# Exo Terra Terrariums. Which one for which spider?



## PetsRLife23

I am going to be acquiring an  A. avicularia (Pink toe) tarantula soon and either a G. rosea (rose hair) or B. smithi (mexican redknee). I have been doing a lot of research as these will be my 2nd and 3rd tarantulas (I had a G. rosea about 5 years ago). I would like to purchase the Exo Terra terrariums I am just not sure what size to get. Obviously the avic needs more height and the rosie & redknee needs more floor space. 

I had the Exo Terra Nano in mind for the avic, dimensions are 8x8x12. Does this seem big enough? It would be great if this works because it's small and I won't have a hard time placing it.

I thought I would get two of those nanos (my mom doesn't like the idea of two different sized tanks), but I think the rosie or redknee would do better in the 12x12x12 or would the 8x8x12 work for them too? 

Though I have had a tarantula before I am just having a lot of trouble with the housing size. I have a lot of furry pets (hamsters, rats, etc) that require large homes, so when it comes to the tarantulas even though I feel the tanks are so small I don't want to end up going too big and risk them getting injured. Also the smaller the better because of the place I want to put them so the terrariums I mentioned will be perfect.

Thanks in advance I appreciate it.


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## nepenthes

The only issue I see is the height of the exo-terras for a terrestrial T. The terrestrials risk falling, I consider these enclosures to be more for arboreal species. Only because you can only fill them up so much with substrate before it spills out the door. This is MY opinion and I could be wrong, Hopefully some one with more experience chimes in!


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## Shrike

nepenthes said:


> The only issue I see is the height of the exo-terras for a terrestrial T. The terrestrials risk falling, I consider these enclosures to be more for arboreal species. Only because you can only fill them up so much with substrate before it spills out the door. This is MY opinion and I could be wrong, Hopefully some one with more experience chimes in!


That makes perfect sense to me.


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## PetsRLife23

There is a nano that is 8x8x8 shorter, but not very big. Will that work for a rosie? (I decided against the b. smithi, so I am going with the g. rosea) Also does that mean the the 8x8x12 will work for the a. avic? Thanks for the input.


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## prettycrazy

I currently have an A. Avic in a 12x12x12. It's perfect for a terrestrial spider, but still works well for an arboreal. The nano tall (8x8x12) would work well for an arboreal, but I wouldn't suggest using either nano (8x12 or 8x8) for a terrestrial. They will need more floorspace.

Personally, I would recommend getting the b. smithi over the rosie. Your best choice would be to get a 12x12x12 for the terrestrial and a 8x8x12 for the arboreal. If you MUST get the same size, get two 12x12x12s. Just make sure you keep a towel or something over the top for your Avic. These terrariums have amazing ventilation and don't retain humidity well.


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## nepenthes

Ill take another stab.

How big are the spiders going to be? Thats the question that needs to be answered. Are they going to be adults? If your going to go that route why not just a 5 gallon tank? I mean, for what your going to spend on exo-terras you could probably spend on making your own enclosure out of 2.5 gallon or 5 gallon tanks. It could be designed perfectly for your T's. But that's just me I guess.

It looks like you could have ~3" of substrate for you terrestrial tarantula. You can fit a G. rosea fine in an 8x8x8 tank. Unless some one says otherwise?


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## PetsRLife23

They will be adults. I just really like the exo terras and I know they are a bit pricey, but I am willing to pay the price. So the 8x8x12 for the avic for sure. The rosie I am still stuck on either the 8x8x8 or the 12x12x12. Some people mentioned a safety issue with the 12x12x12 and that the 8x8x8 is not big enough. Honestly the 8x8x8 would be more convenient for me, but I do think it might not have enough floor space. I am in no rush so I will just keep reading what everyone has to say and I will take it all into consideration and make a final decision. Thanks again for the advice.

On that note, why a b. smithi over a rosie? The reason I chose the rosie is because it's bigger in size at the moment while the smithi's are only 1/2". I just figured it would be less of a hassle, but if there is a good reason I can deal with keeping it in a smaller set ups for awhile.


