GBB Housing Question

[MissHarlen]

Hello

So I'm planning on getting a GBB as my next T and I am wondering about how to keep it once it gets to a larger size. I know they are heavy webbers, so my question is this:

Should I give it deep substrate like I would for a burrowing tarantula, or shallow substrate and allow it to web it's whole enclosure?

I have heard that if you keep them with shallow substrate, their webbing essentially becomes their burrow and every time you take the lid off, you're effectively taking the roof off their burrow.

 

[Scorpendra]

I used to have one and he didn't even attempt to burrow, just wove a blanket over everything. I'd say the sub should definitely be shallower than a burrowing species.

 

[darkness975]

Give this thread a read, it should help shed some light:
http://arachnoboards.com/threads/chromatopelma-cyaneopubescens-adult-container-size-survey.281386/

 

[Ellenantula]

I gave mine a couple inches of substrate -- burrowing was very limited (she probably just moved substrate out her way to web her basement). Mine built a multi-layer webbed parking garage, but now it's one main webbed floor with a webbed basement (just 2 layers now).
Anchor points (silk/plastic leaves and corkbark) were more beneficial for mine than deep substrate. Mine is in a (guestimate) 13"W X 8"D X 10"T faunarium. She webbed up near the top but only the sides are high -- the main webbing is lower (picture hammock styling). I can remove lid without disturbing her webbing (but I use lid 'door' instead of taking whole lid off).

 

[Estein]

I'm also planning to get a GBB soon--thanks for asking this question. @Ellenantula, did you find that pretty much all the space above the substrate got filled up with webbing? Or would leaving a couple of inches between the anchor points and the lid give a little more space to make husbandry easier? Or, because of the hammock-like shape of the webbing, does it really matter?

 

[Ellenantula]

Yeah -- it's a pure sheet of webbing -- wall to wall -- with 3 tunnel holes to enter her lower lair. She attached her webbed floor to both the anchors and to the plain wall. She webbed over her water dish and her ping pong ball (NEVER give a ping pong ball to a GBB - lol). It's just all webbing. And even the basement appears to have a thick webbed sheet over substrate.
Gotta love a GBB!

 

[Estein]

Yeah -- it's a pure sheet of webbing -- wall to wall -- with 3 tunnel holes to enter her lower lair. She attached her webbed floor to both the anchors and to the plain wall. She webbed over her water dish and her ping pong ball (NEVER give a ping pong ball to a GBB - lol). It's just all webbing. And even the basement appears to have a thick webbed sheet over substrate.
Gotta love a GBB!

Ha! So I should just try to work around it as best as possible? How do you deal with a constantly covered water dish? Do you drop water on the webbing?

 

[Ellenantula]

Sometimes I use my tongs to tear a hole through to refill water dish (water dish is technically in the 'basement' area). Sometimes I don't bother and figure she is getting her moisture from her prey. This is a very dry species, thankfully.
Whatever I do, I feed her first so she will let me work. Otherwise, she will go for the tongs. And sometimes, she will drop her prey and still go after the tongs. lol

 

[Estein]

Sometimes I use my tongs to tear a hole through to refill water dish (water dish is technically in the 'basement' area). Sometimes I don't bother and figure she is getting her moisture from her prey. This is a very dry species, thankfully.
Whatever I do, I feed her first so she will let me work. Otherwise, she will go for the tongs. And sometimes, she will drop her prey and still go after the tongs. lol

Great, thanks for your input! Hopefully there is a GBB in my future.

 

[viper69]

Hello

So I'm planning on getting a GBB as my next T and I am wondering about how to keep it once it gets to a larger size. I know they are heavy webbers, so my question is this:

Should I give it deep substrate like I would for a burrowing tarantula, or shallow substrate and allow it to web it's whole enclosure?

I have heard that if you keep them with shallow substrate, their webbing essentially becomes their burrow and every time you take the lid off, you're effectively taking the roof off their burrow.

I've raised quite a few GBBs. None really burrowed, but they all webbed up the entire container, some more than others.

The part taking roof off burrow is true for many tarantulas, not only GBBs. It all depends on what the animal considers its lair. It varies from T to T, even sacmates.


Whatever you do, give it a good amount of space because the water bowl be covered at some point most likely. And when you try and fix that you will attract your Ts attention.

If you were curious, I'd give it both and see what happens, enjoy the nature!

 

[MissHarlen]

Picked up a 1 1/4" sling today I'm so excited to start this experience

 

[Ellenantula]

Picked up a 1 1/4" sling today I'm so excited to start this experience

Excited for you! They are so gorgeous. And mine (adult) is usually topside so I can enjoy seeing her. The only time mine is in her 'basement' is to moult or retrieve prey. All in all, a completely wonderful T. I can't think of a single negative thing to say about GBBs. I enjoy mine's excellent feeding response too!

 

[Anoplogaster]

The water dish webbing thing has no cure. You will always have that battle. I just consider it part of the fun of keeping this species. You'll enjoy this spider

 

[Anoplogaster]

They even smile for the camera

 

[Red Eunice]

Picked up a 1 1/4" sling today I'm so excited to start this experience

Congrats on getting a gorgeous species. I started my slings in 4" cubes w/h an 1"+ topsoil, lots of anchor points and water dishes. Now in 8" cubes, 2" topsoil, tons of anchor points and larger water dishes. None, even sling stage, burrowed, but did move some topsoil slightly.
Great eaters, prolific webbers and amazing colors, especially post molt.
Pic of a 3" in an 8" cube, didn't remove the lid for fear of it bolting out.
Enjoy the experience!

 

[cold blood]

They even smile for the camera
View attachment 244293

Time to find that boy a date.

You should keep that pic available....its a great shot to show beginners what emboli look like.

 

[MissHarlen]

Here it is! I'm loving the colors at this stage. It's a shame they loose them, but their adult colors are just as fantastic!