A. chalcodes safety!

[JS2017]

I recently got my first tarantula, a 3" Aphonopelma chalcodes, and I am noticing that she is the sides of the terrarium a lot at night. My setup is a 10 gallon aquarium with about 3.5" of substrate (coconut fiber) and about 6"-9" of empty space above (there is a slope). I know this is a huge hazard for my 3" T, and I am getting more substrate soon to reduce the space above. Until then, I want to know just how resilient or prone they are to injury from falls. Should I keep her in a smaller enclosure until I obtain the substrate, or should she be okay for the next 2-3 days in the big aquarium until I get the substrate?

 

[Moakmeister]

10 gallons is WAY too big. That's what an 8 inch tarantula would live in. A 3 inch tarantula would be fine in this:

G.pulchripes new home

• Moakmeister
• May 19, 2017
• 9

Finally got around to rehousing my G. pulchripes. I think he's gonna like it in there

An 8x5x6 inch Hobby Lobby display case. And yeah, the height needs to be reduced.

 

[JS2017]

10 gallons is WAY too big. That's what an 8 inch tarantula would live in. A 3 inch tarantula would be fine in this:

G.pulchripes new home

• Moakmeister
• May 19, 2017
• 9

Finally got around to rehousing my G. pulchripes. I think he's gonna like it in there

An 8x5x6 inch Hobby Lobby display case. And yeah, the height needs to be reduced.

It was advertised as a 10 gallon, but I feel like it's much smaller.. It seems to be about the same size as yours.the dimensions are 20"side to side, 12"tall, and 11" front to back.

Img: https://imgur.com/a/bDIvD

 

[Svetlana14]

I would rehouse in a smaller enclosure. Better safe than sorry. 10 gallon is too big for a T that size. Keep in mind they prefer smaller enclosures! It may seem small and cramped to you but for them it's cozy and secure. I made the same mistake with my first one, an A seemanni, and she was much happier in a smaller enclosure.

 

[JS2017]

I would rehouse in a smaller enclosure. Better safe than sorry. 10 gallon is too big for a T that size. Keep in mind they prefer smaller enclosures! It may seem small and cramped to you but for them it's cozy and secure. I made the same mistake with my first one, an A seemanni, and she was much happier in a smaller enclosure.

This is what I have her in now: https://imgur.com/a/bDIvD

 

[Svetlana14]

This is what I have her in now: https://imgur.com/a/bDIvD

Definitely way too big. Half that size would be sufficient. Also if that's a heat lamp, I would recommend getting rid of it. They can dehydrate and essentially "cook" a tarantula. Also, screen lids like that are unsafe, a tarantula can get their fangs and feet stuck in them.

 

[Socfroggy]

Generally, for terrestial Ts, you want an enclosure that is 3X their Diagonal Leg Span long and twice their DLS long and wide. You want ~1.5x their DLS between the substrate and lid.

 

[Moakmeister]

This is what I have her in now: https://imgur.com/a/bDIvD

MY EYES! MY EYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEES!!!
I'm sure it's not your fault, but very nearly everything that could go wrong has gone wrong. The screen lid, the light, the hydrometer and thermometer... get rid of all of it. Everything. Hydrometers are useless because humidity doesn't matter and they barely work anyway, thermometers don't matter because tarantulas should just be at room temperature, the light needs to go because tarantulas hate light and it'll make it WAY too hot and WAY too dry, the screen top is dangerous because the tarantula could get its claws stuck and either fall or lose a leg or both, take out the sand and use coco fiber, and the enclosure is way too big.

 

[Socfroggy]

MY EYES! MY EYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEES!!!
I'm sure it's not your fault, but very nearly everything that could go wrong has gone wrong. The screen lid, the light, the hydrometer and thermometer... get rid of all of it. Everything. Hydrometers are useless because humidity doesn't matter and they barely work anyway, thermometers don't matter because tarantulas should just be at room temperature, the light needs to go because tarantulas hate light and it'll make it WAY too hot and WAY too dry, the screen top is dangerous because the tarantula could get its claws stuck and either fall or lose a leg or both, take out the sand and use coco fiber, and the enclosure is way too big.

There are, also, reports that Ts can chew through mesh.

 

[Moakmeister]

There are, also, reports that Ts can chew through mesh.

That too.

 

[The Grym Reaper]

A 3 inch tarantula will be fine in something like an Exo Terra Small Breeder Box, Small Faunarium or a 3L RUB (Really Useful Box), I use the latter two for my juveniles, the little front hatches on the breeder boxes break with repeated use so either use the top hatch or just take the lid off to do maintenance but other than that, they are great enclosures for non-burrowing terrestrials.

 

[ShyDragoness]

is uh.. that a sponge in the waterdish?

 

[Gossamer]

This is what I have her in now: https://imgur.com/a/bDIvD

Oh my. It's clear that you have the T's best interests at heart, but like many others have mentioned, less is definitely more. Can I ask where you got your info for tarantula care? If it's a pet shop, things will start to make sense...

Anyway, get a smaller enclosure, drill some airholes in it. Fill it with substrate, leaving about 1.5x gap to the top. Keep the hide and water dish. Occasionally overflow the water dish to wet the substrate. Throw out the sponge, your T will not drown, and the sponge will only be a breeding ground for bacteria. Get rid of the light, thermometer, everything else. If you're comfortable in the room with a t shirt, your T is warm enough. And they're not a huge fan of light.. I keep mine in a shelf where it's dark almost all the time.

 

[PanzoN88]

I can't see the picture for some reason, but I am going to go ahead and agree with all who gave advice. Since everything has been covered, I will simply just list what I use as enclosures and what I put I them:

Enclosures: critter keepers, Rubbermaid/sterilite bins and oher containers of same brands, 16 oz deli cups, condiment cups, pill vials, and Jamie's tarantulas enclosures.

Contents: coco fiber substrate (I don't measure with ruler, I measure by eye), cork bark and other suitable hides, water dish (bottle caps or anything that would make a suitable water dish)

That's it