Building a T enclosure on a budget (w/ pics)

[MikeInNC]

In preparation for the arrival of my first T's next week - chromatopelma cyaneopubescens (sp?) - (2x, 1.5" green bottle blue) I thought I'd try designing and building T enclosures.

I didn't want to purchase expensive materials and tools and I brainstormed over the past few weeks, and here's what I found I could use:

-CD spindles. If you have a computer and can burn CD's you probably have these lying around. I work in an office and have access to many empty spindles every month when we ship data files to clients. They're almost completely clear AND with a screw-on top, the T cannot get out.

-Screen material. I found flexible plastic mesh at Lowes (about 1/8" square openings). It was about $8 for a lifetime supply - LOL When I got home I realized I still had a whole bundle of aluminum wire mesh from a different project.

-3" circular drill bit. THAT I had to buy and it was about $18. I'm pretty sure I already have one buried somewhere in my garage and will kick myself in 2 years when I cut myself while reaching into some corner of a shelf in the garage

-silicone caulking. Most home owners have some in the garage. If you don't own a home, visit your parents and offer to clean their garage

The pictures below show the basic process.

1) Turn the spindle upside down and hit it with the circular drill bit. I went high-speed and melted my way through. The drill bit in the center actually fits loosely into the hollow spindle. The bit was designed for wood. Start the drill at high speed and then CAREFULLY make contact with the underside of the spindle. Apply pressure gently and increase pressure as the bit starts to do its thing. The bit will simply pop through the bottom.


2. This pic shows everthing in order. Get a CD spindle. Cut out the center. Use a box cutter/craft tool/etc to cut off access melted plastic from the base. Cut plastic/aluminum mesh to fit inside the edge of the spindle. Apply a layer of caulking. Press mesh onto the caulking. Apply a second layer of caulking to "sandwich" the mesh.


3. Add enough substrate to safely accommodate the size of your T and screw on the "top".


I'll probably drill or melt additional holes on the sides for extra ventilation.

The CD label is nearly impossible to remove, even after soaking it in warm, soapy water. I'll just call that "shade" for the T

Is this a pretty enclosure? Heck, No!

Was it fun to noodle through the idea and build something? Heck, yeah!

Did I make a mess? Actually, it wasn't too bad!

The plastic mesh is much easier to work with. If anyone knows of a T biting it's way through plastic mesh, PLEASE let me know and I won't make any more with that material. BTW - by pressing from the underside with my finger, it seems to have bonded strongly to the "top" of the spindle base.

I just built the metal mesh (1/4" squares) version tonight. It's more difficult because if the screen isn't perfectly flat, or if you press too hard, one side will buckle upwards. I had to use a lot more caulking to create a "sandwich" of caulking to hold the metal screen.

Finally, these are (obviously) only good until the T's outgrow the enclosure. At that time, I'll have some nice $$ acrylic enclosures for 'em.

Feeback, positive AND negative, is welcome

Regards,

-Mike in NC

P.S. - Not including the "top", the enclosure has a diameter of 5.25" and is 3" high (not including substrate).

 

[jt39565]

Try lighter fluid on labels or WD40 both are incredible. nice enclosure BTW, I'm gonna make me a couple.

 

[MikeInNC]

JT - I'll try the WD-40/lighter fluid idea. Thanks!



What I might do now is find bolts (with a rounded/smooth head) that will fit in the 1/8" mesh and bolt the wire mesh to the spindle. 6 or 8 should work fine as the wire I'm using is thick and rigid enough to prevent anything from squeezing through gaps between bolts. The head will be inside the enclosure, and the threads/bolt will be on the outside to prevent injury to the T.

This will be a lot less messy than using caulk, look neater, and add a nice "industrial" touch

I'll make one of those and post pics to this thread (Friday/Saturday) and provide the Lowe's price for the hardware.

-Mike


P.S. - These (with the tighter plastic mesh, or similar material) might make nice holding/breeding areas for small numbers of crickets if you don't plan on keeping dozens/hundreds at a time. Just an idea.

 

[mastercave]

any concerns about the T's legs getting caught in the large mesh screen?

 

[poisoned]

I'd be concerned about the hole size in mesh. If sling is to small, it'll be gone.

