It's the GOAT! hahaha Love the name. :) I've spoken to several folks who have introduced unrelated specimens, and many decide to do it in a new, neutral enclosure to as to not have any potential territoriality. I would also be hovering over them with a cup and a brush ready to intervene. What size are the specimens?
Tom Moran introduced one on Saturday. Both are an inch long. At first when they met they where scared of each other. But as of yesterday they where both gone into a burrow. Then later I saw them both out “conversing”. Thanks for the inspiration and great content!
@@SolomonRasputin That is FANTASTIC. Thank you so much for taking the time to keep me updated. I get a lot of folks asking about doing this, and it'll be great to point them to this example.
Thanks a lot for the kind words my dude! I appreciate your support and encouragement! I am jealous of your communals! All the T's I have and I still have not gotten around to adding a communal to my collection...but that is next on my list for sure....once life calms down enough so I can responsibly add more to my collection. Great video as always...thanks for all the content and information!
Hey, thank YOU for the tshirt and for running such and awesome Facebook group. You and your team do a wonderful job. And your channel is fantastic, do that was easy to promote. I desperately want Alexa to control my lights now. haha. Thanks again, bud!
The communals, probably my favorite updates, those poor balfuri females always getting hit up, when they are just trying to eat some food. Also amazing how a spider can survive up til 2 years without eating
Hey, Eric! I know people are always waiting for updates on these. I can't tell you how many times I get comments on unrelated videos like, "Nice...now do a communal update." haha Yeah, the fasting with the chilensis blew my mind. That was NOT fun to watch. I'm just glad that she's doing well now. Thanks again!
Tom, I love your compassion. Many times I have read how people don't think it's ever right to take over and help out a tarantula, either during a bad molt or an injury, but your love for them steps in and you try to heal when and help them. They are far more than specimens. they are living beings with a purpose. They are absolutely beautiful. We made the decision to help our Princess Pinky Toes, Avicularia Braunshauseni. She was in the middle of a wet molt and was struggling and we made a snap decision to help her get out of her small webbing to survive. She did! Our little Brachypelma Hamorii, Adelaide, was stuck in her last molt and we gently assisted her to get out of it and she is growing and looking beautiful. She came from Fear Not Tarantulas. She has grown substantially and we love her so much. I think I told you this story before and apologize if I am getting repetitive! Thank you!
Thanks you so much! Yeah, this one REALLY bothered me, as I was helpless to do anything for her for quite some time. I'm just glad that she appears to be on the mend. She ate again yesterday, so I should be able to fatten her up. And that is an awesome story...wow! Good for you for intervening. That is NOT easy to do, and the survival rate usually isn't good. That is so awesome!
Tom, pretty sure far more than half of us come to listen to you talk. I can not begin to tell you how much time, money, and worry that you have saved me having the opportunity to see your husbandry videos and your personal observations have saved me. Thanks for the video and time taken, love watching the M. balfori communals, hope to make one of those one day.
Ha! Thanks so much, Jon. That means a lot! Hopefully, you get to give one a try. It's definitely an investment, but it's so incredibly cool to observe. Thanks again!
That's awesome news about your H. chilensis. Im so glad she came back twice from the brink of death. She looked great walking around, her bad legs didn't seem to affect her motion. Thanks for your awesome videos, they are extremely informative and helpful. 🕷️🙄 Beautiful P. Metallica's and enclosure.
Wow, talk about communal behavior! That female balfouri was ridiculously tolerant of that male. Just watching made me want to eat him, lol Thanks once again for the Collective shout-out - we mods appreciate it as well!
She was! You know that he had to be annoying the heck out of her. haha And you're most welcome. You guys do an AMAZING job over there. It's so refreshing. :)
I love being in the tarantula collective on facebook. You do see a lot of repeat questions on there from new keepers (sometimes myself included, lol), but it is my favorite facebook group. Your videos are super informative too, and I enjoy watching them. You have some beautiful T's!
Once again Tom a fantastic video. I always enjoy watching your channel because of the information you can gain. I'm glad you stay true to who you are it says something. Take care and I'll see you in your next episode.
The Tarantula Collective channel & page are amazing. Kind words :) Oh wow those communal set ups are awesome. Glad yours are doing good and especially your girl. Hope she continues to do good. Thanks for sharing.
Been hearing about this chilensis for a while and that's the most insane resolution I could've expected. Thanks for all the info man! Wouldn't be doing my thing w/T's without you.
Aww Tom that’s so adorable Iam So glad your rescue is doing well now I can believe 2 yrs no food she is lucky to have such a wonderful daddy to care for he that’s just a great story thanks for sharing it! Your communal enclosures are so amazing glad they are doing well ! I follow the Tarantula Collective on FB and I watch there videos they are great!
Thank you, Nicole! I'm SO relieved that she's seemingly on the mend. It was a stressful couple of months there before her molt. The Tarantula Collective rocks! :)
Your videos helped me getting started in the hobby, I found The Collective right after I got my first T. Great group and great video Tom! Richard does have a badass tarantula room and all of his enclosures are gorgeous! I'm jealous too.
@@TomsBigSpiders always keeping a lookout for your videos. Not many people post regular updates on their communal, I've heard for awhile balfouri can be kept well communally and after seeing this most recent video with the Male I may finally give it a shot.
When I started the M. balfouri communal, my idea was to track it regularly, as I found the same thing...no one did many updates. I'm glad I did, as I think that it really helped people feel more confident about setting them up. Hopefully, you decide to try it out. :)
this is the first of your videos ive run into, immediately subbed. i love your set ups, great content. i recently got a stripe knee from the petstore that was thin, winted, and was so weak it couldnt even stand, it laid on one side and kind of scooted along the ground. 4 days later it has eaten 2 crickets a day, it is standing like a spider, its actually digging a little, and it seems to be doing great but not out of the woods yet. its honestly an amazing feeling bringing it back to life though.
Hello, and welcome! Thank you so much for the subscription...I truly appreciate it! Awwww...and I'm so glad to hear that your stripe knee is doing better. Hopefully, it continues to improve!
Hi Tom this was really interesting watching the balfouri and P.metallica communal's. Glad the last t you showed (can't spell the species name sorry lol) seems much brighter, 2 years without eating you must if been so worried about her. Thanks for sharing 😊
Hi, Anna! I was glad that I finally caught the P. metallicas out; it's been difficult filming more than one or two at a time. :) I can't spell the name either! I misspelled it on my website last year myself. haha Thanks so much!
Molting would be so freaking surreal if we had to go through that. Can you even imagine how different human society would be if we had to plan for molting? The drama of it is just insane. I'm glad your leggy lady is doing well. What a harrowing story!
I've got 5 communal P. metallica still at 2", can't wait for them to grow up and hope everything goes well since they are my favorite species. Great content as always, the best youtube channel if your into tarantulas, full of informative stuff, no CLICKBAITS and dramas/gimmicks. Keep up the good work and I'm always recommending your channel among my friends. 😁🖒
Hi, John! How fast are yours growing? At 2", it shouldn't be too long until you've got some hefty sub-adults on your hands! :) And thank you so much for the kind words and for GETTING what I do. I truly appreciate it. :)
oh thats such a nice story about the H chilensis Im so happy for you and the spider that she recovered so well. but one thing I thought of tho, maybe just a regular feeding schedule might be better now that she isnt actually starving because if tarantulas over eat they will stop eating for a while and if she has a tendency to not start eating again once she stops...? idk. you know better than me anyway but its just something that I thought, that it could be better to keep her eating a normal amount regularly. also I think M balfouris are so beautiful I would love one 😍
Thank you! I'm so relieve that she seems to be doing well. And I would normally do a regular feeding schedule, but this one and my other female have both gone through long fasts after only eating twice. Both instances, I was kicking myself for not trying to fatten them up while they were eating. I'm so afraid that she is going to fast again...and it will be another 2 years without eating. I don't think that she'll survive it this time. Right now, they are both feeding well, so I'm going to take advantage of it. Thanks so much!
