Creative T Housing: thinking outside the tank

[Midori211]

Hey guys!

I'm new to the hobby (just got my first T in February) but I have to say, I'm already in love with my new friend! He is a baby Brazilian Black (bought for color and temperament) who was smaller than a quarter when I bought him. In fact, that's how he earned his name-- the pet store had run out of deli containers, but since I was so anxious to take him home, they gave him to me in a pickle jar. Hence, he was christened Pickle!

So that was my first experience with unusual housing. After his first molt, however, I took another chance and instead of buying a tank, I went to Target and bought an airtight Tupperware cube. Since I work in a theater, I took it into the shop and drilled holes in the top and a few on the sides. It holds humidity well, not too much and not too little, and Pickle has molted once in his new home, so I assume he's happy.

BUT he's going to need a new home soon. And I really don't want the usual tank. I've seen some BEAUTIFUL natural looking tanks on here, but I think I want something a bit more unusual.

So what I was thinking about buying a clear plastic mannequin head. I would fill up the neck with substrate, saw off the top of the head, attach a hinge a latch, and drill some holes. http://www.allendesigners.com/products/Clear_Plastic_`Unisex`_Display_Head_Form

Is this a good idea? Would Pickle have enough room, or is this going to be too cramped? I know T's don't need a lot of room, but how small is small?

 

[Musicwolf]

Assuming that your Brazilian Black is a G. pulchra, I think it's too small. They're terrestrial which means they need more ground space instead of height in their enclosures.

Cool idea for something like an Avicularia sp. though.

 

[xStainD]

Just about anything will work so long as he can't escape from it.

 

[Shea]

Well he should have more than enough room
and as long as u have some ventilation he should be fine! and make sure u have that hinged top =P
i was thinkin about putting a sling in an empty lava lamp jar. ITS FUN TO BE CREATIVE

 

[Midori211]

It's nine inches deep but has a seven inch circumference. I mean, Pickle really lives up to his species, doesn't move around much. In the container he's in now, he sits on the wall or in the corner, and only occasionally will move some dirt. He's the most relaxed T on the planet.

 

[Musicwolf]

It may work for a while - - because Pickle is still so small, but you'll need to rehouse it again before too long unless you get something with more ground space. Keep thinking outside the box, but think width rather than height for this species.

I have a 2.5" G. pulchra and it redecorates every two days or so - - always working on getting the substrate just the way it likes it.

 

[Scoolman]

If picckle was 1" when you got him and molted twice already I would assume he is close to 2" now.
I kept my G pulchra in a 7" cube untill they hit about 3.5"-4", then moved them to a 10gal setup.
If pickle is hanging out on the side of his enclosure I would guess he is too cold. G pulchra are a species that enjoys basking and higher then the average room temp. I keep mine at 80 and they still sit next to the lights for additional heat. Give him more heat and he will become quite active; watch him at night, not during the day. Mine use their full enclosure when they are active at night.
Your head idea will work fine for the next couple molts. Fill at east 6" of it with substrate, he will burrow.

 

[jondee84]

My Arboreal Idea

Hi there,

Interesting thread - I had an idea for my arboreal spiders.

I was going to try and find a dried out thick piece of timber log (obviously treated against mites etc) to carve out the front area and form a set up within the hollowed area, then fix a piece of perspex to the frontage to look into the tank.

Possibly quite hard to understand with words.

 

[ornamentalist]

i saw a glass coffin enclosure at a show once! and now seeing as iv mastered the art of making glass vivs myself.........you see where im going with this. i will post pics on this thread when iv made it, (if thats ok with the starter) :razz:

 

[Bumblingbear]

OP, why not think further outside the tank...

Use your head idea, and do what you were planning to do, but turn it upside down.

Build a stand for it so it stays upright, but that way your T will have much more "floor space" than just using the neck.

 

[Jupiterxo]

I would think outside the box even more and not use that head at all. I'm all for creativity but i'm not liking that mannequin head. It doesn't have a very good aesthetic value for me and I think that your tarantula would be too cramped. Sorry! Just my opinion.:razz:

 

[Midori211]

Sorry I abandoned this thread! I would love to see some pictures of other creative enclosures-- google images has yielded nothing so far, and I think that it would be great to see some photos!

As for the head idea, I was actually going to fill the entire neck with substrate, that way the whole "skull" area of the head would be where he could sit, and then burrow into the neck? Does that make sense? Essentially, he would have hardly any height at all, no more than a few inches, and then the widest part of the skull would be all his.

I would actually really love to get a BIG pickle jar for him, to live up to his name, yanno? :} But with how narrow the opening is, I think it would be hard to spot clean.

---------- Post added at 02:50 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:47 PM ----------

Also, it's probably worth noting that I really don't know how big Pickle is right now, ha ha. I left to do an internship about a month ago (a few days after he molted) and I am not due back until tomorrow. My boyfriend has been watching him for me, and from some of the picture I've received on my phone, he has grown quite a bit. He seems to be a little bigger than a Pepsi cap, but it's hard to tell.

 

[demonanjel117]

http://www.voosfurniture.com/#/designers/fort-standard/terra

Someone posted a pic of this a few days ago. id love something lik ethis sux that this costs so much and has a 20 yr old bamboo tree in it! I wouldnt want to remove that awesome lil tree! Or pay that much lol