I Want Everyone's Input On This!!!

[billopelma]

There is a bit of info here on the board about this subject if you dig a little, just tidbits but good ones. IMO even a 5 gal tank is way overkill, as many people have already pointed out with the 20gal, feeding could still be a problem. For a 150 slings 5gal might be appropriate...
There is a gereral consensus among people who have actually done it that a close living arrangment results in much less canibalism. I wouldn't use more than a 3-4" footprint enclosure (with a bit of height) for 4-10 slings and would limit the number of hiding spots so they can't easily separate. I have small groups of formosa and rufilata that have been together for about 5 months, so far with no losses. I have been watching for any individuals that start living away from the others at which point they will be removed, as these tend to be the ones that get eaten. So far they're staying cozy though, other than in premolt they generally hang out in close proximity. A friend of mine has some larger groups, including fasctiata, and he has also been having good luck.
I plan on setting up more groups in the future, Hysteroctrates, H. incei and mabey even OBT's. It has been way more interesting to watch the social interaction of a group than a bunch of individuals, I'm definatly hooked...

Bill

 

[Stylopidae]

I always say only do a communal setup if you're breeding the species.

Good luck. Keep us updated.

 

[Iggy]

I would try it, and like others have said start with a smaller enclosure and offer multiple hides. I would be very interested in your results though as I would like to try it with P. miranda or P. rufilata at some point down the line. I think that if it worked it would make for an amazing display, and offer the chance to see some interesting behaviors as they interact with each other. Good luck!

 

[Merfolk]

Seem that indeed young T's are more "tolerant" when grown together...the grumpiness is longer to come:}

But I think that cannibalism is increased by the impossibility to get farther from each other when needed. My personnal experiment, when possible, would be to use a huge tank
to give them the option of leaving, but in the middle of the floor, i'd put a small hollow log where slings can cluster, and supply additional (and far apart) hides whenever they start to distance themselves from one another.

 

[nightsinger]

should I turn one of my spare rooms into a "jungle environment" with a fogger and humidifier.. and just let all the fasciatas run it and go wild in there.. and never go in there unless its to let a bunch of mice go as food? ~that's be sweet!~

that's my dream. Include a lake inside, and fish a 2m x2m x2m palidarium! My future project:clap:

 

[massmorels]

I LOVE THIS FORUM!!

you guys are great.. thank you for all your feedback, thoughts, and opinions.
keep it coming!

VIVA LA ARACHNOBOARDS!

 

[ballpython2]

Hey folks.. Im looking for thoughts, concerns, and opinions.. good and/or bad.

I just got ahold of 9 Poecilotheria fasciata slings (about 1 in.) and I have a juvenile female (3.5-4 in.). Instead of selling off these slings I am considering starting a colony of all 9 in a 20 gal. long stood upright. The purpose of this is to finally have some good research of a closely documented, and photographed, breeding colony of a Poecilotheria species. I know that there will be a few males that will be prematured compared to the females. Which is where the large female I have comes into play. However, I have mated sub-adult female Avis with mature males and had immediate success.
Heres a few questions Im pondering on that you guys can help me with..

Should I do this project, or sell the slings for $25ea. or 5 for $100, or a combination of both?

If I do this project, should I go ahead and put all 9 slings together in this tank to grow up communally or keep them individualized? (pokies are a communal sp.)

If I start a colony, do I include the larger female with them or breed her seperately on the side?

When sex is determined in the colony, do I seperate the males to better monitor the mating attempts.. or let them do it as they please?

should I turn one of my spare rooms into a "jungle environment" with a fogger and humidifier.. and just let all the fasciatas run it and go wild in there.. and never go in there unless its to let a bunch of mice go as food? ~that's be sweet!~

THANKS AHEAD OF TIME FOR ANY INPUT YOU MAY HAVE!!! And feel free to ask any questions of your own if you have any...

THE COLONY SETUP - thinking of using an upright 100 gallon tank instead..

