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poecilotheria rufilata communal

terror_corpz

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3 Year Member
Messages
379
Location
essex
Hi guys ive been to the BTS Brittsh Tarantula Society and ive come back with 5 p rufilatas this is my first attempt at a communal I will be learning as im going along i will keep this post updated and share my personal experiences.

DAY ONE so all 5 spiders are roughly third instar spiderlings, bought them separately but have come from the same sack. I have transferred all five into a small terrarium and not one of them went for each other. I immediately put 5 crickets in, three of them took the crickets down straight away (these little fellows are nutters) one of them launched himself into the water bowl after a cricket and dragged it out. One thing I have noticed is it is quite amazing that they know what prey is and what is not.
They have interacted with each other for example touching legs two of them even walked over each other (amazing) and no aggression has been shown towards one another. I will keep them well fed, any useful feedback is welcome and I will reply to this post with updates in a weeks time.
 
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Ceratogyrus

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3 Year Member
Messages
588
I have 5 rufilata together all around 5th instar and they are as happy as can be. So far they are looking like a good communal species.
 

terror_corpz

Well-Known Member
3 Year Member
Messages
379
Location
essex
I have 5 rufilata together all around 5th instar and they are as happy as can be. So far they are looking like a good communal species.
They are unbelievable in a hour ive witnessed 2 go for the same cricket one has just picked a leg up from a cricket and is eating it so they will scavenge but will not attack each other
 

Ceratogyrus

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3 Year Member
Messages
588
Go have a look in the tarantula enclosures section of the forum for my thread on communal spiders.
 

terror_corpz

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3 Year Member
Messages
379
Location
essex
First night of the communal and everyone is fine one was still eating a cricket couple of them where huddled together on the bark here are some pics
 

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terror_corpz

Well-Known Member
3 Year Member
Messages
379
Location
essex
Quick update got in from work and they are all huddled together in the bark quite cute really noticed something interesting also one of the spiders picked up a half eaten cricket and wanderd over towords another spider they sort of went towards each other for a second I thought they were going to fight but to my amazement he gave it to the other spider now the other one is eating it. do they help each other I don't know but im constantly seeing things I never thought I would
 
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Ceratogyrus

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3 Year Member
Messages
588
No, they don't help each other out, so probably just stole the cricket as it got close. People must remember that although we call these communal, tolerant is actually a better word to describe them.
 

terror_corpz

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3 Year Member
Messages
379
Location
essex
Just a quick update its been a week now and all 5 p rufilatas have settled in nicely all in the hide lots of webbing all eating well. Just got to wait for them to moult which should be interesting got a feeling it will be soon
 

terror_corpz

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3 Year Member
Messages
379
Location
essex
Another update all have moulted and doing well and for an experiment ive also thrown in a p regalis and she been in there for a week now and has settled in straight away
 

Ceratogyrus

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3 Year Member
Messages
588
Interesting. I have seen a few communals with different species in. Please just remove the regalis when it matures to stop hybridization.
 

terror_corpz

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3 Year Member
Messages
379
Location
essex
Update* 5 rufilata and 1 p regalis all doing superb the regalis has Been in for 3 weeks think they are in premoult again not excepting food no more crickets don't normally last 2 seconds in there and they are webbing themselves in the bark can't wait to see how big they are after this moult
 

terror_corpz

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3 Year Member
Messages
379
Location
essex
Hiya all I have another update on the communal last couple of weeks they have webbed themselves in there bark which can only mean one thing pre moult. 2 weeks down the line 4 out of 6 have moulted just waiting on the other 2 won't be long now. Even though some have moulted they are all sticking together so not sure if I should put a couple of crickets in now or wait for a bit any advice is welcome as im learning as Im going along with the communal thanks
 

terror_corpz

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3 Year Member
Messages
379
Location
essex
Hi guys I wasn't gonna do an update for a while but my biggest and last of the 6 slings has moulted and it's got me very excited ive tried taking pics but you can't see the size of this beauti she is gorgeous the colours are really coming out and she must be 2 times bigger than the rest gonna keep a close eye on her and keep her well fed lol just wanted to share this with you
(Tarantula forums is the only place interested in what I have to share)
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terror_corpz

Well-Known Member
3 Year Member
Messages
379
Location
essex
I'll try and get a decent pic when there on display. Another thing I've noticed about the communal is no food goes to waste there was a half eaten cricket which one of the spiders dropped not long after another came along and finished it off
 

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