Antilles Pinktoe (avicularia versicolour) Enclosure??

[mikeymo]

Antilles Pinktoe (avicularia versicolour) Enclosure PICS/suggestions welcomed

I couldn't help but notice the recent activity on this board about pinktoes so any replies to this thread might also pertain to tool22 and moche87 who posed similar questions:

ALL this being said, over the past couple of months I’ve come to respect and value everyone’s opinion on this board. I’ve only taken care of terrestrial Ts in the past and just wanted some advice on arboreal species; now that I’m designing an enclosure for the FUTURE addition to my collect (an avi. Versicolour).

I figured I should ask around here to see what’s good, what’s bad, what’s ugly, and most importantly what’s NESSESARY in regards to tanks and enclosures for an arboreal.

Upon doing research on the species, I’ve been able to discern that they are climbers, require ‘medium’ levels of humidity and lots of air circulation.

This tank (pictures included) is 12”W x 12”L x 18”H. It has a faux rock back which should facilitate climbing. I also included a piece of Malaysian Wood for my little guy to climb up and down on (I’ve read that cork wood works well but I couldn’t find any that I liked). The mesh top should provide the adequate air circulation and I figure I can maintain humidity by misting.

I was just wondering what else, if anything, I should add to this enclosure. The spider will be between 1.5-3 inches (I haven’t decided yet) and will grow to a full size of 4.5-5.5 inches.

I expect to hear some debate over the size, with (at least Mina, haha) thinking that the tank is too big for the little guy to start off in. They were selling the tank for a phenomenal price, so I couldn’t pass up the deal, but if i find that the the T is having trouble finding crickets i will move him into a turned over KK until he grows a bit.

ALSO

Do arboreals still require a water dish or will misting the glass keep it hydrated?

Should I add more things for it to climb on or is what I have in there sufficient?

Do arobreals require a hide like their terrestrial cousins?

Thanks to any and all who respond. Thanks for reading!

_mike

 

[Mina]

Exo terras are good. the only complaint I've heard about them is you have to make sure that the false back is glued or fastened to the back of the tank, you can do it with hot glue, and make sure there aren't any holes that crickets could crawl behind and die.
That is a good home for a large juvie or an adult. If you start with a sling you will have to let it grow into that.

 

[Mushroom Spore]

I would put something MUCH taller in there to climb on/web up, that might end up being a lot of wasted space.

Also, water dish + misting, I think. I've heard they usually won't drink from a dish at all.

 

[mikeymo]

mina, thank you so much for the advice!

And mushroom, thank you as always for your speedy replies and tips that i take to heart.

i'll have to keep my eyes peeled for something of the larger and 'corky' variety. I'm sure it will benefit the T and myself also (since the tank will be more visually appealing)

 

[stk5m]

my avics love their fake plants. They are the kind that have a suction cup on the top and multiple "branches". I use a small piece of masking tape and secure the plant and and it's branches to the sides of the cage. that forms a good base for their vertical tunnel web. Also a water dish is a must. I've seen all my avics take a drink now and again.

Edit: that enclosure would be better for an adult A. versi

 

[x-topher]

I'm actually setting up the same size Exo Terra for my A. miniatrix when it gets big enough. I plan on removing the foam backing and using fish tank sealant to glue flatter pieces of cork bark onto the back instead. Then I'll put two thinner tubes of cork bark to simulate branches and cover them with vines, fake plants, etc. put about two inches of cocanut husk on the bottom.

Not meaning to hijack your thread, my point is that you can never go wrong with Exo Terra's and cork bark!

 

[mikeymo]

I'm actually setting up the same size Exo Terra for my A. miniatrix when it gets big enough. I plan on removing the foam backing and using fish tank sealant to glue flatter pieces of cork bark onto the back instead. Then I'll put two thinner tubes of cork bark to simulate branches and cover them with vines, fake plants, etc. put about two inches of cocanut husk on the bottom.

Not meaning to hijack your thread, my point is that you can never go wrong with Exo Terra's and cork bark!

hey no worries at all about hijacking! I assume that the cork bark is perferred because it doesn't have the tendency to mold, right?

 

[Taceas]

Personally while I like the ExoTerra cages for their convenience, I think yours is about as unimaginative as can be. If that's all that you're going to put in there, you might as well use a smaller enclosure. =/

You need more stuff in there, its as much about making the tarantula feel at home and secluded as it is about your personal aesthetics. Don't be shy to decorate it with fake greenery or flowers, the spider won't really care.

I have the same size ExoTerra and this is how I decorated mine for my Avicularia avicularia:

The entrance to her tube web that extends the length of that "crevice" in the back wall:

It's got a couple large slabs of cork bark angled up towards the right rear corner and placed some fake ivy. Currently it also has some miniature epiphytic orchids that are mounted on their own little cork bark and hung from the foam backwall. The substrate is 2-3" of coconut bedding.

I mist the entire thing heavily once a week, soaking the cork bark, the fake and live plants, and the substrate. I also have a water dish in there, as mine does come down to drink frequently. ALL of my animals have a water dish, regardless of whether I've seen them use it or not.

Cork bark can be bought in different sizes and shapes from:
http://www.blackjungle.com/
http://www.herpsupplies.com/

 

[mikeymo]

thanks Taceas for the tips/pics/and cork bark sites. I know i'll be keeping everything you suggested in the back of my mind when it comes time to fully decorate the tank.

