Attractive display tank for a full grown Lasiodora Bird Eater tarantula?

[TechnoGeek]

It would be far more price efficient to find a used (but not abused) fish tank on Facebook marketplace, make sure it's the right size, and repurpose it to serve as your tarantula's enclosure. That's what I do anyways, and I seldom had to pay more than 30 bucks. Plus you're taking something that otherwise could've went to a landfill so you're being nice to the environment.

In any case, don't use acrylic. It's overpriced and yet these enclosures are about as durable as a daddy's princess in the navy seals' hell week. Obviously Ts aren't gonna scratch at it like reptiles would, so they won't leave it looking like a kitty's scratch post as fast, but I find they still end up looking ugly within a few months.. kinda defeats the purpose of a display habitat.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

Build your own, it will save you a ton of money.

I build one miself and it's not that hard, simply time consuming.

I personally would go for a full glass enclosure, as acrylic tends to warp under moisture, specially the large pieces. You can use a fish tank and mod it to suit your needs, it's quite easy, or you can customize your own one.

This are mine, it's just an euro style enclosure, pretty common this side of the pond. Total build cost around 40 bucks.

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• Dorifto
• Jul 18, 2022
• 3

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• Dorifto
• Oct 2, 2021

This is a fish tank modded to have an excellent air flow. You only have to drill the bottom part (quite easy with patience) using some round diamong glass bits, then glue a vertical piece of glass or hard plastic, on the front glass, at the dame level of the plastic or glass piece glue a L shaped profile using silicone and on top both glue a mesh (perforated aluminium it's preferred) You can use the top as a door using two acrylic hinges atached to a piece of glass and next to it a perforated aluminium grille.

Feel free to ask any question

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• Dorifto
• Jun 30, 2022
• 4

Fish tank mod

Depends on your building skills, no way I could make those custom enclosures!! Very nice!!

 

[lucarelli78]

It would be far more price efficient to find a used (but not abused) fish tank on Facebook marketplace, make sure it's the right size, and repurpose it to serve as your tarantula's enclosure. That's what I do anyways, and I seldom had to pay more than 30 bucks. Plus you're taking something that otherwise could've went to a landfill so you're being nice to the environment.

In any case, don't use acrylic. It's overpriced and yet these enclosures are about as durable as a daddy's princess in the navy seals' hell week. Obviously Ts aren't gonna scratch at it like reptiles would, so they won't leave it looking like a kitty's scratch post as fast, but I find they still end up looking ugly within a few months.. kinda defeats the purpose of a display habitat.

What a great idea, I never would have thought to repurpose a gently used fish tank. Obviously it would be taller than normal, but that just means more room for substrate and stuff to climb on. Great idea.

 

[Dorifto]

Depends on your building skills, no way I could make those custom enclosures!! Very nice!!

Being honest, I thought the same, but found a very good youtube tutorial that help me a lot to understand how to glue and place them correctly.

Imho the cheapest as fastest way to build one it's to mod an old fish tank. You only need a round drill bit, or a cutting tool to perform a straight cut at the bottom, and some glass pieces to create the support for the grilles and the door.

@hardminder did one like this, he used an acrylic lid instead, but warped a bit. Glass it's a much better option imho.
View attachment 358622-16378beaa38d6661bb79cdec5be3ffbd.mp4

 

[gambite]

thanks for the input everyone (and please keep sharing more experiences and ideas)

I ended up going with the Exo Terra conversion as described in the YouTube vid I posted a few messages back. My first time doing anything DIY in a long time. I think it came out alright.

I used the acrylic / plexiglass sheets I had on hand; at 1/16" they were probably just on the edge of being thick enough for this. Next time I would probably go with 1/8". Used the tank as a straight-edge to sharpie out some lines measured off the inner frame panels, the scored as hard as I could with the scoring knife shown, and wobbled and wiggled the pieces over the edge up the table until they broke. At first I only scored the top, then realized it wasnt enough, went back and tried to score the bottom, it gotta a little messy and some of the pieces did not break cleanly. Had to cut deeply on the edge of the panels and use that to get the break started for some of them.

Used masking tape to mark out 112 holes in two large strips on each, started each hole with the 1/16" size drill bit then sized them all up to 1/8". Had never used these bits before (had them for years), and I could tell it made a difference having sharp bits here because you could really feel it cutting into the plastic. The 1/16" actually broke right near the last holes too. This part took the longest. Soooo many holes. Was afraid to go much larger than 1/8" to keep her from sticking her feet through.

Then got some 50 grit sandpaper and sanded down the holes, with the masking tape and plastic skin still on the panels. Got a little carried away and ended up cutting through some of the panels and scratching them. Oh well not too big a deal.

Ripping out the old screen was easier than I expected, its just standard window screen with spline holding it in, pushing in the corners got the screen out easily, EXCEPT they put glue in the spline in a few places near the spline ends towards the middle of the frame. Ended up tearing the spline and leaving some of it in the frame. Watch out cause this screen is sharp af, grabbed it too roughly and it stabbed the crap out of my hand. Ouch

Used the E6000 glue to attach the panels. Tried to go real light on the size of the bead on the frame because I didnt want it to oooze out all the edges and be too visible, but ended up having to go back and add more as the bead started to fall off the edge of the frame before I could get the plexiglass on. Once attached, left it to dry for 24hrs.

Finally added the new tank bedding and ornaments (no live plants since my apartment doesnt have good sunlight), and moved her in.

 

[TLSizzle]

Holy cow!
That looks amazing!!! What a lucky T!

Please post some pics once it in and settled.