M.Balfouri Single vs Communal?

[NuigurumiOtaku]

So.. I'm really considering getting an Monocentropus Balfouri, it's been my dream tarantula since I got into the hobby. I was wondering though, is it cruel to keep them individually? Every balfouri communal I hear about, they thrive a lot more. I'd also like to see them more because they're absolutely stunning! Do you think it could be done with only 2-3, they're $75 each where I live. Sorry for all the info, but thanks in advance!

 

[chanda]

I don't believe I've ever heard that they do better when kept communally versus being kept individually. It's not so much that they need to be kept together as that they can be kept together. For me, having a communal group (five) was pretty much a no-brainer because I already have plenty of solo tarantulas - it was the ability to keep the balfouri communally that appealed to me - but that certainly does not mean that they have to be kept that way.

As far as seeing them? Good luck! Mine tend to spend most of their time underground in their burrows. I recently rehoused them to a larger tank, and after not seeing more than one (and the tips of the legs of a second) for probably over a year, I wasn't even sure how many I still had in there. I kinda figured most of them had died - but once I opened up the burrow, there they were - all five of them - practically piled on top of each other.

I am currently loving having them in the new enclosure because they have not yet made new burrows. They have webbed up extensively around and under the hides that I provided - and are still hanging out in close proximity to one another - but I can actually see them! I'm super excited about that - but I'm sure it's just a matter of time before they go back underground and disappear on me again.

 

[Liquifin]

The answer you're looking for varies from communal to communal and the same for as when one is kept individually. Some communal are more outgoing and others not-so-much, so it's your call. From what I can say, M. balfouri are disturbance sensitive, so one thing can trigger them to run like crazy into hides/burrows. Don't expect them to be out during the day because they're more active and out at night. I own a few of these and I never kept them communally, so I can't give a definite answer. But from what I've been told by other people the results are hit-or-miss on seeing them out as communal. Some people have outgoing communal and others have desolate pet holes/pet webs.

My experience with keeping mines individually, they are kinda reclusive and are some of the most over hyped T. in this hobby. While I can agree they look beautiful, can be kept communally, and webs well there are negatives to them. Mines is finicky, picky, and flighty as a eater, super shy, only comes out at night, and is reclusive during the day. T. hobbyists only sees the positives and never the negatives with this species. Sure they are cool and interesting, but also note the drawbacks as well when getting one or a few. The only way you're gonna know if the communal is going to make them more open is to try it out yourself. In the end of the day they're differences from specimen to specimen and the same goes for communal enclosures.

 

[viper69]

is it cruel to keep them individually?

Considering how science hasn't proven they live communally, NO. Ts are not social animals like the animals that own them!

they thrive a lot more

You have absolutely no scientific data to support your statement. There is no proof of this, NO ONE has this data.

they are kinda reclusive and are some of the most over hyped T. in this hobby.

I agree.

 

[NuigurumiOtaku]

I don't believe I've ever heard that they do better when kept communally versus being kept individually. It's not so much that they need to be kept together as that they can be kept together. For me, having a communal group (five) was pretty much a no-brainer because I already have plenty of solo tarantulas - it was the ability to keep the balfouri communally that appealed to me - but that certainly does not mean that they have to be kept that way.

As far as seeing them? Good luck! Mine tend to spend most of their time underground in their burrows. I recently rehoused them to a larger tank, and after not seeing more than one (and the tips of the legs of a second) for probably over a year, I wasn't even sure how many I still had in there. I kinda figured most of them had died - but once I opened up the burrow, there they were - all five of them - practically piled on top of each other.

I am currently loving having them in the new enclosure because they have not yet made new burrows. They have webbed up extensively around and under the hides that I provided - and are still hanging out in close proximity to one another - but I can actually see them! I'm super excited about that - but I'm sure it's just a matter of time before they go back underground and disappear on me again.

Thank you so much for the info! In a YouTube video of someone keeping a communal, they mentioned that they ate better and grew faster, but that's all just what I heard from videos. I just really wanted to be sure I wasn't being cruel by keeping them alone if they preferred company. I'm definitely still interested in keeping them communally even if I don't get to see them much. My only other concern is that as a still "moderately" new hobbyist, feeding them enough so they don't cannibalize. Did you have a feeding schedule you followed to prevent this or any other tips?

The answer you're looking for varies from communal to communal and the same for as when one is kept individually. Some communal are more outgoing and others not-so-much, so it's your call. From what I can say, M. balfouri are disturbance sensitive, so one thing can trigger them to run like crazy into hides/burrows. Don't expect them to be out during the day because they're more active and out at night. I own a few of these and I never kept them communally, so I can't give a definite answer. But from what I've been told by other people the results are hit-or-miss on seeing them out as communal. Some people have outgoing communal and others have desolate pet holes/pet webs.

My experience with keeping mines individually, they are kinda reclusive and are some of the most over hyped T. in this hobby. While I can agree they look beautiful, can be kept communally, and webs well there are negatives to them. Mines is finicky, picky, and flighty as a eater, super shy, only comes out at night, and is reclusive during the day. T. hobbyists only sees the positives and never the negatives with this species. Sure they are cool and interesting, but also note the drawbacks as well when getting one or a few. The only way you're gonna know if the communal is going to make them more open is to try it out yourself. In the end of the day they're differences from specimen to specimen and the same goes for communal enclosures.

