Tarantula Mythbuster Video 37 - Detailed Vid on the Monocentropus Species

[xhexdx]

Monocentropus is a genus, not a species.

Just FYI. :)

[Jon3800]

@xhexdx

oops, sorry

[PersonalGeek]

you're dead on about AB attitude toward newbies. Having been a member since 2005, the thing that irritates me and most other veteran members is the same G.rosea question over and over without searching. Often this from members who are aware of the using the search function.

As for this species, this genus rocks and i wish I had the cash for one of them and they're pretty mean! lol

[nathair82]

Hey Jon,

M. balfouri are pretty easy to get your hands on over in the UK, available from a couple different sorces at present. Ranging from 25-30 Pounds per sling. One person even has grown on slings/juvi for 30 Sterling. plan on keeping some this year, so slings will be the way I'll go!

[AlexRC113]

I absolutely LOVE the adult colorations of the Balfouri. I first saw pics of this sp about 6 months ago, and fell in love with them. Looked up as much as I could on them because I was planning on getting one only to be disappointed by 2 things. 1st, I didn't know until looking them up that they were OW's (not ready to start collecting OW's yet), and 2nd, there was so little detailed info available on them for me to feel confident with keeping one. I had no idea they would be so expensive.

[Jon3800]

@AlexRC113

they're very rare, so that's why they're priced so high and because of that not much info is available on them...I've been keeping that M.lambertoni like an OBT, and so far so good.

[AlexRC113]

@Jon3800 Yea, hopefully they do become more of a widespread T, and get a whole lot cheaper in the near future. The webbing that the Balfouri do is incredible, besides their color that's another thing that caught my eye for them.

[AntiGravity909]

I got it as rossssss lol

[AntiGravity909]

Watch that vid I made last night on this areboreal tank I found at rossfor 12 bucks

[Suicidalsock]

Spiderlings are £25 in England

[Suicidalsock]

What age do the males and females begin to differ in colour? I have one. Wondering if i could tell by looking what he is :)

[Jon3800]

@Suicidalsock

when they are sexually mature. I know the slings are £25. You're like the 4th person to say it :)

[DerpShroom]

Nice vid cant wait for the Tapinauchenius Mythbuster if you do make it,i love those guys :D

[Jon3800]

@DerpShroom

one will definitely come

[Sturmy76]

Interesting, M. balfouri Spiderling (30 € here) :)

[JackOfAllTrades0404]

Hey how do I prove to my mom that a rose haired tarantula wont murder me? Lol. She lets me get reptiles with my own money only if they're "cute"(geckos) so I don't think an arachnid will go over well but i've wanted 1 since i was 10(i'm 15)and I've got the habitat and food source ready to go. Great videos btw you really know your stuff :)

[Jon3800]

@JackOfAllTrades0404

Jack, you can show your mom some of my videos to convince you into buying a tarantula. A rose hair is by far no means a deadly species. The bite from one is similar to that of a bee sting.

[Hawks1980]

Just a small correction in your video description. The UK link for Virginia Cheeseman is wrong. For some reason it won't let me post the correct link.

Cheers

Tom.

[Jon3800]

@Hawks1980

Thanks Tom, it's been corrected. Youtube comments don't accept URLs

[edward2227]

great video i must say from owing an m.balfouri that growth rate is slow as ive had mine over a year and she still has not molted once but i agree they are nice and expensive i payed

£170 for mine when i got her a year ago

[YogDodoth]

i just have to say, never, never, never buy a tarantula at a pet store 99% these T's are captured. Breeders have best tarantulas, without diseases and/or parasites, adaptable to the enclosures and they dont die by stress. Buying a g.rosea at a pet store means: the rosea will die in 2 weeks by stress, disease, old age.. STOP BUYING CAPTURED ANIMALS

[Jaredr781]

thanks for the vid!!

anyways, whoever lives in the US

Swift Inverts has 1" Mbalfouri for $150

[jamiearid]

i stole one from a show lmao

[LarsWS]

Ouch. I feel for you guys. I picked up a few of each species at €40 per spiderling.

[Sacco112]

That's a crazy price difference, in the UK i could buy a sling M.Balfouri for £25!!

