# keeping Poecilotheria as a group



## pcharlton (Mar 23, 2012)

which porcilotheria would be best kept in a group ie more chance of working/


----------



## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

None. I tend to go along with if you pay for them and want to give them the best life then keep them separate


----------



## pcharlton (Mar 23, 2012)

cheers


----------



## Kamike (Aug 3, 2009)

All bar ornata and rufilata I think can be kept together.

Kept regalis & striata together for ages with no issues. Ask Martin Lees about his communes I think he has at least ten of each species except ornata, rufilata and metallica and had no issues.


----------



## Veyron (Mar 29, 2011)

Kamike said:


> All bar ornata and rufilata I think can be kept together.
> 
> Kept regalis & striata together for ages with no issues. Ask Martin Lees about his communes I think he has at least ten of each species except ornata, rufilata and metallica and had no issues.


You'd need some serious dosh to want to attempt keeping P. Metallica together :gasp:


Alot depends on the tank size and hides, as no T is, as far as I'm aware, 'communal'. They do not like eachother, but provided there is enough space and food, it _can_ work.


----------



## pcharlton (Mar 23, 2012)

Veyron said:


> You'd need some serious dosh to want to attempt keeping P. Metallica together :gasp:
> 
> 
> Alot depends on the tank size and hides, as no T is, as far as I'm aware, 'communal'. They do not like eachother, but provided there is enough space and food, it _can_ work.


i dont know how true this is but i it works better if the is just one place for them all to go like a branch if they have hides the bigger ones take over and thats were the troble starts


----------



## Poxicator (Nov 14, 2007)

selina20 said:


> None. I tend to go along with if you pay for them and want to give them the best life then keep them separate


I don't know why you say this Selina, even you've seen my communals, way back in 2008, at my house, with Colin Wilson. 3 mature male P. rufilata:











Veyron said:


> You'd need some serious dosh to want to attempt keeping P. Metallica together :gasp:
> Alot depends on the tank size and hides, as no T is, as far as I'm aware, 'communal'. They do not like eachother, but provided there is enough space and food, it _can_ work.


The people that attempt communal P. metallica, and tbh a lot of the other species are the breeders. There's a guy who often posts updates on his community of P. metallica on Facebook, I believe its one of the Poecilotheria groups as well as the BTS FB page and they're doing very well. 
Poecilotheria prefer to be forced into a community with 1 large hide. In my experience large enclosures and several hides smells of failure.



pcharlton said:


> i dont know how true this is but i it works better if the is just one place for them all to go like a branch if they have hides the bigger ones take over and thats were the troble starts


Size is no reflection on whether things work out or not as this pic clearly shows, from my P. regalis community:









Ive kept lots of different communities, including subfusca, regalis, striata, pederseni, miranda, formosa and rufilata. Ive even kept ornata but these dont seem to do so well, so 2 x 4 ornata failed, 1 x 4 ornata succeeded.

Ive written about my communities on lots of forums, so if you do a search you'll find lots of pictures.


----------



## pcharlton (Mar 23, 2012)

Poxicator said:


> I don't know why you say this Selina, even you've seen my communals, way back in 2008, at my house, with Colin Wilson. 3 mature male P. rufilata:
> image
> 
> 
> ...


 cheers will have a look i love them rehomeing vids it works ps of topic how much for the chile sause :lol2:


----------



## Poxicator (Nov 14, 2007)

tee-hee that chilli sauce has lots of takers. Its damned hot but damned delicious. Next project is chilli jam


----------



## pcharlton (Mar 23, 2012)

i tried:whistling2::whistling2: bet that will be nice


----------



## dragon's den (Oct 6, 2010)

I kept 180 striata together from N1, i kept on selling them until i was left with a small bunch, i transferred them and counted 25. I transferred them again when sub-adult and still had 25.
Transferring:


















I kept subfusca lowland communally for a while when i first bred them a few years ago but separated them to keep tabs on genders. I am currently keeping 5 metallica communally from my breeding a few months ago
metallica:








I'm sure i will try more soon.


