User Bauchan's Tarantula Pictures

[Bauchan]

Brave new world.

Time to wait for the prey.

 

[InvertAddiction]

You should post a picture of the full enclosure.

 

[Bauchan]

Okay, so i built this really cool enclosure for my GBB... and i even gave it a starting hide. I knew they were semi arboreal....

But for some reason... it went full arboreal and with a touch of Poecilotheria.

This is the back of the cork bark wall. Tarantulas man... Got a ganglia of their own.

 

[InvertAddiction]

That is A LOT of space for such a small tarantula. I would downsize significantly and do rehouses as it grows. Do you have live plants in there as well?

 

[Bauchan]

No live plants, but i've always wondered, why downsize? Tarantulas grow up in the wild, you know, an enclosure the size of earth . But i've always thought the size of the enclosure was more for the owner than the tarantula itself.

Anyways, where it found it's home might as well be a smaller enclosure.

Edit: I know i have a screen for a lid, currently working on a replacement.

 

[InvertAddiction]

Downsizing means it's easier to make sure the spider is able to find food and actually eat,vs tossing in a feeder to potentially be forever lost in that massive enclosure. Also helps keepers monitor their slings better and helps deter against prominent hiding. @Andrea82 can help give some info as well. I remember her commenting on another GBB post about a year or so ago, just can't find it.

 

[Bauchan]

Makes sense. But with my B. Vagans (got it about the same size as my Gbb, now 2.5-3 inches) i just hand feed it. And so far i've fed my Gbb this way twice. I use meal worms, so they tend to not get lost. addressing monitoring, I actually enjoy the experience of not being able to find the tarantula immediately. Almost feels like I "found" it. Although it building its home on bright green moss, it ruins the illusion. Also, the pictures make the enclosure look much bigger than it actually is. It's only a 8in x 8in x 12in with at least 20% of it with Coco fiber, and 10% of it with decor.

Unless i'm mistaken, it seems like the enclosure size is a personal choice of keepers.

 

[Noiselock]

It looks amazing. Large but if you only have one then why not.

 

[Thekla]

No live plants, but i've always wondered, why downsize? Tarantulas grow up in the wild, you know, an enclosure the size of earth .

Unless i'm mistaken, it seems like the enclosure size is a personal choice of keepers.

Well, not entirely in my opinion. Apart from monitoring and the sling finding its food better, there's a huge difference between being in the wild and in an enclosure: There're no glass walls in the wild where it can fall down from! Your GBB might behave arboreal, but it is not. It's still a terrestrial species. And when it climbs those huge glass walls while being in premoult it could lose its footing and fall, which could result in serious injuries. I just wouldn't risk it. Just my two cents.

 

[Andrea82]

While 'GBB' can handle larger enclosures than other species at that size, and the enclosure looks absolutely stunning, I personally would go for an enclosure half that size. Especially with all the decor, feeders have more than enough possibilities to hide, making it very hard for your sling to find its food.
A waterdish is needed to, but maybe it is in there but doesn't show in the picture.

I'd definitely downsize. 'GBB' grows fast so you'll get the chance to use this enclosure in half a year's time when feeding and temps are right. You'll also see it more, this set up encourages the sling to hide while it is generally a species that is out in the open much

 

[lostbrane]

i just hand feed it.

You hand feed it?

 

[Bauchan]

You hand feed it?

With tongs.

 

[Thekla]

With tongs.

Still not a good idea. If they're made out of metal, your Ts could break their fangs. I know, there're people who do that, but that's also something I wouldn't risk. Again, just my two cents.