# Tarantula terrariums in the UK



## TarantulaT (Jul 27, 2021)

So I’m still fairly new to the hobby and have been keeping tarantulas for about a year now  but still I’m struggling to find attractive, inexpensive viv/terrarium/enclosures in the UK for my tarantulas. The selection in America looks so much better than what’s on offer in the UK. Does anyone have anyone they would recommend? I’ve just ordered some cylindrical ones from spider shop UK as I like the way light defuses through them but I watch tarantula Kat on YouTube and she uses a lot of tarantula kribs vivs which look great! I’d love to find a UK equivalent.

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## Kaqpewqt (Jul 27, 2021)

It´s so hard to find equivalents in Europe because acrylic glass is way more expensive here than in the US or Asia.

I just use clear boxes and critter keepers, they are practical and cheap, but not so pretty. When the Ts are big enough, i rehouse them into their permanent glass enclosure, not much different from the enclosures u can see on daves little beasties (YouTube).

If you really wish to buy acrylic enclosures, look at alibaba or one of the other big Asian market places. its where many acrylic enclosures come from anyway, and they can be bought in bulk for a few bucks a piece. you have to accept potential taxing and long delivery times though (usually 2-3 weeks). Otherwise: eBay sells some of these enclosures as well. They still are more expensive than on alibaba, but the delivery time is short and its still cheaper than on amazon or local pet shops.

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## Dorifto (Jul 27, 2021)

Tropical factory?






						Glass - Tropical Factory UK
					






					tfuk.ltd
				




They are called euro style glass enclosures, and you can find them pretty cheap in uk.

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## Ian14 (Jul 27, 2021)

Dorifto said:


> Tropical factory?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I wouldnt use them. The only way to provide any reasonable depth of substrate is to pile it up at the back, which still leaves the fro t a risk to the spider if it climbs and falls.

Places such as The Spider Shop, BugzUK etc, all sell enclosures.


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## Dorifto (Jul 27, 2021)

I can guarantee you that if you set the enclosure correctly that they won't climb. They usually climb if they feel any air current going through the vents, since for them is a scape point. In those enclosures you have two vents, one on top and another one at the front, the front one is low, so the system will work by convection, hot air rises and scapes from the top, creating a low pressure at the bottom that will be filled with colder air. The only current they will feel is going to be at the bottom.

I had problems in my previous setups, and changed to one of these type of enclosure. Never have had a single climbing proplem anymore .

And those enclosures are pretty low, compared to mine, and if she fills the enclosure to the door level, she will get 2x dls at max at the front and making a slope a 1-1.5x dls at the back. Making a staggered setup with slopes etc it will only improve their enclosures, giving them different temp gradients inside, this way they won't look for those needs outside.

My setups, to get an idea what I have, and I can guarantee you that none of them climbed any cm of the front glass never.

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## Ian14 (Jul 27, 2021)

Dorifto said:


> I can guarantee you that if you set the enclosure correctly that they won't climb. They usually climb if they feel any air current going through the vents, since for them is a scape point. In those enclosures you have two vents, one on top and another one at the front, the front one is low, so the system will work by convection, hot air rises and scapes from the top, creating a low pressure at the bottom that will be filled with colder air. The only current they will feel is going to be at the bottom.
> 
> I had problems in my previous setups, and changed to one of these type of enclosure. Never have had a single climbing proplem anymore .
> 
> ...


That's very interesting. Amazing looking set ups too. What lighting are you using for the plants?

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## TarantulaT (Jul 27, 2021)

Dorifto said:


> I can guarantee you that if you set the enclosure correctly that they won't climb. They usually climb if they feel any air current going through the vents, since for them is a scape point. In those enclosures you have two vents, one on top and another one at the front, the front one is low, so the system will work by convection, hot air rises and scapes from the top, creating a low pressure at the bottom that will be filled with colder air. The only current they will feel is going to be at the bottom.
> 
> I had problems in my previous setups, and changed to one of these type of enclosure. Never have had a single climbing proplem anymore .
> 
> ...


These look amazing! Can’t wait for My A.geniculata to get a bit bigger, they’re such great eaters too

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## viper69 (Jul 27, 2021)

Glass is cheaper- your setups are better. Acrylic’s only advantage is weight.

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## Dorifto (Jul 27, 2021)

Ian14 said:


> That's very interesting. Amazing looking set ups too. What lighting are you using for the plants?


Thanks! I bough them for 75€, both. They were "designed" originally for acuariums, but they work perfect for the plants. They are two 120cm led lamps. Those to be exact, now are more expensive...






						vidaXL Lámpara LED de acuario 120-130 cm aluminio IP67 | vidaXL.es
					

vidaXL Lámpara LED de acuario 120-130 cm aluminio IP67 vidaXL | Envío GRATIS ✓ Amplio Stock y Ofertas 24/7 ✓ ¡Vive Mejor por Menos!




					www.vidaxl.es
				







TarantulaT said:


> These look amazing! Can’t wait for My A.geniculata to get a bit bigger, they’re such great eaters too


Thanks too!!! 

For me, they are the best all rounder Ts, big, colorful and with a voracious apetite. I'm hoping that she molt soon, along with my pulchra, to see such vibrant colors she has, that mix of gold, red, white and black  

I'd suggest you any euro style glass enclosures, the are all pros, cheap, beautiful, hard to scratch, won't warp, and are easy to maintain. The only donside is that they weight the double compared to a good acrylic one.

