# Tarantulas and Lighting



## Jeff23 (Nov 2, 2016)

If we look at tarantulas in the wild, the terrestrials have hides that can give them a lot of protection from bright lights.  Tarantulas that tend to be more arboreal types usually will have nests that give them less protection unless they can fully utilize tree leaves, dirty webs, etc.

On my tarantulas I am very careful to never turn on the main lighting in the room.  I have red lighting and red flashlights for night use in feeding, maintenance, etc.  Thus my tarantulas currently only get dim natural lighting through blinds on the windows during the day.

Once my slings become adults I don't think my one room will handle all of the enclosures.  How is everybody handing this?  Do you worry about room lights for your arboreal T's?  About half of my T's are Avic's, Tapi's, and Psalms'.  I am thinking about how I could shield them in my den, but I don't want to shield them from air flow too.

Reactions: Funny 1


----------



## TownesVanZandt (Nov 2, 2016)

I keep all my T´s in my living room, and I turn on and off the lights as I please. The only thing I make sure of, is not to allow direct sunlight to fall on the enclosures. Whereas the T´s are more active during the dark of night, I don´t see light being an issue to them.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 5


----------



## Venom1080 (Nov 2, 2016)

they dont like it, but it does no harm to them. i think its useless to try to prevent all light from them, it just doesnt matter.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 3


----------



## Red Eunice (Nov 2, 2016)

Hahaha! Ran into the same space storage dilemma years back. My solution was pretty simple: partition an area in the basement. First room quickly became crowded with the ever growing number of enclosures. The fix: took down the divider wall and instantly the space doubled.  No doubt in a couple of years this may/may not need to be enlarged, since not all are adult size.
 As far as the lighting, I have a 25 watt CFL on a timer to simulate day/night cycle. Square footage is 8'X24' just bright enough to see all the enclosures and where the occupants are located. Purchased a headlamp that has both red and white LEDs, mainly used when feeding after CFL is off. Oddly enough when observing Ts when the light is on,  most all of the arboreals are near the source of light. Only the P. irminia and H. maculata are in the shadows but still visible often enough.
 Will add there is a small fan on a variable timer to simulate a breeze. It also helps to keep an even temperature throughout the room.

Reactions: Informative 1


----------



## Jeff23 (Nov 2, 2016)

Venom1080 said:


> they dont like it, but it does no harm to them. i think its useless to try to prevent all light from them, it just doesnt matter.


Does this have an impact on your T's staying in the hide/burrow more often?  Does it have more of an impact on skittish species?

EDIT* meant skittish terrestrial species.


----------



## Kodi (Nov 2, 2016)

They aren't vampires. I think you're over worrying just a tad.

Reactions: Agree 2 | Funny 1


----------



## Jeff23 (Nov 2, 2016)

Kodi said:


> They aren't vampires. I think you're over worrying just a tad.


I think "worry" would be the wrong word.  Let's just say I want to maximize my ability to view and see my tarantulas being active.

Reactions: Like 2


----------



## CarbonBasedLifeform (Nov 2, 2016)

I have my bugs and reptiles in the same room.  The reptiles all have their heat lamps on a timer. The light and heat coming off the reptile tanks is enough to provide an ambient day/night cycle in the room.  If I need to flip the light switch it is not a big deal, some of the creatures scatter while others don't care.  I try to only use a flashlight at night though to minimize disturbance.

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## CarbonBasedLifeform (Nov 2, 2016)

Kodi said:


> They aren't vampires. I think you're over worrying just a tad.


Are you sure they're not vampires?  They do have fangs =-)

Reactions: Like 1 | Funny 3


----------



## TownesVanZandt (Nov 2, 2016)

Jeff23 said:


> Does this have an impact on your T's staying in the hide/burrow more often?  Does it have more of an impact on skittish species?
> 
> EDIT* meant skittish terrestrial species.