I do realize it's currently an unimaginative design but that's because i bought the bare tank 5 hours ago and havn't had time to actually "design" anything.

I came here first to get ideas from people on how to ADD to the tank in the future because everyone is so knowledgeable and experienced (yourself included)

 

[mikeymo]

and seriously, Taceas, the more i look at the photos, the more i'm impressed. Nice job!

 

[Jonathan Wilhelm]

Here is the set up I just transferred my juvenile A. versicolor tonight.

 

[edie]

exo terra tanks are nice, i've had some problems with the foam walls though.

i had a p. regalis that found her way to the back of the wall, she would just go behind it and never came out. heres a picture of it;

i also had problems with crickets hiding on the top of the foam wall and they would die up there before the spider would eat them. i had some crickets eat part of the wall once too.
that being said, i took the foam out of all my exo terra tanks.

i wouldn't worry about the tank not looking as fancy as some other peoples, just as long as it works for the t its fine, its a matter of personal style too, all my cages are pretty "boring" because its just wood hides and water dishes, i don't use fake plants and none of my t's seem to mind

 

[Midnightrdr456]

i still think those exo terras are way to large. I understand that you could maybe not pass up a great deal, but perhaps store it until you get a larger arboreal, say a Cyriopagopus species or a Poecilotheria. I just feel there will be so much wasted space in there, and make it alot more difficult for the T to find its food, unless you plan to just place the crickets right into it's web.

But at the same time, it wont really HURT the T to use it, just so long as it gets its food. If that were the case, then I would definately jazz up the enclosure more to make it not look like a big empty box.

 

[funnylori]

I also believe the foam is a pain. I have an exo terra cube that I have tried out for a few of my critters. My P. irminia made a web behind the foam, in the foam crevice, and in between the glass walls and some cork I put in there. Crickets get stuck behind the foam, at the top of the foam, and seem to escape through the sliding cable holes on the top. I have even had frogs wedge themselves between the foam and the top.

If they would leave out the foam, I would be happier. Especially if it made the whole thing cost less. As it is I am just about fed up with the foam, and the next time I change out the substrate I am going to pull it out.

Currently, I am keeping my 1 inchish A. versicolor in the clear plastic butter tub like things that I purchased her in. I took out the substrate the dealer was using (mostly moss) and put in a bit of vermiculite peat and coco fiber. She has a beautiful tube web around the top edge.

I keep my A. purpurea in a small 1 gallon hex tank that came with a cool metal grated top. She has built her nest around a piece of corkbark that I hot glued to the side. I also spread a piece of tulle (meshy fabric) over the top of her enclosure between her and the lid so that her web doesn't get attached to the lid.

 

[mikeymo]

i just wanted to say thank you again to everyone who replied!

I've decided to take the majority view (since i do value all your expereince) and save the tank for when my little T grows up a bit. Afterall, the tank isn't going anywhere, and i certainly want to give the T the best chance of finding food. I'll find something much smaller. jpwilhelm i like your set up and will probably copy it, lol

In the meantime i'll replace the foam, buy some faux plants, and work on the Cork Wood situation!

_thanks again!

_mike

 

[TarantulaCages.com]

I'm actually setting up the same size Exo Terra for my A. miniatrix when it gets big enough.

x-topher, do you know that your A. minatrix will only reach 4" as an adult?

i still think those exo terras are way to large. I understand that you could maybe not pass up a great deal, but perhaps store it until you get a larger arboreal, say a Cyriopagopus species or a Poecilotheria. I just feel there will be so much wasted space in there, and make it alot more difficult for the T to find its food, unless you plan to just place the crickets right into it's web.

But at the same time, it wont really HURT the T to use it, just so long as it gets its food. If that were the case, then I would definately jazz up the enclosure more to make it not look like a big empty box.

I agree, the Exo Terra is too big for most tarantulas. The picture of the Avic above seems dwarfed by its enclosure. Having a smaller space will allow the spider to find the food, and allow more room for your other cages you will probably need. Filling that big space with more wood and plants will only cost more money, time, and useless space.

- Adam

 

[Taceas]

I will admit it does seem a bit oversized for my Avic. avic...but she has molted twice since I bought her, when that picture was taken. And she does seem to wander a great deal in the evenings when the light is off, and yes I'm pretty certain its female.

The tank also has a compact fluorescent light hood on top that casts full spectrum light down on the orchids and the enclosure itself. Little or no heat is put out and the tarantula doesn't seem to mind it in the least. She's almost always perched at the opening of her tube web.

For some reason I just don't like the thought of keeping a large adult specimen in a small enclosure just for my convenience. All of my juvenile arboreals are in acrylic display cubes similar to Jpwilhelm's Avic enclosures and are doing just fine so far.

However most of my arboreals don't ever find food I just toss in the container with them. For most of them I will maim a roach of appropriate size and place it in their tube webs so the restricted movement attracts them and thus no food escapes. Every now and then I will release a roach in the ExoTerra but the A. avicularia is so perceptive it doesn't last more than a few minutes before she teleports on top of it.

I do have an arboreal setup that looks like its been made out of a standard 10 gallon aquarium that's been split in two separate enclosures. I bought it for $10 from a pet store and its got some hinged doors on the front. I'll try to get pictures of it later. I plan on using it for my up and coming A. versicolor and A. metallica as they're both close to outgrowing their display cubes within the next molt.

All in all I really like them, they're easy to clean the projectile poo off of without disturbing the spider.