M. Balfouri sling is on the way!

Heavnsix

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jan 15, 2016
Messages
46
What will be my first OW will be arriving over the weekend probably from Jamie's Tarantulas. Needless to say I'm very excited! It'll be 1/2" sling. Any pointers from some of the M. Balfouri keepers? I have 4 NW Ts all raised from slings, if that makes any difference.
 

AlbatrossWarrior

Arachnosquire
Joined
Feb 6, 2016
Messages
147
OOOOOOH, M. balfouri might be my favorite species and I haven't even gotten one yet, haha. You're so lucky! Curse my mom, not letting use her money for increasing my spider collection!

The only OW's I've owned are OBTs and an H. gigas. From what I've experienced, baboon slings are pretty dang easy to care for, they are suuuper fast though. I've also heard that M. balfouri are not as angry as most baboons, lol
 

viper69

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 8, 2006
Messages
17,851
What will be my first OW will be arriving over the weekend probably from Jamie's Tarantulas. Needless to say I'm very excited! It'll be 1/2" sling. Any pointers from some of the M. Balfouri keepers? I have 4 NW Ts all raised from slings, if that makes any difference.
Don't know what NW Ts you have, but if you have what I have more/less this will be the fastest terrestrial you've ever owned. I only own 2, so my experience is limited. But IME, these are one of the fastest Ts on the ground (N. incei also very fast) that I've come across. I've owned several other OW Baboons, and none were as fast as these little blue devils.

Mine spook real easily. I keep mine in 16 oz deli cups. That will hold them until they are 1.5" DLS. At 2" you risk an escape as they remain VERY fast.

They won't pack in the mass in the abdomen like NWs do or even like some OWs as they grow. Their abdomens take on the shape of tic-tacs actually. They are medium growth rates. Faster than Brachy, slower than say GBB. As mine have gotten larger they do get more bold and more tolerant of disturbance to their home, ie the container they are in.

Some people report varying behavior from my own regarding how "out" they are. Mine are out every day, except when time to molt. Others don't see them for months. I will say it's very hard for me to keep track of when they eat esp when they are smaller, because mine would hide and eat when I was sleeping often. W/coco fiber, you can't be sure if the T ate, or if the crickets buried/hid/died. It was quite stressful in the beginning. Hence the recommendation of a water dish in particular for this species.

They are not like Poki's that will automatically run for their hole when disturbed. IME they will run in ANY direction when disturbed. Do not get complacent w/this species or you will have an escape at the least.

Also, they will often make more than one exit, like many Ts, so be careful when opening the lid, feeding etc. You never know where they are.

Provide them a water dish, they will use it.

I keep them on dry sub, and they will make all sorts of crazy webbed tunnels. They will web up the entire container, in my case forming a web cloud and hard to see them. Also, they will web up from substrate to the lid.

I can't verify this for this species, but mine tend to web more densely once they are getting ready to molt, meaning a few weeks out from a molt.

Their behavior IME can be summed up like this

1. Eat often
2. Web alot
3. Disappear for a few weeks
4. Come out in a new 'suit' and repeat.>> This is how I know they molted, when they reappear.
 

Trenor

Arachnoprince
Joined
Jan 28, 2016
Messages
1,896
They won't pack in the mass in the abdomen like NWs do or even like some OWs as they grow. Their abdomens take on the shape of tic-tacs actually.
Someone is underestimating my ability to produce fat Ts. :p
This is in a 3.5 X 5 really useful box so they were very small.

Here is not much later.


Why do they get so fat. :D

When they were this size they were not out very much. I think the was due to my heavy feeding and the frequency of them molting when they were slings. They are kept communal and they used the same hide.

I can't verify this for this species, but mine tend to web more densely once they are getting ready to molt, meaning a few weeks out from a molt.

Their behavior IME can be summed up like this

1. Eat often
2. Web alot
3. Disappear for a few weeks
4. Come out in a new 'suit' and repeat.>> This is how I know they molted, when they reappear.
This has been my experience too. Mine will expand the webbing and tunnels while in pre-molt and as they get bigger they expand out faster.

