# Newb Question: tolerable height and how to measure airflow?



## hermit (Jul 26, 2011)

Hey guys,

I've kept reps for about 8 years and so I'm not a total fool when it comes to setting up terrariums and dealing with maintaining heat and humidity levels as per the species. I'm brand new to arachnids, however, and have recently purchased a female B. smithi from a member of my regional reptile/arach forum. I already own the Tarantula Keeper's Guide and have studied it prior to acquiring my specimen and already had what I believed to be quite a good enclosure set up for her before she arrived. I have a 12" cubed exo-terra tank, the front-opening style. It has about 2-3" of substrate on the floor (coco-earth with a small amount of vermiculate mixed in because the top of the tank is all screen and maintaining any reasonable humidity is tough in my place otherwise.

My first concern is that within minutes of being introduced to the new tank, she began climbing up the walls to the screen top and poking around at all the edges. A few times, she seemed to lose footing on the screen and nearly looked to be falling down. This would be a drop of 9-10" if it happened. I know that Ts are very delicate to falls but I haven't really found a guideline as to what sort of distance is an allowable risk for your spider to be able to climb. Or is this terrarium size adequate and low enough that a fall would not be significant?

As I'd rather not take a risk while determining the above, I'm already setting up an alternate home in a plastic container measuring approximately 12"x6"x6"(H). I've put down 2" of coco-earth and am going to add a cave and water and move her in to that for now. I have drilled 4 holes on each of the long sides of the container for a total of 8 holes, each roughly 3mm in diameter. How do I know if this is enough holes for air circulation to be adequate for the spider? I have hygrometers I can measure humidity, and assume this is the only way to measure airflow, but can anyone advise a new keeper what rate of drop in humidity would indicate adequate airflow so that the animal is being given fresh enough air as is healthy?

Thanks!

Edit: Here's the kind of height we're talking, with the size of the specimen to relate to.







---------- Post added at 08:23 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:01 PM ----------

Okay she started trying to go right upside down on the mesh and her legs kept bouncing off all crazy and I was like a new first-time parent going crazy because they think their new baby is made of egg shells. So, I intervened and moved her into this container. You can see the ventilation I am referring to. Adequate? I can add more if not.


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## TB3Redneck (Jul 26, 2011)

Thats perfect for a B. Smithi  The water bowl is a little big/deep  It would help to dig out a little bit of the substrate in the hide so it slopes down into it, so its a little easier for her to find it. Drilling about ten more holes on each side of the lid would also help, but other than those things, its great for her.


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## hermit (Jul 26, 2011)

TB3Redneck said:


> Thats perfect for a B. Smithi  The water bowl is a little big/deep, but other than that, its great


Which one?
 :8o


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## bravesvikings20 (Jul 26, 2011)

hermit said:


> Which one?
> :8o


The second one.


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