Eight legged can-openers

[MIC]

One day accidentally I discover a kind of non metallic mesh that it is so dense and strong that is impossible also for a cat to damage it. I found it in a store that sells raw materials for shoe makers. They explained to me that it is a special mesh that is used to reinforce soft parts of the shoes or to make sandals from it. They didn't give me some special name for it, but I think it will be easy for you to make a search in local stores. Believe me it is worth the effort.

Here is how it looks like

 

[Obelisk]

It would be great to get a hold of some of that mesh that is used for Reptariums. That's some tough material for sure.

As far as plastic goes, I once saw my T (curly hair) trying this with the top of a KK. It wasn't able to leave any damage at all.

 

[smallara98]

Electrifying it might do the trick, lol.

LOL! Yeah, that should work

 

[Blackbeard]

All of my enclosures are fitted with perforated aluminium plate kitted in place with clear aquarium silicone.
Actually, almost all of the spider enclosures I have seen over here are built with this stuff.
Its a bit more pricey than flexible screen but you will end up with a spider tank that's built like... errr... a tank.
I don't want to meet the spider that can chew through plate that's quite tough to cut with cutting pliers.
Whatever helps me too sleep soundly at night.

 

[Anastasia]

O

All of my enclosures are fitted with perforated aluminium plate kitted in place with clear aquarium silicone.
Actually, almost all of the spider enclosures I have seen over here are built with this stuff.
Its a bit more pricey but you will end up with a spider tank that's built like... errr... a tank.
I don't want to meet the spider that can chew through plate that's quite tough to cut with cutting pliers.
Whatever helps me too sleep soundly at night.

that looks pretty hard to brake trough

 

[Blackbeard]

O

that looks pretty hard to brake trough

I am positive that the material itself is more than adequate.
Your only concern would be a sturdy fixture to the enclosure.
By the way, it appears that the correct name for the material in the US is perforated aluminum sheet and it should be easy enough to get your hands on it.

 

[shanebp]

That looks like good sh... I mean stuff

 

[theDeedo]

well this is no good...no good at all. I just put a young avic avic in an enclosure with a Nylon screen top today. My first spider, my first day with it...my girl friend is going to FREAK! Can you imagine. Takes me months to talk her into getting one and it breaks out on the first night. To make things worse..if it gets out, I have nothing atm to put it in. Guess I can duct tape over the lid. sheesh!

 

[ManlyMan7]

Just wanted to post this as I stumbled upon this thread a few times and this time, I noticed the perferated aluminum sheeting. Good idea, but I saw a thread somewhere else recently of an LP who had broken both fangs off trying to open a tougher screen lid.

My idea was to make plexiglass lids that fit inside the aquarium rim and then the top (bought separately in this case), fits hard and fast over the top of that. My hope is that the LP will not be able to crawl across the plexiglass ceiling and will thus be unable to chew on the wire lid.

Two photos: First showing the new plexiglass lid, second, the wife lid on top.

 

[Anastasia]

.....and they keep braking out from time to time.
Just few days ago, open door in to spidererium and here she is! sitting right in front of the door, my 9" Pamphobeteus female
she been in one of Adams (tarantulas cages) large terrestrial cage with 2" screens, she pushed screen (whole screen, what ever its been glued with) out
Thank God she didnt hurt herself making to the floor about 4'+ high
I captured her now thinking how can I prevent from this happening again :?

 

[Unravel]

.....and they keep braking out from time to time.
Just few days ago, open door in to spidererium and here she is! sitting right in front of the door, my 9" Pamphobeteus female
she been in one of Adams (tarantulas cages) large terrestrial cage with 2" screens, she pushed screen (whole screen, what ever its been glued with) out
Thank God she didnt hurt herself making to the floor about 4'+ high
I captured her now thinking how can I prevent from this happening again :?

send her to me for bootcamp,

but seriously what i use with my large terrestrials that don't want to stay in is thick plexi not cut to full length of tank and a normal screen top from a petstore with two clips securing it. I have something heavy (like a light for my planted tank) sitting on top so the T can't get in between plexi and screen cage. Probably a lot more practical ways to make things secure but i've had success with this!

 

[Formerphobe]

Okay, now y'all have me concerned. I don't have any enclosures with screen vents. My Ts are in KKs or makeshift plastic or acrylic containers. No escapees over the past year. (My only escapee thus far was my own stupidity...)

