First T on the way :D

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Arachnoknight
Joined
Apr 19, 2017
Messages
267
I posted my first topic about a week ago regarding my first T, http://arachnoboards.com/threads/getting-started.293259/ since then i have decided to go with a A.Geniculata, I have ordered a 3.5" and it will be arriving the first week of May (next week) :D . My question now is about the tank set up, i bought a small terrarium from the reptile store by my house and im hoping i can get pointers on any improvements i can make on it, The tank is 11x11x11" with about 3.5" deep coco fiber and an extra inch or 2 of fluffy moss in the corners and along the sides in case of falls (due to the front of the tank having breathing holes i cant make the Substrate any higher without sealing the holes first) . I have my water dish set up and a hide i made using a fish tank hide i bought at the pet store and cut it to size because it was almost 3 times the length of what it is now and rounded off all the edges as well as hot glued plants to it. The lid used to have mesh but i gutted it and replaced and replaced it with plexiglass which i drilled holes into. How is my tank set up so far? will it be ok for the size of T im getting and if not what should i do to fix it? thanks in advance for any tips and information i get :)
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Last edited:

EulersK

Arachnonomicon
Staff member
Joined
Feb 22, 2013
Messages
3,292
Yes.

A new hobbyist does research before buying a spider. I love you, man.
Everything looks almost perfect. I'm sure some people will say that it's too tall, and it could stand to be shorter, but I think it's alright. My only concern is how quickly your spider will outgrow that enclosure. This is a relatively fast growing species, so expect to need another enclosure within a year. But hey, then you can just house another spider in this enclosure!\

Now for the tips. I'd kill the moss entirely - tarantulas don't seem to like to walk on it, meaning there's only a very small amount of space for your spider to spread out. Don't worry about falls in this setup. It's not overly tall, and you've got no hard surfaces other than the water dish. On that topic, also kill the stones in the water dish. They do nothing but create surface area that will harbor bacteria. This species likes it a bit on the humid side, so I'd suggest creating a "crater" in the back left corner to occasionally fill with water. Making this crater will allow the water to naturally spread through the rest of the substrate. It will also avoid water from flowing into the hide. Trust me when I say that you don't want to startle an A. genic while it's in its hide.

Other than that... you're good, man. I'd personally kill the fake plants only because it eats up room for no reason other than to look pretty, but that's purely opinion. My terrestrials get nothing but a hide and a water dish, but I understand the desire to make it look pretty.
 

Walker253

Arachnobaron
Joined
Jun 12, 2016
Messages
554
I think it looks great. Nice choice on the A genticulata. One tip I may give, is they are a cricket vacuum cleaner. They will eat like they are starving. You need to be the one to say when enough is enough. I fed mine waaaay to much and she was a fat slob. She was so fat she looked miserable. Ended up not eating for almost 6 months when she finally molted. Being that fat makes the molting harder on them. I learned my lesson and the feeding is much more controlled now.
 

TRection

Arachnoknight
Joined
Apr 19, 2017
Messages
267
Yes.

A new hobbyist does research before buying a spider. I love you, man.
Everything looks almost perfect. I'm sure some people will say that it's too tall, and it could stand to be shorter, but I think it's alright. My only concern is how quickly your spider will outgrow that enclosure. This is a relatively fast growing species, so expect to need another enclosure within a year. But hey, then you can just house another spider in this enclosure!\

Now for the tips. I'd kill the moss entirely - tarantulas don't seem to like to walk on it, meaning there's only a very small amount of space for your spider to spread out. Don't worry about falls in this setup. It's not overly tall, and you've got no hard surfaces other than the water dish. On that topic, also kill the stones in the water dish. They do nothing but create surface area that will harbor bacteria. This species likes it a bit on the humid side, so I'd suggest creating a "crater" in the back left corner to occasionally fill with water. Making this crater will allow the water to naturally spread through the rest of the substrate. It will also avoid water from flowing into the hide. Trust me when I say that you don't want to startle an A. genic while it's in its hide.

Other than that... you're good, man. I'd personally kill the fake plants only because it eats up room for no reason other than to look pretty, but that's purely opinion. My terrestrials get nothing but a hide and a water dish, but I understand the desire to make it look pretty.
Ok great ill remove all the extra moss from the sides and corners and the rocks in the water dish :) thank you for the help, and as for the outgrowing of the tank, i honestly cant wait! :D i have my eye on a nice big tank for when the time comes
 

TRection

Arachnoknight
Joined
Apr 19, 2017
Messages
267
I think it looks great. Nice choice on the A genticulata. One tip I may give, is they are a cricket vacuum cleaner. They will eat like they are starving. You need to be the one to say when enough is enough. I fed mine waaaay to much and she was a fat slob. She was so fat she looked miserable. Ended up not eating for almost 6 months when she finally molted. Being that fat makes the molting harder on them. I learned my lesson and the feeding is much more controlled now.
would once a week as much as i can feed it within a few hours be good?
 