I really hope your H,Chilensis goes from strength to strength with your continued care. I've had a female in my care for 6 months and she didn't eat once in that time before she molted. She's eaten twice since, but we'll see how long that continues for and whether the fasting thing will happen to mine too
Amazing video as always Tom! And you shouldn't sell yourself short bro, yes your collection is impressive, and amazing specimens abound with great footage of that as well, but your information and the presentation of said information in my opinion is one of the things that most caught my attention initially. I've seen countless others comment on that very same aspect, and while I definitely respect the humility, it's very far from anything you should be second guessing. I hope your older T keeps on the upswing for you, plus that species seems very hard to come by I've noticed. Still love your balfouri communal enclosure, and I've been working on schematics mentally for mine in the future when they outgrown the current enclosure wich I want to be ready for. And the metalica communal......lol that's one expensive enclosure for sure. Could be an awesome opportunity for an ellaborate, bioactive paludarium display tank. I want to try to make one at some point with one of those white sand underwater waterfall setups I've looked into building, and who better then Poecilotheria Metalica, and a communal as well! Btw, have you successfully paired, or bought a mature female giant asian centipede already gravid before? I obviously didn't do a pairing with her being my only centipede, but apparently she had before I got her because she is hatching out alot of them where I had thought her actions were preparations for a molt, but this is far more interesting lol. If you have any interest there just let me know!
Well, thank you so much...I really appreciate it. I get a lot of pressure to "liven up" my presentation to be more like the popular UA-camrs, so I feel like I have to address it. haha. I LOVE that there are many people out there that GET what I'm doing and appreciate my approach. It's about the animals, NOT how many subscribers I can get. And my old girl just ate again yesterday (5 times in a month!) so hopefully she will continue to improve. And that's a great idea for the P. metallicas. I will definitely be doing something special and bioactive for them for their final enclosure. I have some ideas already. :) I have not...wow, that's awesome. How many did you end up with? Thanks again!
@@TomsBigSpiders like I said it's deserved, and your welcome. I agree that I feel the primary focus I have is about the animals, and sharing information with eachother allows us all to do that more proficiently! One thing I feel alot more should do is list information on a particular species care that changes as they grow. Typically the information on a species is general, and it's awesome you always include notes about humidity, temperatures, and feeding as slings, and then the changes that occurred as they grew. Pretty much my entire collection besides 2 I've raised up from tiny slings, and the specific information was invaluable to me that you included it. A good example of that is the green bottle blue! It's rare that slings DON'T need/want moist conditions kept up with, and I had just gotten my juvenile female as a 3/4" sling not too long after I first saw your channel being recommended. It was the 1st "jewel" species I was able to get high on my wish list, and needless to say I was watching it pretty adamantly ontop of how closely I watch them all daily anyways. I had put it into an enclosure I had picked up from the expo with my P-scrofa I lucked out finding, and it's like the spiderling enclosures from jamies, but only about an inch wide, and half the height. I had it for a few days in that before making a custom enclosure for it that gave it more room. After I transferred her in she was loving the new enclosure, and like the others I watered it down to keep the slings moisture up. So when I noticed that she was kind of clinging to the cork bark not really wanting to move much for long periods of time not touching the ground I started to become concerned it wasn't acting the same. That's when I saw your video with them mentioning that very notion, and how rare it is for a sling to not want moisture, let alone with the GBB that too much moisture can cause it harm, or even death! I saw others after that make mention of it here and there, but honestly I'm glad I saw yours sooner because when it dried back out it fixed that with her wich I never would have guessed that! I'm glad to hear your old girl is doing better and eating, and I remember you saying you had a soft spot for that species, and is one of the few I remember you saying in the past you don't mind handling. I also agree with you on that matter! I tell most I don't mind handling any of my species of tarantulas if I needed to, and they came out to me calmly like I have with many of mine. But I typically don't aspire to handle them because I know they typically don't enjoy it, its a risk for them more then myself, and a few species I'm quite content not trying with if I didn't have need too. Lol I love my GBB, and Acantuscuria Geniculata for example, but you couldn't pay me to stick my hands down in their enclosures if they are expecting food lol! I'll watch others on UA-cam do that hahaha! But I'm going to say about 50 or so at least. I don't have the best vantage point, and I'm definitely not disturbing the top of her little cavern the centipede has made, and condolences to anyone foolish enough to try that with her in that state with what I've read about the mean streak a gravid centipede gaurding her eggs/babies. I'll be able to get a better idea of the exact number when they start to hatch out, and it's pretty cool that the centipede actually looks after them untill they molt and get big enough to head off on their own. Her enclosure is something I always treat gingerly with respect. Even before getting her for myself It didn't go unnoticed most people in the hobby I watched or read material from that handle even the more problematic species of arachnids would completely shift gears with the giant centipedes making clear mention of caution with statements like "I'm not saying I expect it to go on the attack, in just doing it like this........because I know what it can do". Lol needless to say a dozen of those in the same enclosure seems a possibly daunting concept, and I'm quite sure there are far more then a few dozen eggs just from the limited view I can get! I'm already figuring a design for a mechanism cover I'll make to go on the enclosure like a lid, and will not only allow me to have access like with our rehousing cup/container holes, but will allow me to keep the enclosure sealed while being able to start removing them individually in a safe and controlled manner. I made something similar I used as a tunnel bridge of sorts to put ontop of 2 enclosures for pairing, and it worked quite well with my Avucularia's even when it came down to pulling the male back into his enclosure when it was clear he hadn't picked up on the female clearly stating she was now done and time for him to go lol. It was kind of funny really. But at any rate I'm looking forward to that experience, and if your interested considering my appreciation for your videos, and aforementioned helpful information ontop of your fairly close proximity I can gift you a couple if you like? If so we can figure out how of course, but I had intended to ask you that and if you knew of anyone else in the hobby that may also be interested in any? I know it will be cool raising a few up to see how they grow like with our tarantulas, but I definitely won't need as many as she has got that's for sure? Lol unless a giant asian centipede communal is possible, but thinking of rehousing something like that........ummm ya, that's a big uh uh! Thanks again bro, and good talking with you as always! take care.
This is not for the beginner or those who think they know it all! Keepers (any size collection) have to understand what the dynamics of communals are … I love communals, but I can only watch and appreciate the experts. Thank you, Tom … you are awesome.
Hi, Sarah! You know, I keep forgetting to talk about that when I do these communal videos. Folks new to the hobby might not appreciate how tricky it can be, especially with rehousings. Thanks so much!
I was just going to ask about your balfouri communal and this video popped up looking great too, I assume my five are ok but I only ever see three of them. Wish I had kept 10 of the P. metallica I bred last year but alas I let them go after coming home from work to find one eating another. Hope the Homoeomma chilensis makes a full recovery, awesome spider, we have had a successful sac over this side of the pond this year by Danial Bruce so fingers crossed there will be more about, I've had mine 18 months and it's still tiny lol
It's funny because with both communals, I NEVER catch them all out at once. The most M. balfouris I've caught out at one time recently was 6. For the P. mets, I was FINALLY able to catch all 10...at least I think I was. haha What size were the P. metallicas when you caught them eating each other? I'm still worried about that one. I've been assured by folks that they do well as they mature, but... haha And that's great that you had a successful sac over there. I know that they are getting more and more difficult to come by. Someone from Germany just said that they can't find them over there, and the Germans are usually ahead of everyone with the breeding. Thanks again!
@@TomsBigSpiders the P. met eating the other one was 1st moult I'd made up 6 enclosures with 10 in each but separated them as soon as I saw the cannibalism but now I think I may have been a bit premature as it may have been just scavenging a dead sibling
Aww I’m so happy to hear about the wee H. chilensis I hope she keeps eating and getting stronger and hopefully next moult she has is perfect 🤞 Also I love that you have some bisexual M. balfouris 🌈 very apt for pride month! In all seriousness I’m really glad both communals are going so well! Honestly I was a little worried with the P mets that one of the wee ones would’ve been munched. Great vid again Tom thanks! Can’t wait to see the next update 😊
Hello, Sian! I fed her again yesterday (she has now eaten 6 times in a month!) so I'm hoping that she'll pull through and have a good molt next time. :) Ha! That's an excellent point! For folks that say that homosexuality isn't normal, they definite should see my males go at it. That's nature, folks! :) Thanks so much! There is one little P. metallica still left in there, but I'll be pulling her out as soon as I catch her alone. :)
Hey! I love the metallica communal and info on it - any updates on how they are now? Did you manage to get an egg sac from any of them? I made the leap and got my first Pokie (a metallica, now 2 inches!) last year to see how I get on with it before potentially adding anymore Pokies to my collection - it seems to have been in premoult for months now, which is beginning to worry me a little....I thank god for my Ts, they have kept me sane during lockdown! Keep up the great videos, I really enjoy watching them.
