Ventilation question

draconisj4

Arachnobaron
Joined
Apr 11, 2017
Messages
455
I found this to rehouse my 2" P. cancerides in since he managed to get himself stuck on the mesh vent in his Jamie's juvenile enclosure the other day. Is 2 rows of app. 3/8 inch holes on the long sides sufficient or should I put a few on the top or short sides? Its roughly the size of a small kritter keeper.
new enclosure.jpg
 

viper69

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 8, 2006
Messages
17,851
It's sufficient. They use less O2 than you think. Also, better to drill less, and small holes at first. If you over drill number of holes, you'll have to plug them back up or get a new setup etc, be conservative.
 

draconisj4

Arachnobaron
Joined
Apr 11, 2017
Messages
455
It's sufficient. They use less O2 than you think. Also, better to drill less, and small holes at first. If you over drill number of holes, you'll have to plug them back up or get a new setup etc, be conservative.
Thank you. I was more worried about mold since the container is deep and I wanted to give him enough substrate to dig in if he wanted. He stays out mostly now but still likes to take his prey into his burrow to eat. I'll start with that and toss some springtails in and see how it goes.
 

viper69

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 8, 2006
Messages
17,851
Mold is not a threat as many on the forum make it out to be. While I wouldn't expose my T to a layer of mold etc (makes me wonder what some of them encounter in the forests), I have seen experienced keepers/breeders with a full blown mushroom in their setup with no ill effects.
 

draconisj4

Arachnobaron
Joined
Apr 11, 2017
Messages
455
A mushroom would be rather interesting lol, but as in the case of my recent rehouse of my N. chromatus there was yellow mold growing all through the substrate. No sign of that in any of my other enclosures but I don't want a repeat of that.
 

Mojo288

Arachnoknight
Joined
Jun 18, 2017
Messages
160
Springtails are your best friend, even in my stirmi enclosure i don't remove ANYTHING(keeps the springtails fed), and it's spotless, no mold no boluses no nothing.

On a side note, i personally have some mushrooms grown inside my C. lividus' enclosure lol (over a year since i noticed the mushroom), no harm what so ever.
 

mazzzz

Arachnosquire
Joined
Feb 12, 2018
Messages
92
Springtails are your best friend, even in my stirmi enclosure i don't remove ANYTHING(keeps the springtails fed), and it's spotless, no mold no boluses no nothing.

On a side note, i personally have some mushrooms grown inside my C. lividus' enclosure lol (over a year since i noticed the mushroom), no harm what so ever.
When adding springtails to an enclosure do you have to add anything else? Or are they pretty self sufficient? By anything else i mean do they need any specific things in the substrate to eat?? My sub is peat moss, top soil, and a little bit of vermiculite.
 

Mojo288

Arachnoknight
Joined
Jun 18, 2017
Messages
160
When adding springtails to an enclosure do you have to add anything else? Or are they pretty self sufficient? By anything else i mean do they need any specific things in the substrate to eat?? My sub is peat moss, top soil, and a little bit of vermiculite.
Nope, just don't clean any boli and the springtails will thrive.
 
Top