Given half the chance (they are facing a tunnel) they will go for the tunnel. If they are facing the enclosure wall they will go for it then no one knows which way they are going once the reach it (left, right, up, huddled). I have always kept them in a larger than needed enclosure since they were communal so the speed/flighty behavior was less of a factor for me.

Here are some more recent photos of the above Ts.



They are a favorite of mine and a great T to own. Good luck.
 

viper69

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 8, 2006
Messages
17,851
@Trenor Interesting, mine don't get that fat. What are you feeding yours? Mine are in crix. Interesting you have the same observation on the webbing. I keep mine separate. I don't want to find one of mine was turned into lunch by accident.

Yours are slightly ahead of mine in age. What size container are you keeping them in, and how much depth did you give yours? I've been debating on what to give them next. I may go with a RUB (I use them for others) because I can stack them. I can't stack KKs.
 

KezyGLA

Arachnoking
Joined
Apr 8, 2016
Messages
3,013
Great species. Absolute stunners! I just picked up 2 MMs and a SAM today.

Very fast, speeds matching Heterothele, Halapolus, Dolichothele and can be quite skittish. A few of mine have the tendency to bolt so be prepared. One of the MMs bolted on me today and ran up my wall then down behind the radiator in about 5 seconds.

Not the fastest growers. I would say medium/fast. Prefer dry sub. Web fairly extensively and are pretty active at night.

They arent very defencive really. I dont see mine putting the fists up unless I bang the cage and spook them(by accident of course)

Males dont grow very large. Females can turn out to be big and very heavy built.

Heres one of my bigger females -
View media item 36006
You have yourself a great critter. It's gonna make a great addition. :)
 

Trenor

Arachnoprince
Joined
Jan 28, 2016
Messages
1,896
@Trenor Interesting, mine don't get that fat. What are you feeding yours? Mine are in crix. Interesting you have the same observation on the webbing. I keep mine separate. I don't want to find one of mine was turned into lunch by accident.

Yours are slightly ahead of mine in age. What size container are you keeping them in, and how much depth did you give yours? I've been debating on what to give them next. I may go with a RUB (I use them for others) because I can stack them. I can't stack KKs.
I'm using a RUB (can't remember what size it is off the top of my head). It's got 5-6 inches of substrate and I did 4 hides one in each corner (for communal). They have a big burrow and lots of web tunnels. That last molt they really added a lot of webbing to the enclosure. Next rehouse I'm thinking of going with my 40 gal long and make half substrate.
 

bryverine

Arachnoangel
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 18, 2012
Messages
890
@Trenor Interesting, mine don't get that fat. What are you feeding yours? Mine are in crix. Interesting you have the same observation on the webbing. I keep mine separate. I don't want to find one of mine was turned into lunch by accident.

Yours are slightly ahead of mine in age. What size container are you keeping them in, and how much depth did you give yours? I've been debating on what to give them next. I may go with a RUB (I use them for others) because I can stack them. I can't stack KKs.
It seems like @Trenor 's tarantulas are fatter than ANY tarantula of mine... doubled... in heavy premolt...

I bet they grow fast like that.
 

Trenor

Arachnoprince
Joined
Jan 28, 2016
Messages
1,896
It seems like @Trenor 's tarantulas are fatter than ANY tarantula of mine... doubled... in heavy premolt...

I bet they grow fast like that.
I swear it's the Dubia roaches. It's pretty much all I feed and they plump up a sling. My M.balfouri do get a lot more food than a lot of my other slings because they are communal. They have been growing pretty decent. Now that they are getting bigger they are not as fat looking. :D
 

Heavnsix

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jan 15, 2016
Messages
46
Don't know what NW Ts you have, but if you have what I have more/less this will be the fastest terrestrial you've ever owned. I only own 2, so my experience is limited. But IME, these are one of the fastest Ts on the ground (N. incei also very fast) that I've come across. I've owned several other OW Baboons, and none were as fast as these little blue devils.

Mine spook real easily. I keep mine in 16 oz deli cups. That will hold them until they are 1.5" DLS. At 2" you risk an escape as they remain VERY fast.