Hello! No egg sac yet, but I also don't have any males yet. The one that I thought might be a male molted and then "disappeared". Last I counted, it seemed that I still had 6 in the tank. I may separate them soon, though, as the tank is getting kind of nasty and needs a good cleaning.
Love the video. I'm breeding my p metallica right now. I breed her back in September thought it went well left the male in for three weeks took him out seen him make a spermweb put him back in for another week. Thought she was going to drop a sack. I now have him back in with her. He still drumming but I'm sure he doesn't have much longer. Fingers crossed. She hasn't been eating and i hope she is not fixing to molt. She has been on a 6 months molt pattern, and it's going on 9 months her last molt.
Hey, Adam! That's awesome! Fingers crossed that you get a sac. I've heard that it can be tricky with this species. We definitely need more slings in the hobby. :)
Both communals look great and congratulations for that. What do you think would happen if you put them in a 6 or 8 foot tank? Would they space out or still want to live close to each other?
Thanks so much, Cliff! With the balfouri I think that they would still congregate around each other. As for the P. metallica, it might encourage them to create their own territories, which could lead to friction.
Great news on your chilensis 😘 perfect verb for what I also do on FB. Lurk. Stopped posting a few years ago but sometimes comment. So how many roaches should I feed my 4 balfouri communal? About 1 1/2 in +. Been feeding 1 mature female roach every week. Not sure if I should up it to 2. What do you think?
Hi, Meg! Yeah, I'm not a big FB person. lol It's just not my thing, and I get tired of the fighting and nastiness on some of the groups. I get enough immature drama teaching high school. Are you prekilling them? I would rip two in half and leave them in there (so, potentially 4 pieces). That way, you know that everyone is eating. Is it a dubia roach or a B. lat? I guess that would make a lot of difference. haha
@@TomsBigSpiders B. lats. I have been disabling them but still alive. The other night one was more mobile and just missed one of the bigger balfouri's take it down. He ate most of it, and went into their tunnels with the rest. Waiting on a shipment of b lats. Almost out. My ootha haven't been hatching. Need nymps for my K Brunnipes. Think it's living on springtails. Doesn't eat the mealworms I cut in half. It's 1/4 inch. Impulse buy LOL. Thanks for your input.
Hi Tom, love the video, especially with the H. chiliensis. I have a Euathlus truculentus female, adult female that is currently on a hunger strike. Do you think she'll do the same thing your chiliensis did?
Hello Tom. Enjoyed your video. Had to cut my collection down some due to me being gone a lot but still have about 20. But always enjoy catching your new videos. Good work. Thanks
Hello, Tim! Awww...sorry to hear that, but I'm glad that you're still in the hobby. Hope the new job is still going well. As always, it's a pleasure to hear from you. :)
I lost my first tarantula recently. At first I was really worried that I killed it but I know I didn't. I went away on vacation, came home and saw that she molted. Didn't mess with her for a week. One hour she was moving around, the next she wasn't moving. No death curl or anything. Just totally lifeless all of a sudden. Avic avic. Upon further inspection it seemed that she was bleeding. She had a weird lump on her abdomen prior to molting, thinking that's what did it. Still feels really bad to have an animal die in your care.
Awww...I'm so sorry to hear that! Was it possible that she had an abscess? Those can sometimes cause issues (bleeding) during a molt. That might have been what happened. :(
@@TomsBigSpiders Possibly? I was worried I starved her or made her dehydrated or something but I've studied tarantulas for 5 years and know avics to be especially more hardy than that. Her first molt with me was pretty weird too, she acted terrestrial and went into a death curl afterwards a few times.
Beautiful t's! My G. Rosea also quit eating for about 2 years. Might have eaten 3-5 crickets in that time but refused everything else. Finally molted and is eating more now, but still such a skinny butt! Hopefully the next molt will be really good. I had a question though! You mentioned you might have to euthanize one of your t's... What does that entail? Is that something a tarantula keeper should know how to do or would you bring it to a vet? I've never heard of such a thing. Thanks for any info you may provide. 😊
So glad to hear that your G. rosea is doing well. The fasting seems to be quite prevalent with the wild caught Chilean species. The most human way to euthanize them is freezing. They just basically fall asleep and then expire. In the wild they can get very cold, and they just slow down and go into shut down mode, so there is no pain.
@@TomsBigSpiders Thank you for letting me know! I really appreciate it. Haven't been able to find a vet that works with tarantulas yet, and he's my first and only tarantula so I've had to do a bunch to learn about him. 😊 I think he may have stopped eating after a stressful time in my life when I had to move a few times in rapid succession. I think it disturbed him. Maybe he was a wild caught and the travelling gave him flashbacks to when he was taken from his home. I wish I could ask him. 😋
had a chile rose ,female, that refused food of all kinds for nearly a year.. then just went back to normal feeding.. didnt seem to harm her at all and can only put it down to a reaction to one of the male ts telling her she looked fat
Are Gooty Saphires really that good to have as a communal? I am wanting to start a communal tank and have been struggling to find the right species to go with. I understand this isn't common and you need to find specific species in order to make it work
I have to revisit this soon, but I would not do it again. Although some of them did quite well and grew very quickly in the communal, a couple others remained quite small. You also have to keep them kind of cramped to have it work, which seems kind of selfish. For anyone wanting to have a communal, I would recommend the M. balfouri. They seem to truly thrive in one.
Any tips for a first time communal attempt? I've toyed with the idea for about a year now, & I'm open to any tips, info or suggestions before making an attempt.
Question. Does inbreeding affect tarantulas? Several people have said yes and others said no. I've been avoiding starting one up to prevent it and don't want to have to buy from separate breeders online or an expo to avoid that. It'd be expensive as heck and a pain in the posterior. Please help! I would very much love to start it and observe their behavior from one of my top ts! Thanks in advance! I have 15 ts so far!
Supposedly not if not over done. Many of the specimens in the hobby were original bred from siblings. It's always great to get diverse genes when breeding, though, so many try not to do it too often. In a communal, the males should mature first, so you can just pluck them out before the ladies are ready.
Hey Tom! Hope you’re well? I had my first escape and found one of the p metallica slings on my ceiling tonight! Had no idea how it escaped.. so I kind of freaked out because I thought wow maybe they are just too small at the moment to keep a close enough eye on so I’ve split them up. Is there a way to put them back together after they’ve moulted a couple of times and put on some size? If not I think maybe I’ll just have to keep them seperate. What size enclosure would you recommend for 2-3 cm slings? They were in a small kritter keeper but I think one of them got through the slits in the lid.. 🙈 made a rookie mistake there
Hello, Richard! Oh no! I'm so glad that you found it. Yeah, the kritter keepers are not appropriate for smaller slings, unfortunately. I don't put anything smaller than 4.5 cm or so in them. They can escape through the ventilation slits. And we've ALL been there, bud! I caught a 1.25" sling escaping through the slats on one years ago. haha Glad that it ended well!
Hi tom. Great video. I admire your video work ❤️ I have question If i keep 1 metallica and add another new metallica which is smaller size, will it be ok? Or should i put them together at a time? I am hoping for your answer. Thanks mate 🙏🏼😊
Thank you so much! And, no...I definitely wouldn't add in a smaller one. It will most certainly be eaten. These guys have been together since they hatched, as that's the best way to start a communal with them. Hope that helps!
@@TomsBigSpiders owh... okay, good point. It’s clear. Thanks for your time. Believe it or not i keep telling people that your channel the most comprehensive among others. Give my regards to your fam Success tom 😊
@@rebornshoebag No problem! Unfortunately, the pokies aren't like say the M. balfouri, that seem to naturally do really well in a variety of situation. For the the P. metallicas, you have to follow the "rules"...and even then there is a chance that things don't go wel. And thank you so much! I truly appreciate it!
do monocentropus balfouris have to live communally, like if you just had one would it get lonely? bcus theyre such beautiful spiders but theyre quite expensive and I cant really afford more than one atm but I wouldnt get just one if would be unhappy w/ out friends
oh thats good there is a spider fair near me next month maybe I will be able to get one then. its def on the list I spiders I really really want weird that they would grow slower on their own. maybe they compete for food when theres lots of them and end up eating more
The M Balfouri look like they have stopped getting bigger. Are they fully mature? The poci's are doing well. That last story was one of the reasons I think keeping T's is getting popular. There is a kind of immortality about female T's. The best thing to do was what you did. Make water available to them and otherwise leave them alone. Instinctively I believe they know from species memory or just inborn knowledge how to heal themselves. They must do this in the wild all the time. This was a really great video Tom. Happy summer vacay!
