Ceratogyrus marshalli Enclosure Questions

[Ungoliant]

I got a Ceratogyrus marshalli (my first Old World tarantula) yesterday, and today I will be setting up her new home.

The tarantula is about 4". Based on my research, she may already be mature and probably won't get much bigger. She has evidently been living in this deli cup that is 4" in diameter for a while, as it contains a lot of webbing. However, in addition to it being cramped, there is barely any substrate, and there is no place for her to hide.

The enclosure is made of glass. It is 8" x 4.5" by 8". I am beginning to second-guess myself on the width of 4.5". Is 8" x 4.5" enough horizontal space?

My understanding is that they may burrow and/or web depending on how the enclosure is set up.

If I use this enclosure, I am planning to use 4-5" of topsoil as substrate, as it will support a burrow if she chooses to dig. I will also include a hide above the burrow. Is this enough substrate? Do they like it slightly damp?

Should I add anchor points for webbing?

Thanks to @cold blood or anyone else who can provide insight.

 

[KezyGLA]

That is enough substrate yes. They are a hardy species but enjoy an overflow of the water dish every now and then. Add plenty anchor points to the mouth of burrow for it to utilize as it sees fit.

Great species, welcome to Harpactirinae

 

[Ungoliant]

That is enough substrate yes. They are a hardy species but enjoy an overflow of the water dish every now and then. Add plenty anchor points to the mouth of burrow for it to utilize as it sees fit.

Thanks! Do you think the dimensions of the enclosure are OK for her?

Great species, welcome to Harpactirinae

Looking forward to getting her set up in her new home and seeing her thrive.

 

[KezyGLA]

Ideally 8" cubed would be good

 

[Poec54]

I use clear plastic storage boxes for my spiders, for Ceratogyrus I use shoebox size (7 qt). I put in vent holes with a soldering iron in all 4 sides and top. I only use bagged top soil as a substrate, and for Ceratogyrus it's completely dry and about 4" deep (if it's moist when I get it, I pour some in a shallow cardboard box for a few days to dry). Constantly moist substrate will kill most, if not all, baboons from east and south Africa. When the room air is particularly dry from the space heater or a/c, I'll sprinkle a little water randomly on the substrate, knowing it will evaporate soon.

I put in a waterbowl (1 oz soufflé cup, bought by the sleeve from restaurant supply stores), and a piece of cork. All of my Ceratogyrus have dug under their cork, and that's their retreat where they feel safe. They all have spun all over their cages. Ceratogyrus are almost always out, and almost always hungry. Tough spiders. They'll sometimes stand in a defensive pose, but rarely run out of their cages (opposite of P murinus).

Marshalli females get 6", the biggest in the genus. Yours may or may not be sexually mature, but it's definitely not full grown. Ceratogyrus are fascinating spiders, and ideal for a first OW.

 

[Ungoliant]

Although it's not the ideal size, I used the 8" x 4.5" by 8" enclosure, because it's what I had, and I wanted to get her out of that cramped deli cup. I'll keep an eye out for a bigger enclosure (that would still be nice for display), especially after I add some shelving for my terrestrials.

Fortunately, the topsoil in the bag was already quite dry, so I did not have to delay rehousing her. I gave her 5" of topsoil and compacted it while dry. (I know topsoil will dry too hard for burrowing if you wet it, compact it, and let it dry.)

@clive 82 The rehousing went pretty well. She was quite stubborn about not wanting to come out of the deli cup -- she hissed at me when I first tried to get her to come out. However, she did walk into her new enclosure after a few minutes of gentle prodding. Then she stood in a vertical threat-like posture for about half an hour. I moved her to a dark corner to settle down.

Here is her new home. (It's not actually wet; the picture is a little misleading. A little water splashed while filling the dish, but it's mostly just on the glass and a little on the far side away from the starter burrow.) I will top off the water dish more when she goes into her burrow. (Right now she is right where the lid slides open.)

Ceratogyrus marshalli Enclosure

• Ungoliant
• Oct 9, 2017
• 2
• ceratogyrus ceratogyrus cornuatus ceratogyrus marshalli enclosure female marshalli mature female miss hissypants straighthorned tarantula

Glass (8" x 4.5" by 8")

 

[clive 82]

Although it's not the ideal size, I used the 8" x 4.5" by 8" enclosure, because it's what I had, and I wanted to get her out of that cramped deli cup. I'll keep an eye out for a bigger enclosure (that would still be nice for display), especially after I add some shelving for my terrestrials.