----------



## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

Poxicator said:


> I don't know why you say this Selina, even you've seen my communals, way back in 2008, at my house, with Colin Wilson. 3 mature male P. rufilata:
> image
> 
> 
> ...


Yes i did see your communes (thanks for the photo Pete :bash. However i just cannot do it. I hate the risk associated in it and its just easier for me to keep them separate. The OP asked for opinions and i gave him mine!


----------



## Tarantulaguy01 (Mar 31, 2012)

Poxicator said:


> tee-hee that chilli sauce has lots of takers. Its damned hot but damned delicious. Next project is chilli jam


Now that sounds so yummy even if it does blow your bum off :lol2:


----------



## martin lees (Jan 4, 2011)

As you probably know I've got communes of most of the pokie species.
I've got 9 P.Rufilata( no problems in 12 months since 2 nd instar)
9 P.Subfusca HL ( no probs in 12 months)
7 P.Smithi ( lost one in 9 months)
10 p.fasciata ( lost none)
5 P.Striata (lost none)
8 P.Striata ( lost none)
8 p.subfusca LL (lost 3 at 2nd instar)
5 p.regalis ( separated as all matured)
8 P.Pederseni( lost 2 at 2 nd instar)
5 P.Metallica ( lost 3 at 2nd instar and separated other 2)
7 p.miranda ( these are my favourite commune.and are now sub adult)
If you keep then close together with just one hide they seen to do well,and don't scrimp on the feeding as I think this is why I lost a few at the early stages.But when they get past 3 rd instar they seem to do fine.Im just starting to get Males maturing in my communes now.


----------



## pcharlton (Mar 23, 2012)

martin lees said:


> As you probably know I've got communes of most of the pokie species.
> I've got 9 P.Rufilata( no problems in 12 months since 2 nd instar)
> 9 P.Subfusca HL ( no probs in 12 months)
> 7 P.Smithi ( lost one in 9 months)
> ...


you need to let me have a look at your set up :notworthy::notworthy::notworthy:


----------



## pcharlton (Mar 23, 2012)

dragon's den said:


> I kept 180 striata together from N1, i kept on selling them until i was left with a small bunch, i transferred them and counted 25. I transferred them again when sub-adult and still had 25.
> Transferring:
> image
> 
> ...


cheers i might have a go next year and realy nice pics:no1::no1:


----------



## garlicpickle (Jan 16, 2009)

I've had a big group of P. subfusca together since hatching in June 2011, I rehoused them 6 months or so ago and all 28 were still alive. I haven't checked the numbers since as it would involve disturbing them, but I haven't seen any chewed up remains or any signs of fighting over food. I think there are some males starting to mature (I'm sure I saw a MM the other night but it dashed into the tube when I put the light on)


----------



## Poxicator (Nov 14, 2007)

*Safely back on topic now.
*Lets put the insults and veiled snide remarks away please as Ive got a bunch of yellow and red cards nearly passed their sell-by date, itching to be used.


----------



## sn8ks4life (Jul 27, 2011)

ide love too keep a commune, i dont own enough money to buy 20 pokies from the same sac yet:devil::lol2: or enough adults too breed, damn lifes hard aint it:whistling2: lmao... nice pics thou people, and pete, that photos brilliant, james looks so happy lol


----------



## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

I would like to add that i do not object to Pete using the photo as long as insults are kept to pm please.


----------



## Lucky Eddie (Oct 7, 2009)

I have three highland subbies all together in a sweetie jar. They have been together for a about a year now.

I also have a jar of 4 smithiis from two different sacs. They all live together in the same burrow. Its well cool when one wants to move and the others dont!

My biggest fear with communes is feeding and finding one sling is in pre-molt.