They've definitely slowed down a bit. They are almost the same size as my 6-year-old female now. I'm so glad that the pocis are doing well. They're at that size where some folks supposedly have trouble with them. I was so relieved when this girl molted...and shocked! Thanks so much, Joyce!
Hello! I didn't do a video on it yet, only a podcast. Here's the link: www.buzzsprout.com/148967/episodes/3604528-the-dangers-of-isopods-and-wild-caught-shame
With the balfouri communal do they have to be introduced rite away as slings or can adults be thrown in together and co- habitate. Can the spiders be diff sizes/ages? Also sex wise can the communals be co-ed? How do u regulate mating?
I think this recent video will answer most of these questions! ua-cam.com/video/GbWlnwANyOI/v-deo.html AS for mating, supposedly, the female won't lay a sac if a male is present. That would explain why I've had no offspring even though they have been breeding for close to two years.
Isn’t it possible that and especially because it could be a wild caught species; that if I may, a defensive measure🤔 In regards to drought. Their origins are from Chile and the droughts there can go on for years. Maybe it was a reactive reaction due to the fact it could be wild caught and the change in environment clicked on a specific survival instinct that made it fast? when it became stressed 🤷🏾♂️
Hi, Ryan! I think that could absolutely be the root of the issue. They definitely seem to key into environmental triggers that we don't always recognize or understand. I thought of this at one point and tried moistening down part of the substrate. I wanted to simulate a rainy season. Unfortunately, it didn't work, but it might not have been enough to overcome that instinct.
Maybe, she would be the type of species that would flourish in a bioactive setup. 🤔i can definitely see a change of behavior and restoration with that. Real plants making certain micro climates within the enclosure. 🧐 but keeping it arid?
It's funny that you mention that, as I've been considering it. I've tried several different setups with these guys to try to make them comfortable, and that was going to be my next step. I will say that the other female I have has FINALLY done a bunch of burrowing and webbing in her enclosure. I've had her for about 6-7 years, and she has never truly seemed to settle in.
Sir, may i ask. What do you do if a small mold starts at the burrow. In my M. Balfouri communal. I saw small patches of circular mold at the bottom of their enclosure. Is there an alternative to rehousing or change of substrate that will not destroy their home?
@@overheatPH If you allow things to dry out a bit in that area, it should stop the mold. If you see more, or if it starts to blow up, you may have to scoop it out.
Unfortunately, that is NOT the case. In fact, many folks end up with males. I have at least 4 males in mine, and a buddy of mine who had a communal of 10 ended up with 9 males. They should be pretty easy to come by. :)
Tom Moran Thanks Tom. I was going to buy another one from a seller I’m not 100% trust. Good thing I decided not to get from him. He was telling me that he has more females than males.
@@RootsBassCanada Hey, I guess it's possible he does. I've just spoken to several folks who have reported more males. Mark from Mark's Tarantulas had four I think, and all four turned out male as well.
@@thelegobrickdude Oh! Those are large/x-large critter keepers. I believe I got those from Pet Mountain. www.petmountain.com/product/lees-kritter-keeper-large
Love the videos man, I got one balfouri last week. Gonna try to get another today. Anything to consider when introducing one to another?
It's the GOAT! hahaha Love the name. :) I've spoken to several folks who have introduced unrelated specimens, and many decide to do it in a new, neutral enclosure to as to not have any potential territoriality. I would also be hovering over them with a cup and a brush ready to intervene. What size are the specimens?
Tom Moran introduced one on Saturday. Both are an inch long. At first when they met they where scared of each other. But as of yesterday they where both gone into a burrow. Then later I saw them both out “conversing”. Thanks for the inspiration and great content!
@@SolomonRasputin That is FANTASTIC. Thank you so much for taking the time to keep me updated. I get a lot of folks asking about doing this, and it'll be great to point them to this example.
Tom Moran np man, thanks for the helpful videos and comment replies! One was a tad bit bigger than the other but they seem to be great pals.
@@SolomonRasputin how are they holding up?
Thanks a lot for the kind words my dude! I appreciate your support and encouragement! I am jealous of your communals! All the T's I have and I still have not gotten around to adding a communal to my collection...but that is next on my list for sure....once life calms down enough so I can responsibly add more to my collection. Great video as always...thanks for all the content and information!
Hey, thank YOU for the tshirt and for running such and awesome Facebook group. You and your team do a wonderful job. And your channel is fantastic, do that was easy to promote. I desperately want Alexa to control my lights now. haha. Thanks again, bud!
That male chasing the female was awesome & funny as hell!
I had to cut Billie and I's commentary on that one. hahaha
The communals, probably my favorite updates, those poor balfuri females always getting hit up, when they are just trying to eat some food. Also amazing how a spider can survive up til 2 years without eating
Hey, Eric! I know people are always waiting for updates on these. I can't tell you how many times I get comments on unrelated videos like, "Nice...now do a communal update." haha Yeah, the fasting with the chilensis blew my mind. That was NOT fun to watch. I'm just glad that she's doing well now. Thanks again!
Tom, I love your compassion. Many times I have read how people don't think it's ever right to take over and help out a tarantula, either during a bad molt or an injury, but your love for them steps in and you try to heal when and help them. They are far more than specimens. they are living beings with a purpose. They are absolutely beautiful. We made the decision to help our Princess Pinky Toes, Avicularia Braunshauseni. She was in the middle of a wet molt and was struggling and we made a snap decision to help her get out of her small webbing to survive. She did! Our little Brachypelma Hamorii, Adelaide, was stuck in her last molt and we gently assisted her to get out of it and she is growing and looking beautiful. She came from Fear Not Tarantulas. She has grown substantially and we love her so much. I think I told you this story before and apologize if I am getting repetitive! Thank you!
Thanks you so much! Yeah, this one REALLY bothered me, as I was helpless to do anything for her for quite some time. I'm just glad that she appears to be on the mend. She ate again yesterday, so I should be able to fatten her up. And that is an awesome story...wow! Good for you for intervening. That is NOT easy to do, and the survival rate usually isn't good. That is so awesome!
Awwwww that H. chilensis is an absolute darling! Warms my heart to see her back at it again!
Thank so much! :)
intriguing stuff with that H. Chilensis keep us updated Tom. I'm so jealous of them communals!
Yeah, this one really blew me away. Just when you think you've seen everything! Thanks, bud!
Tom, pretty sure far more than half of us come to listen to you talk. I can not begin to tell you how much time, money, and worry that you have saved me having the opportunity to see your husbandry videos and your personal observations have saved me. Thanks for the video and time taken, love watching the M. balfori communals, hope to make one of those one day.
Ha! Thanks so much, Jon. That means a lot! Hopefully, you get to give one a try. It's definitely an investment, but it's so incredibly cool to observe. Thanks again!
@@TomsBigSpiders eventually I am going to get 10, that is my I guess ultimate goal. I am intrigued in the extreme by them. Least it is the goal.
That's awesome news about your H. chilensis. Im so glad she came back twice from the brink of death. She looked great walking around, her bad legs didn't seem to affect her motion. Thanks for your awesome videos, they are extremely informative and helpful. 🕷️🙄
Beautiful P. Metallica's and enclosure.
Thank you...me, too! That molt was a total shock. Luckily, her back legs don't seem to be inhibiting her movement, which is great. Thanks again!
Wow, talk about communal behavior! That female balfouri was ridiculously tolerant of that male. Just watching made me want to eat him, lol
Thanks once again for the Collective shout-out - we mods appreciate it as well!
She was! You know that he had to be annoying the heck out of her. haha
And you're most welcome. You guys do an AMAZING job over there. It's so refreshing. :)
Delightful video update! Fascinating ongoing story of the chilensis. I'll look forward to further updates.
Hey, Dovie! Thanks so much. Yeah, I was shocked by this one. So odd...
We love your communal enclosures they're beautiful! The pokies are amazing. Thank for sharing. Loved it. 👍
Thanks so much, guys! I was so glad that I was able to catch that many out! :)
I love being in the tarantula collective on facebook. You do see a lot of repeat questions on there from new keepers (sometimes myself included, lol), but it is my favorite facebook group. Your videos are super informative too, and I enjoy watching them. You have some beautiful T's!
Thanks so much, Chad!
Once again Tom a fantastic video. I always enjoy watching your channel because of the information you can gain. I'm glad you stay true to who you are it says something. Take care and I'll see you in your next episode.
