Spare 80 gallon

[Trenor]

So for a communal you breed, then let them hatch out and live in the same habitat with mom? I assume you could buy three balfouris and stick them all in the same enclosure and have it turn out well.

A communal just means more than one tarantula living/working together in an enclosure. It can be 2 or 70+.

 

[Blue Jaye]

So for a communal you breed, then let them hatch out and live in the same habitat with mom? I assume you could buy three balfouris and stick them all in the same enclosure and have it turn out well.

How I started my communal is male and female they lived fine together. When she started digging I separated the male.
She dropped they hatched a couple months later then she dropped another sac about two months later.I had mom and two stages of slings. Rather more an army than a communal lol.
The larger slings always come out to feed first. Then the smaller ones and then Bling (mom) shows up to snap up a large Dubia and shares with whom ever comes along. It's been an amazing adventure.
Quick side note. My first sac I pulled the babies at 1st instar not knowing any better and they grew pretty slow. The slings in the communal have grown twice as fast as the ones I had from my first sac. Also there has been about a total of five due to cannibalizem in the entire time I've had the communal and I believe it was due to space issuesand hence the beginning of separation.
I separated them one to a container at first. But I noticed they were super stressed, flighty and not eating as well. I decided to pair them up. They are now calm eat well and so far no problems. Time to find them new communal forever homes I have way to many and more on the way lol.

 

[magicmed]

How I started my communal is male and female they lived fine together. When she started digging I separated the male.
She dropped they hatched a couple months later then she dropped another sac about two months later.I had mom and two stages of slings. Rather more an army than a communal lol.
The larger slings always come out to feed first. Then the smaller ones and then Bling (mom) shows up to snap up a large Dubia and shares with whom ever comes along. It's been an amazing adventure.
Quick side note. My first sac I pulled the babies at 1st instar not knowing any better and they grew pretty slow. The slings in the communal have grown twice as fast as the ones I had from my first sac. Also there has been about a total of five due to cannibalizem in the entire time I've had the communal and I believe it was due to space issuesand hence the beginning of separation.
I separated them one to a container at first. But I noticed they were super stressed, flighty and not eating as well. I decided to pair them up. They are now calm eat well and so far no problems. Time to find them new communal forever homes I have way to many and more on the way lol.

Hmm I may just be interested in some of those! Pm me if you're interested in selling some

Also if I did start one up do you think it would be better to start them off in the 80? Or start them in a 20 long until the community builds up? I'm very interested in this!

 

[Blue Jaye]

You wouldn't believe it. They are in a ten gallon. 3/4 of the tank was unused. They literally stayed on the webbing Bling (mom) put down until about 1 1/2 in. They cohabed fed,molted so well together I left it alone. Once they started venturing out they began webbing and tunneling. The smaller ones still resided with mom. Then it became a whole family adventure. They are extremely docile to one another even do a lot of touching and petting. I am on top of this tank every day and night. There's lots to see. So the first time I started seeing squabbling was when I started the separation. Once they start running out of room things get a bit more tense. I only saw one act of cannibalizem. But like I said I've lost about 5in the whole project.

My other communal is a 40 gallon with five females that grew up together no problems ever. They are all AF and have been living together for five almost six years now. That communal has taught me that real estate matters a lot. So I've gotten very lucky with the ten gal.

 

[magicmed]

You wouldn't believe it. They are in a ten gallon. 3/4 of the tank was unused. They literally stayed on the webbing Bling (mom) put down until about 1 1/2 in. They cohabed fed,molted so well together I left it alone. Once they started venturing out they began webbing and tunneling. The smaller ones still resided with mom. Then it became a whole family adventure. They are extremely docile to one another even do a lot of touching and petting. I am on top of this tank every day and night. There's lots to see. So the first time I started seeing squabbling was when I started the separation. Once they start running out of room things get a bit more tense. I only saw one act of cannibalizem. But like I said I've lost about 5in the whole project.

My other communal is a 40 gallon with five females that grew up together no problems ever. They are all AF and have been living together for five almost six years now. That communal has taught me that real estate matters a lot. So I've gotten very lucky with the ten gal.

Oh man that sounds so cool! you've totally got me sold on these guys in a communal. I can't wait to set it up lol. Would it be possible to start with juvies or would you want an adult or two?

 

[REEFSPIDER]

Oh man that sounds so cool! you've totally got me sold on these guys in a communal. I can't wait to set it up lol. Would it be possible to start with juvies or would you want an adult or two?

I would try and cohabitate a male and female in the 80, lots of plants lots of hides and see if she'll drop a sac in there. Consider it started at that point. With what @Blue Jaye has said about real estate being important I can only imagine how that 80 will look if heavily planted and webbed out by a large number of M balfouri. I hope that if you do do some kind of communal whichever route you take you keep us posted on everything because I know myself and probably others are very interested in this concept.

 

[magicmed]

I would try and cohabitate a male and female in the 80, lots of plants lots of hides and see if she'll drop a sac in there. Consider it started at that point. With what @Blue Jaye has said about real estate being important I can only imagine how that 80 will look if heavily planted and webbed out by a large number of M balfouri. I hope that if you do do some kind of communal whichever route you take you keep us posted on everything because I know myself and probably others are very interested in this concept.

