# Creating Your Tarantula's Enclosure



## ThistleWind (Jul 30, 2008)

Hey guys, I'm looking for tips and how-to's for natural and life-like tarantula enclosures. As someone who is getting into the hobby, I can't help but gather as many T's as I can. I have 5 at the moment and before I acquire any more I want to know how to do more than the ol' peat moss/Eco-Earth with hide and water dish scenario. I've been following robc's tutorials and they're a huge help. I've also seen some BEAUTIFUL hand-made enclosures in the Pictures section. It just seems easier for someone who has around 30 T's to just build their own cages.

Do any of you guys create your own cages? Is it difficult? Is it easier than buying them from pet stores? What do you use to cut the material and glue them? What do you use to drill the holes?

Do you guys have a specific system that supports things like humidity? I've seen some of TheNatural's pictures and he has some sort of water drainage system so the T can actually go further down if it desires more humidity.

I've seen some people using ExoTerra products as well. Is it easier to buy an already built glass cage and just mod it or is it better to build the entire thing yourself?

Thanks for all your help. I love this place.


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## WARPIG (Jul 30, 2008)

Here's my thread on the enclosures I made, this should help you.
http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=125036


Here are a few of them.






One up close






Hope this helps.
PIG-


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## MoonYin (Jul 30, 2008)

beautiful... thanks:clap:


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## ErgoProxy (Jul 30, 2008)

Seriously nice enclosures, WARPIG...

And SWEET camera too....Nikon D300!  :worship:


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## ErgoProxy (Jul 30, 2008)

BTW...

Where did you get the acrylic hinges? (thinking I just didn't look hard enough   )


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## fang333999 (Jul 30, 2008)

hmm im starting an arboreal cage with my dad, were using plexi glass for the walls and top and bottom, with a door in front. then were going to drill holes on the bottom and top areas for ventilation. i was going to use a peat moss, sphagnum substrate with a vine, and plant with some other type of hide. were just starting it, so i thought id share.


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## WARPIG (Jul 30, 2008)

fang333999 said:


> hmm im starting an arboreal cage with my dad, were using plexi glass for the walls and top and bottom, with a door in front. then were going to drill holes on the bottom and top areas for ventilation. i was going to use a peat moss, sphagnum substrate with a vine, and plant with some other type of hide. were just starting it, so i thought id share.


Post pics of all the steps Fang, people love new ideas and different perspectives. I know I do. Thats where I get most of my ideas, I steal them;P 

GL with your project.

PIG-


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## sick4x4 (Jul 30, 2008)

if you get a copy of Micheal J's video, he has a good tutorial on natural set-ups....

wayne


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## fang333999 (Jul 30, 2008)

haha dont worry i steal ideas too(many many). hmm well i just redid my avics enclosure nothing fancy, but hold on ill get a picture


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## fang333999 (Jul 30, 2008)

WARPIG said:


> Post pics of all the steps Fang, people love new ideas and different perspectives. I know I do. Thats where I get most of my ideas, I steal them;P
> 
> GL with your project.
> 
> PIG-


rosea tank





rosea tank





peeking in at my avic





side view/avics enclosure





same enclosure











ill get some pictures of the tank in progress war pig


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## WARPIG (Jul 30, 2008)

Wow that avi enclosure is sweet!!! It looks like you have a slice of rain forrest in your home.

Great job.
PIG-:clap:


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## fang333999 (Jul 30, 2008)

wow really? thanks   yeah she seems to like it shes over 5" now. shes so much sweeter than my rosie haha. her tank was very empty so i had to add some pothos plants to it, and some vines, and moss.


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## Arachnosold1er (Jul 30, 2008)

Sweet enclosures. Where did you get the plexi hinges and stuff?


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## Newyork (Jul 30, 2008)

fang333999 said:


> rosea tank
> 
> rosea tank


Funny, my tank set up for my G. aureo looks almost exactly the same. I have a log just like that and i think the same waterdish too. Weird.


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## Arachnosold1er (Jul 30, 2008)

I think just about all of us have the same log and water dish.


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## robc (Jul 31, 2008)

Here is my enclosure thread and pic by pic tutorials on how to make them, I do like my T tanks big.....hope this helps:

*Enclosure thread:*

http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=129843

*Enclosure tutorials:*

http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=129851


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## reverendsterlin (Jul 31, 2008)

almost makes me feel bad that I'm such a minimalist (almost). Hide or slab, water dish on ground or on the wall, substrate, maybe an extra entrance for cleaning or adding prey. Oh well, the T's have never complained lol.
Rev


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## robc (Jul 31, 2008)

reverendsterlin said:


> almost makes me feel bad that I'm such a minimalist (almost). Hide or slab, water dish on ground or on the wall, substrate, maybe an extra entrance for cleaning or adding prey. Oh well, the T's have never complained lol.
> Rev


Nothing wrong with that...I just like having elaborate enclosures...personal choice. I'm sure you're T's are very happy...


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## ErgoProxy (Jul 31, 2008)

Guess it depends too the numbers you have and what you do with them.  I use my tarantulas in public educational programs and a very elaborate set-up would be not only difficult to move, but also potentially they would not be able to view the spider at all (that usually happens with the _H.lividum_ I bring along!

That's not so say given more space and a greater number of the same species, I wouldn't have the take-alongs in less elaborate housings and a nicer set-up for the others.

Cheers


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## robc (Jul 31, 2008)

ErgoProxy said:


> Guess it depends too the numbers you have and what you do with them.  I use my tarantulas in public educational programs and a very elaborate set-up would be not only difficult to move, but also potentially they would not be able to view the spider at all (that usually happens with the _H.lividum_ I bring along!
> 
> That's not so say given more space and a greater number of the same species, I wouldn't have the take-alongs in less elaborate housings and a nicer set-up for the others.
> 
> Cheers


I agree the burtrowers have pretty simple set-ups, but the T's in the elaborate enclosures I see more, because they feel secure and will come out.....rob


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## ErgoProxy (Jul 31, 2008)

robc said:


> I agree the burtrowers have pretty simple set-ups, but the T's in the elaborate enclosures I see more, because they feel secure and will come out.....rob


Unless they are being viewed by a stream of a few thousand people!


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## ThistleWind (Jul 31, 2008)

Damn, robc, you're blondi must be so happy in those tanks. Those hides are killer..

And I love it when people at least put substrate over the hides and turn it into some sort of hill with a door. Makes for a better setup than just the half-log on top of the substrate.


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