Thank you very much! I honestly have no intention of ever changing my delivery and purpose. :)
The Tarantula Collective channel & page are amazing. Kind words :)
Oh wow those communal set ups are awesome. Glad yours are doing good and especially your girl. Hope she continues to do good. Thanks for sharing.
They totally rock. I love how the team handles nastiness and drama. It keeps it a safe place for all keepers. Thanks!
Those communals are incredible! I can't believe your p.metallicas aren't running away to hide while you are filming.
They were so well behaved for this video. :)
Awesome update Tom, can’t wait to get myself a Balfouri communal.
And wow about the H. Chilliensis, fascinating stuff. Thanks for sharing 😊
Yeah, that H. chilensis situation really blew my mind. That molt was one of the most shocking things I've ever seen. Thanks so much!
Been hearing about this chilensis for a while and that's the most insane resolution I could've expected. Thanks for all the info man! Wouldn't be doing my thing w/T's without you.
Thanks so much, Trav! Yeah, I'm still shocked by the molt. I swear, she was SO close to death twice before that.
I love your videos, and your commentary. Keep up the great work. You are a great part of the tarantula community.
Thank you so much, Steve...I truly appreciate that! :)
Aww Tom that’s so adorable Iam
So glad your rescue is doing well now I can believe 2 yrs no food she is lucky to have such a wonderful daddy to care for he that’s just a great story thanks for sharing it! Your communal enclosures are so amazing glad they are doing well ! I follow the Tarantula Collective on FB and I watch there videos they are great!
Thank you, Nicole! I'm SO relieved that she's seemingly on the mend. It was a stressful couple of months there before her molt. The Tarantula Collective rocks! :)
Your videos helped me getting started in the hobby, I found The Collective right after I got my first T. Great group and great video Tom! Richard does have a badass tarantula room and all of his enclosures are gorgeous! I'm jealous too.
Thank you so much...that's means a lot. And that group is awesome. He and his team do an amazing job of keeping things civil and beginner-friendly. :)
It was cool to see all the pokies feeding. Definitely something you don't see everyday. Glad your H. chilensis is doing good. Awesome video
Thanks! Yeah, I've been dying to catch them all out at once. haha As for the chilensis, hopefully she continues to do well!
A two year fast? Wow! That’s incredible and so stressful!
Hi, Laurel! Yeah, that was NOT fun. haha. That molt blew my mind. Thanks!
Thanks for sharing the communal updates! Great stuff and best of luck with the last girl!!👍👍
Thanks so much! I just fed her again yesterday, so I'm hoping that she'll pull through! :)
Just what I wanted. Love it. Good job as always Tom.
I was hoping that you'd see this! I was trying to find your last comment so I could get you the link. :)
@@TomsBigSpiders always keeping a lookout for your videos. Not many people post regular updates on their communal, I've heard for awhile balfouri can be kept well communally and after seeing this most recent video with the Male I may finally give it a shot.
When I started the M. balfouri communal, my idea was to track it regularly, as I found the same thing...no one did many updates. I'm glad I did, as I think that it really helped people feel more confident about setting them up. Hopefully, you decide to try it out. :)
Lovely communals! Also amazing update of the H.Chiliensis. So glad she is ok x
Thanks so much, Beth!
this is the first of your videos ive run into, immediately subbed. i love your set ups, great content. i recently got a stripe knee from the petstore that was thin, winted, and was so weak it couldnt even stand, it laid on one side and kind of scooted along the ground. 4 days later it has eaten 2 crickets a day, it is standing like a spider, its actually digging a little, and it seems to be doing great but not out of the woods yet. its honestly an amazing feeling bringing it back to life though.
Hello, and welcome! Thank you so much for the subscription...I truly appreciate it! Awwww...and I'm so glad to hear that your stripe knee is doing better. Hopefully, it continues to improve!
its odd seeing how well tarantulas can actually get along but amazing at the same time
Yeah, when you're used to seeing them as solitary and cannibalistic, it's just strange to see a bunch getting along. :)
That spider tank is just fucking beautiful. Excuse my french. The metallica can see you, their eyesight is superb.
No apology needed! Thanks so much.
Simply awesome, sending positive mojo to the Chilean flame 🔥! Thanks Tom!
Thanks so much, Dale!
Hi Tom this was really interesting watching the balfouri and P.metallica communal's. Glad the last t you showed (can't spell the species name sorry lol) seems much brighter, 2 years without eating you must if been so worried about her. Thanks for sharing 😊
Hi, Anna! I was glad that I finally caught the P. metallicas out; it's been difficult filming more than one or two at a time. :)
I can't spell the name either! I misspelled it on my website last year myself. haha Thanks so much!
Awesome video brother your definitely the communal king, the enclosures look fantastic too
Hey, bud! Hahahaha. Never thought I'd earn that moniker. haha
Loved the video.. Very glad to hear about the H. Chilensis eating again, crazy story she has.
Thanks so much. Yeah, she totally shocked me!
P.Metallicas are my dream spider but omg I cant imagine trying to rehouse that many!!! You're crazy man!!! You've earned a sub
Hahahaha. Thanks so much, Le! I really appreciate it. :)
The Balfouri must be such a fascinating communal to just sneak in and watch for awhile.
The really are. :)
Tarantulas will never cease to amaze me :D
I'm with you there, Benny. Just when you think you've seen it all... :)
Molting would be so freaking surreal if we had to go through that. Can you even imagine how different human society would be if we had to plan for molting? The drama of it is just insane. I'm glad your leggy lady is doing well. What a harrowing story!
Wait, Max? You mean that you don't molt this way? Strange.... haha
This video got me to sub. Love it. Those p. Metallica are just gorgeous.
They really are. And thank you!
Love, love, loved this!!
Thank you!!!
I've got 5 communal P. metallica still at 2", can't wait for them to grow up and hope everything goes well since they are my favorite species. Great content as always, the best youtube channel if your into tarantulas, full of informative stuff, no CLICKBAITS and dramas/gimmicks. Keep up the good work and I'm always recommending your channel among my friends. 😁🖒
Hi, John! How fast are yours growing? At 2", it shouldn't be too long until you've got some hefty sub-adults on your hands! :)
And thank you so much for the kind words and for GETTING what I do. I truly appreciate it. :)
Awesome vlog Tom.
Thank you, Juan!
Perfect timing, just done with the feeding for this week 😄
And a very interesting one! Awesome
Ha! I just did a bunch of feedings earlier. :) Thanks!
@@TomsBigSpiders The communals are amazing, and the spiders gorgeous! 👌
oh thats such a nice story about the H chilensis Im so happy for you and the spider that she recovered so well. but one thing I thought of tho, maybe just a regular feeding schedule might be better now that she isnt actually starving because if tarantulas over eat they will stop eating for a while and if she has a tendency to not start eating again once she stops...? idk. you know better than me anyway but its just something that I thought, that it could be better to keep her eating a normal amount regularly.
also I think M balfouris are so beautiful I would love one 😍
Thank you! I'm so relieve that she seems to be doing well. And I would normally do a regular feeding schedule, but this one and my other female have both gone through long fasts after only eating twice. Both instances, I was kicking myself for not trying to fatten them up while they were eating. I'm so afraid that she is going to fast again...and it will be another 2 years without eating. I don't think that she'll survive it this time. Right now, they are both feeding well, so I'm going to take advantage of it.
Thanks so much!
Awesome video, can't wait for the balfouri's in my communal to get some size to them 😊
Thank you, Karolina! :)
Thank you for the great information
Thanks so much, Kevin!
Wow! Those P. mets have grown fast!!
Tanya! They sure have! I'm stunned at how large they've gotten (well, except for those two tiny ones. :) )
Gotta love the communal updates.
Ha! Thanks, Goose!
I really hope your H,Chilensis goes from strength to strength with your continued care. I've had a female in my care for 6 months and she didn't eat once in that time before she molted. She's eaten twice since, but we'll see how long that continues for and whether the fasting thing will happen to mine too
Thanks so much, Giles! So far, she's doing great. Hopefully, you don't experience the same thing that I did with yours.
Nice vid as usual! ;) Seems like u got atleast 2 Females in that metallica group! ;)
Thanks so much, Andreas! And that's what I was saying to Billie when I was editing this. haha
@@TomsBigSpiders u'r welcome!😉 haha... nice!😁
Awesome update bud.
Hey, bud! Thanks so much!