Absolutely will do! I'm always on here anyway haha! Like I said though those pics and @Blue Jaye saying what she's said I'm sold. I'd really like to get some of hers because I know they are OK with each other for now. If I end up not being able to get any from her I'll shuffle through the classifieds looking for a MF and MM or sub

 

[hennibbale]

Personally, I'd set it up for a line of burrowers, I think that would look amazing... but I love me some burrowers!

I imagine showing this to some friend.
"What's this? Why is there a big aquarium with dirt in it?"
"Well... there's 3 tarantulas..."
"Yeah, where are they?"
"Err. I think they're in the holes."
"So you have 3 pet holes."

*if they make separate holes*

 

[EulersK]

I imagine showing this to some friend.
"What's this? Why is there a big aquarium with dirt in it?"
"Well... there's 3 tarantulas..."
"Yeah, where are they?"
"Err. I think they're in the holes."
"So you have 3 pet holes."

*if they make separate holes*

I don't have pet holes, I have Sarlaccs.

 

[hennibbale]

You just haven't had them on a nice medium rare burger...with bacon...dripping Swiss cheese...

How Swiss was it? :^)

 

[hennibbale]

I don't have pet holes, I have Sarlaccs.

Yeah you can dress up your crickets as little Boba Fetts and the roaches as Jabba's pigs.

 

[Blue Jaye]

Oh man that sounds so cool! you've totally got me sold on these guys in a communal. I can't wait to set it up lol. Would it be possible to start with juvies or would you want an adult or two?

In my experience juvies will be fine. I'm actually more comfortable saying starting with juvies as that has been my experience so far raising them. While I did start my female communal with unrelated or supposedly unrelated females. And have had no problems. But have not bred that colony.
Instead I had a favorite because she was my first and most beautiful. Her name is Bling because yes, I was one of those that paid a stupid amount for her at the time. So I got her a male a Two years later. Once he was a good size I added him to her enclosure. He made a home one the opposite side of the enclosure and every once in a while they would interact touching like petting almost. Then return to their separate hides. I even saw them share food. He finally matured. His name was Lighting by the way for obvious reasons lol. Any hoo they paired. She finally started digging. I removed him. She dropped a sac three months later (first sac) I saw first instar removed them(dummy) but didn't loose any there were 47 slings.

Few months later after Bling molted I put Lighting back in(mm) they cohabed for another year. Sadly Lighting started to age and as you wouldn't believe it Bling took care of him. Shared food and when he was almost done she sat with him for three days. The first day I saw this I was like oh crap she's going to eat him. Then I watched her pet him it seemed almost comforting. I couldn't believe what I saw. So I set up camp. Watched everything. She just sat there with him touching occasionally with very gentle like pets. One the third day she ate him. So there's that experience. Lol.
A year later I gave her a new male. Named him Bolt after, well you get it. Cohabed they paired quickly and a lot lol. I saw three pairings. I removed Bolt. She started digging and here we are today. So there you go in a nutshell lol. I can only say this is my experience and what I have done good or bad it has worked very well for me.For me this is the only species I feel comfortable saying communal can be awesome. This sp comes from an island it seems to makes sense they are extremely tolerant of each other.

 

[Blue Jaye]

I would try and cohabitate a male and female in the 80, lots of plants lots of hides and see if she'll drop a sac in there. Consider it started at that point. With what @Blue Jaye has said about real estate being important I can only imagine how that 80 will look if heavily planted and webbed out by a large number of M balfouri. I hope that if you do do some kind of communal whichever route you take you keep us posted on everything because I know myself and probably others are very interested in this concept.

I will be setting up a very large communal pretty soon with the juvies I keep and will definitely keep you posted. I honestly would do less plants. Instead lots of cork bark firmly piled and deep sud. The plants will end up being thrown or webbed down. They more hide space the better.

 

[Blue Jaye]

Army of balfoiri. These guys are getting big. Pm me lol

 

[Kodi]

@Blue Jaye That was the most beautiful story I've ever read. Cannibalism and all. I'm starting a communal soon. How many do you suggest growing up together in a 5 gallon? I'm acquiring 16 but can sell some if needed.

 

[Kodi]

@Blue Jaye That was the most beautiful story I've ever read. Cannibalism and all. I'm starting a communal soon. How many do you suggest growing up together in a 5 gallon? I'm acquiring 16 but can sell some if needed.

 

[Trenor]

@Blue Jaye That was the most beautiful story I've ever read. Cannibalism and all. I'm starting a communal soon. How many do you suggest growing up together in a 5 gallon? I'm acquiring 16 but can sell some if needed.

That's a lot for a 5 gallon even as slings. I'd recommend a bigger enclosure for 16.

 

[Kodi]

That's a lot for a 5 gallon even as slings. I'd recommend a bigger enclosure for 16.

How many would you keep in a 5 gallon?

 

[viper69]

three balfouris and stick them all in the same enclosure and have it turn out well.

It's believed it's best to do such a setup with sacmates and of course space.

@Blue Jaye You really need to post vids. I'm particularly interested in seeing a good bit of this "petting" behavior you observed, not a 30s clip of just that mind you, the before/after as well.

You should document all of your communal information and upload it here. Someone did that on another T site a few years back, it was quite helpful.

I believe you would have just has much and maybe more info, especially if you have videos to up to YouTube and such.

 

[sdsnybny]

@Blue Jaye I would love to see Pics of the two communal tanks as well as videos