Fortunately, the topsoil in the bag was already quite dry, so I did not have to delay rehousing her. I gave her 5" of topsoil and compacted it while dry. (I know topsoil will dry too hard for burrowing if you wet it, compact it, and let it dry.)

@clive 82 The rehousing went pretty well. She was quite stubborn about not wanting to come out of the deli cup -- she hissed at me when I first tried to get her to come out. However, she did walk into her new enclosure after a few minutes of gentle prodding. Then she stood in a vertical threat-like posture for about half an hour. I moved her to a dark corner to settle down.

Here is her new home. (It's not actually wet; the picture is a little misleading. A little water splashed while filling the dish, but it's mostly just on the glass and a little on the far side away from the starter burrow.) I will top off the water dish more when she goes into her burrow. (Right now she is right where the lid slides open.)

Ceratogyrus marshalli Enclosure

• Ungoliant
• Oct 9, 2017
• 2
• ceratogyrus ceratogyrus cornuatus ceratogyrus marshalli enclosure female marshalli mature female miss hissypants straighthorned tarantula

Glass (8" x 4.5" by 8")

Well that definitely looks a lot better than the deli cup. I literally just saw your photo in the gallery section. The new enclosure looks good!
Half an hour of threat posturing? Wow! so safe to say she wasn't too happy about checking out her new home

 

[Ungoliant]

Well that definitely looks a lot better than the deli cup. I literally just saw your photo in the gallery section. The new enclosure looks good!

The deli cup was pretty sad. It was only 4" in diameter at the top, and she only had room to turn in circles. There was no more than 1" of substrate and nowhere to hide. (I also got rid of a few small flies that were loitering in there, probably attracted to old boluses.)

I know these are used for temporary transport to exotic pet shows, which is fine, but it looked like she had been living in there for a while, because the entire surface of the substrate was webbed over, and when I cleaned it out, there was quite a bit of old poop that had dried white.

Anyway, I'm glad she now has a good forever home (with me) instead of lingering in that deli cup or being purchased by a kid who might lose interest in her.

 

[miss moxie]

HAH yeah, well. She might have lived in that deli cup her entire life if you think about it. I'd hate to be shoved out of my bed into some strange place.

Congats on your first OW! I agree with Kezy though. 8" x 8" x 8" will be more comfortable for her.

 

[Ungoliant]

Congats on your first OW! I agree with Kezy though. 8" x 8" x 8" will be more comfortable for her.

Yeah, I don't plan to keep her in there forever, but it will do for now until I find a wider enclosure that looks good, and my husband has some time to build some shelving for my terrestrials so that I have room for the wider enclosure. (We live in tiny apartment, and the tarantula desk is out of space and needs to be rearranged vertically on shelves.)

 

[miss moxie]

Yeah, I don't plan to keep her in there forever, but it will do for now until I find a wider enclosure that looks good, and my husband has some time to build some shelving for my terrestrials so that I have room for the wider enclosure. (We live in tiny apartment, and the tarantula desk is out of space and needs to be rearranged vertically on shelves.)

Well make your tarantulas get jobs so they can contribute and then you can afford a bigger apartment.

 

[clive 82]

The deli cup was pretty sad. It was only 4" in diameter at the top, and she only had room to turn in circles. There was no more than 1" of substrate and nowhere to hide. (I also got rid of a few small flies that were loitering in there, probably attracted to old boluses.)

I know these are used for temporary transport to exotic pet shows, which is fine, but it looked like she had been living in there for a while, because the entire surface of the substrate was webbed over, and when I cleaned it out, there was quite a bit of old poop that had dried white.

Anyway, I'm glad she now has a good forever home (with me) instead of lingering in that deli cup or being purchased by a kid who might lose interest in her.

Did you get her from an expo?

 

[Ungoliant]

Did you get her from an expo?

Yes.

Well make your tarantulas get jobs so they can contribute and then you can afford a bigger apartment.

I am training my pinktoe to play bass!