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## stewstew8282

PetsRLife23 said:


> They will be adults. I just really like the exo terras and I know they are a bit pricey, but I am willing to pay the price. So the 8x8x12 for the avic for sure. The rosie I am still stuck on either the 8x8x8 or the 12x12x12. Some people mentioned a safety issue with the 12x12x12 and that the 8x8x8 is not big enough. Honestly the 8x8x8 would be more convenient for me, but I do think it might not have enough floor space. I am in no rush so I will just keep reading what everyone has to say and I will take it all into consideration and make a final decision. Thanks again for the advice.
> 
> On that note, why a b. smithi over a rosie? The reason I chose the rosie is because it's bigger in size at the moment while the smithi's are only 1/2". I just figured it would be less of a hassle, but if there is a good reason I can deal with keeping it in a smaller set ups for awhile.


I got 2 8x8x12 exo talls for 20 each...gotta love reptile shows.. LLL reptiles sold em.. u live in cali, hit em up and see


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## vespers

PetsRLife23 said:


> I just really like the exo terras and I know they are a bit pricey, but I am willing to pay the price.


To be honest, when reading your posts in this thread, it sounds as if you have more interest in those exo terra enclosures than you do the actual _inhabitants_ of said enclosures.

Reactions: Like 1


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## philge

The Exo Terras are my favorite for arboreals. For terrestrials however, I just stick with regular aquariums. They're cheaper and suit the creature's needs much better. The Exo Terras only allow for 1-2 inches of substrate which is just not enough for terrestrials that like to dig.


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## Introvertebrate

I'm partial to Zoo Meds myself.  Same dimensions.  Cleaner lines.  I agree that aquariums are better for terrestrials.


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## vespers

Introvertebrate said:


> I'm partial to Zoo Meds myself.  Same dimensions.


Zoo Med doesn't make any terrariums as small as the Exo Terra Nano sizes. The smallest Zoo Med is a 12x12x12. Zoo Med currently only makes 4 different sizes. Exo Terra, however, makes about 15 different sizes.


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## Introvertebrate

vespers said:


> Zoo Med doesn't make any terrariums as small as the Exo Terra Nano sizes.


True.  The 12x12x18 would be just right for some of the larger arboreals.  That's roughly the same as a 10 gallon aquarium on its side.

Ken the Bug Guy just introduced a new line of enclosures.  Here's the small terrestrial.


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## PetsRLife23

vespers said:


> To be honest, when reading your posts in this thread, it sounds as if you have more interest in those exo terra enclosures than you do the actual _inhabitants_ of said enclosures.


To be honest, that was unfair and uncalled for. This is the housing section and I have a question about housing. Yes, I happen to like the look of the exo terras, is that a crime? I am not buying the tarantulas so I can have "cool" enclosures. I have researched those "inhabitants of said enclosures" for months now and I am so excited to finally start the process of getting everything together. I have researched what size enclosures are best, but I got a bunch of different answers, so I came here to get real advice from real owners. If a 5 gallon tank is what I will end up needing to get for my rose hair then that's perfectly fine. I was only exploring my options.

My love for these creatures goes beyond a hobby, I hope to make them my career by becoming an entomologist. I'd prefer that you keep those kinds of assumptions to yourself because an answer like that did not help me what so ever, instead you should have just given me your advice and reasons behind that advice. That is what I am looking for in answers not just an unfair assumption. That being said, do you not like the exo terra for a terrestrial spider? Could you please tell me why, I am eager to learn as much as possible because that is what I do for every creature in my home. I research, I learn, I make mistakes and I learn some more. To everyone else, thank you again for all the input.

Reactions: Agree 3


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## Hobo

For terrestrials, Exo Terra (the ones with front loading doors) are not ideal (without modifications, which I will get to later).

First, the dirt can only be piled so high. This means these enclosures are a no-go for burrowers, and can pose risks to other terrestrials falling from the lid or sides and hurting themselves.

