Best Set Up For Usumbaras
- Thread starter Maggie
- Start date
- Joined
- Dec 11, 2002
- Messages
- 788
The don't need a whole lot from my experience with them. I haven't had mine too long, but I know they like things fairly dry. All the really need is dirt, a water dish, and some food. They make their own hides most of the time, I think, but you can give yours hides if you want. My usumbara is in a regular kritter keeper with normal potting soil. Hope I was of some help to you.
- Joined
- Feb 18, 2003
- Messages
- 2,040
I've tried a few things with mine.
Initially just plain old peat/vermiculite mix (they like it pretty dry so use a water dish) with a depth of around 5 inches.
They dug into this pretty deep.
When I moved them into new tanks, I reduced the substrate to 2 inches and gave the Orange one a piece of bogwood.
He came up with this:
Which over time has grown into this:
And even more recently, into this:
It's all camouflaged with earth now. Quite impresive.
Here's a general overview of the tank to give you a better idea
Have fun!
Initially just plain old peat/vermiculite mix (they like it pretty dry so use a water dish) with a depth of around 5 inches.
They dug into this pretty deep.
When I moved them into new tanks, I reduced the substrate to 2 inches and gave the Orange one a piece of bogwood.
He came up with this:
Which over time has grown into this:
And even more recently, into this:
It's all camouflaged with earth now. Quite impresive.
Here's a general overview of the tank to give you a better idea
Have fun!
- Joined
- Jul 19, 2002
- Messages
- 663
They're extremely hardy and do well under a number of environments. I have many at 3 different sizes, and keep them pretty similar. My spiderlings (1 inch) are in vials 3"X1.75" with about 1 inch of 50/50 Peat/Vermiculite substrate. Most have webbed the entire vial up. I water them once a week by misting the top part of the webbing. I also feed them by placing the cricket on top of the web in the vial. They're great eaters with attitude. My juveniles (2.5 inch) are in medium petpals with cork bark hide and small water bowls. I place the water bowl and the cork bark on opposite sides of the enclosure. This allows for access to change the water and for me to artificially raise the humidity a little by dumping a little excess water in the subrate around the water bowl. The substrate is 100% peat moss. My large adult female (5.5 inches) is in a 5.5 gallon aquarium with about 3.5 inches of Peat Moss substrate. I have a large cork bark hide and a large water bowl. Similar to the enclosures for the smaller ones, I seperate the water bowl from the hide to allow for maintenance and slightly more humidity.
All in all, they are a great tarantula, although I hear they have a pretty nasty bite.
Good luck!
Ralph
All in all, they are a great tarantula, although I hear they have a pretty nasty bite.
Good luck!
Ralph
- Joined
- Dec 16, 2002
- Messages
- 539
I keep mine with peat moss also, but I have her in a 10 gallon tank. I like the extra room between me and her when I need to get in there!
Currently I have a little house in there that she lives in but I'm thinking of doing something like you see above so that I can see the webs & stuff. She webbed up the little house and doesn't do anymore.
Currently I have a little house in there that she lives in but I'm thinking of doing something like you see above so that I can see the webs & stuff. She webbed up the little house and doesn't do anymore.
