Need larger enclosure for my P irminia?

[laservet]

My Psalmopoeus irminia molted again and she is growing faster than I anticipated. I have two questions, is it time to rehouse and what size enclosure to buy. Here are a couple of crummy pics of her, she's being extra shy right now, in her 4" x 4" x5" tall enclosure for scale. Prior to this last molt I caught her spread out on the wall of the enclosure and her DLS was about 3" at that time.

If it is time to rehouse her how large should I go? I would like to use a Jamie's Tarantulas enclosure, options are 7x7x11", 8x8x14" and 10x10x20" high.

 

[docwade87]

I would say yes a rehouse is in order. However I would’t go with a full adult size enclosure yet; although, you may be ok because of their fast growth rates. I would put yours in a cheap gallon jug ($3) easily found at Walmart for an in between. Pictured below is mine 3” DLS in the gallon jug I’m speaking of. Looking forward to hearing from experienced keepers.

P. Irminia

• docwade87
• Apr 10, 2019
• 2
• irminia psalmopoeus psalmopoeus irminia suntiger tarantula venezuelan suntiger tarantula

Settling into new home.

P. Irminia Juvie Enclosure

• docwade87
• Apr 10, 2019
• 5
• enclosure irminia psalmopoeus psalmopoeus irminia suntiger tarantula venezuelan suntiger tarantula

1 Gallon size

 

[cold blood]

Yes, re house.

Psalmpoeous are very fast and superb hunters, they do best with extra space....even as slings.

 

[Vanessa]

I put my Psalmopoeus in larger enclosures, due to their growth rate, to cut down on the number of times that I need to rehouse them. At that size, I wouldn't hesitate to put them into their adult enclosure.

 

[cold blood]

I agree Vanessa....in fact OP, at 2i I start them in enclosures that size or possibly twice the size this t is crammed into...lol.

 

[docwade87]

I put my Psalmopoeus in larger enclosures, due to their growth rate, to cut down on the number of times that I need to rehouse them. At that size, I wouldn't hesitate to put them into their adult enclosure.

I agree Vanessa....in fact OP, at 2i I start them in enclosures that size or possibly twice the size this t is crammed into...lol.

Good to know!

Should I have gone bigger with mine?

What size enclosures do y’all keep your adults in?

 

[laservet]

OK, so definitely need to rehouse, she has grown much more rapidly than I anticipated, which size do you all recommend, 8x8x14" or 10x10x20" high? I'd rather go too big and let her grow into it than have to do an extra rehouse in another six months. I'm not locked into the Jamie's enclosures but I do prefer a cage that looks nice, helps with spousal approval score., and has good access for maintenance, helps me.

 

[cold blood]

Good to know!

Should I have gone bigger with mine?

What size enclosures do y’all keep your adults in?

I have one in a large sterilite tub, the other in a 15gal long.

Its important to note, floor space is more important than vertical space. These are arboreal, but really are predominantly ground dwellers.

 

[The Grym Reaper]

What size enclosures do y’all keep your adults in?

Mine's in an Exo Terra nano tall (8"x8"x12"), she mostly just chills on the bark tile background.

 

[docwade87]

I have one in a large sterilite tub, the other in a 15gal long.

Its important to note, floor space is more important than vertical space. These are arboreal, but really are predominantly ground dwellers.

Interesting! I have noticed mine hanging out on ground in front of bark under plants more than anywhere else.

What size sterling tub? Always looking for ideas.

Mine's in an Exo Terra nano tall (8"x8"x12"), she mostly just chills on the bark tile background.

That’s what I was thinking about. I have several of these. Did you convert the screen top?

 

[draconisj4]

I have mine in Jamies 8x8x14. She's been in there since I got her at 3.5", she has molted once and she's about 4" and still has plenty of room. She wanders around occasionally but pretty much spends most of her time behind her cork bark where she's made her home.

 

[The Grym Reaper]

That’s what I was thinking about. I have several of these. Did you convert the screen top?

The one that currently houses my irminia female has an acrylic lid, it's the only one I bothered to convert though (my versi pair both have enough clutter up top to be able to free themselves easily on the off-chance they get a foot stuck).

 

[viper69]

My Psalmopoeus irminia molted again and she is growing faster than I anticipated. I have two questions, is it time to rehouse and what size enclosure to buy. Here are a couple of crummy pics of her, she's being extra shy right now, in her 4" x 4" x5" tall enclosure for scale. Prior to this last molt I caught her spread out on the wall of the enclosure and her DLS was about 3" at that time. View attachment 305314 View attachment 305315

If it is time to rehouse her how large should I go? I would like to use a Jamie's Tarantulas enclosure, options are 7x7x11", 8x8x14" and 10x10x20" high.

I own these- rehouse

 

[laservet]

An 8x8x14" enclosure is on its way. I have substrate (coco husk fiber), a cork bark hide, and a water dish. I also bought a cork bark panel to attach to the back wall of the enclosure, I will lean the cork hide against it. The T now spends some time outside her hide, and I am hoping she will spend enough time on either the outside of the cork hide or the cork panel on the back.

The flat cork panel is 1" thick, the thinnest I could find. I may try sanding the back down to cut the thickness in half, hate to see it take up that much space. For affixing it to the back of the enclosure, would you recommend hot glue? Aquarium sealer? And should I seal the sides so a roach can't get behind it?

 

[The Grym Reaper]

For affixing it to the back of the enclosure, would you recommend hot glue? Aquarium sealer?

If you cut it to just the right size then it should fit snugly and stay in place without the need for any adhesive, I think aquarium silicone would be better than hot glue if you do need to fix it into place though as hot glue doesn't adhere too well to smooth surfaces IIRC.

And should I seal the sides so a roach can't get behind it?

The ones I use in my exo terras aren't sealed around or even adhered to the back and nothing can get behind them, the problem with the foam ones is that they have a cut-out in the the back to run cables for probes/mats through, feeders and even tarantulas can get into that, this isn't an issue with the cork tiles.

 

[laservet]

Thanks, all!

Here's her new place, it's 8x8x14". I used industrial Velcro to attach the cork background and regular Velcro to attach the black artist's foam board on the side, hopefully will give me an opportunity to get macro photos of her while she's behind her cork hide. I'm sure she will just web over it but it costs nothing to try.

I can put her entire current enclosure inside the new one, pull off the lid, close the door and let her wander into the new place at her leisure.

I'll feed her today, move her uptown tomorrow.

Critiques welcome.

 

[docwade87]

Looks awesome!! Well done.

Where did you order that enclosure from?

 

[laservet]

Looks awesome!! Well done.

Where did you order that enclosure from?

Thanks.

Jamie’s Tarantulas.

 

[CyclingSam]

Looks much better to me.

 

[laservet]

So, I put the old enclosure inside the new, took off the lid of the old, and figured I'd let the T explore her new digs at her leisure and I could then pull out the old enclosure, easy peasy. That was three days ago. I've been able to lure her partially out with fishing line (she attacked and bit it repeatedly) and a roach, but she has yet to leave her old home. Not sure how long to give her before I try to force her to crawl into her new place. I'd give her forever but I need her old enclosure. OTOH, messing with her through a partially open door to her enclosure risks escape. Any hints or helpful advice? I was thinking of running a very small tube through one of the air holes into her small enclosure and slowly filling it with water to gently make her vacate.

This is as far as she will come out of her old enclosure.