They won't pack in the mass in the abdomen like NWs do or even like some OWs as they grow. Their abdomens take on the shape of tic-tacs actually. They are medium growth rates. Faster than Brachy, slower than say GBB. As mine have gotten larger they do get more bold and more tolerant of disturbance to their home, ie the container they are in.

Some people report varying behavior from my own regarding how "out" they are. Mine are out every day, except when time to molt. Others don't see them for months. I will say it's very hard for me to keep track of when they eat esp when they are smaller, because mine would hide and eat when I was sleeping often. W/coco fiber, you can't be sure if the T ate, or if the crickets buried/hid/died. It was quite stressful in the beginning. Hence the recommendation of a water dish in particular for this species.

They are not like Poki's that will automatically run for their hole when disturbed. IME they will run in ANY direction when disturbed. Do not get complacent w/this species or you will have an escape at the least.

Also, they will often make more than one exit, like many Ts, so be careful when opening the lid, feeding etc. You never know where they are.

Provide them a water dish, they will use it.

I keep them on dry sub, and they will make all sorts of crazy webbed tunnels. They will web up the entire container, in my case forming a web cloud and hard to see them. Also, they will web up from substrate to the lid.

I can't verify this for this species, but mine tend to web more densely once they are getting ready to molt, meaning a few weeks out from a molt.

Their behavior IME can be summed up like this

1. Eat often
2. Web alot
3. Disappear for a few weeks
4. Come out in a new 'suit' and repeat.>> This is how I know they molted, when they reappear.
My first T was a GBB and he's quite the spaz. I have a LP, an A Versicolor and a P Sazimai, he's pretty fast too, but predictable at least. I live in Florida so no Dubai roaches, maybe no lateralis either, I don't remember. I just feed them crickets and every now and then the big LP gets a wild roach if I can catch it.
 

EulersK

Arachnonomicon
Staff member
Joined
Feb 22, 2013
Messages
3,292
I am using 64L RUB for new comunal
Bad plan. The large RUB's have a thick gap between the lid and the box itself. Not nearly big enough for a juvie or adult to escape, but slings can stroll right between the gap very easily. Unless you plan on doing something to remedy this, your first sac will result in high escapes.
 

viper69

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 8, 2006
Messages
17,851
My first T was a GBB and he's quite the spaz. I have a LP, an A Versicolor and a P Sazimai, he's pretty fast too, but predictable at least. I live in Florida so no Dubai roaches, maybe no lateralis either, I don't remember. I just feed them crickets and every now and then the big LP gets a wild roach if I can catch it.
I wouldn't feed it a wild roach, could have pesticides, just a recipe for possible problems if it does.

Well the balfouri will be faster than any of those. Just take it slow, and if you can't transfer it w/out escape per se, google up bag transfer method- always works for small Ts.
 

Heavnsix

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jan 15, 2016
Messages
46
Well Michelle's here now. She's absolutely minuscule! I don't remember 1/2" being so small, but oh well. He/she ate a prekilled cricket, threw up a threat pose to a live one and chased it away. Pretty neat little critter so far!
 

Chris LXXIX

ArachnoGod
Joined
Dec 25, 2014
Messages
5,845
Someone is underestimating my ability to produce fat Ts. :p
This is in a 3.5 X 5 really useful box so they were very small.

Here is not much later.


Why do they get so fat. :D

When they were this size they were not out very much. I think the was due to my heavy feeding and the frequency of them molting when they were slings. They are kept communal and they used the same hide.


This has been my experience too. Mine will expand the webbing and tunnels while in pre-molt and as they get bigger they expand out faster.

Given half the chance (they are facing a tunnel) they will go for the tunnel. If they are facing the enclosure wall they will go for it then no one knows which way they are going once the reach it (left, right, up, huddled). I have always kept them in a larger than needed enclosure since they were communal so the speed/flighty behavior was less of a factor for me.

Here are some more recent photos of the above Ts.



They are a favorite of mine and a great T to own. Good luck.
Ah ah, I love how much chubby they are :-s
 
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