CLEAR containers for all sizes of Slings

[TarantuLover81]

Hello everyone! My name is Jen. I am looking for some containers to raise slings in.

Quick FYI: I keep ALL NW terrestrial species...I don't know why...I just prefer terrestrials...maybe that will change in a few years and I'll be wanting a few Pokies!! Who knows!!)

I need quite a few of all sizes. Some small enough to raise slings in that are small enough to fit on top of a pencil eraser and large enough for young tarantulas the size of a .50 cent piece or has a legspan that could fit inside an Oreo cookie or maybe even a bit larger. I am not happy with what I have them in now because all I can find (with lids) are opaque deli cups and I need CLEAR containers. They are thriving just fine in what I have them in for now. However, they will eventually outgrow these and my GBB is already too large for these and I have it in something larger now but is not suitable long-term. I would just rather be able to see them better without disturbing them. If it helps, I have a confirmed 6yr old female B. smithi [her last molt was right at 6"]..I also have 2 very tiny B. smithi slings, 1 B.
albopilosum sling (my best eater, about double the size of my smithi slings. It has grown the most of all 4 slings that I purchased at the same time...it is probably twice the size of the B. smithi's and B. Emilia...I know that Smithi's are slower growing but ..still, ya know?)...also the B. emilia I purchased seems to be noticeably slow growing. and I also picked up a C. cyanopubescens from a fellow tarantula enthusiast who has a small child and works 2 jobs and no longer has time for the proper care they need. The GBB could probably barely fit inside something approx. the size of an Oreo cookie but the GBB would really need something bigger VERY quickly. I don't know what sex the GBB is yet. It doesn't have its adult coloration at all yet...it is very strange looking when you compare with adult coloration..the abdomen is black and orange striped, legs are a VERY dark green color from its body to it's knees (but it looks almost black...you can only see a dark green color starting to show up if you use a flashlight which I don't particularly like doing. The rest of its legs are a light chocolate color with dark feet sort of the same color as the thighs. I'm really not sure how old this one is. I wish I had some idea. If anyone has any experience aging a GBB based on coloration when they are very young...I would really appreciate some help . I also have a confirmed Female G. rosea. Her age is unknown but I've had her for at least 3 years, the keeper I got her from had her for 4 years and she bought her as a fully grown adult, (pretty sure she was wild caught as an adult so I am guessing she is between 9-12 years old at the very least, if not older.) since I believe she is an older, "wild caught" specimen, I make sure that she is kept in/on separate tank/,stand, all tools I use with her are "hers" because I don't want the possibility of exposing the rest of my collection to parasites, bacteria, etc. ha! Just talking about that made me want to wipe my my hands down and then wash them in really hot water!

Both my large B. smithi and G. rosea are in 10 gal glass tanks and seem happy with their amount of space and substrate (eco-earth) packed hard in layers of dry and slightly damp *Not Wet* layers up to 2x their legspan from top of substrate to locking lid of their tank. My large B. smithi despises even slightly damp substrate...when I first got her I made one end slightly damp by misting just a little on the end where her water bowl is since she had so much room being in a 10gal enclosure...she immediately crawled on top of the curved wood (which I had not sprayed) which serves as one of the entrances to her burrows/tunnels and was still there until late the next afternoon. She hates it being damp/moist at all so I just barely overflow her water dish once a week. It's funny watching my G. rosea collect piles of eco-earth in her front legs and pedipalps and back up through her little system of tunnels and pile it in a corner. (They both have quite a neat little system of tunnels and interlocking burrows) but both spend a good bit of time out of their burrows out in the open and both are great eaters. Both of my adults (B. smithi and G. rosea (yes,you read that right....my G. Rosea!) have both been known to eat up until the day before they molt!)

I'm not sure if giving you all this info on what I am keeping and how, along with my older T's behavior helps or not... but I am looking for CLEAR plastic, acrylic or glass...preferably not gla containers (of really differing sizes.) It is only a matter of time before I have an escapee of one of my tiny ones or worse. I just know my GBB is going to escape. It is SO FAST!!

