Tarantulas – Sarah’s Spider Friends

Spider Colony Thriving

It’s a couple of months since the last update. I managed to get some pictures of one of the little balfouris today, but better than that – I managed to catch all five of them out of their burrows a few days ago; confirmation that they’ve all survived so far and are living happily together.

To recap if you didn’t start reading the blog from the beginning, the Monocentropus balfouri (common name Socotra Island Blue Baboon) is one of the very few rare species of tarantula that can live in colonies. Most tarantulas are cannibals and live alone. A few people I’ve read about have started balfouri colonies with a view to experimentally rearing them through a full cycle, ie: start with a number (ideally between 5 and 9) baby spiders, raise them to adults, wait for them to breed, and raise the babies. The blogs I’ve read before didn’t get to that stage; whether the writers grew bored of updating the blogs, or the colonies didn’t survive, I don’t know.

I started this experiment last August with five baby balfouri and eight months on, they’re thriving together and are approximately 2.5 inch leg span in size now. I’ll try to catch several of them together for the next update.

The balfouri colony, very well webbed now above the burrows

Magenta Moves House

I adopted Magenta in May 2018 at the same time as Juanita. This is my biggest spider, a Lasiodora parahybana (Brazilian Salmon Pink Bird-eater). She doesn’t actually eat birds, by the way – locusts, crickets, and cockroaches usually suffice!

There is a little information about this species on the “My Pets” page, but to summarise, a warm, humid climate is a suitable habitat. The Salmon Pink hails from the Atlantic forests of Brazil so her home needs to imitate this. A water bowl and occasional “misting” of the substrate provides the moisture, while in the summer the temperature in my spider room is warm enough. In winter, I heat the room with a radiator on a timer.

Magenta’s new home is an Exo Terra terrarium, with Eco Earth as substrate, deep enough for her to dig in if she wishes. Sphagnum moss which is great at retaining moisture raises the humidity, and I’ve added some decorations and a “cave” for her to hide in, partly consisting of the very well webbed piece of bark from her old home. She seems to like it!

Setting up a Colony

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.

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.

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!

Upgraded Accommodation for Cadbury and Juanita

I’ve kept most of my spiders in faunariums in the past, but after discovering a manufacturer of various acrylic containers, I discovered some perfect new homes for some of my suitably sized pets.

Cadbury, my Brachypelma albopilosum (Honduran Curly Hair), is the spider I’ve had for the longest time, after Cherokee and Apache died of old age, so she gets one of the new homes. Cadbury is a docile girl and easy to handle, but unfortunately I’m allergic to her hair. Hopefully she’ll like her new nicely decorated home.

New acrylic container with coir substrate (coconut fibre), sphagnum moss to retain moisture, a hide and water dish.

Cadbury might look soft and fluffy, but I’m horribly allergic to her hair, hence the motorcycle gloves. I’m wearing a waterproof jacket too – the hairs can work their way through clothing fibres and into your skin.

Juanita is my fully grown Brachypelma hamorii (Mexican Red Knee), whom I adopted in May 2018. Such a pretty spider, so I decided she should have nicer surroundings. She has the same set-up as Cadbury, but with less moisture as she likes a slightly more arid environment.

A nice burrow supported by a hide for Juanita.

Magenta, my biggest girl, is getting her new home next, so an update on her will follow. Charlotte will be the next to move house, but I need to order another new container for her. Incy Wincy is going to grow into a giant like Magenta, so once he/she gets bigger, there’ll be another house move to follow, some time next year I would expect.