# How do you keep your tarantula's tank cool in the summer time?



## IvyThornton (Jun 7, 2012)

I was just wondering how to keep your tarantula's cool in the summer time since it can get hot and I have no air conditioning. Its usually in the high 80' in the summer but can get hotter at times so the house can get up into the high 90's sometimes

Thanks!


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## Shrike (Jun 7, 2012)

I put mine in the refrigerator 

AC does just fine by me, although I'm sure they would be fine without it (assuming I didn't leave them to bake in direct sunlight).  Are you worried about temps?  How hot are we talking about?


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## grayzone (Jun 7, 2012)

Given the fact that your location ISNT posted, i cant say for sure,
However i usually use no additional means to cool MY enclosures... here in WA state, it never gets hot enough to do anything to do much more than open the windows... Ts arent THAT fragile... if your house gets 90+ degrees , id maybe keep a fan on standby (far enough away to not bother the ts) with a window open


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## EndofTime (Jun 7, 2012)

I pretty have done what grayzone has said, and my apartment doesn't usually get above 85 at the most. Sometimes I take my small water mister and do a bit of the walls (Not too often away from water day and not as much with my Rosey.) and I've noticed that helps with a couple degree's. I'm a little worried though with the warmth that's been going on in spring how warm it might get but thankfully I got a wall fan to cool it down if it gets too bad.


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## grayzone (Jun 7, 2012)

AGAIN, just remember that the air flow from the fan can potentially bother and stress the ts out. Keep them at a safe distance.. I usually judge this by the webbing movement. (if IT moves , the air flow is too strong and could agitate the t as well)


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## catfishrod69 (Jun 7, 2012)

My invert room usually stays at 80F. However in the winter without a heater, it would get too cold for even me in there. (lacking insulation). In the summer, being the room is upstairs, and the stairs lead straight into it, the heat rises. Well sometimes it will get to 90F in there, so i open a window, then turn on a small fan, and place it in front of the window, or point it towards a upper corner of the room. This will let the air ricochete off the walls and blow around the room with less and indirect force. Also being that im from ohio, my weather changes drastically all day long. So i keep a eye on it every day. Some days i have the heater on, than later in the day need to get the window open. (I actually lived up to the ohio weather saying by using my heater and air conditioner in the same day today lol)

Reactions: Like 1


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## IvyThornton (Jun 7, 2012)

Its usually in the high 80' in the summer but can get hotter at times so the house can get up into the high 90's.


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## catfishrod69 (Jun 7, 2012)

Well, window/fan. Or maybe small air conditioner, but you must really watch the temps with a quality thermometer. Just make sure to keep a close eye on it and turn it off when the temps get satisfactory. I wonder if a ac can be plugged into a heavy duty thermostat?





IvyThornton said:


> Its usually in the high 80' in the summer but can get hotter at times so the house can get up into the high 90's.


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## grayzone (Jun 7, 2012)

id IMAGINE ts can still flourish with higher ambient temps.. they wouldnt be 24/7 due to the day/night temps, so i dont think itll be too bad to worry.. 
There are members here from HOT SPOTS all over the globe that probably take no special precaution.


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## Bugmom (Jun 7, 2012)

My T is in my bedroom, and I keep the A/C set on about 80 during the day just in that room, and then turn it down to about 72 at dusk and leave it at that until I turn it off when I go to bed. Temp in the bedroom during the day is around 80-85, and down to around 75 at night. Since I caught her in my yard, I'm going to assume she's a desert species and tolerant of heat (3+ months of 100+ degree days each year....even in a burrow that has to get toasty). I figure I'm mimicking her environment well enough. I did notice that a mesh screen is necessary or else the inside gets too humid and then she's not happy. I had a 3/4 glass, 1/4 plastic lid that I'd dremmeled a bunch of holes into (on the plastic piece) but it didn't get enough airflow in there to not make it feel like a sauna so I went back to the mesh screen. 

Just keep trying things until you find something you think works. I'm assuming that gorgeous purple T you uploaded a pic of is yours, in which case I doubt it's all that cold where he's from


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## Zeph (Jun 7, 2012)

I didn't have air conditioning growing up (South Texas!) but I did have tarantulas from time to time.  I just kept them in the airstream of a box fan at all times.  (That's a lie, I didn't take the best care of my pets when I was a kid but I probably kept them around a fan mostly and we both lived.)


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## IvyThornton (Jun 8, 2012)

It still gets hot even with the window open and the fan. I can tell he doesnt really like high 80's + because he'll just scrunch up.

Reactions: Like 2


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## recluse (Jun 8, 2012)

My temps. during the day in summer can reach 95+ in my invert/laundry room. That room is not air conditioned. I dont have any problems, I just make sure they always have access to water.


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## grayzone (Jun 8, 2012)

IvyThornton said:


> It still gets hot even with the window open and the fan. I can tell he doesnt really like high 80's + because he'll just scrunch up.


 i like that your in tune with your t and you know when its displeased... just give it some time though, as i would bet 100$ that t can feel the air flowing around differently, and that is why its scrunched.


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## Bugmom (Jun 8, 2012)

Mine scrunches up for no rhyme or reason that I can tell. Maybe they're just resting?


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## wesker12 (Jun 9, 2012)

IvyThornton said:


> I was just wondering how to keep your tarantula's cool in the summer time since it can get hot and I have no air conditioning. Its usually in the high 80' in the summer but can get hotter at times so the house can get up into the high 90's sometimes
> 
> Thanks!


Depends on the tarantula, what species is it?


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## IvyThornton (Jun 10, 2012)

wesker12 said:


> Depends on the tarantula, what species is it?



He's a Pamphobeteus sp. "South Ecuador"


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## macj1983 (Jun 10, 2012)

I live in texas no thinking here takes a air conditioner to do the trick gonna be 101 here tomorrow


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## Zeph (Jun 10, 2012)

This has got me wondering if my own spider room is too warm.  I'm in Texas as well and I keep the A/C vent shut in that room.  I wouldn't be surprised if it were 85 in there, but that's not too uncomfortable for me.  Hmm, I need to stop being cheap now and let the A/C flow into the room.


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## IvyThornton (Aug 17, 2012)

I have started leaning an ice pack against the glass on the outside of the tank so he can have a cool spot if he needs it.


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## Lopez (Aug 19, 2012)

Living in the UK, this sort of thing is not a problem


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## Stan Schultz (Aug 19, 2012)

IvyThornton said:


> I was just wondering how to keep your tarantula's cool in the summer time since it can get hot and I have no air conditioning. Its usually in the high 80' in the summer but can get hotter at times so the house can get up into the high 90's sometimes
> 
> Thanks!


Please, PLEASE, *PLEASE*, read *Temperature*. In fact, back up and start reading everything beginning with *Myths, Misconceptions, Mistakes...* and all its sub-links.

Then, clear your schedule for the rest of the day and pour yourself a large glass, cup flagon, or stein of your favorite beverage. Then, perform a search (look in the bar across the top of this page) using the search string *temperature Pikaia*. Or, if you want to see what everybody else has said, skip the *Pikaia* thing.

BTW, how long have you had tarantulas?

How many and what kinds do you have?

What kind of tarantula are we talking about in this particular post?

Do you know what sex it is? How do you know this? Just guessing? Pet shop told you? You know how to tell by yourself? 

How long have you had this particular tarantula?

How big is it? (Please use diagonal leg span (DLS): the distance from the tip of one front leg to the tip of the rear leg on the opposite side when the tarantula is in a normal resting posture.)



Can you take a few photos of it and post them here? From different angles, please. And, try to use a real camera instead of a cell phone. We'd like to see them in good focus if possible. If you don't have a camera, can you borrow one from a family member or friend?

Please do the same for your entire cage as well.


Enjoy your little 8-legged buddy!


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## SeniorSpidieLovr (Jul 2, 2021)

My two Curlys crunch up next to glass water Dish line they are very uncomfortable.  I wet the Substrate more in that spot so they can cool themselves.  I took them out of their wood cabinet, placed Their enclosures on top and  added indirect fan. They came out of the crunch. I also put a rock on each enclosure.  One sets it's body right on rock I think to cool.  Good luck everyone.


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## YungRasputin (Jul 3, 2021)

depends on how hot it gets in my arachnid room - the specimens i currently have are tropical or from the desert so if the room is in the 80’s it’s no big deal - any higher than this I turn on the ceiling fan and a couple of quiet fans I have in there to lower the ambient temp back down and get some air moving


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## Dorifto (Jul 6, 2021)

It's almost 10 year old thread...


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## SeniorSpidieLovr (Jul 13, 2021)

Ok


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## CommanderBacon (Jul 13, 2021)

Mine are all in my bedroom, with the exception of my slings, which are in a special cabinet, so they get the regular air conditioner. They're totally fine.


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## SeniorSpidieLovr (Jul 16, 2021)

I've added a small fan that bounces off surface and indirectly reaches them. I take my juvenile curly out of wooden cabinet location put on open table top. I Just put her back in cabinet since temp dropped in our area, Calif. I may turn the heat pad attached to inner wall on low before I go to work tonight.  Spidee care  2 Curlys and am Avic.


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## SeniorSpidieLovr (Jul 16, 2021)

SeniorSpidieLovr said:


> I've added a small fan that bounces off surface and indirectly reaches them. I take my juvenile curly out of wooden cabinet location put on open table top. I Just put her back in cabinet since temp dropped in our area, Calif. I may turn the heat pad attached to inner wall on low before I go to work tonight.  Spidee care  2 Curlys and an Avic.


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