Viva Scarab for M balfouri communal Expert! Thas sounds extremely exciting. If I am this excited about it I can even imagine what excitement you have bottled up in you. Hehehheheh. All the best. I know I for one am very interested and will read volumes of your findings and experiences.

Really looking forward to hearing about your progress. And I look forward to one day owning a few m balfouris.

Thanks for documenting and sharing this Scarab. It is priceless in value to many readers, I am sure.

Scarab wrote: I could probably write volumes on what I have noticed about their behavior, parenting and tolerance towards each other.

Well, go for it! This would surely be something unique and a wonderful read, appreciated all across the globe, Scarab!

I have started three moths ago, but because all this breeding and rearing young does not happen in a jiffy, it will still take a few months to complete.

Across the globe? If it's read by someone from across the Vaal River I'd be happy. :blush:

Scarab wrote: Once I have the 15 living together, I will construct an enclosure big enough to house 15 adults. Once this is completed, I will remove the adult female and place the 15 juveniles into their new home. I envisage a 1700 X 800 X 800 enclosure with slopes and rocky outcrops, resembling the slopes of the Deksam plateau in Socotra. Here they will remain into adulthood and with any luck, reproduce naturally by 2013/14.

It has been a dream of mine for years, now it is happening...

That is something I would like to see, Will you be adding some plants for moisture? or will you want to have the Setup as natural looking as possible?

Must say those mushroom trees (Socotra Dragon Trees (Dracaena cinnabari), are awesome!


Congratulation on the dream becoming a reality.

I agree on the Dragon Tree mate, exceptional. I will be adding plants yes, but the enclosure will be kept dry (ish). It does not rain much in Socotra, these spiders seemingly reliant on moisture drifting in from the coast. It will resemble a rock garden, stacked on substrate with plants for the obvious reasons. There will be substantial rock boulders and many nooks and crannies. The decoration will be sloped with the front lower than the back in the hope that most burrows will exit to the front. I will make a lot of "starter holes" in the hope they will be occupied...

A dash of useless information:

Socotra is often called "The Galapagos of the Indian Ocean". The island was not formed by volcanic activity as countless other archipelagos, but was torn away from Africa millions of years ago. It is estimated that 75% of the fauna and flora found on the island is unique to Socotra and found nowhere else on earth. It is little wonder then, and very likely that M balfouri was a North Eastern African Baboon spider that evolved into what we know today. This is not scientific fact, just speculation on my part. There are similarities in behavior between some African Tarantulas and M balfouri, which strengthens this theory (for me anyway).

Wow. Thanks for the update Scarab till date it still seems like the mother is caring and feeding them very well, I also hope this communal will prove that breeding in a huge communal will be more successful. BUT we will keep an eye open and watch this thread till 2013/14