[Tisoyspiders]

So the Prices youre Talking about is realy Crazy !!! Order One from Europe cause its muuuuch cheaper!!! Just an advice !! Great vid by the Way! Regards

[Jon3800]

@Tisoyspiders

well like I keep telling Europe has a much stronger T hobby there. They breed Ts like crazy that is why you got your adult P.hanumavilasumica for so cheap. The same specimen goes here for $700

I would but it's not worth the hassle for international shipment on one T. You need to spend a great deal

[Tisoyspiders]

Hello Jon! If you saw my Balfouri vid ( New enclousure ) she is around 4-5cm and i paid just 150euro for her !!!! You can get here in Europe a female with 3cm bodylength for a 100!!!!! I got One with that size for sale,interested!??? My lambertoni didn't eat since May 2011!!! Imagine!!? She still Looks okay

[jodimccosh]

Hi Jon, I love your vids and you know your stuff, but I'm afraid your balfouri vid is way off the mark. Here's a few helpful facts for people: balfouris come from really dry sandy areas, so absolutely no humidity, even a regular room is slightly too humid. They aren't an aggressive baboon species, in fact they can live colonially, I know people with 5 or 6 together , they don't even eat their babies! Here in Denmark you can pick up 5 for 1500kr which is about 160 pounds I think.

[Jon3800]

@jodimccosh

Thanks for the tips. Yes, it probably is off the mark because I never owned a balfouri before...and I though apply the experience what I have on M.lambertoni would apply to the balfouri. Unfortunately these are risks I take when I make mythbuster videos of species I've never worked with before.

They might be slighty defensive, aggressive was perhaps too strong, but it depends on the individual specimen, some are slightly docile others not.

[Jon3800]

@jodimccosh

I still treat them as defensive because it wouldn't be fun to get bitten by 1. I didn't know they're slightly communal, lot of people tend to not risk putting more than 1 together because they're so pricey. Again, in Europe prices are lower because they breed them readily. In Canada/ US the reason why they get them for these prices is because they're not available here to breed, so we're forced to buy specimens from Germany, so with import fees, dealers sell them high

[lowerclassthreat81]

How are Zelda's eggs doing Jon?

[Jon3800]

@lowerclassthreat81

I showed them in the previous video..they're doing good

[TripMcNealy801]

I went to get crickets at my local pet store about 3 months ago and I always go in the back to see what T's they have for sale. Luckily I went back there because, I seen on one of the deli cups M. Balfouri "Very Rare" $49.99. I FLIPPED! I didnt have enough cash and I ran home, came back and traded my a MM Thai Zebra straight across for it. Luckiest find ive had! Thank god they had no idea what they had :). She's 4" and growing pretty quickly, but, what an attitude! Love her though. AWESOME T's!

[Jon3800]

@TripMcNealy801

wow, what a steal

[happysmile88]

I can definitely attest that M.balfouri are not pet holes. They are not reluctant to show themselves out in the open as well as throw out threat postures at the slightest disturbances.

[Jon3800]

@happysmile88

it will depend on the specimen, some are pet holes some aren't.  For example my H.lividum comes up very often

[22jangles]

Hey Jon Spidershop have balfouri slings on there web site for £25 uk may have to treat myself after watching your vid.

[djTex1200]

Saw a balfouri sling at an expo about two weeks ago here in Portland, OR. 130 bucks. If I had the cash...... Probably around an inch.

[Jon3800]

@djTex1200

that's really cheap..Ken sells these for around $200-250 for the same size

[jodroboxes]

@Jon3800 Wow you guys serious?! In holland you can get them for around €40. Not kidding, i got one.

[guitarguy1031]

woo hoo!

[motive55555]

@jon3800 quick question about breeding its been about 2 weeks since my versicolors mated and notice my mature male did another sperm web should i attempt to mate them again for another insertion or should i wait longer?thnx

[Jon3800]

@motive55555

you can try again

[MrBlaarghh]

$2000 for a T is pretty pricey. Not as bad as someone paying $20,000 for a Savannah Cat or a Bengal :S From a hobby perspective it's not bad at all. I know people who spend more than that on toys and models. Good video, too bad they aren't a very thrilling species

[Jon3800]

@MrBlaarghh

Ya, I hear ya

[YogDodoth]

woah, m.balfouri is an awesome looking tarantula, i must agree

[Jon3800]

@YogDodoth

I know, I hope to own one someday

[ixithel]

What was the most you ever spent on a single T?

[Jon3800]

@ixithel

The most expensive adult I bought was Kitana the B.boehmei female more than 15 years ago...got her for $250

Most expensive sling I ever bought was P.hanumavilasumica @ $215