What would go best in an 8in. tall tank?

[Dragondrool]

I have an extra tank which was a left over crested gecko starter kit. This is what it looks like:

Obviously it's too big for a tarantula unless I get an arboreal species, which I currently haven't found one that clicks with me yet. If you have any advice for beginner arboreal Ts, feel free to comment! (I have a pink toe, so I'm not sure if I'm looking for another at the moment).

My heart wants a digging T, which I know there aren't really any 100% diggers, and I'm not looking for an OW since I don't think I'm ready for that. But either way, I'm going to fill a lot of the tank with substrate (ecoearth) so that I can take out some of the height.

If that isn't enough, I have many plants from my gecko (he unfortunately passed) that I can use. I have vines, cork bark, and a very tall aquarium seaweed plant. They're cleaned and ready to go.

I'm looking at a Green bottle blue, but that's still in the works, nothing has been decided. They're pretty but I don't think that's the fit for me ATM. Do you have any suggestions? I don't need a tarantula, if there's some other creepy crawlie that would fit (centipede, millipede, cockroaches) I'd be happy to hear!

 

[Nightstalker47]

I have an extra tank which was a left over crested gecko starter kit. This is what it looks like:

Obviously it's too big for a tarantula unless I get an arboreal species, which I currently haven't found one that clicks with me yet. If you have any advice for beginner arboreal Ts, feel free to comment! (I have a pink toe, so I'm not sure if I'm looking for another at the moment).

My heart wants a digging T, which I know there aren't really any 100% diggers, and I'm not looking for an OW since I don't think I'm ready for that. But either way, I'm going to fill a lot of the tank with substrate (ecoearth) so that I can take out some of the height.

If that isn't enough, I have many plants from my gecko (he unfortunately passed) that I can use. I have vines, cork bark, and a very tall aquarium seaweed plant. They're cleaned and ready to go.

I'm looking at a Green bottle blue, but that's still in the works, nothing has been decided. They're pretty but I don't think that's the fit for me ATM. Do you have any suggestions? I don't need a tarantula, if there's some other creepy crawlie that would fit (centipede, millipede, cockroaches) I'd be happy to hear!

C.cyaneopubescens aren't arboreal, although they may utilize more height in their enclosures...they are terrestrial spiders. I wouldn't use that enclosure type for one personally.

Have you only ever worked with Avicularia? Your enclosure could house several different types of NW arboreals. What matters most is what you feel comfortable/prepared to keep.

Tapineuchenius spp. don't get very large, with the largest of the genus (T.gigas) getting around 6" at most. They are super fast/flighty spiders though, and well may not be the best option for someone who doesn't have much experience.

Other great starter arboreals would be from the genus psalmopoeus. All these spiders will be fairly feisty though. So keep that in mind, they are also likely to outgrow your enclosure.

I would personally recommend T.gigas or T. sp. Union island. Both species are gorgeous, and relatively easy to keep. Moist sub, vertically placed cork hide and good vent. My specimens have grown pretty fast.

 

[cold blood]

Yeah, that is an arboreal enclosure. Get an adult A. avic, they're relatively cheap and available. Any adult avic would do aside from the smaller ones like minitrix and possibly purpurea.

Resized952017040795213804

• cold blood
• Apr 8, 2017

A. avic

Now you could use it for a fossorial, but it would need modification, and probably not look as great when done. But to do this, you would essentially lay the enclosure on its back, so the door is now the top. You then fill the enclosure with a ton of substrate....you would also need to replace the screen top (as it would now be a side wall), and only ventilate what would now be the top part, so the substrate against it I dammed in. But I would just get an arboreal.

 

[BC1579]

I didn't know Exo Terra made an 8" tall crested gecko kit. The one's I've seen with split doors like that are 12x12x18", almost an entire foot taller than you're describing.

ET makes a nano wide that's 8x8x8" and a nano tall that's 8x8x12".

Not for nothing, but you may want to check those measurements before committing to a T species.

 

[Moakmeister]

Yeah, that is an arboreal enclosure. Get an adult A. avic, they're relatively cheap and available. Any adult avic would do aside from the smaller ones like minitrix and possibly purpurea.

Resized952017040795213804

• cold blood
• Apr 8, 2017

A. avic

Now you could use it for a fossorial, but it would need modification, and probably not look as great when done. But to do this, you would essentially lay the enclosure on its back, so the door is now the top. You then fill the enclosure with a ton of substrate....you would also need to replace the screen top (as it would now be a side wall), and only ventilate what would now be the top part, so the substrate against it I dammed in. But I would just get an arboreal.

The purpurea is a small species? How big do they get?

 

[Dragondrool]

I

C.cyaneopubescens aren't arboreal, although they may utilize more height in their enclosures...they are terrestrial spiders. I wouldn't use that enclosure type for one personally.

Have you only ever worked with Avicularia? Your enclosure could house several different types of NW arboreals. What matters most is what you feel comfortable/prepared to keep.