Amazing video as always Tom! And you shouldn't sell yourself short bro, yes your collection is impressive, and amazing specimens abound with great footage of that as well, but your information and the presentation of said information in my opinion is one of the things that most caught my attention initially. I've seen countless others comment on that very same aspect, and while I definitely respect the humility, it's very far from anything you should be second guessing. I hope your older T keeps on the upswing for you, plus that species seems very hard to come by I've noticed. Still love your balfouri communal enclosure, and I've been working on schematics mentally for mine in the future when they outgrown the current enclosure wich I want to be ready for. And the metalica communal......lol that's one expensive enclosure for sure. Could be an awesome opportunity for an ellaborate, bioactive paludarium display tank. I want to try to make one at some point with one of those white sand underwater waterfall setups I've looked into building, and who better then Poecilotheria Metalica, and a communal as well! Btw, have you successfully paired, or bought a mature female giant asian centipede already gravid before? I obviously didn't do a pairing with her being my only centipede, but apparently she had before I got her because she is hatching out alot of them where I had thought her actions were preparations for a molt, but this is far more interesting lol. If you have any interest there just let me know!
Well, thank you so much...I really appreciate it. I get a lot of pressure to "liven up" my presentation to be more like the popular UA-camrs, so I feel like I have to address it. haha. I LOVE that there are many people out there that GET what I'm doing and appreciate my approach. It's about the animals, NOT how many subscribers I can get. And my old girl just ate again yesterday (5 times in a month!) so hopefully she will continue to improve. And that's a great idea for the P. metallicas. I will definitely be doing something special and bioactive for them for their final enclosure. I have some ideas already. :) I have not...wow, that's awesome. How many did you end up with? Thanks again!
@@TomsBigSpiders like I said it's deserved, and your welcome. I agree that I feel the primary focus I have is about the animals, and sharing information with eachother allows us all to do that more proficiently! One thing I feel alot more should do is list information on a particular species care that changes as they grow. Typically the information on a species is general, and it's awesome you always include notes about humidity, temperatures, and feeding as slings, and then the changes that occurred as they grew. Pretty much my entire collection besides 2 I've raised up from tiny slings, and the specific information was invaluable to me that you included it. A good example of that is the green bottle blue! It's rare that slings DON'T need/want moist conditions kept up with, and I had just gotten my juvenile female as a 3/4" sling not too long after I first saw your channel being recommended. It was the 1st "jewel" species I was able to get high on my wish list, and needless to say I was watching it pretty adamantly ontop of how closely I watch them all daily anyways. I had put it into an enclosure I had picked up from the expo with my P-scrofa I lucked out finding, and it's like the spiderling enclosures from jamies, but only about an inch wide, and half the height. I had it for a few days in that before making a custom enclosure for it that gave it more room. After I transferred her in she was loving the new enclosure, and like the others I watered it down to keep the slings moisture up. So when I noticed that she was kind of clinging to the cork bark not really wanting to move much for long periods of time not touching the ground I started to become concerned it wasn't acting the same. That's when I saw your video with them mentioning that very notion, and how rare it is for a sling to not want moisture, let alone with the GBB that too much moisture can cause it harm, or even death! I saw others after that make mention of it here and there, but honestly I'm glad I saw yours sooner because when it dried back out it fixed that with her wich I never would have guessed that! I'm glad to hear your old girl is doing better and eating, and I remember you saying you had a soft spot for that species, and is one of the few I remember you saying in the past you don't mind handling. I also agree with you on that matter! I tell most I don't mind handling any of my species of tarantulas if I needed to, and they came out to me calmly like I have with many of mine. But I typically don't aspire to handle them because I know they typically don't enjoy it, its a risk for them more then myself, and a few species I'm quite content not trying with if I didn't have need too. Lol I love my GBB, and Acantuscuria Geniculata for example, but you couldn't pay me to stick my hands down in their enclosures if they are expecting food lol! I'll watch others on UA-cam do that hahaha! But I'm going to say about 50 or so at least. I don't have the best vantage point, and I'm definitely not disturbing the top of her little cavern the centipede has made, and condolences to anyone foolish enough to try that with her in that state with what I've read about the mean streak a gravid centipede gaurding her eggs/babies. I'll be able to get a better idea of the exact number when they start to hatch out, and it's pretty cool that the centipede actually looks after them untill they molt and get big enough to head off on their own. Her enclosure is something I always treat gingerly with respect. Even before getting her for myself It didn't go unnoticed most people in the hobby I watched or read material from that handle even the more problematic species of arachnids would completely shift gears with the giant centipedes making clear mention of caution with statements like "I'm not saying I expect it to go on the attack, in just doing it like this........because I know what it can do". Lol needless to say a dozen of those in the same enclosure seems a possibly daunting concept, and I'm quite sure there are far more then a few dozen eggs just from the limited view I can get! I'm already figuring a design for a mechanism cover I'll make to go on the enclosure like a lid, and will not only allow me to have access like with our rehousing cup/container holes, but will allow me to keep the enclosure sealed while being able to start removing them individually in a safe and controlled manner. I made something similar I used as a tunnel bridge of sorts to put ontop of 2 enclosures for pairing, and it worked quite well with my Avucularia's even when it came down to pulling the male back into his enclosure when it was clear he hadn't picked up on the female clearly stating she was now done and time for him to go lol. It was kind of funny really. But at any rate I'm looking forward to that experience, and if your interested considering my appreciation for your videos, and aforementioned helpful information ontop of your fairly close proximity I can gift you a couple if you like? If so we can figure out how of course, but I had intended to ask you that and if you knew of anyone else in the hobby that may also be interested in any? I know it will be cool raising a few up to see how they grow like with our tarantulas, but I definitely won't need as many as she has got that's for sure? Lol unless a giant asian centipede communal is possible, but thinking of rehousing something like that........ummm ya, that's a big uh uh! Thanks again bro, and good talking with you as always! take care.
That is a beautiful p metallicca communal love your t's
Great updates.
Thank you, Channy! :)
This is not for the beginner or those who think they know it all! Keepers (any size collection) have to understand what the dynamics of communals are … I love communals, but I can only watch and appreciate the experts. Thank you, Tom … you are awesome.
Hi, Sarah! You know, I keep forgetting to talk about that when I do these communal videos. Folks new to the hobby might not appreciate how tricky it can be, especially with rehousings. Thanks so much!
P Metallica is my hubby's fave. He loves the colours on them. One day I'll get started in the hobby :)
They are such stunning spiders, Amy. And, yes...you definitely have to get started. :)
@@TomsBigSpiders I'm still debating on which Species to start out with. Grammostola or Brachypelma
I was just going to ask about your balfouri communal and this video popped up looking great too, I assume my five are ok but I only ever see three of them. Wish I had kept 10 of the P. metallica I bred last year but alas I let them go after coming home from work to find one eating another. Hope the Homoeomma chilensis makes a full recovery, awesome spider, we have had a successful sac over this side of the pond this year by Danial Bruce so fingers crossed there will be more about, I've had mine 18 months and it's still tiny lol
It's funny because with both communals, I NEVER catch them all out at once. The most M. balfouris I've caught out at one time recently was 6. For the P. mets, I was FINALLY able to catch all 10...at least I think I was. haha What size were the P. metallicas when you caught them eating each other? I'm still worried about that one. I've been assured by folks that they do well as they mature, but... haha And that's great that you had a successful sac over there. I know that they are getting more and more difficult to come by. Someone from Germany just said that they can't find them over there, and the Germans are usually ahead of everyone with the breeding. Thanks again!
@@TomsBigSpiders the P. met eating the other one was 1st moult I'd made up 6 enclosures with 10 in each but separated them as soon as I saw the cannibalism but now I think I may have been a bit premature as it may have been just scavenging a dead sibling
@@whiterosetarantulas3150 Ahhhh...okay. That makes me feel a little bit better! haha
Your Metallica's are beautiful!!! I want a communal sooo bad. Saving for one
Thank you so much! I was glad that I could catch most of them out. :)
Aww I’m so happy to hear about the wee H. chilensis I hope she keeps eating and getting stronger and hopefully next moult she has is perfect 🤞
Also I love that you have some bisexual M. balfouris 🌈 very apt for pride month!
In all seriousness I’m really glad both communals are going so well! Honestly I was a little worried with the P mets that one of the wee ones would’ve been munched.
