Tarantula Community question

[Exodus]

I have heard that some Avicularia species can live in communitys, Is this possible with Usambaras(Pterinochilus Murinus)? I was wondering if this is possible because at the ATS conference, I won 4 Orange Bitey thing spiderlings, & if they can't live in a "colony" then I'll have to reach into each individual cage, which would risk my precious, precious hands... If this is possible I would be using a 20 gallon tank.Thanks in advance y'all.

Aloha,

Ben

 

[nemesis6sic6]

I wouldn't know

But aren't they very territorial? They seam to rear up at anything that even comes close to them... I wouldn't risk 3 spiderlinngs to one fat Pterror but I'm not really an expert on P.murinus cuz Mine is also a spiderling

 

[arachnopunks]

No, communally that sp. will not do well. As for your hands getting bit, Give each individual their own enclosure with plenty of room to get away from you and give them a nice secure hiding place and they will pretty much leave you alone for regular maintenance. We had a real fiesty male but he sat in his burrow when we watered or fed. Feeding is fun with those. Their reputation carries through to their feeding habits---mean.

 

[Henry Kane]

We just re-housed ours into large vials. I'll try to post a pic very soon. You will want to be cautious...3 of the 5 we brought home we're pretty bitey indeed. They got a pretty good chomp on the paintbrush when we were herding them into the new enclosures. Pretty cute though. Definitely fast too. When you do move them, have an empty deli cup or something ready in case they make a run for it.

Congrats on the win Ben. Did you get slings from all 3 bloodlines?

Atrax

 

[skadiwolf]

as far as i have read THE only genus you can house communally is Avicularia. in addition, the only species within this genus suggested for this purpose is one:

A. avicularia.

none of the others are recommended for housing together as far as i've seen, so, this seems a pretty rare incident and not something you'll find with many, if any, other Ts.

 

[Henry Kane]

Hey Skadi!
Actually I have heard that Pokies have been housed comunally with more success that with Avics. Personally, I wouldn't house any T species communally since regardless of the reputation, it's always a risk but that seems to be the census anyhow.

Atrax

 

[skadiwolf]

wow really? that's amazing! i thought they were pretty fast and generally aggressive?

well that's cool to know. you learn something new everyday!

of course, i don't plan on owning any Poecs (wimp) but still, that's very cool.

does anyone on here keep them communally? any pics of the setup?

 

[Exodus]

Hey Gary, (Can I call you that?)

I think they were all from Rosemary if that's what you mean, I traded them for a Vinegaroon. I'm a sucker for s'lings . I'm bringing home 7 from the conference, real excited to see how well I can handle all of these.

As for the Usambara Information from the people so far, thank you, I'm going to wait & see what other peoples opinions are also, Thanks again.

Aloha,

Ben

 

[Exodus]

Hello Skadi,

It's nice to meet you. I wasn't that amazed when I learned that Pokies could be kept communily, because of one, Usambaras mey be mean, but they are gentle lovers to there own kind. I think just because a spider is mean to a human, doesn't mean it has to be mean to its own kind, But then again thats just my lil hypothesis.;P

Aloha,

Ben

 

[skadiwolf]

i can see that. i don't own any Poecs but i thought they were more territorally aggressive and it wasn't the fact that it was a human but an 'intruder' that they were unhappy about when confronted in their tanks.

that's why i was surprised. besides, most Ts are known as cannibals, so any communal living comes as a definite surprise to me regardless.

 

[Henry Kane]

LOL Yep, you can call me Gary. Yeah, the 5 we got were from Rosemary too. Actually, Justin (the guy who won like 30 or so bities) traded with my son Kenny for a vinnegaroon too. He must really dig vinnies huh? You'll do fine with that species I'm sure.

See ya.

Atrax

 

[Exodus]

Yeah, I traded with Justin Also, He was one lucky (or rich) dude.:} =D

Aloha,

Ben

 

[Lopez]

Ray Gabriel has also had success keeping Hysterocrates gigas (IIRC) communally, raised from spiderlings.
There is a Pamphobeteus sp. from South America which has been found to live and actively huint in social groups as well.

 

[Alias]

Ive read somewhere (dont remember, maybe here), that some Pamphobeteus sp. lives in burrow in symbiosis with some frog...frog is protecting the spider from ants...and the spider is probably protecting the frog from everything else

 

[Martin H.]

Originally posted by Alias

Ive read somewhere (dont remember, maybe here), that some Pamphobeteus sp. lives in burrow in symbiosis with some frog...frog is protecting the spider from ants...and the spider is probably protecting the frog from everything else

frogs and theraphosidae spiders – see these articles:

• Blair, W. F. (1936): A note on the ecology of Microphly olivacea. Copeia, New York etc., 1936 (2): 115.
• COCROFT, R. B. & HAMBLER, K. (1989): Observations on a commensal relationship of the microhylid frog Chismocleis ventrimaculata and the burrowing theraphosid spider Xenestis immanis in southeastern Peru. Biotropica 21(1): 2-8.
• HUNT, R. H. (1980): Toad sanctuary in a tarantula burrow. Nat. His. 89(3): 48-53.
• POWELL, R., LITTLE, L. W. & SMITH, D. D. (1984): Eine Wohngemeinschaft von Physalaemus pustulosus (Cope, 1864) (Salientia: Leptodactylidae) mit einer bodenbewohnenden Vogelspinne. Salamandra 20(4): 273-274.

all the best,
Martin

 

[Henry Kane]

Finally got around to getting a pic of the vials I was talking about.
You probably already have your Pterrors housed but I will post the pic anyway since I said I would.

You can see the little bitey thing munching on a crik for size referance.

See ya.

Atrax

 

[Godzilla2000]

I wouldn't keep them communally at all though. My Dodoma Baboon is pretty pissy when disturbed so the OBT will be the same. So far my OBT is a very secretive little bugger. She only spends roughly 95% of her time in her burrow. I rarely ever see her out in the open. So far she is not the little orange terror everyone has made her speciers out to be. We'll see about it when she gets bigger though.

 

[Kali]

I would strongly advise against it! my p-terror will eat anything and everything that goes into or near to her cage. she is still a juvie, and eats fuzzy mice readily. give them those little coconut halves with a hole cut in the bottom, like a cave. mine hide all thetime in them. when i need to clean the enclosure, i merely pick up the shell half, and reset it on the new substrate. they web the bottom securely and hence, no bites yet.

Kristin