# Enclosure size?



## Miff (Jun 17, 2017)

I'm looking into getting a terrestrial spider of some sort ranging from about 5-6 cm in size ( leg to leg span I think).

I'm new to the hobby, so unsure what size enclosure is good for a spider of this size? I don't want to overwhelm it with space, but then again don't want it cramped.

I'm making sure before I buy an enclosure and the spider.

Cheers


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## The Grym Reaper (Jun 17, 2017)

A small Exo Terra Breeder Box (8"x8"x5.5") or Standard Small Faunarium (9"x6"x6.5") should be fine up until it hits around 4 inches (Diagonal Leg Span).

Reactions: Like 2


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## Miff (Jun 17, 2017)

The Grym Reaper said:


> A small Exo Terra Breeder Box (8"x8"x5.5") or Standard Small Faunarium (9"x6"x6.5") should be fine up until it hits around 4 inches (Diagonal Leg Span).



Thanks for your help, can get on with it now!


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## The Grym Reaper (Jun 17, 2017)

Miff said:


> Thanks for your help, can get on with it now!


No worries, what species were you thinking about getting? If you don't mind me being nosey lol


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## Miff (Jun 17, 2017)

The Grym Reaper said:


> No worries, what species were you thinking about getting? If you don't mind me being nosey lol


Well, I'm a bit stumped. 
I'm a beginner so preferably something docile and hardy. 
I was thinking some kind of brachypelma...
Can you give me any reccomendations, it's helpful hearing people's experiences


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## Andrea82 (Jun 17, 2017)

Welcome to the hobby and Ab 
Below link has pretty much every info you need to get started.
Note that @The Grym Reaper mentioned inches instead of cm, so his size advice is bigger than your wish for 4cm legspan.
Brachypelma species make nice starters, slow growers but get bigger than 4cm legspan. Euathlus/Homoeomma species Red is around that size, and makes a nice starter species. They can be hard to find as adults or juvies and grow really slow as slings.
Thrixopelma species make nice starters as well. But in link below you find more options 
http://arachnoboards.com/threads/beginner-info-read-before-posting.153508/
And this series by EulersK has lots of info and options as well 




And this member has also a series on good husbandry and beginner info

Reactions: Like 4 | Helpful 1


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## The Grym Reaper (Jun 17, 2017)

Brachypelma is a good starter genus and the size you mentioned is about the minimum you should get as a beginner (anything above 2 inches is more forgiving of husbandry mistakes), so you're on the right track already. I have B. albopilosum, B. hamorii (ex smithi), and B. emilia. 

They're all pretty good eaters and hardy, they will all probably burrow at the size you want to get but will become more visible as they grow, B. albopilosum is the fastest grower of the three but the least colourful (although they're still adorable fuzzballs).
B. emilia is, in my opinion, the prettiest but also the slowest grower of the three.
Just be aware that temperament can vary from specimen to specimen, even among generally "docile" species, I somehow ended up with an evil B. hamorii (quite a few of my Ts are oddballs though).

I'll throw in a couple of videos which go over some other good beginner species if you're stuck for ideas.

Reactions: Like 1


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## The Grym Reaper (Jun 17, 2017)

Andrea82 said:


> Note that @The Grym Reaper mentioned inches instead of cm, so his size advice is bigger than your wish for 4cm legspan.


I assumed the OP meant they wanted to get a juvenile at around 5-6cm (or just over 2 inches) so those enclosures, while a little on the large size, would be fine for an active species with a half-decent growth rate until it gets big enough for its adult enclosure.


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## Miff (Jun 17, 2017)

Andrea82 said:


> Welcome to the hobby and Ab
> Below link has pretty much every info you need to get started.
> Note that @The Grym Reaper mentioned inches instead of cm, so his size advice is bigger than your wish for 4cm legspan.
> Brachypelma species make nice starters, slow growers but get bigger than 4cm legspan. Euathlus/Homoeomma species Red is around that size, and makes a nice starter species. They can be hard to find as adults or juvies and grow really slow as slings.
> ...


Thank you for the kind welcome and advice. I'll give those links a look later, thank you! I'm doing my research and taking note of all your advice so thanks again

Reactions: Like 1


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## Miff (Jun 17, 2017)

The Grym Reaper said:


> Brachypelma is a good starter genus and the size you mentioned is about the minimum you should get as a beginner (anything above 2 inches is more forgiving of husbandry mistakes), so you're on the right track already. I have B. albopilosum, B. hamorii (ex smithi), and B. emilia.
> 
> They're all pretty good eaters and hardy, they will all probably burrow at the size you want to get but will become more visible as they grow, B. albopilosum is the fastest grower of the three but the least colourful (although they're still adorable fuzzballs).
> B. emilia is, in my opinion, the prettiest but also the slowest grower of the three.
> ...


