of could we put all juvies in if the male matures faster than the females

Kyle

You wouldn't HAVE to wait. Just make sure they're all well fed is the best advice. When the male matures you could leave him with your females for a month or so and then send him on to some mature female/females on breeding loan/loans.

Paul

 

[Telson]

other species?

Anyone know any other species other than Avicularia that has been successfully cohabittated?

 

[deifiler]

Originally posted by Harmeke
:? LOL still conflicting stories. We think we are going to try it maybe with four females at first and then when they mature throw in a male and see what we get. We just like the idea of having a beautiful tank filled with plants and spiders i mean who wouldn't love that.

thanks
Kyle and Patty

As I said, my thoughts are based entirley on what I've read, whereas Phoenix' has (and is currently) trying it out for himself,and getting good results. I'd say that's better proof and more of a reason to try it out though Maybe I will when I recieve my half of an A.Avic' breeding loan.

Poecilotheria species can be too. Here in the UK they are often sold as spiderlings ina clutch, say "3 for £10" which can be raised together or seperated. Apparently some of the Hysterocrates can and a few other burrowers, though my friend who tried this said all went bad after a few weeks :/

 

[Mojo Jojo]

From what I understand about the Avic. world, only Avicularia avicularia can be kept communally.

I've heard some success keeping pokies together.


Jon

 

[Code Monkey]

I really dislike the word 'communal' in regard to tarantulas. While more of a mouthful, the only accurate way to describe it is tolerant cohabitation. Think of it in the way you have a number of house spiders living in single room. They've each got their little niche and they're not going to out of their way to move about and try to drive off or kill the others in the room, but never mistake what is analogous to you not shooting your neighbor, who plays his stereo too loud, because it wouldn't be worth the risk and trouble for communal living.

 

[Harmeke]

one more thought....

About using this set up as a breeding method, how exactly would that work? Just for the sake of arguement, lets say I put 4 females in the tank, everyone gets along just fine, and they grow into happy adults. Then, I introduce a male, he meets the ladies, magic is in the air, we get an egg sac. Heres the problem. Do I leave it with the female, and when they hatch hope the others in the tank dont turn them into a snack before I can get to them. Do I take the eggsac, and hope it hatches. Do I remove the female and the egg sac and leave them together? Any suggestions?

Patty

 

[Tangled WWWeb]

Re: one more thought....

Originally posted by Harmeke
About using this set up as a breeding method, how exactly would that work? Just for the sake of arguement, lets say I put 4 females in the tank, everyone gets along just fine, and they grow into happy adults. Then, I introduce a male, he meets the ladies, magic is in the air, we get an egg sac. Heres the problem. Do I leave it with the female, and when they hatch hope the others in the tank dont turn them into a snack before I can get to them. Do I take the eggsac, and hope it hatches. Do I remove the female and the egg sac and leave them together? Any suggestions?

Patty

I have bred A. avicularia in a group setting. It involved 1 male and 2 females. They were together for approximately a month without any problems until one of the females attacked and injured the other. I removed the injured female to a small "ICU" container where to my surprise she made an eggsac. Unfortunately, she later ate this sac. The second female was also removed to another enclosure where she produced a successful eggsac. I have no idea if this sudden change in behavior was prompted by the imminent eggsacs or not.

Here is a link to the thread and some pics that I posted previously about this incident:

http://www.arachnopets.com/arachnoboards/showthread.php?s=&threadid=8612&highlight=communal+avics

John

 

[phoenixxavierre]

Re: one more thought....

Originally posted by Harmeke
About using this set up as a breeding method, how exactly would that work? Just for the sake of arguement, lets say I put 4 females in the tank, everyone gets along just fine, and they grow into happy adults. Then, I introduce a male, he meets the ladies, magic is in the air, we get an egg sac. Heres the problem. Do I leave it with the female, and when they hatch hope the others in the tank dont turn them into a snack before I can get to them. Do I take the eggsac, and hope it hatches. Do I remove the female and the egg sac and leave them together? Any suggestions?

Patty

It's not a problem. Perhaps for JP's particular avics it was. For mine, it wasn't.

You need to do whatever you think is best.

When I've bred this species communally both females mated with the male same night, and repeatedly.

When it came eggsac time, both eggsacs hatched babies. There were 50 to each eggsac. The ended up all over my walls and ceiling when they dispersed but I managed to collect them.

The problem for me came once I put them each in their own enclosures. 70 of the 100 wouldn't eat, etc. and died.

At any rate, they all did fine until after dispersal and collection. All lived together just fine. I'm not sure if they perhaps went from one mother to the other for protection or not, but I suspect they did.

Eventually, the male died of old age. No cannabilism. I imagine it all depends on how the particular individuals get along. Captive bred avics may be less use to the communality, while wild caught may be more used to coming across eachother in the wild. I saw the occasional scuffle in the tanks, mostly fisticuffs, really funny looking actually, little pink feet and black legs a flying! No harm was done. But due to the fisticuffs in a ten gallon but overall ability to tolerate one another, that's what made me decide that perhaps they need a bit more space than 5 gallons a piece. 10 gallons per piece or even 15 gallons of space per spider may be better for communal setups in large tanks. So maybe try two or three females with a male in the 55. It's whatever you're comfortable with trying really. And what your spiders seem comfortable with as well. There will always be an occasional tussle though, comes with the territory. So keep in mind there are always risks.

Paul

 

[Harmeke]

Thanks alot to everyone that has posted. I myself am really excited about trying this. I just have the tank sitting in the basement (the 75 is my new baby). When we get it up and going i will be sure to tell everyone if it works or not. Should be interesting anyway it goes a good learning experiance in my book. If it does work yeah for me. If it does't work, never try that again. Im willing to take the risk for a neat and unusal setup. Just have to watch it like a hawk making sure things go good. I really hope it does going to be fun anyway it goes.

thanks again
Kyle

 

[SkyeSpider]

Let me refer you to two of my previous threads. I've tried this in the past. I don't consider it successful.

http://www.arachnopets.com/arachnob...hreadid=8694&highlight=community+A+avicularia

http://www.arachnopets.com/arachnob...readid=11856&highlight=community+A+avicularia

Hope those help.

-Bryan

 

[Telson]

Having read the threads you've posted, the expectant mothers I must agree was a downer when the territorial behavior set in, but the thread regard ing 5 A.avics in the 55 gal seemed smooth sailing. Why do you not consider that a success?

 

[SkyeSpider]

Originally posted by Telson
Having read the threads you've posted, the expectant mothers I must agree was a downer when the territorial behavior set in, but the thread regard ing 5 A.avics in the 55 gal seemed smooth sailing. Why do you not consider that a success?

Those were the same group. Sorry if you knew that. I'm sleep deprived and not doing very well right now.

I don't consider it a success, save for breeding. Even then, I don't know if the male actually bred with anyone. I never introduce him to the females, so I didn't watch a thing.

-Bryan

 

[MrT]

I've had a male in with my female for 3 month now.
Their living happy together. But he never sets foot in her webtube, just hangs out on the plants and walls.
He eats pretty well, so I think his stress level is low.
She even molted with him in there..


Ernie T

 

[tarantulakeeper]

Re: poecilotheria

a local enthusiaist had been keeping two female poec. formosas together in a 10 gallon aquarium. I was interested in purchasing a few tarantulas from said enthusiaist and he turned the aquarium to show me the two pokies cohabitating. One was contentedly munching on the other. I bought the survivor. John

 

[pategirl]

I'm attempting to house A. avicularia together. All three of the ones living together are spiderlings that have been together all their lives. I hope it works out with them, so far they've seemed to be happy and actually hang out near each other most of the time.