It seems to have an impact on some, more than others. My GBB and my _Pamphobeteus_ don´t seem to mind lights at all, and will always stay out in the open. Some of my "Baboons" also goes on with business as usual, lights or no lights, but they hang around in their burrows a lot, night or day. My _H. lividum _however can never be seen with the lights on. She won´t even come out to catch crickets unless it´s dark.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 2


----------



## Estein (Nov 2, 2016)

My Ts live in my bedroom so their preferred light cycle mimics mine. I leave the curtains open during the day and turn on the overhead light as needed at night. Now that my G. pulchripes and LP are edging out of the sling stage, they've dropped burrowing despite frequent light. My AF G. porteri has webbed over her hide from the outside and is always out. My SF B. vagans is the only one who really seems to prefer the darkness--she's been hiding in a dark corner ever since I got her. 

TL;DR: My Ts have a mostly distinct day/night cycle and don't seem to care when the overhead light goes on.

Reactions: Like 2


----------



## Venom1080 (Nov 2, 2016)

Jeff23 said:


> Does this have an impact on your T's staying in the hide/burrow more often?  Does it have more of an impact on skittish species?
> 
> EDIT* meant skittish terrestrial species.


it actually does, my room is nearly always dark. i see alot of my more reclusive species quite often. and yes, my skittish terrestrials are out a lot.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


----------



## viper69 (Nov 2, 2016)

Jeff23 said:


> If we look at tarantulas in the wild, the terrestrials have hides that can give them a lot of protection from bright lights.  Tarantulas that tend to be more arboreal types usually will have nests that give them less protection unless they can fully utilize tree leaves, dirty webs, etc.
> 
> On my tarantulas I am very careful to never turn on the main lighting in the room.  I have red lighting and red flashlights for night use in feeding, maintenance, etc.  Thus my tarantulas currently only get dim natural lighting through blinds on the windows during the day.
> 
> Once my slings become adults I don't think my one room will handle all of the enclosures.  How is everybody handing this?  Do you worry about room lights for your arboreal T's?  About half of my T's are Avic's, Tapi's, and Psalms'.  I am thinking about how I could shield them in my den, but I don't want to shield them from air flow too.



Even forest lighting, ie light blocked by a dense forest canopy, is typically brighter than ambient room lighting.

I stoppled using red lights. I turn on the 300watt halogen torch lamp light via dimmer switch. If anything I'd use blue lighting over red so I can see better. Humans see better in those moonlight bulbs/colors (blue colors), at least I do, than using a red bulb.

I keep my Ts in very little light now, not because I'm worried about them mind you. I notice no difference in their behavior. They come alive at night, no different than when they were exposed to bright sunshine through the window.

Your concern is appreciated, but not necessary IME.

They survive living under the stars on BRIGHT moon lit nights, they will be fine w/some dim lighting or dim blue lighting for a few minutes.

People keep nocturnal snakes with blue moonlighting and their eyes are more sensitive to light than a tarantulas. Those animals do just fine as well.

I believe the concern and use of red lights for many species in the exotic hobby is unnecessary.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1 | Informative 2


----------



## Estein (Nov 2, 2016)

viper69 said:


> If anything I'd use blue lighting over red so I can see better. Humans see better in those moonlight bulbs/colors (blue colors), at least I do, than using a red bulb.


^Accurate. Our rods only have one light-sensitive pigment (rhodopsin), and it absorbs green-blue light most readily and isn't very sensitive to longer wavelengths.

Probably not necessary, but if you want the fun of fine-tuning your habitat to make it as natural as possible, it seems like a good tool.

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## cold blood (Nov 2, 2016)

Jeff23 said:


> Once my slings become adults I don't think my one room will handle all of the enclosures.  How is everybody handing this?  Do you worry about room lights for your arboreal T's?  About half of my T's are Avic's, Tapi's, and Psalms'.  I am thinking about how I could shield them in my den, but I don't want to shield them from air flow too.


Slings are in deli cups, everything else is pretty much in sterilite.   Everything is stackable...you can fit a lot of ts into a relatively small area when they are stacked.