Great vid again Tom thanks! Can’t wait to see the next update 😊
Hello, Sian! I fed her again yesterday (she has now eaten 6 times in a month!) so I'm hoping that she'll pull through and have a good molt next time. :)
Ha! That's an excellent point! For folks that say that homosexuality isn't normal, they definite should see my males go at it. That's nature, folks! :)
Thanks so much! There is one little P. metallica still left in there, but I'll be pulling her out as soon as I catch her alone. :)
Thanks for the advice bro
You're most welcome, Jason!
Hey! I love the metallica communal and info on it - any updates on how they are now? Did you manage to get an egg sac from any of them? I made the leap and got my first Pokie (a metallica, now 2 inches!) last year to see how I get on with it before potentially adding anymore Pokies to my collection - it seems to have been in premoult for months now, which is beginning to worry me a little....I thank god for my Ts, they have kept me sane during lockdown! Keep up the great videos, I really enjoy watching them.
Hello! No egg sac yet, but I also don't have any males yet. The one that I thought might be a male molted and then "disappeared". Last I counted, it seemed that I still had 6 in the tank. I may separate them soon, though, as the tank is getting kind of nasty and needs a good cleaning.
Prayers for the crippled girl. I'm glad your communals are doing well.
Thanks! She ate again yesterday, so hopefully she continues to do well. :)
Poor girl! I'm glad that she's doing good!
Thank you! So far, so good!
I feel so bad for her,but I'm glad she is doing well.
Thank you. Unfortunately, she ended up passing away. :(
im about to get 3 m balf slings thanks to this guy xD inspires us
That's awesome. Congrats!
Really enjoyed that love poakys
Thank you! I was glad that I could catch that many out. :)
I had no idea p Metallica could live together. awesome stuff
I have to rehouse these guys soon...they are getting so big! Thanks!
@@TomsBigSpiders I would love to see that. it's going to be a difficult task good luck bro ✌️
Wow that t at the end with the 2 year fast is crazy hopefully she can molt again poor baby
Thanks, Brian. She ate again yesterday, so so far, so good! :)
Happy all is ok.
Thank you, Bonnie!
Wow never did I think Male tarantulas would try breeding with each other
These guys try ALL the time. It's insane. And they go at it for a while, too.
Tom replying back to my comment has cured my depression ☀️
Love the video. I'm breeding my p metallica right now. I breed her back in September thought it went well left the male in for three weeks took him out seen him make a spermweb put him back in for another week. Thought she was going to drop a sack. I now have him back in with her. He still drumming but I'm sure he doesn't have much longer. Fingers crossed. She hasn't been eating and i hope she is not fixing to molt. She has been on a 6 months molt pattern, and it's going on 9 months her last molt.
Hey, Adam! That's awesome! Fingers crossed that you get a sac. I've heard that it can be tricky with this species. We definitely need more slings in the hobby. :)
Thank you. I hope i do i plan on keeping a few and doing a communal. Fingers crossed.
Both communals look great and congratulations for that. What do you think would happen if you put them in a 6 or 8 foot tank? Would they space out or still want to live close to each other?
Thanks so much, Cliff! With the balfouri I think that they would still congregate around each other. As for the P. metallica, it might encourage them to create their own territories, which could lead to friction.
; ) Good jup I love the video's
Thank you so much!
Great news on your chilensis 😘 perfect verb for what I also do on FB. Lurk. Stopped posting a few years ago but sometimes comment. So how many roaches should I feed my 4 balfouri communal? About 1 1/2 in +. Been feeding 1 mature female roach every week. Not sure if I should up it to 2. What do you think?
Hi, Meg! Yeah, I'm not a big FB person. lol It's just not my thing, and I get tired of the fighting and nastiness on some of the groups. I get enough immature drama teaching high school. Are you prekilling them? I would rip two in half and leave them in there (so, potentially 4 pieces). That way, you know that everyone is eating. Is it a dubia roach or a B. lat? I guess that would make a lot of difference. haha
@@TomsBigSpiders B. lats. I have been disabling them but still alive. The other night one was more mobile and just missed one of the bigger balfouri's take it down. He ate most of it, and went into their tunnels with the rest. Waiting on a shipment of b lats. Almost out. My ootha haven't been hatching. Need nymps for my K Brunnipes. Think it's living on springtails. Doesn't eat the mealworms I cut in half. It's 1/4 inch. Impulse buy LOL. Thanks for your input.
Hi Tom, love the video, especially with the H. chiliensis. I have a Euathlus truculentus female, adult female that is currently on a hunger strike. Do you think she'll do the same thing your chiliensis did?
Hi, David! Gosh, I hope not. This one caused me so much stress. I've had both females fast and then molt when skinny. It's such odd behavior to me.
@@TomsBigSpiders Definitely sounds stressful. I don't know when my female last molted, so I hope she doesn't do the same thing your chiliensis did.
Hello Tom. Enjoyed your video. Had to cut my collection down some due to me being gone a lot but still have about 20. But always enjoy catching your new videos. Good work. Thanks
Hello, Tim! Awww...sorry to hear that, but I'm glad that you're still in the hobby. Hope the new job is still going well. As always, it's a pleasure to hear from you. :)
And, of course, the tarantula has placed the molt in the water dish lol
Hahahaha. Of course! :)
I lost my first tarantula recently. At first I was really worried that I killed it but I know I didn't. I went away on vacation, came home and saw that she molted. Didn't mess with her for a week. One hour she was moving around, the next she wasn't moving. No death curl or anything. Just totally lifeless all of a sudden. Avic avic. Upon further inspection it seemed that she was bleeding. She had a weird lump on her abdomen prior to molting, thinking that's what did it. Still feels really bad to have an animal die in your care.
Awww...I'm so sorry to hear that! Was it possible that she had an abscess? Those can sometimes cause issues (bleeding) during a molt. That might have been what happened. :(
@@TomsBigSpiders Possibly? I was worried I starved her or made her dehydrated or something but I've studied tarantulas for 5 years and know avics to be especially more hardy than that. Her first molt with me was pretty weird too, she acted terrestrial and went into a death curl afterwards a few times.
Beautiful t's! My G. Rosea also quit eating for about 2 years. Might have eaten 3-5 crickets in that time but refused everything else. Finally molted and is eating more now, but still such a skinny butt! Hopefully the next molt will be really good.
I had a question though! You mentioned you might have to euthanize one of your t's... What does that entail? Is that something a tarantula keeper should know how to do or would you bring it to a vet? I've never heard of such a thing. Thanks for any info you may provide. 😊
So glad to hear that your G. rosea is doing well. The fasting seems to be quite prevalent with the wild caught Chilean species.
The most human way to euthanize them is freezing. They just basically fall asleep and then expire. In the wild they can get very cold, and they just slow down and go into shut down mode, so there is no pain.
@@TomsBigSpiders Thank you for letting me know! I really appreciate it. Haven't been able to find a vet that works with tarantulas yet, and he's my first and only tarantula so I've had to do a bunch to learn about him. 😊 I think he may have stopped eating after a stressful time in my life when I had to move a few times in rapid succession. I think it disturbed him. Maybe he was a wild caught and the travelling gave him flashbacks to when he was taken from his home. I wish I could ask him. 😋
had a chile rose ,female, that refused food of all kinds for nearly a year.. then just went back to normal feeding.. didnt seem to harm her at all and can only put it down to a reaction to one of the male ts telling her she looked fat
Hahahaha Those insensitive male! Bahahaha
Are Gooty Saphires really that good to have as a communal? I am wanting to start a communal tank and have been struggling to find the right species to go with. I understand this isn't common and you need to find specific species in order to make it work
I have to revisit this soon, but I would not do it again. Although some of them did quite well and grew very quickly in the communal, a couple others remained quite small. You also have to keep them kind of cramped to have it work, which seems kind of selfish. For anyone wanting to have a communal, I would recommend the M. balfouri. They seem to truly thrive in one.
Any tips for a first time communal attempt? I've toyed with the idea for about a year now, & I'm open to any tips, info or suggestions before making an attempt.
Hi, Trevor! Which species are you starting with? The "rules" tend to differ depending on what species it is.
Question. Does inbreeding affect tarantulas? Several people have said yes and others said no. I've been avoiding starting one up to prevent it and don't want to have to buy from separate breeders online or an expo to avoid that. It'd be expensive as heck and a pain in the posterior. Please help! I would very much love to start it and observe their behavior from one of my top ts! Thanks in advance! I have 15 ts so far!
