Appropriate dimensions for cages and tarantula help for a newbie

[SiwolfSiSi]

Hi guys! I'm pretty new to this hobby and have somewhat of a unique situation (this might be a long read). Also if I have posted this in the wrong area please correct me! I am a high school student and my teacher gave me a project to study tarantulas and report on their behaviour. I did as much reading as I could in the few months before he purchased them. They usually stay at the school and but since quarantine has started they have come home to my house. My teacher has had no experience with tarantulas and I am 99% sure the cages for at least one of the spiders are two large. One is a brachypelma Boehmei male at about 2-2.5" the other is acanthoscurria geniculata M at about 3". I also have a lasiodora parahybana sling that's about half an inch that came as a freebie. My teacher has granted me full permission to make any changes or purchases I need too. I was wondering what the ideal size of a cage should be for each spider as I feel the ones my teacher purchased are too large. I also feel like there is a lot of conflicting information out there so it can be kinda confusing sometimes. I really care about these guys and I really want to do this right and do what is best for each little friend. If you have any other beginner tips that would be appreciated as well. Thanks!!

 

[Thekla]

This thread contains a ton of useful information: https://arachnoboards.com/threads/tarantula-information-for-beginners-and-more.318718/

It would also help if you just posted some pictures of the Ts and their enclosures.

 

[SiwolfSiSi]

I also must admit that I may have panic added substrate into my B boemhei cage after learning that fatal injuries can occur after falling while climbing which that spider did often. I’m pretty sure there is wayyyyy too much in there now but I wanted to be safer than sorry. It’s a very strangely shaped cage and I feel like it definitely should be changed. I wanted to ask around on here before I made any changes. I’m very worrit’d about keeping them in cages that could hurt them. I will try to upload images shortly

 

[Thefiddlinkeeper]

Each tarantula needs different housing specs depending on if they are arboreal or terrestrial/fossorial. It is good to lean on the side of caution for fall hazards. It is great that you are doing so much research to make your Ts happy

 

[viper69]

I’m pretty sure there is wayyyyy too much in there now

Not possible for terrestrials, unless it cannot walk.

 

[Thefiddlinkeeper]

Here is my arboreal enclosure

 

[SiwolfSiSi]

Alright I took some pictures but the angles are kinda weird so I measured the enclosures just so you guys could get a clear idea. I have plastic hides and water dishes in the bigger ts cages. I swear they are there but you can’t really see them in the pictures at all, darn! My teacher ordered them larger cages because he thought we were giving them the luxurious life with lots of room but doing further reading I believe too large is an issue.
B boemhei 2-2.5”
Height 9” (only about three inches from the ceiling of space the rest I filled with substrate) Width 7” length 12.5”

acanthoscurria geniculata
Height 5.5” Width 14” Length 9”

And some pictures (sorry for the low quality and weird angles it was hard to get pictures. I also circled B boemhei in one of the pictures for sizeish reference)
The first one is the baby L parahybana
The second and last one is B Boemhei
The third and fourth are A Geniculata

please give me all the advice you can. I feel like I’m doing a few things wrong and since I definitely have the time right now I want to fix it! Thanks everyone. Also fingers crossed the pictures work!!

 

[TwiztedNinja]

I have a similarly sized boehmei. Its in a 8x8x8 tank

A 3" tarantula would also be fine in a tank that size or a little bigger. I have a subadult (about 4") albo in a 10x10x10

I'd recommend these sizes or enclosures that are close in size

 

[The Grym Reaper]

One is a brachypelma Boehmei male at about 2-2.5"

A small kritter keeper (9 x 6 x 6.5 inches) or equivalent is fine, fill around halfway with substrate. (enclosure on the left is my juvenile B. boehmei female's enclosure).

the other is acanthoscurria geniculata M at about 3"

I'd go with a medium (12 x 7.5 x 8) or large (14 x 8.5 x 10) kritter keeper (or equivalent sized plastic tub) given their fast growth rate. Again, fill around halfway with substrate.



13L plastic tub (same size as large kritter keeper)

I also have a lasiodora parahybana sling that's about half an inch that came as a freebie

2-4oz deli cup is perfect