Poecilotheria metallica care

[Angel Minkov]

A very interesting conversation. Definitely a must-read for every enthusiast who would like to start with "communals".

I'd like for the P. metallica I got 3-4 days ago to turn out female since I'd like to breed them for 1-2 main reasons with first being their scarcity in their natural habitat and the second being to expand this wonderful hobby in my homeland - Bulgaria. Is there any ratio male/female with this species? I've hard that, for example, B. smithi males are very rare etc

And my second question - Should I or should I not feed mealworms to my T? They seem to be the only option at the moment. The other option being cricket legs

 

[goodyt]

Do you have access to pinhead and really tiny crickets?

 

[Pociemon]

They really are not communal, but i do use the term when writing, but i know it is a bad choice of word. They tolerate eachother when it works in their best interest. As i have said before, several poecilotheria are known to share hides in trees with other poecs, but also with scorpions and centipedes, and that is definately not a community! There are also frogs that lives together with some T´s, but that is only because it benefits both species, not because of deep feelings towards eachother...

 

[goodyt]

Personally, I decided to have a healthy collection before I decided to do a communal. That is what I am doing now. I have eight gravid females, and now I am starting my first communal of four slings. The reason why am practicing with communal's right now is because when I have 100 slings and one terrarium I want to be able to consolidate them in a single space. I am experimenting with this now so that I won't have to worry about problems later. Also, if somebody wants to do the same, then I will be willing to give them information on how to do it correctly. that is why I am doing a communal and why I am talking about it.

 

[Poec54]

I have eight gravid females, and now I am starting my first communal of four slings.

What species are the 8 females?

 

[goodyt]

Poecilotheria metallicas

https://www.facebook.com/GootyLand

 

[cold blood]

Should I or should I not feed mealworms to my T? They seem to be the only option at the moment. The other option being cricket legs

Mealworms are just fine....as long as they will eat them...some t's just turn up their proverbial nose to them. I'd imagine slings would eat them.

 

[goodyt]

...and don't leave uneaten live mealworms in there if they could be molting. Right?

 

[cold blood]

...and don't leave uneaten live mealworms in there if they could be molting. Right?

Right, even if they're not anywhere near molting, they can remain alive beneath the sub a long time.

I'd assume if they were fed to slings that they would be cut into bite size pieces and not fed alive.

 

[Martin1975]

A quick photo showing them together,the fourth one is molting in the back round of the enclosure. Oh and I know,I need to do some clean up on that glass again haha.

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[Ultum4Spiderz]

I could never imagine having the money to house 8 of these together lol. Sounds epic:biggrin:So glad your success in keeping these communal !

 

[goodyt]

http://youtu.be/EWliwuYkrCc

I started trying it with seven slings two years ago. I was talked out of it after a month and then separated them all but all seven (plus another seven) are mature and well now.

 

[Martin1975]

http://youtu.be/EWliwuYkrCc

I started trying it with seven slings two years ago. I was talked out of it after a month and then separated them all but all seven (plus another seven) are mature and well now.

My Poecilotheria Regalis communal setup together since sling,a friend of mine said the best is to add Metallica from 5cm together as I have done and they instantly accepted each other. He had been doing Communal setups for a long time. The regalis were done differently,but the metallicas are doing great and are molting in the same exact spot over and over as are the Regalis.

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[Angel Minkov]

I cut them and crush their heads. They cannot move this way so they dont burrow. I know the danger of leaving mealworms to burrow and stay in the T container... Never had any incidents with eaten by mealworms tarantulas. And thank god.

 

[goodyt]

You're fine then, as long as the T's are eating.

 

[Angel Minkov]

I contacted a fellow hobbyist who sells tarantulas since a very long time and he should have baby crickets...

 

[MrCrackerpants]

Just my 2 cents: I keep all of my Poecilotheria sac mates that are housed together really fat with Shelfordella lateralis (Turkish Red Runner Roach). The Red Runners are always running (pun intended) around the enclosure in ample numbers and never chew on a molting spider. This way I do not have any small skinny spiders... I pull my males when they mature and usually separate my females as adults. I then breed the females.

 

[goodyt]

That would be my third choice, personally. Enjoy. They are amazing.

 

[Angel Minkov]

Tried feeding it a mealworm again... No response. Looks like they really are the black sheep of the genus when it comes to eating.

 

[Poec54]

Tried feeding it a mealworm again... No response. Looks like they really are the black sheep of the genus when it comes to eating.

Not really. A lot of T's won't eat mealworms.