Supposedly not if not over done. Many of the specimens in the hobby were original bred from siblings. It's always great to get diverse genes when breeding, though, so many try not to do it too often. In a communal, the males should mature first, so you can just pluck them out before the ladies are ready.
Hey Tom! Hope you’re well? I had my first escape and found one of the p metallica slings on my ceiling tonight! Had no idea how it escaped.. so I kind of freaked out because I thought wow maybe they are just too small at the moment to keep a close enough eye on so I’ve split them up. Is there a way to put them back together after they’ve moulted a couple of times and put on some size? If not I think maybe I’ll just have to keep them seperate. What size enclosure would you recommend for 2-3 cm slings? They were in a small kritter keeper but I think one of them got through the slits in the lid.. 🙈 made a rookie mistake there
Hello, Richard! Oh no! I'm so glad that you found it. Yeah, the kritter keepers are not appropriate for smaller slings, unfortunately. I don't put anything smaller than 4.5 cm or so in them. They can escape through the ventilation slits. And we've ALL been there, bud! I caught a 1.25" sling escaping through the slats on one years ago. haha Glad that it ended well!
@@TomsBigSpiders Thanks Tom! I've separated them for now. I may revist the communal after a while as I'd love a pokie Communal :)
i wrote you a note on the balf comun, Oct 15, 2017 -and it may apply to the p met too. maybe it can help, lemme know what you think. thx
Yeah, I'll be curious to see how the two are similar and how they differ. There is a bit less of the social interaction with the metallicas so far.
What are your thoughts on making a p. Metallica communal with 3 juvenile sac mates that are around 2.5-3” dls.
I would not try with ones that have been separated for that long.
Hey Tom is it possible to determine the sex of a gooty from the underside like the one with that big burrito?
Yes, usually the females have a pronounced "lip" once they hit 4" or so.
sir would it be fine to only have 2pmet slings in a communal? thank you sir and more power!
If they were sac mates, it might work out. You would just not want to give them too much room.
Hi tom.
Great video.
I admire your video work ❤️
I have question
If i keep 1 metallica and add another new metallica which is smaller size, will it be ok?
Or should i put them together at a time?
I am hoping for your answer.
Thanks mate 🙏🏼😊
Thank you so much!
And, no...I definitely wouldn't add in a smaller one. It will most certainly be eaten. These guys have been together since they hatched, as that's the best way to start a communal with them. Hope that helps!
@@TomsBigSpiders
owh... okay, good point.
It’s clear. Thanks for your time.
Believe it or not i keep telling people that your channel the most comprehensive among others.
Give my regards to your fam
Success tom 😊
@@rebornshoebag No problem! Unfortunately, the pokies aren't like say the M. balfouri, that seem to naturally do really well in a variety of situation. For the the P. metallicas, you have to follow the "rules"...and even then there is a chance that things don't go wel.
And thank you so much! I truly appreciate it!
@@TomsBigSpiders well said ❤
Once again thank you so much
Mr T! Lol. Do you sell anything or are you more of a collector? I didn’t know if you breed or not. I want to buy a few mi
Hi, Andy! When I do produce slings, I sell them wholesale. Unfortunately, I don't have the time to raise and sell them myself. :)
Tom's got hair!!!!
Hahahahaha! Yeah, I'm done with the short hair for a while. lol
do monocentropus balfouris have to live communally, like if you just had one would it get lonely? bcus theyre such beautiful spiders but theyre quite expensive and I cant really afford more than one atm but I wouldnt get just one if would be unhappy w/ out friends
Hey! No, they don't I raised three separately years ago, and they did fine. They just grew a bit more slowly. You can certainly raise one a lone. :)
oh thats good there is a spider fair near me next month maybe I will be able to get one then. its def on the list I spiders I really really want
weird that they would grow slower on their own. maybe they compete for food when theres lots of them and end up eating more
The M Balfouri look like they have stopped getting bigger. Are they fully mature? The poci's are doing well. That last story was one of the reasons I think keeping T's is getting popular. There is a kind of immortality about female T's. The best thing to do was what you did. Make water available to them and otherwise leave them alone. Instinctively I believe they know from species memory or just inborn knowledge how to heal themselves. They must do this in the wild all the time. This was a really great video Tom. Happy summer vacay!
They've definitely slowed down a bit. They are almost the same size as my 6-year-old female now. I'm so glad that the pocis are doing well. They're at that size where some folks supposedly have trouble with them. I was so relieved when this girl molted...and shocked! Thanks so much, Joyce!
Hey brother whats the title of your warning about ispods in tarantula enclosure
Hello! I didn't do a video on it yet, only a podcast. Here's the link:
www.buzzsprout.com/148967/episodes/3604528-the-dangers-of-isopods-and-wild-caught-shame
i really want a h. chilensis, but i couldn't find one till now in germany
They've very difficult to find around here, too. :(
With the balfouri communal do they have to be introduced rite away as slings or can adults be thrown in together and co- habitate. Can the spiders be diff sizes/ages? Also sex wise can the communals be co-ed? How do u regulate mating?
I think this recent video will answer most of these questions! ua-cam.com/video/GbWlnwANyOI/v-deo.html
AS for mating, supposedly, the female won't lay a sac if a male is present. That would explain why I've had no offspring even though they have been breeding for close to two years.
Thanks Tom!!! Just finished watching it and yes def answered all my questions! Thank u very much for everything u do!! Keep it up! 🙌🏻
Isn’t it possible that and especially because it could be a wild caught species; that if I may, a defensive measure🤔 In regards to drought. Their origins are from Chile and the droughts there can go on for years. Maybe it was a reactive reaction due to the fact it could be wild caught and the change in environment clicked on a specific survival instinct that made it fast? when it became stressed 🤷🏾♂️
Hi, Ryan! I think that could absolutely be the root of the issue. They definitely seem to key into environmental triggers that we don't always recognize or understand. I thought of this at one point and tried moistening down part of the substrate. I wanted to simulate a rainy season. Unfortunately, it didn't work, but it might not have been enough to overcome that instinct.
Maybe, she would be the type of species that would flourish in a bioactive setup. 🤔i can definitely see a change of behavior and restoration with that. Real plants making certain micro climates within the enclosure. 🧐 but keeping it arid?
It's funny that you mention that, as I've been considering it. I've tried several different setups with these guys to try to make them comfortable, and that was going to be my next step.
I will say that the other female I have has FINALLY done a bunch of burrowing and webbing in her enclosure. I've had her for about 6-7 years, and she has never truly seemed to settle in.
Grabeng intro naka ilang ulit ako don ah.
Thank you!
Sir, may i ask. What do you do if a small mold starts at the burrow.
In my M. Balfouri communal. I saw small patches of circular mold at the bottom of their enclosure.
Is there an alternative to rehousing or change of substrate that will not destroy their home?
Are you keeping them moist? I would let it dry out, which should kill the mold. Is it just a little mold? White or yellow?
Tom Moran thank you very much sir for replying
The molds i saw are white. Nevertheless, I would follow your advice to keep it dry out.
@@overheatPH If you allow things to dry out a bit in that area, it should stop the mold. If you see more, or if it starts to blow up, you may have to scoop it out.
Tom Moran okay okay, thank you so much sir for the big solution.
It has been a big question in my mind what to do whenever i would see molds.
Hey Tom. I just picked my first M. Balfouri at the last expo. Is it true that they are mostly females? Hard to find a male?
Thanks in advance! 😀
Unfortunately, that is NOT the case. In fact, many folks end up with males. I have at least 4 males in mine, and a buddy of mine who had a communal of 10 ended up with 9 males. They should be pretty easy to come by. :)
Tom Moran Thanks Tom. I was going to buy another one from a seller I’m not 100% trust. Good thing I decided not to get from him. He was telling me that he has more females than males.
@@RootsBassCanada Hey, I guess it's possible he does. I've just spoken to several folks who have reported more males. Mark from Mark's Tarantulas had four I think, and all four turned out male as well.
Hey Tom I was wondering what type of container do you use for hold your avics in ? Or if anyone else knows the name that'd be really useful .
Hi, Ben! Adults or slings? For adults, I've been switching over to the Exo Terra Nano Talls.
@@TomsBigSpiders mainly adults, as I saw those large plastic containers that you used to keep your avicularia Metallica in your beginner species.
@@thelegobrickdude Oh! Those are large/x-large critter keepers. I believe I got those from Pet Mountain. www.petmountain.com/product/lees-kritter-keeper-large
@@TomsBigSpiders thank you 👍 :)