I noticed a couple of weeks ago that my 2" B. smithi has started sitting with one or two legs hanging out of one of its melted vent holes. Over the last few days I've seen the 1" B. verdezi doing the same thing, as well as trying to bite the edge of one of its similarly melted vent holes. It was going through some real contortions trying different legs out the hole and different positions to chew on the rim. Yesterday one of the B. emelias had one leg hanging out one of the slits in its KK.

As they mature are they going to just chew their ways out?

B. verdezi testing the proverbial waters:

I picked up these shoe boxes the other day thinking that with some ventilation holes they would make some decent terrestrial enclosures. Now I'm wondering if I need to go with something more substantial.

 

[J Morningstar]

Fancy ventholes!!! Thats like 3/16th inch plastic, I think only the largest of terrestrial T's would get through that, and that would take a long time, like months of gnawing at to do so....and from what others have said, it would be loud enough to alet you way before there were ever problems. Oh and out of my 4 t's only my Htian Brown does the thing with it's legs, always just sticking one out here and there...

 

[Moltar]

I picked up these shoe boxes the other day thinking that with some ventilation holes they would make some decent terrestrial enclosures. Now I'm wondering if I need to go with something more substantial.

These are what I'm using for most of my small-mid sized terrestrials and they work just fine. Keep the top latched and you're good to go. Because they start out essentially sealed(ish) you need to pay attention to how much ventilation you provide. For instance, if you were keeping something that liked moisture (Theraphosa, Pamphobeteus, etc) you would already have too much vent in the one pictured (nice design tho').

They won't really be appropriate to an arboreal T or an obligate burrower because they aren't very deep. For regular terrestrials though, they're awesome. I especially like that they are stackable and I always place my vent holes apprpriately for that.

 

[GartenSpinnen]

Its odd, I was looking at that old pic I posted of the Heterometrus sp. clawing up some screening and I got to thinking that I have actually never had an issue with T's doing this. I have had some of the heavier body Pandinus sp. and Heterometrus sp. as far as scorps go, and once I had a very large Scolopendra heros arizonensis that chew through silicone in an aquarium then continued to shove its fangs in between the pieces of glass, separating them. Both instances surprised me because even though they are obviously strong its hard to realize how strong they truly can be at times.

My Pokie is getting huge and I want to continue my history of not having issues with the T's, so I am thinking it might be wise to reinforce her exo-terra. The screen on those is really weak it seems like compared to some screens I have used in the past which were heavier gauge.

 

[Anastasia]

Nate,
I dont recall having any problems with Poecilotheria or any other arboreal genus
but when come terrestrials different story those are mischievous buggers always up to some trouble,
so far here is the trouble making genera list
Brachypelma
Grammostola
Pamphobeteus
Xenesthis

 

[Robin Da Hood]

Electrifying it might do the trick, lol.

BBBZZZZZZZZZZTTTTTT..... I smell cookies burning.

 

[Formerphobe]

These are what I'm using for most of my small-mid sized terrestrials and they work just fine. Keep the top latched and you're good to go. Because they start out essentially sealed(ish) you need to pay attention to how much ventilation you provide. For instance, if you were keeping something that liked moisture (Theraphosa, Pamphobeteus, etc) you would already have too much vent in the one pictured (nice design tho').

They won't really be appropriate to an arboreal T or an obligate burrower because they aren't very deep. For regular terrestrials though, they're awesome. I especially like that they are stackable and I always place my vent holes apprpriately for that.

Thanks, Moltar. I have two of these intended for a G. rosea and a LP. I was wondering if I had enough ventilation for a rosea. I don't want to offer opportunity for any to chew their way out! Eventually my Brachypelmas will be big enough to go in similar ones.

I have some giant pretzel tubs with H. lividum names on them (We're still working on the pretzels in one...). Minimal holes planned for those.

I like that they are stackable, too. When stacked there appears to be some dead space between top of one and bottom of the other. That's why I went ahead and drilled holes in the center portion of the lid, too.

it would be loud enough to alet you way before there were ever problems.

The popping sound the little bitty verdezi was making is what alerted me to it plucking at the holes with its fangs.

so far here is the trouble making genera list
Brachypelma
Grammostola
Pamphobeteus
Xenesthis

Hmmm, 70% of my collection are Brachypelma and Grammostola.

 

[Formerphobe]

Well, as I lay in bed dozing off to sleep last night, I start hearing regular little 'snicking' sounds. It turns out to be the 2" B. smithi plucking at one of its deli cup vent holes with its fangs and pedipalps. Methinks time to rehouse into something sturdier...

 

[CyberSkully]

This is a very interesting thread. I can't believe a tiny sling could chew through screen.