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## Jeff23 (Nov 3, 2016)

viper69 said:


> Even forest lighting, ie light blocked by a dense forest canopy, is typically brighter than ambient room lighting.
> 
> I stoppled using red lights. I turn on the 300watt halogen torch lamp light via dimmer switch. If anything I'd use blue lighting over red so I can see better. Humans see better in those moonlight bulbs/colors (blue colors), at least I do, than using a red bulb.
> 
> ...


I actually like the red lights.  I can see great with them.  Red is also a good color for when I wake up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom.  It tends to not wake up a person as much as other lights.  But my goal is to position my T's so that I can maximize my enjoyment which means it is a concern for me if it tends to make the T stay in its hide.  I think I might test one of my Avic's in my den area to see if behavior patterns are different.

Reactions: Agree 1


----------



## Jeff23 (Nov 3, 2016)

cold blood said:


> Slings are in deli cups, everything else is pretty much in sterilite.   Everything is stackable...you can fit a lot of ts into a relatively small area when they are stacked.


That is another area where I need to investigate.  I have struggled to find sterilite and other brands of tubs available in my local area that I like.  A lot of the ones that are more clear are putting a ridge up on top of the lip of the lid where the T can climb and hang out.  This makes it hard to open the container without risking escape, injury, or at the minimum a frightened T.  If I can find one I like I will probably buy it in quantity and stack them.


----------



## Lessej (Nov 3, 2016)

CarbonBasedLifeform said:


> I have my bugs and reptiles in the same room.  The reptiles all have their heat lamps on a timer. The light and heat coming off the reptile tanks is enough to provide an ambient day/night cycle in the room.  If I need to flip the light switch it is not a big deal, some of the creatures scatter while others don't care.  I try to only use a flashlight at night though to minimize disturbance.


I'm nearly the same! My T is next to my snake cage and there is a day/night cycle not only coming from a small nearby window but also from the snake cage 40 watt incandescent light which also serves as heat, which is on a timer. The snake cage also has a 5 watt red LED light, with a filter over it for further dimming, that goes on for just 3 hours after the main light goes off, that way I can see my snake when he comes out after dusk until I go to sleep which also gives a nice ambient light to the T enclosure. I also use a very small flashlight to view my T in its enclosure if I want to see it more thoroughly. There is near pure darkness after the red light goes off. I'm glad I'm not the only one that has this kind of setup going on.

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## Walker253 (Nov 3, 2016)

Jeff23 said:


> That is another area where I need to investigate.  I have struggled to find sterilite and other brands of tubs available in my local area that I like.  A lot of the ones that are more clear are putting a ridge up on top of the lip of the lid where the T can climb and hang out.  This makes it hard to open the container without risking escape, injury, or at the minimum a frightened T.  If I can find one I like I will probably buy it in quantity and stack them.


How about these? http://www.containerstore.com/s/closet/shoe-storage/bins-boxes/123 I know people using them. Stopped in their store the other day. They have promise if my collection grows too much. Still, I'm a mix of Exo-terras, Kritter Keepers and aquariums

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## Jeff23 (Nov 3, 2016)

Walker253 said:


> How about these? http://www.containerstore.com/s/closet/shoe-storage/bins-boxes/123 I know people using them. Stopped in their store the other day. They have promise if my collection grows too much. Still, I'm a mix of Exo-terras, Kritter Keepers and aquariums


I miss the Container Store.  I had one local to me in Atlanta, but don't here in Greenville.  That does look like a good choice.  Thanks.  Do you have to use shoes as a hide for the T with this one?

Edit* Actually I suspect a larger shoe might make a good hide, but it might be rough trying to get your T out of it.


----------



## Bugmom (Nov 3, 2016)

Jeff23 said:


> I miss the Container Store.  I had one local to me in Atlanta, but don't here in Greenville.  That does look like a good choice.  Thanks.  Do you have to use shoes as a hide for the T with this one?
> 
> Edit* Actually I suspect a larger shoe might make a good hide, but it might be rough trying to get your T out of it.


