Heterothele villosella communal

Sur3fir3

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I want to buy 7 3/4 inch slings and put them in a 10x10x10 cube and fill it 7 Inches with substrate. This way I would not have to worry about substrate changes for a while. My plan is to dampen 2/3rds of the dirt length and width wise. And then put in all 7 slings. Luckily where I'm buying them from puts the slings for travel in vials small enough for me to just set them in the enclosure and wait for them to come out. My goal is to have them in their final enclosure from day one. Is this something that is a good idea? Or would it be better to keep them in a smaller enclosure first? I am asking because I have seen how fast they are and I would rather have them in a extra large enclosure as slings. I have read they become territorial when there's not alot of space to burrow in. So far in my reading the main reason for using a smaller enclosure is because it's easier to manage your sling. Can I break this rule in this instance?
 

Liquifin

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They're not communal. They'll eat each other regardless of the space provided if they're in the same enclosure.
 
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Sur3fir3

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Smotzer

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Uhmm all these say communal.




And this is not all of the links that say communal. Just the first few I come across.
Yes and all of those sources are not reputable sources for information regarding tarantulas lol. Like at all.... get your information here on Arachnoboards, it’s like the sole purpose of this site.
 

Liquifin

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Uhmm all these say communal.




And this is not all of the links that say communal. Just the first few I come across.
There hasn't been a study on communal tarantulas in the wild, so I don't recommend believing someone observing them in the wild as communal. Usually, people list tarantulas as communal as a way to sell tarantulas that don't sell to well. So I wouldn't recommend trying on a communal of them. The closest communal with the most success is the M. balfouri but even then people are still quite on the edge about communals.
 

EtienneN

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It's like saying poecis are communal. They always are until they aren't. Just because some website claims its true doesn't necessarily mean that's the case. Even M. balfouri are not known to be naturally communal in the wild, only in captivity do they tend to be tolerant of each other and even with them its pretty much a toss up whether you'll get cannibalism or not. Your communal could last six months or even a year and then one day you'll wake up to one very fat spider. Look at what Mark's Tarantulas experienced with his P. subfusca communal. They are ultimately your animals, but it would be a shame to waste the money on them only to see them eaten.
 

moricollins

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I want to buy 7 3/4 inch slings and put them in a 10x10x10 cube and fill it 7 Inches with substrate. This way I would not have to worry about substrate changes for a while. My plan is to dampen 2/3rds of the dirt length and width wise. And then put in all 7 slings. Luckily where I'm buying them from puts the slings for travel in vials small enough for me to just set them in the enclosure and wait for them to come out. My goal is to have them in their final enclosure from day one. Is this something that is a good idea? Or would it be better to keep them in a smaller enclosure first? I am asking because I have seen how fast they are and I would rather have them in a extra large enclosure as slings. I have read they become territorial when there's not alot of space to burrow in. So far in my reading the main reason for using a smaller enclosure is because it's easier to manage your sling. Can I break this rule in this instance?
Sounds like a terrible idea all around.
1. They're not communal. Search for "villosella communal" on here and you'll find accounts from people talking about failed communal attempts with this species.

2. Putting them into a container with that's 10x10x10" would NOT provide enough space for 7 ADULT Heterothele villosella.

3. Having one end damp and the other dry would force the 7 tarantulas to choose an end, either damp or dry, to make their burrow.
 

viper69

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Uhmm all these say communal.




And this is not all of the links that say communal. Just the first few I come across.
So because it’s on the internet that makes it true?

Write to these people and ask for scientific reports- you’ll get none.

No Ts have been reported communal in the wild.

Even its cousin in Gabon which lived in close proximity to each other was not observed to have more than one T per hole.
 

Sur3fir3

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I've seen a video of villosella living in a communal setting in the wild. It was a huge tree with adults and slings of all different sizes. I did not save the video though. But it is out there.
 

moricollins

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I've seen a video of villosella living in a communal setting in the wild. It was a huge tree with adults and slings of all different sizes. I did not save the video though. But it is out there.
The proof is in the linking of the video...
 

Vanessa

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I've seen a video of villosella living in a communal setting in the wild. It was a huge tree with adults and slings of all different sizes. I did not save the video though. But it is out there.
There has been plenty of evidence of some species living in close proximity to one another, and lots of evidence that some species will care for their young for extended periods, but none of that behaviour is communal and there is no evidence that they aren't resorting to cannibalism when in close proximity.
As has been pointed out by everyone - they will tolerate each other until they don't anymore.
 

mack1855

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I've seen a video of villosella living in a communal setting in the wild. It was a huge tree with adults and slings of all different sizes. I did not save the video though. But it is out there.
Ya.....proof or it never happened.I flew to the moon one time.But I lost the video,but trust me,it happened.
 

Hakuna

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Multiple specimens in an area is not the same as communal. If you put all of them in box, it would be a battle royale.
 

viper69

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Ya.....proof or it never happened.I flew to the moon one time.But I lost the video,but trust me,it happened.
I thought I saw you by Crater 5!

Yes that is the video

Your idea of communal proof is a damn joke.
A bunch of static images with 1 T in frame.

I seriously suggest you look up what communal means in a dictionary and as it applies to animals.

What a ridiculous piece of “evidence”. :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:
 

Vanessa

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Yes that is the video
Situations in the wild, where they might be living in close proximity, are worlds different than being confined in a box. Even if their burrows are only a few inches apart, they have the option to flee from conflict in the wild and captivity does not allow them that.
There have been cases of social animals, animals who really do spend their entire lives in large social groups in the wild, killing a group member while in captivity in zoos. That's because they have nowhere to go when a conflict arises.
We CANNOT replicate what happens in the wild... not ever. The dynamic in the wild will never be able to be replicated in captivity. Even Monocentropus balfouri, who has provided an example of a species who is more social than other species, will cannibalize. We are not removing related males and introducing unrelated males to groups, which is exactly what happens in the wild with social groups. All we're doing is keeping related spiders together in a box and that is not a true communal group either. Every time it is attempted there is a high risk of failure.
 
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