Shakou

Glad this could make a difference to you and your mates... was the intention from the onset.

I understand your apprehension about adding your slings into a communal. It has always been the case as very few people were/are willing to take the risk. From what I have learnt, I would say it is safe. I can't see any danger to them living together. Knowing what I know now, I would go for it, if a communal is indeed something you want.

The similarities between M balfouri and P murinus would probably make a P murinus communal successful as well. It is illegal for us to keep P murinus in South Africa, so I have no experience with them. I must say however that in my view, M balfouri used to be an African Baboon Spider and was separated from the continent when Socotra drifted North East. From what I have seen at a friends house, some of our local Baboon Spiders share breeding and communal habits with M balfouri, thus my opinions about P murinus. No scientific facts to prove this theory, other than observation and a pinch of common sense.

I would be honored if you start a thread on your forums, and with the greatest of pleasure refer to this one. I will keep this thread updated. It is a bit quiet in my communal at the moment. I can say "business as usual", I suppose until the egg case hatches. The fun and games will start then because I will not be harvesting any of those slings until they pack their bags and set up home on their own. It will be one of my most important observations to date because it will indicate the time period the young depend on the mother.

I appreciate your regular visits Shakou... and good luck with your ventures also !!

Hey man, that's great, thank you!

I'm pretty eager to see how this egg sac works out as well as you have a couple of generations in there already. I was telling someone about this at work yesterday and my plans to follow in your foot steps. He just looked at me like I was mad haha.

I'm not so worried about the introduction of the 6 slings tomorrow, more the lone sling that is already established. I'm hoping it will "recognise" that it is in with its own kind and just settle. If it is successful then it is another factor we can share about introductions and can be archived for reference . I'll be sure to update you on how this goes.

It is a shame there are so many restrictions on keeping native local species where you are mate as you have such beautiful specimens. I have 6 species of baboon spider now. which I think span various regions from South to central and East Africa. They are by far my most interesting spiders and also my most dangerous and fastest. Mostly all small but growing well and looking good.

Scarab, you're becoming quite famous overseas. Soon Stanley A. Schultz is going to want to put you into the next revision of The Tarantula Keepers Guide with this great achievement. And you might even be invited overseas to speak at Tarantula Expos (If there are any). Good luck.

It would be awesome if you contribute to this thread with your own experiences Shakou, and yes, I understand the condescending comments and posturing... just do what you do mate...

Firefly, Uncle Stan has better things to do and publish, I humbly appreciate the comment though!! Fame is a sly prostitute with dangerous liaisons. Speaking at ANY expo would be my worst nightmare, spending two months on the slopes of the Diksam plateau on Socotra with only my wife and the Fitams, an absolute dream.

Scarab wrote: spending two months on the slopes of the Diksam plateau on Socotra with only my wife and the Fitams, an absolute dream.

...you left me out. I will be carrying the luggage.

Always wanted to do this. Finally figured it all out.

This is a time lapse video of the female inside the communal, with her egg case.

Jargon:

Images taken with Canon EOS 450D linked to an Intervalometer.
Images taken at 1 minute intervals between about 06H15 and 05H30.
Total images taken 746.
Video about 25 fps.
Edits done in PhotoShop and Windows Movie Maker (after a moerse struggle). The experts say the images should not flicker in the final movie, but for the life of me, that's why they are experts. I beg forgiveness for your headache... :blush:

I admit not much happens, but this has opened doors and unexplored avenues for me. What I did see from the clips is some egg case manipulation once, and in the wee hours of the morning.

Anyway, it's a start.