Holothele communals a myth?

[leelee]

I have just been told that holothele incei communal are a myth and I shouldn't try it. But several kerpers have had them successfully. Im confused who to believe. Any advice?

 

[RezonantVoid]

No tarantulas are voluntarily communal. Some keepers have had success with M.balfouri and some Pokies, but even then they can fail at a moments notice. The only evidence ive seen of any primitive spiders living communally in the wild are recent images of huge connected sheets of webbing in far north Australia, thought to potentially be a new species of communal curtain webs.

I would strongly advise against trying communals with anything except M.balfouri tbh, that seems to be the only one capable of producing long term successful results

 

[Poonjab]

Here... watch the worlds best T keeper and report back how that worked out for him. Communals don’t work and aren’t worth the risk.

 

[Liquifin]

There has been no study on communal tarantulas in the wild. People have only "observed" them being communal in the wild but none have been studied. This means any random person could have saw two or a few spiders together and then got the idea that they're communal when they're actually not. The only tarantula species that has been kept communally with the best results are the M. balfouri and not-so-much with anything else. People use the idea of communals to sell species that don't sell well or are trying to find a selling point for a tarantula species. Horrible ploy for people to slam the communal idea as a selling point.

 

[Matt Man]

TARANTULA CAGE MATCH - 5 will enter, ONLY 1 WILL LEAVE!!!! SUNDAY< SUNDAY, SUNDAY

 

[basin79]

It's also worth mentioning that even if a tarantula species was found to be communal in the wild that wouldn't necessarily mean it'd work in captivity.

Seems many get confused about those 2. The "wild" can't and shouldn't be tried to be recreated in captivity. There isn't the space, air movement, temperature varients, seasonal varients, other nature phenomena.

Obviously that doesn't mean the wild can't be used as an indicator on conditions.

 

[EnigmaNyx]

Only 1 way to find the truth...

 

[Matt Man]

and be honest, for a successful communal set up of say 5 6" Ts, how big does your enclosure need to be?
I would wager around 6' x 6' (yes feet)

 

[moricollins]

Martin Gamache of Tarantula Canada tried this, having seen them in close proximity in the wild, it didn't work. There's a post on here somewhere about it. If you ask nicely, I'll search for it lol.

 

[basin79]

Communal tarantulas are like stating lions and hyenas are because someone saw them near each other in the wild.

 

[Craig73]

PETA does not endorse Incei communals. I think this would be the one time I’d listen to their opinion.

Leave the poor incei’s alone.

 

[Matt Man]

Here... watch the worlds best T keeper and report back how that worked out for him. Communals don’t work and aren’t worth the risk.

Here... watch the worlds best T keeper and report back how that worked out for him. Communals don’t work and aren’t worth the risk.

because 5 or 6 Ts at about 2" are going to have no issues living in a 4" x 7" critter keeper.....what a maroon

 

[Poonjab]

because 5 or 6 Ts at about 2" are going to have no issues living in a 4" x 7" critter keeper.....what a maroon

I know. When I saw that

 

[The Grym Reaper]

They're not communal, they "tolerate" each other up to around juvie sizes and then it turns into Highlander*

*There can only be one

But several kerpers have had them successfully

Who? I've never seen one that hasn't eventually resulted in cannibalism.

PETA does not endorse Incei communals. I think this would be the one time I’d listen to their opinion.

Bloody hell, pretty sure PETA saying something sensible* (for once) is one of the harbingers of the apocalypse

*Tbh they probably followed it with some nonsense like "keeping incei communals causes Autism and makes your sperm cannibalistic".

 

[Craig73]

Bloody hell, pretty sure PETA saying something sensible* (for once) is one of the harbingers of the apocalypse

*Tbh they probably followed it with some nonsense like "keeping incei communals causes Autism and makes your sperm cannibalistic".

Hahaha, for sure!

I lost an Incei gold sling today, not communal. Sucks the big one and bummed big time. I think this species is awesome and to see them touted as communal is disappointing.

 

[viper69]

Communals- go ahead throw some animals together - sick of this crap

While you’re at it start with P met communal they love it!

 

[BoyFromLA]

It’s a miss, rather than a myth.

Keep one tarantula in one enclosure is why so hard?

 

[RezonantVoid]

I might also add that trapdoors found mere millimeters from each other in the wild will absolutely obliterate each other if you screw up communals in captivity. Just furthering the point that close wild observations aren't always a good indication of captive behavior

 

[Arachnid Addicted]

All "tarantula communals" are a myth. And yes, even M. balfouri.

 

[ColeopteraC]

‘Communals’ are just an acronym for ‘Tarantulas that stay in their burrow long enough so that they don’t rip each other apart immediately’.