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## Myrlina (Jul 28, 2021)

Swell Reptiles acrylic display boxes are the closest I can find to tarantula cribs type enclosures.


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## Dorifto (Jul 28, 2021)

I don't know why the obsession with acrylic enclosures. European prizes are absurdingly high, sometimes even twice of a glass enclosure, with the only benefit of weight?

If you want cheap acrylic enclosures check aliexpress, or your local menage store, sometimes they usually have clear acrylic tuppers. At least you won't pay a fortune.


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## VaporRyder (Jul 28, 2021)

I quite like my Tarantula Room polycarbonate enclosures.











There are now new, updated versions with stronger magnets and thermometers/hygrometers built into the lids.

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## Myrlina (Jul 28, 2021)

Dorifto said:


> I don't know why the obsession with acrylic enclosures. European prizes are absurdingly high, sometimes even twice of a glass enclosure, with the only benefit of weight?
> 
> If you want cheap acrylic enclosures check aliexpress, or your local menage store, sometimes they usually have clear acrylic tuppers. At least you won't pay a fortune.


Glass enclosures usually have front opening doors and/or mesh tops that need to be modified and it's difficult to add cross ventilation.  Not that I'm knocking yours, they are amazing but not everyone has the skill or dedication to create something like that!


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## Dorifto (Jul 28, 2021)

Myrlina said:


> Glass enclosures usually have front opening doors and/or mesh tops that need to be modified and it's difficult to add cross ventilation.  Not that I'm knocking yours, they are amazing but not everyone has the skill or dedication to create something like that!


The ones I posted, or similar ones, have a very good cross ventilation, from the bottom to the top, and you don't need to modify them. There are top opening ones too.

There are glass, and "glass" enclosures. Not all glass enclosures are adecuate for ts. Acrylics are easier to modify, but under certain circunstances they will warp or get full of scratches.


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## TarantulaT (Jul 28, 2021)

For me it’s not about the acrylic but from an aesthetic point of view many of the glass enclosures have black edging around the doors, for runners or ventilation and I just like the look of the completely transparent enclosure with nothing obscuring the view also when lit with LED’s from above or underneath the light diffuses really nicely when there’s no obstruction from black plastics. it’s really finicky I know and has nothing to do with how well I’m able to care for the tarantula one way or another but purely the way they look displayed. Having said that I’ve not seen enclosures like Doriftos ones before and they look stunning. I have a couple of fully glass vivs one shaped like a coffin that has a glass lid you lift up.

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## Stardust1986 (Jul 28, 2021)

TarantulaT said:


> So I’m still fairly new to the hobby and have been keeping tarantulas for about a year now  but still I’m struggling to find attractive, inexpensive viv/terrarium/enclosures in the UK for my tarantulas. The selection in America looks so much better than what’s on offer in the UK. Does anyone have anyone they would recommend? I’ve just ordered some cylindrical ones from spider shop UK as I like the way light defuses through them but I watch tarantula Kat on YouTube and she uses a lot of tarantula kribs vivs which look great! I’d love to find a UK equivalent.


For here, I recommend arachnodude : )


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## AlbaArachnids92 (Jul 29, 2021)

VaporRyder said:


> I quite like my Tarantula Room polycarbonate enclosures.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


BIG fan of their enclosures, I only have the older style but my friend got the new version....can't say I was too impressed with the lid, vents are fine, magnets are great but the plastic feels super flimsy IMO

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## Kazegal (Jul 29, 2021)

The Spider Shop just carries the Tarantula Room enclosures previously mentioned in this topic. You can buy straight off them through https://tarantularoom.co.uk/. That said I own 4 Tarantula Room enclosures: two high square ones, one lower square one and one high cylindrical. They are pretty. The higher ones are ideal for fossorial tarantulas. The things that bug me the most on the ones I own: the magnets aren't very strong. I haven't had any escape attempts yet. The second gripe is that there is absolutely no cross ventilation.

If you check out the Facebook page of this company then you'll find ample pictures with arboreals in them. My one and only arboreal, in the cylindrical one, isn't doing perfectly in it. I vent it extra by putting it by a window once a week. Since doing that, the tarantula is doing much better. I am on the fence of making extra holes myself, it seems such a shame.


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## Stardust1986 (Jul 29, 2021)

Kazegal said:


> The Spider Shop just carries the Tarantula Room enclosures previously mentioned in this topic. You can buy straight off them through https://tarantularoom.co.uk/. That said I own 4 Tarantula Room enclosures: two high square ones, one lower square one and one high cylindrical. They are pretty. The higher ones are ideal for fossorial tarantulas. The things that bug me the most on the ones I own: the magnets aren't very strong. I haven't had any escape attempts yet. The second gripe is that there is absolutely no cross ventilation.
> 
> If you check out the Facebook page of this company then you'll find ample pictures with arboreals in them. My one and only arboreal, in the cylindrical one, isn't doing perfectly in it. I vent it extra by putting it by a window once a week. Since doing that, the tarantula is doing much better. I am on the fence of making extra holes myself, it seems such a shame.


I also recommend the exo-tera enclosure, its ideal to replace the wire mesh with acrylic sheets though, using silicone based glue


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