leaveittoweaver

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
May 7, 2009
Messages
153
I think it looks great. Nice choice on the A genticulata. One tip I may give, is they are a cricket vacuum cleaner. They will eat like they are starving. You need to be the one to say when enough is enough. I fed mine waaaay to much and she was a fat slob. She was so fat she looked miserable. Ended up not eating for almost 6 months when she finally molted. Being that fat makes the molting harder on them. I learned my lesson and the feeding is much more controlled now.
Truth! And they are very fast, so just be prepared since this is your first tarantula, they think any movement is food. Also their hairs suck and mine had kicked hers all off in transit, I used gloves to clean up the paper towels and such.
 

TRection

Arachnoknight
Joined
Apr 19, 2017
Messages
267
Truth! And they are very fast, so just be prepared since this is your first tarantula, they think any movement is food. Also their hairs suck and mine had kicked hers all off in transit, I used gloves to clean up the paper towels and such.
Ok ill take note of that and wear gloves when it arrives just to be safe.
 

Walker253

Arachnobaron
Joined
Jun 12, 2016
Messages
554
would once a week as much as i can feed it within a few hours be good?
Way to much. Mine would take 7 or 8 crickets in at once, every week. She just held onto them. At 3.5", 2-3 large crickets a week. Nice and steady. Just watch the abdomen, too small, feed a little more. Too fat, slow your roll

Super worms will work, as will roaches. A. genticulata are not picky eaters
 

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Arachnoknight
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Apr 19, 2017
Messages
267
Way to much. Mine would take 7 or 8 crickets in at once, every week. She just held onto them. At 3.5", 2-3 large crickets a week. Nice and steady. Just watch the abdomen, too small, feed a little more. Too fat, slow your roll

Super worms will work, as will roaches. A genticulata are not picky eaters
Ok cool, so would 1-2 superworms be ok?
 

Chris LXXIX

ArachnoGod
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Dec 25, 2014
Messages
5,845
I personally love the Citrus at the right of the enclosure... impossible to tell on pure sight, trust me, if those are Italy, Spain, or maybe U.S imported :pompous:
 

D Sherlod

Arachnoknight
Joined
Dec 30, 2016
Messages
218
Superworm are great... 1 large superworm per week is lots or 2 large crickets.

If using superworm crush it's head so it won't dig and bury itself
 

D Sherlod

Arachnoknight
Joined
Dec 30, 2016
Messages
218
Great looking setup

I keep one end of the set up with damp substrate and the other dry
 

Haemus

Arachnosquire
Joined
Feb 11, 2016
Messages
128
Cool looking hide! Not sure how big your supers are, but if they're too big, chop them in half. Then get another similar sized T, and feed the other half to that :)
 

TRection

Arachnoknight
Joined
Apr 19, 2017
Messages
267
Superworm are great... 1 large superworm per week is lots or 2 large crickets.

If using superworm crush it's head so it won't dig and bury itself
Great looking setup

I keep one end of the set up with damp substrate and the other dry
Thanks for the info :)
Cool looking hide! Not sure how big your supers are, but if they're too big, chop them in half. Then get another similar sized T, and feed the other half to that :)
LOL good idea! If they end up being too big ill feed the other half to my Beardie for now, hes a pig and eats pretty much anything you give to him :rofl:
 

DPetsche

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jul 27, 2016
Messages
46
I had this issue where my Ts got sick of eating supers and just stopped altogether. I'd recommend a variety. Go ahead and do the supers but like once a month or whenever, go and buy just enough crickets/ roaches/ whatever for that feeding so you don't have to worry about keeping them alive. Also can't stress enough to head smashing on worms. They'll be gone in seconds if you don't.
 

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Arachnoknight
Joined
Apr 19, 2017
Messages
267
I had this issue where my Ts got sick of eating supers and just stopped altogether. I'd recommend a variety. Go ahead and do the supers but like once a month or whenever, go and buy just enough crickets/ roaches/ whatever for that feeding so you don't have to worry about keeping them alive. Also can't stress enough to head smashing on worms. They'll be gone in seconds if you don't.
Awesome sounds good to me :) i do the same for my beardie and give him a pinky once a month or so (normally just eats supers and veggies)
 

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Arachnoknight
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Apr 19, 2017
Messages
267
I have a question regarding worms, mine are always in oatmeal which also has some reptical (calcium) and reptivitamin powder mixed in which they eat along with veggies and fruits i give them, would they cause any harm to my T having ingested the reptivitamins and calcium? if so ill buy a separate batch of worms until my Beardie eats all the old ones and i can clean out the tank and add new oats and such WITHOUT the cal and vit powders. :)
 
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