I'm so sorry this was so long!!

Do you guys have any good suggestions?

Thank you all so much!

Jen

 

[sschind]

for the ones that are a bit larger you can try superior shipping supplies or TSK supplies for deli containers (you have to buy a large amount though) for the tiny slings there are different size vial that many people use (Thorntons plastics is who I used when I was using vials but I switched to condiment cups I get from a local restaurant supply place) I think Superior or TSK, maybe both, have vials as well.

Mall Wart sells 1/2 gallon and 1 gallon clear square jars that work nicely for medium sized specimens and larger slings. Best to turn them on their sides to give more floor space. Take a walk up and down the food aisles of any large grocery store and you can get some great ideas. If you get lucky you might find a container that works and it holds something you might even like. It seems like one of the standbys in the hobby is the UTZ cheeseball containers also sold at Mall Wart. If you have lots children around Stauffers packages animal crackers in a 4 pound plastic jar that works really nice for many of my animals. I'm not sure what you like in the way of cages or what would work for you but you would be surprised what you can find in some places you may not think to look. Use your imagination.

 

[viper69]

If you want clear containers you can order from the The Container Store, look up AMAC boxes. But many Ts, including GBBs will do just fine in 16 oz deli cups. There are plenty of suppliers of clear deli cups, both 16oz and 32 oz (arboreals).

There's also the Hobby Lobby as well, depending on size, you'd get one of the various Model Display Boxes.

If you need to move adults into something larger but clear, you can do an ExoTerra mod like this http://arachnoboards.com/threads/ex...rom-arboreal-to-terrestrial-pic-heavy.259864/

Or get a larger fish tank and make an acrylic locking lid.

For juvi sized Ts, I used KK quite often.

I LOVE ExoTerra Breeder Boxes.

If you don't care about the sides being clear, but will live with a clear acrylic top, go with a Really Useful Box

@EulersK has a great video on that modification.

 

[Jones0911]

Go to the supermarket in the open salad/buffet area and the ones in the middle and the ones on the right come with tops and they're free as long as you dont put food in them.

 

[magicmed]

150 count card boxes - .69 cents at local card shop, they work quite well. I'm using a few for some of my slings

 

[Jones0911]

View attachment 221945
150 count card boxes - .69 cents at local card shop, they work quite well. I'm using a few for some of my slings

This place have an online store too?

 

[Lessej]

There's also the Hobby Lobby as well, depending on size, you'd get one of the various Model Display.

+1 for Hobby Lobby model car displays boxes.

The smallest size comes in a 6-pack which are probably good enough for slings under one inch.

http://www.hobbylobby.com/Crafts-Ho...-Cases/6-Piece-Display-Case-Pack/p/903-PE0172

The display boxes go from that super small size all the way thru baseball and softball sizes to football and basketball, etc. Right now I have my 3/4 - 1 inch G. pulchripes in a baseball display case.

 

[Lessej]

Baseball display case

 

[magicmed]

This place have an online store too?

I don't believe they do, the shop is "vintage stock" but most card shops should sell this type of card box, it's a very common style. I'm sure ebay has some pretty reasonably priced.

 

[Tarantula20]

I personally use AMAC boxes and acrylic shoe box enclosures for all my T's under 3 inchs , I get them all from the container store online. but they also have store locations throughout the us.

 

[sschind]

View attachment 221945
150 count card boxes - .69 cents at local card shop, they work quite well. I'm using a few for some of my slings

nice, I never thought of those. I'll have to dig my card collecting supplies out of the attic and see if I have any of the larger ones.

 

[magicmed]

nice, I never thought of those. I'll have to dig my card collecting supplies out of the attic and see if I have any of the larger ones.

You can also put two together for arboreals like so..


It's worked very well for this little avic. It has since webbed up a decent part of the top half, I've also not had it try to bolt out yet, but none of my avics are very jumpy

 

[TarantuLover81]

Thank you all for your responses!! I'm so glad I asked...you guys have some great ideas!!