Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens enclosure

[Zvyezda]

Hello!

So, my tarantula is in that awkward stage in its life (and I guess I still am too ).

I had my Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens sling (GBB) in a temporary enclosure for about a month because it was getting too big and fast for the little sauce cup it came in. I rehoused it a week ago into a jar with a twist on lid, but right now my little T is about 1+ inch DLS... so it isn't yet big enough for a glass enclosure. This is that awkward phase I am referring to.

Here is my dilemma:

So, I have gotten a lot of mixed advice concerning a GBB enclosure set up. Some people I have talked to say to treat GBBs as a sub-arboreal T - others as a fun terrestrial species that will live in its webbing on the substrate.

I just set up the enclosure the way I feel a sub-arboreal sling would want it (I did this type of enclosure to avoid any escape attempts or flighty scramples out of the terrarium). I have about 1.5-2 inches of coco-fiber substrate and some dried out cedar wood (with bark) leaning against the wall. No real hide or foliage and a little bottle cap water dish (I will include pictures). Am I missing anything important?

Pics:

It has been about a week since my spider has moved in - it has eaten, made a little web hammock and all has seemed well... but out of nowhere (like for the past like 3 days) my GBB has been in it's little "scaredy cat" fetal position. The substrate is dry, the water dish is full (and was barely overfilled on Monday 8/20), there is lots of ventilation... But my GBB has not wanted to be its normal self.

I am now thinking that maybe it is uncomfortable with the lack of previously available hidey-hole options.. could this be the case? Or maybe it never wanted to be treated as an arboreal and isn't loving the new set up. (Please let me know if this IS the wrong set up for a GBB).

Am I just being a helicopter spider-parent?

Any and all comments/thoughts/ideas are welcome.

Thanks in advance too!!

 

[AnimalNewbie]

Keep it on slightly moist substrate but they mostly like it dry. Looks good but I’d add some more anchor points

 

[MetalMan2004]

I’d add more anchor points and thats about it. Dry sub with a water dish is fine. A little overflow isn’t bad, but they’re pretty hardy slings.

 

[Thekla]

I have about 1.5-2 inches of coco-fiber substrate and some dried out cedar wood (with bark) leaning against the wall.

Give it more anchor points and get the cedar wood out of there! Cedar contains oils that are natural insecticides. Use cork bark instead. It's safe and won't mould.

 

[Zvyezda]

Give it more anchor points and get the cedar wood out of there! Cedar contains oils that are natural insecticides. Use cork bark instead. It's safe and won't mould.

Good to know about natural insecticides!!
I new it had some antimicrobial properties, but I will put some cork bark in there instead asap.
Thanks!!



Regarding anchor points - should I throw in a small nylon/plastic plant or something similar? Would it not then be too crowded to maintain the enclosure if I Add some foliage?

 

[MintyWood826]

Give it more anchor points and get the cedar wood out of there! Cedar contains oils that are natural insecticides. Use cork bark instead. It's safe and won't mould.

Is that the only dangerous kind of of wood? What about pine?

 

[MetalMan2004]

Give it more anchor points and get the cedar wood out of there! Cedar contains oils that are natural insecticides. Use cork bark instead. It's safe and won't mould.

Good catch!

 

[Ungoliant]

Is that the only dangerous kind of of wood? What about pine?

Pine, especially heat treated pine is completely safe. There are no 'toxins' in it, unless you are an insect.

Oh, and about the question of spiders and pine there's for example this

"Females of P. regius make thick silken nests under the bark of various trees, particularly oak and pine, in which to lay their eggs."

Jumping spiders even prefer pine to other wood. (@N1ghtFire )

 

[viper69]

That GBB needs a rehouse, set up as a terrestrial, anchor points etc, they are a terrestrial, that will live arboreally in the wild due to various pressures. These pressures are not present in captivity.

 

[MetalMan2004]

That GBB needs a rehouse, set up as a terrestrial, anchor points etc, they are a terrestrial, that will live arboreally in the wild due to various pressures. These pressures are not present in captivity.

If its part of their natural habitat I’m not really sure what the issue is in captivity.

 

[MintyWood826]

If its part of their natural habitat I’m not really sure what the issue is in captivity.

There are predators in the wild maybe in captivity they're fine.

 

[viper69]

If its part of their natural habitat I’m not really sure what the issue is in captivity.

I have no idea what you are talking about.

 

[MetalMan2004]

I have no idea what you are talking about.

Its pretty simple. You said they “will live arboreally in the wild” but that they should be set up as a terrestrial. If they live semi-arboreally in nature I’m not really sure what the issue is keeping them that way in captivity.

I’ve never heard anyone say about a species that they live one way in the wild but you should keep them a different way in captivity (ie terrestrial or arboreal).

 

[viper69]

Its pretty simple. You said they “will live arboreally in the wild” but that they should be set up as a terrestrial. If they live semi-arboreally in nature I’m not really sure what the issue is keeping them that way in captivity.

Ohhhhh now I see haha....In the wild, pressures such as food availability have driven GBBs to live up in the trees a bit according to a biologist I know who has studied them in the wild. You would think food is plentiful at their level all the time, not so.

 

[MintyWood826]

Ohhhhh now I see haha....In the wild, pressures such as food availability have driven GBBs to live up in the trees a bit according to a biologist I know who has studied them in the wild. You would think food is plentiful at their level all the time, not so.

Just emphasizing a couple things.

 

[Dragondrool]

Good to know about natural insecticides!!
I new it had some antimicrobial properties, but I will put some cork bark in there instead asap.
Thanks!!



Regarding anchor points - should I throw in a small nylon/plastic plant or something similar? Would it not then be too crowded to maintain the enclosure if I Add some foliage?

That's a good idea, some plants. Sometimes what I do is find little fake leaves or maybe small sticks and poke them out of the dirt so there's more anchor points. I had a small plants that took up most of the small box he was in along with his hide. It worked out fine other than it was hard to get access to him. Don't smother him but don't be scared to add something. If you have some longer plants you can glue them to the top of the lid so they hang down like vines

Inte

Ohhhhh now I see haha....In the wild, pressures such as food availability have driven GBBs to live up in the trees a bit according to a biologist I know who has studied them in the wild. You would think food is plentiful at their level all the time, not so.

resting to know! My GBB likes to climb. I'll see him occasionally climb up in a corner or hang out on the top of his branch, but he's made his web on the ground and stays there mostly