# Multi Habitat



## babilin

Is it possible to set up a terrarium habitat that includes tarantulas with other insects, reptiles, fish or animals in cohabitation.
If so what would you include? For one I'm sure a tarantula and tortoise could live together.


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## Chris_Skeleton

babilin said:


> Is it possible to set up a terrarium habitat that includes tarantulas with other insects, reptiles, fish or animals in cohabitation.
> If so what would you include? For one I'm sure a tarantula and tortoise could live together.


Short answer: No.


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## Robin Da Hood

:wink:


Chris_Skeleton said:


> Short answer: No.


Hehe...


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## Kaimetsu

I've had some crazy ideas for huge naturalistic rainforest vivariums before. You definitely can't keep tarantulas and other animals in the same space but some of my ideas involve screening in an area in a vivarium for an avicularia species, so that they appear to be in the same space but really arnt.  This would take at least a hundred gallon aquarium though.


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## Jaymz Bedell

Multiple specie displays are very tricky to maintain successfully. in a lot of instances one or more species ends up suffering. a lot of thought and planning needs to go into them, as well as a lot of experience with each of the individual species in single species enclosures over time. microhabitats and climates for each need to be designed and montiored closely. the details do not always mesh well in the end. each animals individual personality needs to be known before introduction to the vivarium. zoo displays with multiple species are carefully thought out, carefully designed, species are carefully selected, and a lot of time is spent observing the animals on a consistant basis. not to mention the enclosures need to be fairly immense to accomodate all of the above considerations. then theres the topic of parasite and pathogen transmission. even sticking strictly to captive bred animals doesn't guarentee a lack of either. getting animals tested for and then treating them for either can get fairly expensive very quickly. there are many other reasons to not do it. there is a definite reason why a lot of seasoned keepers are not fans of multi-species displays. 

Jaymz


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## Amoeba

Yeah it's pretty tough to keep it up and running lol but for like a week you'd have a really awesome tank.


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## Verneph

There are multiple problems with the idea.  For one, in order to do it successfully you're going to need enough space to comfortably accommodate each animal and this is going to vary heavily depending on what you have in there.  

For two, you'll need to cater to each of your creature's unique needs.  Example:  Say you have a lizard and a Tarantula, I don't care what species.  You'll probably need some kind of heat lamp in order for lizard to not die, but at the same time you'll need a dark place for your Tarantula to be happy as well.  

For three, animals are going to die.  Whether it be from getting eaten or drowning in the fish pond, you're not going to promise these creatures long, healthy and happy lives with this kind of cohabitation.  

So basically, yes it can be done, but it's extremely hard to do correctly.  Best to just keep your pets separated. 



> For one I'm sure a tarantula and tortoise could live together.


Also, no, no they can't.  Don't do that.

Reactions: Like 1


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## MB623

babilin said:


> Is it possible to set up a terrarium habitat that includes tarantulas with other insects, reptiles, fish or animals in cohabitation.
> If so what would you include? For one I'm sure a tarantula and tortoise could live together.


 Some tarantulas and isopods maybe.:laugh: Your not worried about your T biting or kicking hairs at your tortoise if it scares your T or even the tortoise biting a leg off the t? What kind of tarantula are we talking about here?


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## zonbonzovi

I certainly don't suggest it but what about Xenesthis immanis & Chiasmocleis ventrimaculata?:

http://www.jstor.org/pss/2388434

An interesting observation but a less scholarly:

http://johnbokma.com/pet/tarantula/

Not Ts but scorpions & geckos:

http://atshq.org/boards/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=2976&start=0


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## wesker12

H. Gigas and small fish (big fish will eat em!). Will work if done correctly and h.gigas are also communal.

---------- Post added 08-24-2011 at 07:49 PM ----------




zonbonzovi said:


> I certainly don't suggest it but what about Xenesthis immanis & Chiasmocleis ventrimaculata?:
> 
> http://www.jstor.org/pss/2388434
> 
> An interesting observation but a less scholarly:
> 
> http://johnbokma.com/pet/tarantula/
> 
> Not Ts but scorpions & geckos:
> 
> http://atshq.org/boards/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=2976&start=0


Remember reading about the x.immanis and the frog - apparantly the frog ate ants or something that would disturb the tarantula and in returm it allowed the frog to live.


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## helixrose

I'm also thinking no. Arachs get stressed enough just with crickets crawling on them. In nature animals might cross paths sometimes but then go their separate ways. Animals like snakes that eat fish and a pond for the fish, with water changes, might get along since they live in completely different environs in the setup, (and by get along I mean the snakes will peacefully eat the fish at their own sweet pace). Turtles seem to not care if a few fish are in their swimming hole. But arachs prefer to be left alone unnoticed unless hunting or mating. I'm not sure there could be enough space in a setup for them to not be bothered by animals tromping around outside their burrows day and night. Just my two cents.


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## Hobo

He only feasible thing would be a communal species, and/or detritivores (worms, isopods, springtails, mites, etc.). Anything else would require heating/cleaning/maintenance that wouldn't really fit well with a tarantula.


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## jake9134

I have thought about keeping a small avic in one of my terrestrial dart frog vivariums, the frogs wont eat anything larger than 1/4" and the avics stay pretty high up..but the thing is I dont want any urticulating hairs near the frogs and the avics would still have to be removed once it got to a size where it could pose a threat.
Though it makes me wonder if the avics would avoid the frogs because they think they are poisonous(since they come from similar habitats and areas)


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## catfishrod69

ahh you beat me to it...wesker12...i was going to say H. gigas and small guppies also...


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## Hornets inverts

I really cant see why it cant be done easily if you choose the species correctly. Tortoise and T, deff no go but many other should work together quite well


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## AbraxasComplex

Years ago I kept Damon diadema and Phelsuma quadriocellata quadriocellata together. So tailless whips and day geckos in the same massive vivarium (80 gallons). The day geckos had heat during the day and at night when the lights were off it cooled down enough for the whip scorpions.

Interestingly enough both reproduced at the same time and did not consume each others offspring. It lasted for a year or so before I had to move away from home and sell most of my herps. Oh there was also a caecilian living in the substrate. I introduced him years previous and discovered him once again when I was dismantling the tank before my move.


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## wesker12

catfishrod69 said:


> ahh you beat me to it...wesker12...i was going to say H. gigas and small guppies also...


yeah as soon as I get a large enough tank (60 and up) I am planning a super detailed H.gigas communal  display tank with some small species of fish! worried about the fish eating slings though if the H.gigas reproduce and I don't take the sac. The H.gigas might take a fish or two if there small enough as well but guppies are cheap ! Was thinking about having a little waterfall working in there as well. As soon as I get winter break that's a project I definitely want to undertake!


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