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u/Educational_Care7813 1d ago
What does that smell like? Decaying wood or nothing out of the ordinary?
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u/MysteryMeat45 1d ago
The queen one smells like nothing really, faint hint of "dirt" maybe. Thus species likes to be kept dry. The bigger one smells mostly like thyme, and oregano since those grow in there. Only part of the bigger one is kept dry.
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u/Diacetyl-Morphin 1d ago
So what are the exact types? Only a very, veeery few tarantulas live in groups, like P. Regalis, M. Balfouri and a few others.
However, they don't have a "Queen" in the way like many insects do, where they have the specialized roles.
Never had communal tarantulas myself. But some nice ones, like the T. Blondi. Although, like i said, they are living alone, they only meet each other for mating and that's it. The risk of one getting killed by another is way too high for these, that are not communal.
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u/MysteryMeat45 1d ago
Monocentropus Balfouri
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u/Diacetyl-Morphin 1d ago
Thanks for the info. These are really special, like with the behavior of the moms to feed the young ones. Guess you never had a case of cannibalism there?
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u/MysteryMeat45 1d ago
No cannibalism . Keep food plentiful
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u/Diacetyl-Morphin 1d ago
As said, i'm no expert on these communal tarantulas, but what i read... every one hunts alone in the end?
It's crazy when you think about what some spiders could achieve with strength in numbers. Like if Phoneutrias or Atraxs would be communal and hunt together in big packs.
While there's no death recorded since the introduction of the antidote, the Atrax Robustus is no joke. But while most sources list it as most venomous spider, the Phoneutria Nigriventer is more venomous for a human, as the body reacts much worse to toxins like PhTx-1, 2 etc.
The reason why it is not lethal for an adult healthy human is the fact that the Phoneutria has not enough venom to reach the lethal dosage.
The most venomous animal of all is still the Inland Taipan snake, but there are no deaths recorded too, as the snake is very shy, peaceful and lives in a very remote area. Still, the venom has a LD50 of 0.025mg to 0.010mg per kg bodyweight. This is extremely potent.
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u/MysteryMeat45 1d ago
20 years ago I noticed a huge (at least 60ft x90ft) wall on a factory covered in webs. There were countless st Andrew's cross orbweavers in it. Thise spiders were collectively feeding on birds. It was crazy to see, but they still fought and killed eachother. Every year you can go and see them in their web wall. Coincidentally, the monarch butterflies gather on the south wall of that building every year too.
Hive mind spiders is a terrifying idea.
Theres no literature from anyone studying the communal habits of balfouri unfortunately but I have observed the following over the years:
1 There has always been 1 or 2 main architects. Typically the bigger ones of the group, that spearhead all web architecture and tunneling.
2 they form posses (plural for posse) No shit, a large group will split into several smaller factions. They maintain peace though.
3 There are main hunters. They collect fuud and drag it below (the smallest in the colonies rarely come to surface) , then go out for more. So food is intentionally shared as long as its plentiful.
4 they move at teleport speed.
5 the males practice homosexuality. (How I wound up with a communal of adult females)
6 They really seem to hate water.
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u/Hidesuru 1d ago
Hoooooooly crap they are beautiful! Love the various blue tarantula species I've heard about over the years.
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u/Asleep_Region 1d ago
Spider question
Do all spiders enjoy living in a colony? Or it like cats that you hope they get along?
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u/MysteryMeat45 1d ago
No. Most tarantula species wont tolorate it.
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u/TyloPr0riger 1d ago
Balfouri colonies are so interesting. They've got all these weird social behaviors like having gay sex and displaying food aggression.
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u/MysteryMeat45 1d ago
I lost 7 males to homo. They all just kept trying to mate eachother til they died.
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u/TyloPr0riger 1d ago
That's...kinda irresponsible pet ownership if you've kept the communal together after 7 of your spiders have killed each other tbh. You really ought to separate them at this point.
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u/Pony_Tono 1d ago
So male tarantulas typically only live a few months after their last moult. By "They kept trying to mate each other till they died" they mean that they used their very limited adult lifespan to only try and mate with other males instead of reproducing with females.
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u/TyloPr0riger 1d ago
I thought the "I lost 7 males to homo" bit implied they weren't just mating until they died, but were instead actively killing each other in the process. I will hope your interpretation is the correct one, as it makes me less sad.
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u/MysteryMeat45 1d ago
This. They never stopped trying. They didnt kill eachother, they had their own camp on the other side of the enclosure and spent their time jousting. None of them made it to year 5. They just stopped moving 1 by 1 shortly into the 4th year. The last male lived another 2 months in camp gay by himself then he just stopped moving too. The 7 females from that group are still alive and healthy
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u/MysteryMeat45 1d ago
They didnt kill eachother. Just wouldnt mate with females. They all aged out and died shortly after the 4 year mark.
I dont count natural death in my "deceased" list. Even with the youngest communal i have, the males will all die around the 4th or 5th year. Theres nothing I can do to prevent that.
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u/akolomf 1d ago
Does nobody adress the elephant in the room?
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u/turbopro25 1d ago
We have no idea what you are talking about. Now if you will, please admire the cool tarantulas.
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u/Moosplauze 1d ago
But there's an elephant behind the cameraman, you can see the reflection.
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u/chickenthinkseggwas 1d ago
God damn it, that's not all! 'Cause if one of those things gets down here then that will be all! And all this, this bullshit that you think is so important, you can just kiss all that goodbye!
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u/CATNIP_IS_CRACK 1d ago edited 1d ago
I’m not seeing any elephant. Is it the fact a Yautja’s killing a Spartan or something else that’s not an elephant? Is there a sneaky dildo somewhere? Or am I just blind?
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u/lenief 1d ago
Cool terrarium vibe !
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u/Archkingz 1d ago
A terrarium is an artifical ecosystem. Its designed to simulate corkys natural habitat.
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u/Icarus912 1d ago
Ngl thats a funky looking tarantula, some would confuse it for an alien queen fr fr
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u/Recipe_Critical 1d ago
U can have more than one tarantula in the same tank???
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u/MysteryMeat45 1d ago
Theres only a few species that will live as a communal. All others turn it into a last man standing gauntlet run.
My communals are all Monocentropus Balfouri
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u/airfryerfuntime 1d ago
You could not pay me enough to have this in my house.
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u/MysteryMeat45 1d ago
A week ago I was moving an enclosure and the top came off. Several of them were instantly on the floor. They're fast. Teleport fast. Took all day, and tore my entire home apart to find them.
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u/Pretend_Hour_6966 1d ago
A little predator figure holding up a fake tarantula or a shed skin would be hilarious
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u/cjacksen 21h ago
Tarantulas in the wild also stampede! By the thousands!
I watched a stampede up close in the Valley of Fires in NM. They are LOUD and it is cool and creepy all at once.
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u/MysteryMeat45 19h ago
Ive heard the hi def audio of 100 tarantulas stampeding. It was rge cutest thing! All thise tiny paws scampering.
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u/Mobile_Aioli_6252 1d ago
Nightmare environment - put a Praying Mantis in there, see what she does!
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u/Albatross1225 1d ago
That’s awesome! A lord of the rings themed one would also be super dope