Second, the stock screen is of the "woven" variety. This can be easily chewed through by determined individuals, and their claws can supposedly be stuck between the woven bits.

Third, with the ventilation on the sides, doors, and open top, you may run into some issues with keeping high humidities when you need to.

And my final issue with these things is that they offer relatively little floor space for the space they take up. By the time a terrestrial is "big" enough that the height won't be an issue, there will be much less floor space for the large spider to live on.

So, keeping this in mind, they only really have two options where I would feel comfortable keeping terrestrials without major modifications: the 12x12x12 and their short nano, which is 8x8x8 IIRC. These will have to be filled to the brim with sub, which for the 12" cube leaves about 7" from the sub to the lid. So, for a tarantula of about 5" but less than say 7", this would be a fairly safe enclosure with sufficient living space.

Now, you can do some modifications to make these enclosures better. For example, you can remove the screen and replace it with drilled acrylic, or dipped wire mesh. To help deal with the height and floor space issues, you can fabricate tiered platforms and other creative structures to make sure fall risks will be minimal while at the same time increasing floor space. Run a search here on "TalonAwd enclosure" for his work on these enclosures. Such projects are time consuming though, and may not be worth the trouble.

All that said, they are very nice looking, and I do keep two terrestrials in the 12" cubes. They are 5" and 6", with dirt filled to the brim and sloped upwards. ive also added fake plants along the sides to cushion potential falls.

These enclosures will be much better suited for arboreal/semi arboreal tarantulas.

Reactions: Informative 1


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## vespers

PetsRLife23 said:


> To be honest, that was unfair and uncalled for. This is the housing section and I have a question about housing. Yes, I happen to like the look of the exo terras, is that a crime? I am not buying the tarantulas so I can have "cool" enclosures.


  Listen, I simply presented my opinion based on your posts. You were talking about getting a terrestrial enclosure in your original post, but _you weren't even sure what species you wanted to put in it yet._ That makes it seem as if you wanted something to put in one of those enclosures, in order to justify having the enclosure itself. On top of that, you were given several answers and good advice in this thread already...but you were _still_ trying to justify getting that 8x8x8 to yourself 7 posts into thread, because it would be "more convenient for you."  Your _mom_ doesn't like the idea of "different sized tanks?" So what? You're not putting a terrestrial tarantula in that 8x8x12 anyhow, so _any_ enclosure you choose is going to be a different size.



PetsRLife23 said:


> That being said, do you not like the exo terra for a terrestrial spider? Could you please tell me why, I am eager to learn as much as possible because that is what I do for every creature in my home. I research, I learn, I make mistakes and I learn some more. To everyone else, thank you again for all the input.


  The exo terra for a terrestrial spider...no, I'm not so fond of it. But my reasons are identical to others that have been posted in thread already. I do like them for some scorpions, however.


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## PetsRLife23

vespers said:


> Listen, I simply presented my opinion based on your posts. You were talking about getting a terrestrial enclosure in your original post, but _you weren't even sure what species you wanted to put in it yet._ That makes it seem as if you wanted something to put in one of those enclosures, in order to justify having the enclosure itself. On top of that, you were given several answers and good advice in this thread already...but you were _still_ trying to justify getting that 8x8x8 to yourself 7 posts into thread, because it would be "more convenient for you."  Your _mom_ doesn't like the idea of "different sized tanks?" So what? You're not putting a terrestrial tarantula in that 8x8x12 anyhow, so _any_ enclosure you choose is going to be a different size.
> 
> The exo terra for a terrestrial spider...no, I'm not so fond of it. But my reasons are identical to others that have been posted in thread already. I do like them for some scorpions, however.



To me it was an _unfair _assumption. I don't know why you assume the worst from my post, if necessary just ask don't assume. The answers I received only had a couple tips/ reasons that still left me a bit unsure, though great and appreciated advice, I just wanted to be sure I knew all my options and was given the opportunity to read as much advice as I could. I really don't care how my mom felt about the size thing that was just her opinion not mine and I am not even talking about getting the same sizes any more anyway. 

