M.balfouri comunal question

[Justin375666]

Hi boys and girls i have a question would be nice if someone can answer. So my question is i would like to buy m.balfouri and i was wondering can i buy this month 5 and after month or two another 5 is it ok to do that way or does it's have to be 10 at once bought.

 

[Smotzer]

Personally I won’t recommend communals at all.
But I don’t know if you would be introducing additional sac mates or from a different sac?

I feel like adding more later spells disaster and could be interpreted as food after they are settled in and established burrows/territory.

if You are going to do it, which sounds like you are, I’d probably say to do them all at once. Or just do a smaller number all at once. Orrrr keep separate

 

[Hakuna]

When you get the second set of 5, I’ve heard it is best to rehouse all 10 of them into a new enclosure so none of them are established. That way they’re all new to their environment and least likely to single out the new additions.

 

[kingshockey]

this is just a guess on my part i would buy all ten at once. to prevent any from claiming a turf and being settled in already. then looking at any newly introduced ones as invaders to be killed. i never had a communal so i am probably wrong. like i said just a guess on my part

 

[cold blood]

Personally, I wouldn't add new ts to a communal...wait and get em all at once, or just get the 5 and go with that. 5 is plenty for a balfouri communal.

 

[moricollins]

5 is already 4 more than I'd put into a single enclosure ;-)

 

[jrh3]

I would get the 5 now, but keep them individually until you get your other 5, then put all 10 in at once. Balfouri make great communals. But just know 10 adult balfouri is gonna be alot.

 

[Sarkhan42]

I've certainly heard of people adding to already existing communals without issue, I know personally of at least one person who has done so. That being said, from the experience I've had with raising A LOT of them, it seems that the biggest factor in cannibalism for the species is disturbance. The more often they're uprooted or moved about etc, the more that dead seem to pop up. Minimizing additions and rehousings seems paramount in keeping them peaceful in groups, at least IME.

 

[Chebe6886]

I wouldnt do it to begin with but surely wouldn’t add new ones to it. If you only have 5 within a couple years you’ll likely only have 2-3 females left anyway. If you plan on breeding them I feel like that’s the point at which the “community” might get real sketchy.

 

[viper69]

Balfouri are cannibals good luck!

 

[jrh3]

I wouldnt do it to begin with but surely wouldn’t add new ones to it. If you only have 5 within a couple years you’ll likely only have 2-3 females left anyway. If you plan on breeding them I feel like that’s the point at which the “community” might get real sketchy.

Why would you have less than what you started with? These are not N. Incei or Poecilotheria species, I have yet to see a post with a failed balfouri communal. I am sure there is a few but It was due to something else. This species makes a very good communal.

Balfouri are cannibals good luck!

So are some humans

 

[RezonantVoid]

So are some humans

Its hard to argue with this assessment

 

[Chebe6886]

Why would you have less than what you started with? These are not N. Incei or Poecilotheria species, I have yet to see a post with a failed balfouri communal. I am sure there is a few but It was due to something else. This species makes a very good communal.

Probably bc males mature fairly quickly and DIE quickly wether eaten or not. My statement had nothing to do with the capacity to raise these together. Actually think about it next time before you start going at people

 

[Godbold Exotics]

I have a balfouri communal with 3 juveniles. Two are from the same sac, the 3rd is from a different sac. When I bought the 3rd, I introduced them into a new enclosure that was slightly bigger, and all at once. There have been no issues at all. In fact, mine pack hunt and will hold prey for the others. Pretty cool to watch.

 

[NukaMedia Exotics]

M. balfouri are the only real "communal" species but introducing new ones at a later time and/or from another egg sac increases any chances of cannibalism.

 

[EpicEpic]

So many balfouri communals turn bad. Its just that MOST people just don't have the to admit it after they've been previously warned.

"You were right...I was wrong...had 5 now have 2 females"....yeah....no point in posting that after the fact.

 

[EpicEpic]

M. balfouri are the only real "communal" species but introducing new ones at a later time and/or from another egg sac increases any chances of cannibalism.

REAL communal species, live that way in nature. M. balfouri do NOT. Some TOLERATE it in captivity. BIG difference!

 

[KenD]

REAL communal species, live that way in nature. M. balfouri do NOT. Some TOLERATE it in captivity. BIG difference!

We don't actually know that about M. balfouri, not much study has been done.

 

[Iamconstantlyhappy]

I ordered 4 slings, coming next week. We'll see what happens.