Again, thank you for your advice. I have to say I have a soft spot for brachypelma albopilosum, they're like little teddy bears ( without the cuddling...of course).

Thanks for those links, will give them a watch!

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


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## Andrea82 (Jun 17, 2017)

The Grym Reaper said:


> I assumed the OP meant they wanted to get a juvenile at around 5-6cm (or just over 2 inches) so those enclosures, while a little on the large size, would be fine for an active species with a half-decent growth rate until it gets big enough for its adult enclosure.


Dude, you literally posted the same video as I did 
And I wasn't criticizing the enclosure, but the measurements of the spider . 4 inches is not the same as 4 or 5 cm

Reactions: Like 1


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## The Grym Reaper (Jun 17, 2017)

Andrea82 said:


> Dude, you literally posted the same video as I did


I didn't realise until after I'd posted, oh well, the videos from our desert-dwelling "poor man's Eric Bana" (as @Chris LXXIX would say PBUH) come as doubly recommended viewing 



Miff said:


> I have to say I have a soft spot for brachypelma albopilosum


Me too, my first Tarantula was a 5cm female B. albopilosum that I got just over a year ago, she's about 4 inches now and an absolute sweetheart, never given me a threat posture and only kicked hairs at me once in that whole time, very underrated species in my opinion.

View media item 39473

Reactions: Like 1


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## Miff (Jun 17, 2017)

The Grym Reaper said:


> I didn't realise until after I'd posted, oh well, the videos from our desert-dwelling "poor man's Eric Bana" (as @Chris LXXIX would say PBUH) come as doubly recommended viewing
> 
> 
> 
> ...


She's totally gorgeous, what a sweetie.


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## Andrea82 (Jun 17, 2017)

B.albopilosum is super sweet, and make for excellent beginner species  (occasional oddballs notwithstanding )
I would look for the variety from Nicaragua, they are even more fluffy than the Honduran! 
Check them out here:http://arachnoboards.com/threads/is...caragua-or-hondura.291295/page-2#post-2587620

Reactions: Like 1


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## Miff (Jun 17, 2017)

Andrea82 said:


> B.albopilosum is super sweet, and make for excellent beginner species  (occasional oddballs notwithstanding )
> I would look for the variety from Nicaragua, they are even more fluffy than the Honduran!
> Check them out here:http://arachnoboards.com/threads/is...caragua-or-hondura.291295/page-2#post-2587620


The one I have seen is called a Costa Rican curly hair, not sure if that is Honduran or Nicaraguan...
Wow super floof!


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## Miff (Jun 17, 2017)

I'm guessing the " Costa Rican" is most similar to Nicaragua, due to them bordering one another...?


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## aphono (Jun 17, 2017)

You're off to a great start. Good size and good species plus wanting to be ready before getting first one.

Advice from a beginner- got my first(GBB, A. eutylenum, G. pulchripes tiny slings at or less than half inch and a juvenile A. chalcodes) in March of this year-  try not to fret so much when you get yours.   They are very easy as long as the container and environment are within reason.

Common things newbies worry about:  constantly climbing or staying off the substrate for extended periods of time(probably a little stressed but will settle). Refusing to eat for weeks(very normal and fine if abdomen is plump).  constantly burrowing or moving substrate.  making burrow and sealing it off.

p.s. don't be too surprised if you end up getting more.   I laughed at someone telling me that back in March when I had just the 4..  now have 16...

edited to add:  do not take the word of anything you read on the internet, videos or especially the pet store.  Search or ask to confirm information on care HERE.  There is so much misinformation out there from very confident people.... sigh.   Laugh if the place tries to tell you humidity meters are necessary, for example....

Reactions: Like 1 | Helpful 1


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## Andrea82 (Jun 17, 2017)

Miff said:


> I'm guessing the " Costa Rican" is most similar to Nicaragua, due to them bordering one another...?


No, only the Nicaraguan form has that extreme fluff as far as I can tell. But don't get me wrong, B.albopilosum from Honduras and Costa Rica are fluffy too

Reactions: Agree 1


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## jaycied (Jul 16, 2017)

Can you tell me which hobby lobby case you use for the arboreal setup? I can't find it on their website and I hate the enclosure I have my female 3" Avic in right now.


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