I didn't know which species to get because I was still deciding on which one would be better to get first as I plan to have both eventually not because I was wondering which one would suit the enclosure best, yet another _assumption_. Convenience for me would be nice, but not at the expense of the tarantula. I have many creatures in my house (hamsters, rats, rabbits, fish, etc) Their enclosures are all above minimum requirements and vary from glass/ acrylic tanks to plastic bins.

Thank you for your final opinion even though it is the same as the others, I appreciate hearing the same things from most people that tells me it isn't just one or two people that feel that way and that's all I wanted.

---------- Post added 01-11-2013 at 06:46 PM ----------




Hobo said:


> For terrestrials, Exo Terra (the ones with front loading doors) are not ideal (without modifications, which I will get to later).
> 
> First, the dirt can only be piled so high. This means these enclosures are a no-go for burrowers, and can pose risks to other terrestrials falling from the lid or sides and hurting themselves.
> 
> Second, the stock screen is of the "woven" variety. This can be easily chewed through by determined individuals, and their claws can supposedly be stuck between the woven bits.
> 
> Third, with the ventilation on the sides, doors, and open top, you may run into some issues with keeping high humidities when you need to.
> 
> And my final issue with these things is that they offer relatively little floor space for the space they take up. By the time a terrestrial is "big" enough that the height won't be an issue, there will be much less floor space for the large spider to live on.
> 
> So, keeping this in mind, they only really have two options where I would feel comfortable keeping terrestrials without major modifications: the 12x12x12 and their short nano, which is 8x8x8 IIRC. These will have to be filled to the brim with sub, which for the 12" cube leaves about 7" from the sub to the lid. So, for a tarantula of about 5" but less than say 7", this would be a fairly safe enclosure with sufficient living space.
> 
> Now, you can do some modifications to make these enclosures better. For example, you can remove the screen and replace it with drilled acrylic, or dipped wire mesh. To help deal with the height and floor space issues, you can fabricate tiered platforms and other creative structures to make sure fall risks will be minimal while at the same time increasing floor space. Run a search here on "TalonAwd enclosure" for his work on these enclosures. Such projects are time consuming though, and may not be worth the trouble.
> 
> All that said, they are very nice looking, and I do keep two terrestrials in the 12" cubes. They are 5" and 6", with dirt filled to the brim and sloped upwards. ive also added fake plants along the sides to cushion potential falls.
> 
> These enclosures will be much better suited for arboreal/semi arboreal tarantulas.


Thank you for presenting to me some other issues with these enclosures and not only that, but modifications that can fix some problems. This was all I was asking for.

I have decided to go with acrylic cages though as I feel they will be best after all I read.



*8x8x16 for the avic and the 13x7x7 for the rosie.*

Any opinions on those sizes? Any concerns? Thanks again everyone.


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## MeinDraco

Acrylic enclosures for arboreal and terrestrial 8x8x12 arboreal, 12x12x18 arboreal and 8x8x12 terrestrial

http://www.dracoexotics.com/Acrylic-Enclosures_c3.htm


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## nburgmei

I hate to bump an old thread, but I didn't find anything in the search about this. Does anyone make custom lids for these Exo Terra tanks? I've been thinking about getting one for an A. avicularia, but want to avoid the screen.

Thanks!

Nick


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## Hobo

You can always just cut out the screen and glue in some appropriately sized acrylic in its place.


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## Introvertebrate

...........or just cover the inside of the screen with clear packing tape.


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## theWB

I have my A. Metallica in an Exo Terra Nano. I just picked up a pice of plexiglass at Lowe's and had it
Cut to 6 1/4 by 6 5/8 and it fits right under the lid and covers the screen.


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## nburgmei

Thank you, thank you, and thank you. I guess I'm going to have to force myself to be handy if I go that route.


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