 

[mastercave]

I'd be concerned about the hole size in mesh. If sling is to small, it'll be gone.

yes, this too. I was researching about air hole size and some slings will squeeze through and then get their abdomen stuck.....

I mean those are good and simple enclosures but don't underestimate these buggers!

 

[bwaffa]

Hey Mike in NC,

This is Brad in NC. I currently keep 5 GBBs, all a little larger than this now, and I've raised them since they were dime size. Having learned from a few of my own mistakes, I would suggest hanging onto these otherwise really clever enclosures for a different size/species tarantula -- that, or modify them. I agree with those who suggested that an escape is a very real possibility (I lost one at about half this size from an impossibly small air vent). Adding a fine, mesh screen to the chicken wire surface would probably do the trick, but these are surprisingly good climbers so auto-amputation from snagged tarsi becomes a new concern. Additionally, these guys will probably not enjoy the substrate you have in there. They love nooks and crannies and will web EVERYTHING, but I've never seen mine make any attempts to burrow. They do NOT like a humid environment, in fact, too much humidity can kill them, so you can abandon coconut husk and other tropical substrates in exchange for something drier. I used cork and orchid bark to simulate a tree-root ecosystem and rarely ever mist them. Keep them at G. rosea humidity and they do very well!

Good luck,

Brad

 

[MikeInNC]

Okay, I hear what everyone is saying about the screens.

Are 1/8" squares on the plastic mesh too large? I could, if I wanted to stay with aluminum, stagger two layers of the aluminum mesh to create 1/8" squares. Thoughts?

If 1/8" is too large, what screen material are they using on those ventilation disks you see on the nice acrylic enclosures? If I find a denser mesh, would that be safer?

Also, wouldn't the side vent holes (drilled or melted) also pose a hazard for their little limbs?


As for the substrate, that's drying out as I type this. I know the GBBs come from arid regions and the husk material would be dry for them by the time they arrive.

***EDIT: Searched and found this info concerning GBB care -
Substrate: Potting Soil/Peat Moss, Vermiculite, Bed-A-Beast, Jungle Mix

I couldn't find potting soil at Lowes that wasn't already "fortified" with fertilizer. If I can find plain potting soil at a nursery, I suppose I could buy that and bake it for 30 minutes (at 180 degrees?) to kill anything in it. Also, I thought I read that vermiculite is rough on T's toes? No? EDIT OFF***

The material was stacked deep enough (but not properly packed at the time I took the pic) so that the height from substrate to the top of the enclosure would be just a hair higher than their 1.25" leg span. Everything I've read so far states that substrate should be made high enough to prevent a fall greater than a Ts length. So I wasn't going for burrowing, just safety from falls.


Thanks for the feedback (and keep it coming!). I still have 5-6 days until my new friends arrive, so I still have time to learn/redesign/etc.

-Mike

 

[poisoned]

Okay, I hear what everyone is saying about the screens.
Are 1/8" squares on the plastic mesh too large? I could, if I wanted to stay with aluminum, stagger two layers of the aluminum mesh to create 1/8" squares. Thoughts?

I would go with 1/16" to be safe. If you have another CD spindle, you can just make holes with hot needles or small nails.

I couldn't find potting soil at Lowes that wasn't already "fortified" with fertilizer. If I can find plain potting soil at a nursery, I suppose I could buy that and bake it for 30 minutes (at 180 degrees?) to kill anything in it.

No need to bake it. I don't see your sub problematic, just let it dry out.

The material was stacked deep enough (but not properly packed at the time I took the pic) so that the height from substrate to the top of the enclosure would be just a hair higher than their 1.25" leg span. Everything I've read so far states that substrate should be made high enough to prevent a fall greater than a Ts length. So I wasn't going for burrowing, just safety from falls.

Following is my opinion:
It's a GBB, I think they should get more height than 1 legspan. They are better climbers than classical terrestrials and from my experience, they will use more than 1 LS height.

 

[Thoth]

Nothing wrong with soil fortified with fertilizers, these fertilizers are nothing more than mineral salts. I used straight peat for all my ts that needed dry conditions and 50/50 peat/vermiculite for those who need more humid conditions. Ultimately the substrate does not matter that much for gbb's as long as it is dry because they will cover everything with webbing.

Also they grow very quick, everyone I had owned ended up male went from 3/4 inch sling to fully mature in about a year and half to two years.