bare bottom terrarium

jhilde

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jan 13, 2016
Messages
20
I have been thinking about setting up a ten gallon terrarium for a tarantula and was wondering if I need to use substrate or can I use ceramic tile on the bottom of the tank. I have used this in aquariums and like the look of it.
 

truecreature

Arachnoknight
Joined
Oct 24, 2014
Messages
206
A fall from the top of a ten gallon tank onto a hard surface would be very dangerous for any terrestrial species, so yes it would need to be filled up most of the way to limit falling distance and create some cushion
 

G. pulchra

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Jun 7, 2005
Messages
592
I would set up something that emulates what your T would have in the wild, and it's certainly not tile!
 

jhilde

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jan 13, 2016
Messages
20
Ok thanks. I'll scrap the tile idea and use a soft substrate.
 

Introvertebrate

Arachnoprince
Arachnosupporter
Joined
Dec 18, 2010
Messages
1,199
It might be suitable for arboreals who spend their lives airborne. They'll just need something to cling to higher up in the enclosure.
 

jhilde

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jan 13, 2016
Messages
20
So I decided to go with eco earth and still got to use the tile as a background. I also planted a pothos in a buried pot.
 

Attachments

916

Arachnopeon
Joined
Mar 21, 2008
Messages
37
It's all what you like. Why breathe the air might be poison. I have found over the years keeping it simple is easier and in the long run less stressful on you and the T. I have tried tile. It works ok. With terrestrial Ts I keep it at 2.5 X body length for height . say she is 4" you can go 10 " in height, a ten gallon is about 12" in height. Also remember smaller lighter Ts don't fall as hard as chunky bigger ones. I have a mature female G pulchripes She lived on tile for about 3 years. she's back to peat moss/vermiculite mix. She hates vermiculite, she makes a web mat on no matter what she spends most of her time on. I don't like plants because they web them and poo on them wich makes keeping them looking good like a full time job. my basic set up is a water dish and a half flower pot hide. IME everything else just gets tore up.
 

Walter1

Arachnosquire
Joined
Dec 8, 2013
Messages
102
Jhilde is clearly very new to this T keeping. What is the biology of the species you want OR what species will leave under my conditions? Those are the questions. You have a kritter tote with tile and temperate conditions, keep Parphysa scrofa. They have warm summers, cold winters, and they lived rocks.
 

viper69

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 8, 2006
Messages
17,851
I prefer a marble floor for all my ts, they're high class. Tile is just cheap


I hope that tile doesn't fall over and crush your T. Too little sub for a terrestrial w/that height for me.
 
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