Tapineuchenius spp. don't get very large, with the largest of the genus (T.gigas) getting around 6" at most. They are super fast/flighty spiders though, and well may not be the best option for someone who doesn't have much experience.

Other great starter arboreals would be from the genus psalmopoeus. All these spiders will be fairly feisty though. So keep that in mind, they are also likely to outgrow your enclosure.

I would personally recommend T.gigas or T. sp. Union island. Both species are gorgeous, and relatively easy to keep. Moist sub, vertically placed cork hide and good vent. My specimens have grown pretty fast. View attachment 263956 View attachment 263957 View attachment 263958
View attachment 263959

I'll certainly look into them! They seem awesome with all of those long hairs. Is their temperment okay? I'm okay with skittish Ts but not defensive as I don't want to stress the animal or get bitten

C.cyaneopubescens aren't arboreal, although they may utilize more height in their enclosures...they are terrestrial spiders. I wouldn't use that enclosure type for one personally.

Have you only ever worked with Avicularia? Your enclosure could house several different types of NW arboreals. What matters most is what you feel comfortable/prepared to keep.

Tapineuchenius spp. don't get very large, with the largest of the genus (T.gigas) getting around 6" at most. They are super fast/flighty spiders though, and well may not be the best option for someone who doesn't have much experience.

Other great starter arboreals would be from the genus psalmopoeus. All these spiders will be fairly feisty though. So keep that in mind, they are also likely to outgrow your enclosure.

I would personally recommend T.gigas or T. sp. Union island. Both species are gorgeous, and relatively easy to keep. Moist sub, vertically placed cork hide and good vent. My specimens have grown pretty fast. View attachment 263956 View attachment 263957 View attachment 263958
View attachment 263959

I'm also interested in the T. sp. May you give me some more information on them? I've seen some photos and they're beautiful.

 

[cold blood]

The purpurea is a small species? How big do they get?

4" range for females.

 

[Moakmeister]

4" range for females.

Awww wittle spooders. What's the smallest enclosure they could be in? I'd love to have a small enclosure as an office decoration.

 

[BC1579]

Awww wittle spooders. What's the smallest enclosure they could be in? I'd love to have a small enclosure as an office decoration.

I think they would be just fine in either Exo Terra nanos. I've got a 4" A. avic in a nano tall and it's got a ton of room. I think mine could do just fine in an 8x8x8". It hangs out in its web tube and really only comes out to drink and hunt.

And to poop or, as I like to call it, a butt sneeze.

 

[Nightstalker47]

I

I'll certainly look into them! They seem awesome with all of those long hairs. Is their temperment okay? I'm okay with skittish Ts but not defensive as I don't want to stress the animal or get bitten

Mine are mostly skittish, but any specimen no matter the species may be defensive...individuals vary.

 

[Whitelightning777]

Why not consider a pokie?

My P striata is an extremely calm spider, the most mentally healthy of the bunch in my collection.

P regalis or P vittata would also work. The only thing is that with pokies, it's always best to open the cage from the top never the sides. They tend to run in loops and circles when they panic.

These guys aren't the fire breathing dragons people think they are. Just move real slow, real smooth and use common sense. They grow fast and since they have better senses, finding prey on a larger enclosure is much less of a problem.

 

[miss moxie]

Why not consider a pokie?

My P striata is an extremely calm spider, the most mentally healthy of the bunch in my collection.

P regalis or P vittata would also work. The only thing is that with pokies, it's always best to open the cage from the top never the sides. They tend to run in loops and circles when they panic.

These guys aren't the fire breathing dragons people think they are. Just move real slow, real smooth and use common sense. They grow fast and since they have better senses, finding prey on a larger enclosure is much less of a problem.

Every time you make an appearance here, you give bad advice. OP asked for a BEGINNER ARBOREAL, not a beginner OW arboreal.

 

[Storm1028]

@Dragondrool (OP), your title says an 8" tall tank, but your image shows an Exo Terra Crested Gecko Habitat Kit Large (18" x 18" x 24"). If you are referring to Exo Terras, an 8" tall Exo Terra is a Nano Wide (8" x 8" x 8").

 

[Andrea82]

Why not consider a pokie?

My P striata is an extremely calm spider, the most mentally healthy of the bunch in my collection.

P regalis or P vittata would also work. The only thing is that with pokies, it's always best to open the cage from the top never the sides. They tend to run in loops and circles when they panic.

These guys aren't the fire breathing dragons people think they are. Just move real slow, real smooth and use common sense. They grow fast and since they have better senses, finding prey on a larger enclosure is much less of a problem.

He's not into OW

A Tapinauchenius species could work, although i wouldn't recommend a T.gigas since that species can be the more defensive of this bunch.
They are FAST. And can be nervous and zippy as well. You could solve this by housing it with enough room and provide enough hiding places. Mine seemed to 'forget' where its nest was and just kept doing circles. I housed her a little bigger and she made a dirt curtain burrow/hide thingy and she's much more relaxed now. Good appetite, though you'll rarely see them catch it because its a flash of colour and the cricket is gone.