I really appreciate all your insight and realistic expectations of keeping balfouris! I actually didn't realize they were overhyped in this hobby, I just fell in love with their appearance being so different from the T's I currently keep. You're definitely right that I just have to try it though.

 

[chanda]

Thank you so much for the info! In a YouTube video of someone keeping a communal, they mentioned that they ate better and grew faster, but that's all just what I heard from videos. I just really wanted to be sure I wasn't being cruel by keeping them alone if they preferred company. I'm definitely still interested in keeping them communally even if I don't get to see them much. My only other concern is that as a still "moderately" new hobbyist, feeding them enough so they don't cannibalize. Did you have a feeding schedule you followed to prevent this or any other tips?

I feed them roughly once a week - the same as any of my other spiders - and when I'm out of town, they may go two weeks between feedings. The only difference between feeding a single spider and feeding a communal is the number of crickets I drop in.

When they were little, I would drop in one cricket per spider - plus a couple of extras, in case anyone was super hungry and grabbed two, so none of them would be left out. Now that they are getting good sized (3"+ DSL) I usually drop in 2-3 crickets per spider, depending on the size of the crickets. The crickets do not necessarily all get eaten right away. These are very shy, timid spiders and do not attack their food with gusto, the way some of my other spiders do. They are more likely to scurry back into their burrow when I open the cage and wait to come out and eat until after I have gone - or wait until the crickets wander down the burrow.

With the communal - and especially with them spending so much time underground - I never have any idea whether any of them might be premolt or not. (Heck, I rarely even know when they molt because they're hoarders - keeping all their old molts in their burrows.) Because I have no way of knowing if any of them might be pre-molt or molting, I just feed them as if none of them were molting, under the assumption that they probably won't all molt at once - plus I'll toss in a little dog kibble and some veggies for the crickets to munch on, in case they get hungry. So far, it seems to be working just fine. I have had no problems with cannibalism - I just need to go back with a pair of tongs after a day or two to pick out any leftover cricket food.

 

[Theneil]

With my limited experience, they do fine either way.

i started with 4. Teo were kept individual and 2 kept together and they all grew at about the same rate.

 

[Goopyguy56]

I'm my experience n these forums, folks lean toward anti-communal on here and it is really hard to have an open minded conversation about it. People will talk about M Balfouri but bring up another species that can be kept communal and you will get reamed and the conversation goes knowhere.

 

[NuigurumiOtaku]

I feed them roughly once a week - the same as any of my other spiders - and when I'm out of town, they may go two weeks between feedings. The only difference between feeding a single spider and feeding a communal is the number of crickets I drop in.

When they were little, I would drop in one cricket per spider - plus a couple of extras, in case anyone was super hungry and grabbed two, so none of them would be left out. Now that they are getting good sized (3"+ DSL) I usually drop in 2-3 crickets per spider, depending on the size of the crickets. The crickets do not necessarily all get eaten right away. These are very shy, timid spiders and do not attack their food with gusto, the way some of my other spiders do. They are more likely to scurry back into their burrow when I open the cage and wait to come out and eat until after I have gone - or wait until the crickets wander down the burrow.

With the communal - and especially with them spending so much time underground - I never have any idea whether any of them might be premolt or not. (Heck, I rarely even know when they molt because they're hoarders - keeping all their old molts in their burrows.) Because I have no way of knowing if any of them might be pre-molt or molting, I just feed them as if none of them were molting, under the assumption that they probably won't all molt at once - plus I'll toss in a little dog kibble and some veggies for the crickets to munch on, in case they get hungry. So far, it seems to be working just fine. I have had no problems with cannibalism - I just need to go back with a pair of tongs after a day or two to pick out any leftover cricket food.

I'm definitely going to start the process of getting a communal, whether or not I get to see them often. It's a huge and relief hearing your process, experiences and knowledge about it. Thank you again for all the great information!

 

[chanda]

I'm definitely going to start the process of getting a communal, whether or not I get to see them often. It's a huge and relief hearing your process, experiences and knowledge about it. Thank you again for all the great information!

I will add that after I rehoused my balfouri last week to a larger enclosure, I am seeing them a lot more! They have not yet dug new burrows. Instead, they have been busy webbing up the enclosure - particularly the areas under and around their hides - and they are hanging out in their new web tunnels. If I'm really lucky, they won't go deep this time and I'll get to see them more! (Or it could just be wishful thinking on my part, and they'll end up digging to the bottom of the cage again eventually.) As slings they were avid burrowers - and once the burrows were established, they tended to stay in them - but now that they are much larger (3+" DLS) they may not be quite so timid.

 

[Gogyeng]

My balfouri were raised separately until 1.5 inch, came from same clutch though. I gave them a 20x10x10cm transitory enclosure for a few months. They chose to burrow in communicating paths, rather than separately. I've never seen them hogging food from each other either. It is very subjective imho if you call them communal or not. Some specimens seem definitely to thrive together.

 

[NuigurumiOtaku]

My balfouri were raised separately until 1.5 inch, came from same clutch though. I gave them a 20x10x10cm transitory enclosure for a few months. They chose to burrow in communicating paths, rather than separately. I've never seen them hogging food from each other either. It is very subjective imho if you call them communal or not. Some specimens seem definitely to thrive together.

I really glad I saw your comment! I was thinking of putting them in a much larger enclosure, but it definitely makes sense to house them in something smaller at first. How many Balfouri's did you keep in that enclosure?

 

[Gogyeng]

I had 3 specimens in that enclosure for about 6 months. Good luck ! They are a lovely species to own