Sneakers for the terrestrials, high heels for the arboreals 

I buy a lot of my stuff from The Container Store (especially for my obligate burrowers), but also a lot from Target. Good ol' Sterilite tubs with the white lid.

As for lighting, I never gave it much thought. If I turn off lights, it's just cause I want to save on electricity. Mine are no more or less active with the lights on vs off.

Reactions: Like 1 | Funny 1


----------



## Jeff23 (Nov 3, 2016)

Bugmom said:


> Sneakers for the terrestrials, high heels for the arboreals
> 
> I buy a lot of my stuff from The Container Store (especially for my obligate burrowers), but also a lot from Target. Good ol' Sterilite tubs with the white lid.
> 
> As for lighting, I never gave it much thought. If I turn off lights, it's just cause I want to save on electricity. Mine are no more or less active with the lights on vs off.


I see lots of containers with solid colored lids that are the right size and shape.  But I prefer the clear lids.

Reactions: Agree 1


----------



## Bugmom (Nov 3, 2016)

Jeff23 said:


> I see lots of containers with solid colored lids that are the right size and shape.  But I prefer the clear lids.


Since I stack enclosures, it only matters to me that the sides be clear. I'm rarely looking down into an enclosure.

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## viper69 (Nov 3, 2016)

Jeff23 said:


> I actually like the red lights.  I can see great with them.  Red is also a good color for when I wake up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom.  It tends to not wake up a person as much as other lights.  But my goal is to position my T's so that I can maximize my enjoyment which means it is a concern for me if it tends to make the T stay in its hide.  I think I might test one of my Avic's in my den area to see if behavior patterns are different.


I don't like them at all. I can't see that well compared to moonlight, ie blue. Moonlight doesn't bother the animals and I can see them better. That's far better for me. I used to do the red lights for all the reasons that people typically mention. Then I bought a moonlight for my lep gex, wow, how nice it was being able to see it move better etc etc. I threw out my red light.

Plus the moonlight is more natural looking than a red light too.

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## Jeff23 (Nov 3, 2016)

viper69 said:


> I don't like them at all. I can't see that well compared to moonlight, ie blue. Moonlight doesn't bother the animals and I can see them better. That's far better for me. I used to do the red lights for all the reasons that people typically mention. Then I bought a moonlight for my lep gex, wow, how nice it was being able to see it move better etc etc. I threw out my red light.
> 
> Plus the moonlight is more natural looking than a red light too.


It depends on whether it is a full moon or not. werewolves are affected by a full moon.

I may have to test out a blue light just to see the difference.  While I am happy with the red lights, I should try out the blue to see the difference.  Thanks.

Reactions: Like 2


----------



## viper69 (Nov 3, 2016)

Jeff23 said:


> It depends on whether it is a full moon or not. werewolves are affected by a full moon.
> 
> I may have to test out a blue light just to see the difference.  While I am happy with the red lights, I should try out the blue to see the difference.  Thanks.


Are you keeping werewolves?? 

I can't guarantee it will work for all species etc, there are others who have used blue as well. LED lights are so cheap. The only thing is you want a LED light that you can dim. The moonlight bulb I used for my lep gex in a ten gallon, was prob a 25W bulb, so it through some heat as well for my scaley friend

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## Estein (Nov 3, 2016)

viper69 said:


> Plus the moonlight is more natural looking than a red light too.


So if you need to keep people out of your T area, just bathe the critters in an unnatural red glow and they'll be scared off

Reactions: Funny 2


----------



## Ellenantula (Nov 3, 2016)

I could say mine get daytime light and nighttime darkness for a cycle.  Truthfully, they share a room with the parrots so they really just get the lighting my parrots require.  My Ts do fine. I don't think they really give a rip about light.  I have fed early morning and had them dine all day.  I have fed them at night and had them dine all night.  I don't think my Ts really care about light -- arboreal, fossorial or terrestrial.

That said, none of my Ts are in direct sunshine/daylight.

Reactions: Like 2


----------