Someone may have already said this but i'll say it again the way those half logs are stacked up, it doesnt look safe it at all..if those came unstacked by accident while any T was on it there could be a fatal accident.

 

[massmorels]

I climbed them myself and they are nice and sturdy!

 

[bonesmama]

I say go for it and document it well-- we need people to do things like this so we can learn more-- I think we tend to baby our T's way too much! They wouldn't be around unchanged so long if they were as delicate as we make them out to be!

 

[green_bottle_04]

I say go for it and document it well-- we need people to do things like this so we can learn more-- I think we tend to baby our T's way too much! They wouldn't be around unchanged so long if they were as delicate as we make them out to be!

i TOOOOTALLLY agree!!!! these spiders thrive in the wild facing much harsher conditions than we even begin to put them through in captivity. evolution has (for the most part) left them alone...and this is for a reason...they dont NEED to evolve. they have reached an evolutionary peak that keeps them alive and happy. if they were as fragile as some people make them out to be...there would be NO spiders left at all.

 

[massmorels]

the project will begin this afternoon. I am already preparing the spreadsheet for molts, sperm webs, mating attempts, AND casualties (fatal and not). designs for a 2.5 gallon starter tank is underway. Today they will be fed as a group for the first time since they came into my care. They are all sac mates, so Im not expecting any immediate casualties in the group of 4.
a 2nd breeding project of an adult pr of Chilobrachy huahini will commence on Saturday.

 

[massmorels]

Day 1 - 04/01/07
4 - 1 inch P. fasciata are introduced into a large petpal.
First night together they seem to explore individually, staking out thier own hiding spot.

Day 2 - 04/02/07
11am - only of the 2 of the 4 slings are able to be located.
9pm - 3 of 4 slings are located together. It seems as though they are huddling together in one location, reasons are few and far. Perhaps familiarity, safety, or comfort.

 

[T-chick]

Some one on another board did a colony. She ended up with cannablisation going on..
I think the big question is to ask yourself, is the money you paid for the slings worth throwing away? Just for the chance to "observe" an experiment.
I would think a better experiment would be to have some new born slings grow up together. Not older slings/juvies.
Perhaps you have money to throw away. And they are your T's not some one elses.
But have you asked yourself, are you emotionally ready to pull out a bolus that looks like one of your favorite babies?
Can you sit there and watch as one eats another one?
And in the end what is accomplished in your experiment, except what you already know what will happen.
One or two will eat the others, you may have a "colony" last for a few months to several months. But in the end you will have lost more than you have gained. And why, because you had some desire to re-create a bit of nature in your home. In the wild, the pokies would be able to get away from each other onto another tree, or bush. Here they can't they can run and run and run from hiding place to glass to screen top... but they can't get away and in the end most will be eaten.
Yah you.

 

[phil jones]

hi i think its a fantastic project and will look forward to reading about its progress i wish you good luck with it :clap: :clap: :clap: :worship: :worship: :worship: in time its one thing i like to try and do but i am to much of a wuss :8o :8o :8o to do it --- phil

 

[phil jones]

Some one on another board did a colony. She ended up with cannablisation going on..
I think the big question is to ask yourself, is the money you paid for the slings worth throwing away? Just for the chance to "observe" an experiment.
I would think a better experiment would be to have some new born slings grow up together. Not older slings/juvies.
Perhaps you have money to throw away. And they are your T's not some one elses.
But have you asked yourself, are you emotionally ready to pull out a bolus that looks like one of your favorite babies?
Can you sit there and watch as one eats another one?
And in the end what is accomplished in your experiment, except what you already know what will happen.
One or two will eat the others, you may have a "colony" last for a few months to several months. But in the end you will have lost more than you have gained. And why, because you had some desire to re-create a bit of nature in your home. In the wild, the pokies would be able to get away from each other onto another tree, or bush. Here they can't they can run and run and run from hiding place to glass to screen top... but they can't get away and in the end most will be eaten.
Yah you.

a bit pessimistic who knows what will happen i say good luck to them :clap: :clap: :clap: