# Aphonopelma chalcodes Enclosure Questions



## Tvibez (Mar 9, 2018)

Hello everyone I'm excited just purchased my first T!  A 3" Arizona blonde I ordered it online from www.Kenthebugguy.com should be here in a week. Howd I do with her housing?


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## cold blood (Mar 9, 2018)

Tvibez said:


> Hello everyone I'm excited just purchased my first T!  A 3" Arizona blonde I ordered it online from www.Kenthebugguy.com should be here in a week. Howd I do with her housing?


too much height...fill the enclosure at least halfway with sub.

Reactions: Agree 3


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## Tvibez (Mar 9, 2018)

So she can burrow rite?


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## cold blood (Mar 9, 2018)

Tvibez said:


> So she can burrow rite?


So she doesn't have a fall and die or get injured...its a safety issue.

Reactions: Agree 2


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## Tvibez (Mar 9, 2018)

cold blood said:


> So she doesn't have a fall and die or get injured...its a safety issue.


(Stupid question) They can climb glass?


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## cold blood (Mar 9, 2018)

Tvibez said:


> (Stupid question) They can climb glass?


of course

Reactions: Like 2 | Funny 1


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## Tvibez (Mar 9, 2018)

cold blood said:


> of course


Never seen em do that before

Reactions: Funny 2


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## Tvibez (Mar 9, 2018)

Tvibez said:


> Never seen em do that before


It's not half way, with it having two doors on it. I did put atleast a gallon or more sub in it


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## Ungoliant (Mar 9, 2018)

Tvibez said:


> It's not half way, with it having two doors on it. I did put atleast a gallon or more sub in it


I would modify that enclosure or use a different one that doesn't have front-opening doors so that you can make the substrate height safe.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Tvibez (Mar 9, 2018)

I see? Thanx for the input y'all! I'm thinking a piece of cork big enough to cover half the length of the doors and fill it with sub.  Im never gonna see her now though lol


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## cold blood (Mar 9, 2018)

Tvibez said:


> I see? Thanx for the input y'all! I'm thinking a piece of cork big enough to cover half the length of the doors and fill it with sub.  Im never gonna see her now though lol


2 Better solutions...

1. Get a different enclosure...front opening enclosures are better suited for arboreals, for these exact reasons.  Or 2.  Modify this enclosure.  To do this, you would lay the enclosure on its back, so the front doors are now at the top.  The screen top would be replaced with drilled acrylic or plexi (something that should be done regardless...another safety thing)...ventilate only what would be the top half, so it acts as a dam to hold in sub.  Now you can fill the enclosure with an adequate amount of substrate to create a safe enclosure.

Reactions: Agree 4


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## Tvibez (Mar 9, 2018)

cold blood said:


> 2 Better solutions...
> 
> 1. Get a different enclosure...front opening enclosures are better suited for arboreals, for these exact reasons.  Or 2.  Modify this enclosure.  To do this, you would lay the enclosure on its back, so the front doors are now at the top.  The screen top would be replaced with drilled acrylic or plexi (something that should be done regardless...another safety thing)...ventilate only what would be the top half, so it acts as a dam to hold in sub.  Now you can fill the enclosure with an adequate amount of substrate to create a safe enclosure.


For sure I have 4 days before it gets here, heading to he depot now



Tvibez said:


> For sure I have 4 days before it gets here, heading to he depot now


I really appreciate the input! I'm gonna make some minor adjustments with the décor just adding more leaf and taking a razor to the excess glue... Thanx again I'll post the final product next week

"I know nothing, that's all i know"

So far so...? Or



Tvibez said:


> I really appreciate the input! I'm gonna make some minor adjustments with the décor just adding more leaf and taking a razor to the excess glue... Thanx again I'll post the final product next week
> 
> 
> Tvibez said:
> ...

Reactions: Like 1 | Love 1


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## cold blood (Mar 9, 2018)

I'd keep adding substarate

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Ungoliant (Mar 9, 2018)

Tvibez said:


> So far so...? Or


I would add a little more substrate, so that you have no more than 5-6" of vertical space. (In your first photo, it looks like you have about 7" of vertical space.)

I'm assuming that your decoration is made of foam, so it wouldn't be a hard object for the tarantula to fall onto. (If it's not soft, I'd remove it.)


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## Tvibez (Mar 9, 2018)

Ungoliant said:


> I would add a little more substrate, so that you have no more than 5-6" of vertical space. (In your first photo, it looks like you have about 7" of vertical space.)
> 
> I'm assuming that your decoration is made of foam, so it wouldn't be a hard object for the tarantula to fall onto. (If it's not soft, I'd remove it.)


That's the water dish? It's hard.. if she dies falling that then she doesn't deserve to live! J/k


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## viper69 (Mar 10, 2018)

Tvibez said:


> Never seen em do that before



How long have you watched a tarantula/s ? Minutes, days, years?

Reactions: Useful 1


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## viper69 (Mar 10, 2018)

A safe distance, esp for heavy bodied Ts is 1.5x the DLS of the T from sub surface to height of container.


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## Tvibez (Mar 10, 2018)

viper69 said:


> How long have you watched a tarantula/s ? Minutes, days, years?


Days im new to this hobby... Im learning everyday, I'm hoping I don't kill it


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## viper69 (Mar 10, 2018)

Tvibez said:


> Days im new to this hobby... Im learning everyday, I'm hoping I don't kill it


Me too.

Read, read and keep reading here.


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## Tvibez (Mar 10, 2018)

viper69 said:


> Me too.
> 
> Read, read and keep reading here.
> 
> Def. I'm loving this site happened to find it just last nite

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


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## Dovey (Mar 10, 2018)

I don't think you have to worry about a chalcodes of that size disappearing. I use a half cork bark tube and mound up earth around it so that it makes a little supported cave. My chalcodes girl hangs out in her cave and only occasionally excavates down deeper, mostly for something to do I think. It's a great species, and they do roam around a little bit more than a lot of obligate  burrowers do. In fact, some of my juveniles don't burrow at all. They just scamper
around on bark and some flat rocks most of the time. Yes, they can and do climb, just not as well as they think they can. That's the danger! They tend to burrow more in the fall, BTW, as they do in the wild.

And welcome to the hobby, BTW! It's a wonderful thing to be involved with. People on this site, especially, are so knowledgeable and so willing to help you get it right. You've come to the right place! Be sure and load up some pictures of your baby when she gets there. I'd be willing to bet she came from not too far from where I am right now, here in New River.

Reactions: Like 2


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## Tvibez (Mar 13, 2018)

Thanks a bunch for the encouragement, it's gonna be fun and might be the start of an healthy obsession lol 

I posted an updated pic of her housing, she's here 2morow! 

Does anyone think I should drill more holes for ventilation? It's an exoterra terrarium laid on its back so it has the built ventilation and the side now that I replaced the screen top with plexy glass. I have a fresh air intake and exhaust for my apartment so I'm thinking with the exhaust pulling the air should stay fresh inside. Thanx y'all


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## cold blood (Mar 13, 2018)

your ventilation is more than adequate.

Reactions: Like 1


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