Finally the new inhabitants for my planned colony of Monocentropus balfouri (Socotra Island Blue Baboon) have arrived. I have five spiderlings, measuring around an inch and a half leg span. They’re from the same egg sac and have grown up together to this point. They’re extremely fast, so I placed their travelling container in their new home, took the lid off, and coaxed them out to prevent any escapees. They all quickly disappeared into some of the starter burrows I’d made under a log, so hopefully they’ll do well. After a few hours, I threw in a bunch of crickets so that none of them will go hungry and be tempted to eat their brothers and sisters!
Updates to follow as things develop. Here’s hoping for a successful colony.
5 x Monocentropus balfouri in their travelling container.The first one ventures into its new home.Another starting to explore.One of them in its burrow, just visible above the leaf to the left.
This is my first post on my experimental tarantula colony. Few species can be housed together as most tarantulas are known to be cannibals if kept in close proximity. However, one of the few species which can tolerate and even enjoy each other’s company, is the Monocentropus balfouri (Socotra Island Blue Baboon). This tarantula originates from the island of Socotra in the Arabian Sea, a couple of hundred miles from the coasts of Yemen and Somalia. This will be new to me in more ways than one, as all my spiders so far have been “New World” species, from Central and South America.
An adult Monocentropus balfouri
This is a fast and aggressive species, so it’s safe to say I won’t be handling them. I plan to document their growth and how they behave as a group. I’ve read other blogs about colonies of this type, but have never seen one complete a full cycle, ie baby spiders (spiderlings), grow up together, hopefully breed, a new generation of spiderlings are born and grown. Fingers crossed for some success!
To start, an acrylic box measuring 14 x 10 x 10 inches, with aeration holes front and back to circulate air, and a secure lid with clip fastenings to prevent escape. The substrate is Spider Life which is created for many species of spider, great for burrowing spiders. It’s good for retaining moisture for those that like a humid environment, but this species hails from dessert regions, so I’m allowing it to dry out a lot before the spiders arrive.
New home for 5 x M. balfouri
I’ve added some branches to create hides, and started some small caves under them for the spiders to form into their own burrows as they wish. A silk plant to make it look more attractive and create more shelter, and a water dish. That’s all that is needed.
I’ve placed an order for five spiderlings, which I’m advised will have approximately a 1 inch leg span. They should arrive at some point during the next week – I’m working out a suitable delivery day with the supplier to ensure someone is home to receive them. Watch out for the next blog post when they arrive and enter their new home. Feel free to subscribe if you don’t want to miss anything!
Sarah's Spider Friends 