GeekFIxUk
Arachnopeon
- Joined
- Jul 8, 2019
- Messages
- 17
Hey guys and gals from sunny England!
As the title suggest, ive bitten the bullet and ordered my first T, a Chromatopelma Cyaneopubescens Female (6cm) – GBB from spidersworld.eu
Before anyone panics, ive spent the best part of 2-3 weeks watching The Dark Den (mainly over the latter) and Exotics Lair on youtube, daily for hours. So i feel ive done my homework but still have a few questions if anyone could help fill the gaps. Maybe best see if i am going in the right direction:
As the title suggest, ive bitten the bullet and ordered my first T, a Chromatopelma Cyaneopubescens Female (6cm) – GBB from spidersworld.eu
Before anyone panics, ive spent the best part of 2-3 weeks watching The Dark Den (mainly over the latter) and Exotics Lair on youtube, daily for hours. So i feel ive done my homework but still have a few questions if anyone could help fill the gaps. Maybe best see if i am going in the right direction:
- I know they are skittish yet docile but don't plan on handling it, i want it to be a well cared for display tarantula. I mean i have no issue handling her if absolutely necessary.
- Ive gone for a female as they live longer, are more colourful and larger (yay for me)
- They like a dry low humidity enclosure with good ventilation so ive got an Exo Terra Mini Tall Terrarium 30 x 30 x 45cm Glass coming, along with a small water bowl, coco substrate, 30cm Exo-terra branch, live plant 6cm Ionantha Red, plastic hanging vine x1, cork bark and a day/night led light. Also a temp/humidity digital monitor.
- Because im in the Uk the temperature here can regularly drop way below 20 degrees C i have a heat mat coming with a Habistat heat mat thermostat. I'm planning on keeping it between 22-26 degrees c, however as my little T can cool down if needed the heat mat is only half the size of terrarium and think i might put it on the opposing side of where im going to use the bark for a burrow. Any thoughts would be great, such as where is best to put the temperature probe for the thermostat?
- I believe as it likes a dry or near dry substrate, i guess ill let the coco fibre brick expand in water and then let it dry out? Im also stumped on whether any leaf litter or spag moss would be needed as this may increase humidity? All i gather a little over pour when filling the water bowl is more than enough.
- Feed wise i heard it was better to vary diet between 2 insects but at 6cm size should i be looking at meal worms over super worms and red runner roachers over dubai roaches? On a side note, do they do the happy dance after being fed? lol
- Now to my main question, cleaning and maintenance of the terrarium. Obviously by now i know to be attentive during feeding and remove any live insects if they dont eat it and also remove any dead insects but how does one deal with tarantula poo. I mean i realise im not expecting mountains of poo, lol, but can i use a cleaning crew of spring tales and woodlice? Is a bio active substrate possible in an arid enclosure?