----------



## Poxicator (Nov 14, 2007)

Ive not photographed all my communities but here are some from previous years:

*P. miranda
*The Departure Lounge









The arrivals

















The reunion









The new home









Lunch is served


----------



## Poxicator (Nov 14, 2007)

Here's my P. subfusca community, 5 of them living together. These were purchased as about 1" slings and went on to father 1 sac. 
You'll have to forgive the quality of the pix, the sweet jars aren't the easiest to take pix through.

























All my pokie enclosures are set up with vermiculite/peat substrate with a top layer of tropical woodlice/springtails colony in peat/woodchips. Temperatures range from 70-85 depending on time of day/season. Maintained in off-dry environment with plenty of food available.


----------



## Poxicator (Nov 14, 2007)

My 3 x Poecilotheria rufliata (Redslate Ornamental) living in a sweet jar. Each about 4" living communally since egg sac, All matured as males and produced 1 successful sac.
They were always touching each other and moving around different parts of the enclosure. The sweet jar is clearer than the images show as it reflects lots of light but after a while I rehoused them into an 12x12x18 Exo-Terra.


















I put the whole sweet jar into their furnished Exo and waited.
Here's a pic from above prior to putting them in.









In went the sweet jar and I left them to it.

















Over a 2 week period I occassionally saw 1 leave the sweet jar and roam but never more than 1









Over the following week the largest decided to move out and take up residence in the tube. The occasional roam gave some good opportunities for pix.

















The 2nd moved out a few days later but the last one needed most of the furnishing removed and a good soaked soil to convince it to abandon the sweet jar. The first night they seemed to be in seperated places - one round the back of the tubes the other 2 in different tubes. However they soon found each other again and had a group hug.


----------



## Poxicator (Nov 14, 2007)

Here's a pic of a P. ornata, one of four in my Pokie community of 4, approx 2"









And here's my enclosure for my smaller P. ornata, they're rather well hidden, 4 of them less than 1".


----------



## Poxicator (Nov 14, 2007)

Here's a pic of all 3 of my rufilata out, 1 blurred at front, 1 in middle and 1 at top left.


----------



## Poxicator (Nov 14, 2007)

4 x P. ornata with sizes ranging from 2-4".









30 x P. ornata was my biggest project but I gradually reduced it:


----------



## Poxicator (Nov 14, 2007)

5 x P. subfusca moved in to the enclosure formely housing the rufilata. Now these are so communal its untrue although they seem to be a little more skittish than other pokies, perhaps because the temperatures are warmer than they should be.


----------



## Poxicator (Nov 14, 2007)

Here's my community of 23 x P. regalis from Ray Gabriel:


----------



## Lucky Eddie (Oct 7, 2009)

Poxicator said:


> they seem to be a little more skittish than other pokies, perhaps because the temperatures are warmer than they should be.


TBH Peter, I just think they are skittish!

My little group is at 'shed temp' which is only 22C and they never seem to settle when being observed. .............but it could be the light.


----------



## dragon's den (Oct 6, 2010)

Poxicator said:


> Ive not photographed all my communities but here are some from previous years:
> 
> *P. miranda
> *The Departure Lounge
> ...


Very nice pics pete! 
Heres some more of my striata commune.
An old pic of when i took their hide out:









Just before i transferred to a bigger enclosure, looks more cramped than it actually was, thats a big sweet jar.









And in their new village:









I have some smithi now too and will definitely be trying these out!


----------



## oliwilliams (Feb 23, 2010)

Poxicator said:


> My 3 x Poecilotheria rufliata (Redslate Ornamental) living in a sweet jar. Each about 4" living communally since egg sac, All matured as males and produced 1 successful sac.


 How did you manage that pete? all 3 males and a sac? :whistling2:


----------



## Poxicator (Nov 14, 2007)

er! I sent them out, and one was successful with the ladies


----------



## pcharlton (Mar 23, 2012)

all pics are brill:2thumb::2thumb:


----------



## AilsaM (May 18, 2011)

pcharlton said:


> all pics are brill:2thumb::2thumb:


This ^^^^^^^^
Some really cracking pics on this thread :no1:


----------

