Please recommend which enclosure to use.

[Greylock]

I just luckily captured a Arizona Blonde which my son had found in his room and vacuumed into a small canister vac seemingly without injury. I currently have it in a critter cage with some Arizona dirt thrown in it with a water bowl. It seems to be a female about 1.5 inches in torso length. I have a old 2.5 and a 5 gallon glass aquariums in my storage room to convert to a terrarium. Would it be better to start in the 2.5 and rehouse to the 5 as she gets bigger or just go straight to the 5?

P.S. I would prefer the 5 since then it would match my 5 gal betta tank which is in a rack with a 75 gal tank on top but whichever is the best for the spider.

 

[StampFan]

I just luckily captured a Arizona Blonde which my son had found in his room and vacuumed into a small canister vac seemingly without injury. I currently have it in a critter cage with some Arizona dirt thrown in it with a water bowl. It seems to be a female about 1.5 inches in torso length. I have a old 2.5 and a 5 gallon glass aquariums in my storage room to convert to a terrarium. Would it be better to start in the 2.5 and rehouse to the 5 as she gets bigger or just go straight to the 5?

If its 1.5 inches DLS even a 2.5 gallon is likely too large for it. You could go small kritter keeper, deli cup, or heck, even an empty peanut butter container, something smaller. Even something as small as 3 inches in diameter would likely be appropriate at that size.

They are wonderful, beautiful spiders, you could have a lot of years with that little one.

 

[Demonclaws]

Critter cage is usually fine. Watch for holes which the spider may escape from. Better to share a picture first.

 

[Devin B]

If its 1.5 inches DLS even a 2.5 gallon is likely too large for it. You could go small kritter keeper, deli cup, or heck, even an empty peanut butter container, something smaller. Even something as small as 3 inches in diameter would likely be appropriate at that size.

They are wonderful, beautiful spiders, you could have a lot of years with that little one.

The OP said it was 1.5 inches in torso length not DLS. Its probably 3-4inches DLS if i had to guess

 

[Devin B]

Tarantulas are completely happy with small enclosures. The truth is, they hust dont need a lot of room because once they settle down they rarely go far from their home (unless its a mature male).

 

[Greylock]

Thanks for your replies. Yes, 3~4 inches if DLS means diameter with legs in normal partially curled mode as in walking or resting. Since this is going to be a display cage being added to my aquarium display rack, I will use the 2.5 gal with a few decorations. I plan on trying a mix of burrowing clay, coconut fiber and vermiculite to try simulate our outdoor conditions (mostly very hard caliche) without making it too hard for her to burrow.

Lol - finally figured it out DLS-Diameter Leg Spread

 

[sdsnybny]

Thanks for your replies. Yes, 3~4 inches if DLS means diameter with legs in normal partially curled mode as in walking or resting. Since this is going to be a display cage being added to my aquarium display rack, I will use the 2.5 gal with a few decorations. I plan on trying a mix of burrowing clay, coconut fiber and vermiculite to try simulate our outdoor conditions (mostly very hard caliche) without making it too hard for her to burrow.

Lol - finally figured it out DLS-Diameter Leg Spread

Close! DLS diagonal leg span Distance form tip of one front leg to the opposite side rear leg tip

 

[Ungoliant]

Would it be better to start in the 2.5 and rehouse to the 5 as she gets bigger or just go straight to the 5?

P.S. I would prefer the 5 since then it would match my 5 gal betta tank which is in a rack with a 75 gal tank on top but whichever is the best for the spider.

What are the dimensions of the aquariums?

For terrestrial tarantulas like Aphonopelma chalcodes, you want something low-profile, where there is no more than 1.5 times the tarantula's diagonal leg span in vertical space (the distance between the top of the substrate and the lid). This is because bulky terrestrial tarantulas are vulnerable to falls; even a fall of just a few inches could fatally rupture the abdomen under the worst circumstances.

Standard aquariums require a lot of substrate to make the height safe. Therefore, they aren't as commonly used by experienced keepers.

For a tarantula of that size, something like the small Exo Terra Breeding Box (8" x 8" x 5.5") is perfect. I use these for all of my juvenile terrestrials and mature dwarf terrestrials.

Just fill it with a few inches of substrate and half-bury a slab of cork. If your tarantula wants to dig, it will excavate under the cork. Include a low-profile water dish. (Don't worry; tarantulas won't drown.)

 

[viper69]

Why not release it back into the wild where it's from?

I like ExoTerra BreederBoxes and Really Useful Boxes.