Pokie fasciata communes

[Steve McIntyre]

Hi everybody, some advice needed, please. I have quite a few 2nd / 3rd molt fasciatas and am thinking of putting some into a communal tank. Question is, how many are safe together? Do they have large groups in the wild? The tank is an old fish tank, on its side, 30 X 30 X 60 m.
Plenty of ventilation provided, lots of bark/ hollow tree branch, etc. Coco substrate, dried leaves, etc. As they get to adult / sub-adults, I'll obviously remove the males, as I'm told that the females will eventually kill them! Will also remove some for selling if required! Yesterday, I had a good chat with Colin W about his commune! Maybe you've got some ideas about the number I can safely keep, Colin, thanks! Also, if I put some woodlice in the base, will they be eaten by the spiders?

[Colin D Wilson]

Hi Steve,
Technically i suppose any number could be kept together paying close attention to the amount of room they have and keeping the food items available in plentiful amounts.
The only problem i come across is when the community outgrow the tank they're in and have to be rehoused, a task myself and my youngest lad (Shane, who was with me at Newark) did on saturday night...he's an excellent spotter and come to think of it...catcher too!!!
As far as woodlice, i have them in all my tanks and very few have been eaten (to my knowledge) I add about 12 adults or so per square foot to each enclosure, making sure they are from a pesticide free location (we breed ours in our 4ft cockroach / land snail tank)
I also include mealworms in my larger arboreal enclosures for spare food and to clean up a little as well, they dont seem to hassle the spiders when moulting either.

[Steve McIntyre]

Hi Colin, I think I'll try putting 20 in together and do a long term study (if I remember to keep records!!) Where should I put the heatmat? At the back (on the side of the tank) or at the base (50%). Would a ceramic bulb be better? Or use both? What do you think?

[Colin D Wilson]

I dont use heatmats, i have a little room thats heated that i keep most of mine in.
All the other spiders are in display enclosures that are heated by the ambient room temp with in cage lighting to raise it to the required during the day.
I post some piccies up later


**edit**



bottom: Shanes kenyan sand boas (breeding trio)
middle: Shanes whites tree frogs (breeding trio)
top: regalis community

side upright tank: another regalis community.

[Louise~Nichols]

Wow!

Colin...that's a really beautiful setup, I'm so impressed!! If I dress up as a pokie can I fit in there too?

I'm much the same...my rooms are heated to regulated temps rather than loads of mats everywhere, although I have a heatmat section in the kitchen where I'm trying to establish arachno-domination of the house! lol

[Colin D Wilson]

Just a few shots of a few of the occupants

chasing each other round a branch


just hanging out


this is what one looks like just before it makes an impressive 18 inch jump


Two more little communals, fasciata left..regalis right

[Louise~Nichols]

Colin...is there a *hierarchy* system in the way which the pokies live together, ie the higher branches being utilised by the stronger members of the commune...or is it a free-for-all *bunfight*?

[Colin D Wilson]

thay all seem to have equal rights really. Space, food is all shared and they are very respectful to one another at the mo with lots and lots of tactile behaviour.
will be writing this lot up for, possibly, a journal entry (after a bit of collaboration and note swapping with my guru Mr. Gabriel)

[Louise~Nichols]

They sound like a sweet bunch of teletubbies! I love studying the behaviour of my spideys, hence my curiosity as to whether your pokies have a structure to their community...and if there's going to be the possibility of an article with Ray's collaboration, I can't wait to read it. Will you be keeping it fixed at the number you currently have together...and what happens to the group when a stranger is introduced? It's certainly food for thought this communal keeping business!

[James Box]

thay all seem to have equal rights really. Space, food is all shared and they are very respectful to one another at the mo with lots and lots of tactile behaviour.

if only our society was like that. more hugs and lots of respect.
though the possibility of males getting killed or eaten after mating could be lived without.

nice set up, Colin! as you know, i'm fascinated by communal set ups.

[Steve McIntyre]

Hi everybody, great setups, Colin, thanks for the pics, given me a few ideas. I'll put a few twigs in so they can laze about on them! Been trying to mate a couple of species tonight! The avic 'avics' are together and also some O. aureotibialis (just found a mature male). A H. spinifer scorp is giving birth as I type, although I've just seen a larger scorpling (approx 2 months) eating a newborn! YUK!!

[Louise~Nichols]

Hi Steve...Ooops...sorry for doing a *butt-in* and diversifying your thread! I nearly did a *Louise's 101 questions regarding communal lifestyles*...but then I got distracted by Colin's wonderful pics!

How's the matings & birthing going? I hope everything goes well...and that you get left with some scorplings after the juve has finished its munch-fest. Urgh!

[Colin D Wilson]

and what happens to the group when a stranger is introduced?

Now then.....
Thats a question....
i'm going for a ....."wait for the journal article".... sort of answer.

Got a lot to write up......i'm even getting confused with my notes.

[Colin D Wilson]

great setups, Colin, thanks for the pics, given me a few ideas.

No problems mate, PM me if needed

although I've just seen a larger scorpling (approx 2 months) eating a newborn! YUK!!

ooohh Steve get some food in there quick mate !!!!


p.s. that wood was a god send, split it with Toran when we got home. fantastic thanks.

[Louise~Nichols]

Colin...aw shucks...lol! I'm on tenterhooks now...how many days/hours/minutes until the next journal?!
And quite seriously I have a load of questions on this community subject...it's intriguing to think of tarantulas being tactile in a group scenario...but if one had an injury would the others turn predatory towards it?