If you don't want to go arboreal yet, just store this enclosure and get a nice sterilite or glass terrestrial set up going to house a NW terrestrial. You'll probably get there eventually anyways

Or house something else in it, dart frogs or something?

 

[Greasylake]

You mentioned centipedes and there's a few reasons why I definately wouldn't recommend one for you. First off they're typically recommended for experienced keepers as they can pack quite the punch. There are some small species which have pretty mild venom but if you converted the tank into a terrestrial enclosure it'd probably a while before one of the smaller pedes was big enough to use the space. Centipedes are burrowers so you'd have to convert the tank into a terrestrial style enclosure which, as was mentioned before, isn't the best use for this specific tank. Pedes also have a reputation for being escape artists and as you're still a beginner keeper I'd recommend you hold off on them until you're more comfortable. Like the other people id recommend an avic. They're cheap beginners and still an absolutely gorgeous spider.

 

[grimmjowls]

He's not into OW

A Tapinauchenius species could work, although i wouldn't recommend a T.gigas since that species can be the more defensive of this bunch.
They are FAST. And can be nervous and zippy as well. You could solve this by housing it with enough room and provide enough hiding places. Mine seemed to 'forget' where its nest was and just kept doing circles. I housed her a little bigger and she made a dirt curtain burrow/hide thingy and she's much more relaxed now. Good appetite, though you'll rarely see them catch it because its a flash of colour and the cricket is gone.

If you don't want to go arboreal yet, just store this enclosure and get a nice sterilite or glass terrestrial set up going to house a NW terrestrial. You'll probably get there eventually anyways

Or house something else in it, dart frogs or something?

Dart frogs aren't arboreal otherwise it'd be a neat idea. They enjoy their floor space, and the screen top is sort of trash with a species like darts that need higher humidity. If you go with something else, my recommendation would be a dumpy tree frog or something along those lines. But for a tarantula, I'd say an A. avic would be fulfilling.

EDIT: There are some cool species of beetles you could have in there, but I'm by no means educated on them so I can't be a source of info on that.

 

[BC1579]

@petkokc has some jungle nymphs. Check him out on his YouTube channel The Dark Den. He even introduced some millipedes to live on the substrate. Could be a really cool communal setup.

 

[Jmingo71]

I have an extra tank which was a left over crested gecko starter kit. This is what it looks like:

Obviously it's too big for a tarantula unless I get an arboreal species, which I currently haven't found one that clicks with me yet. If you have any advice for beginner arboreal Ts, feel free to comment! (I have a pink toe, so I'm not sure if I'm looking for another at the moment).

My heart wants a digging T, which I know there aren't really any 100% diggers, and I'm not looking for an OW since I don't think I'm ready for that. But either way, I'm going to fill a lot of the tank with substrate (ecoearth) so that I can take out some of the height.

If that isn't enough, I have many plants from my gecko (he unfortunately passed) that I can use. I have vines, cork bark, and a very tall aquarium seaweed plant. They're cleaned and ready to go.

I'm looking at a Green bottle blue, but that's still in the works, nothing has been decided. They're pretty but I don't think that's the fit for me ATM. Do you have any suggestions? I don't need a tarantula, if there's some other creepy crawlie that would fit (centipede, millipede, cockroaches) I'd be happy to hear!

Hey since you said that tank is to big for your pink toed ..what would you recommend? I have a pink toed as well and was told the taller tanks would be great for the pink toed..just haven't found the right size tall tank yet.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

I have an extra tank which was a left over crested gecko starter kit. This is what it looks like:

Obviously it's too big for a tarantula unless I get an arboreal species, which I currently haven't found one that clicks with me yet. If you have any advice for beginner arboreal Ts, feel free to comment! (I have a pink toe, so I'm not sure if I'm looking for another at the moment).

My heart wants a digging T, which I know there aren't really any 100% diggers, and I'm not looking for an OW since I don't think I'm ready for that. But either way, I'm going to fill a lot of the tank with substrate (ecoearth) so that I can take out some of the height.

If that isn't enough, I have many plants from my gecko (he unfortunately passed) that I can use. I have vines, cork bark, and a very tall aquarium seaweed plant. They're cleaned and ready to go.

I'm looking at a Green bottle blue, but that's still in the works, nothing has been decided. They're pretty but I don't think that's the fit for me ATM. Do you have any suggestions? I don't need a tarantula, if there's some other creepy crawlie that would fit (centipede, millipede, cockroaches) I'd be happy to hear!

P ornata is pretty large , don’t think any aboreal are bigger.
There not that scary , Goliath pinktoe would work too but I never see em for sale . P camrbrigei also big!!

 

[Teal]

I modified an 8x8x12 (I think it is) ExoTerra for a fossorial tarantula simply by applying packing tape to the inside of the door to keep the dirt in. It looks awesome! So you could definitely go that route.

Otherwise, your options for a beginner arboreal are really limited. Avics are really about it... Taps, Psalmos, Pokies, etc can all be fast, spooky, and defensive