Best wood for Caribena versicolor enclosure

[Elizabeth Marie]

Hello! I am still pretty new to tarantula keeping, I got my first almost 2 years and now have 6, each of different species.

My young Caribena versicolor is finally due for an enclosure upgrade as she’s nearly grown out of the other one. I now have a 12” tarantula crib with creature soil ready to go! I just need a few pointers.

She’s my first arboreal and I’m wondering if this species seems to prefer any type of wood for climbing? Is pet store spider-wood workable or should I invest in a different type of wood? I’ll be misting it often of course and don’t want mold if I can help it. Also…What about plants, are fake plants okay? Does the water bowl stay on the ground? All these questions!

TYIA

 

[BoyFromLA]

Just cork barks would be suffice.

 

[Tentacle Toast]

As the lad from the City of Angels said, cork bark is perfect. Even the chain shops cary some decent pieces now, but you'd probably find more variety of shape & size at a local that deals with reptiles. I personally stock up on the stuff, where I'll grab some tubes, half-round, & flat-ish pieces, & cut what I need from them as I need it. It's cork, so it's super light, basically water proof, soft enough to cut, drill, & affix to with little effort or the need for "real" tools, & it's cheap. That's what I'd recommend.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

Hello! I am still pretty new to tarantula keeping, I got my first almost 2 years and now have 6, each of different species.

My young Caribena versicolor is finally due for an enclosure upgrade as she’s nearly grown out of the other one. I now have a 12” tarantula crib with creature soil ready to go! I just need a few pointers.

She’s my first arboreal and I’m wondering if this species seems to prefer any type of wood for climbing? Is pet store spider-wood workable or should I invest in a different type of wood? I’ll be misting it often of course and don’t want mold if I can help it. Also…What about plants, are fake plants okay? Does the water bowl stay on the ground? All these questions!

TYIA

cork bark is fine .

As the lad from the City of Angels said, cork bark is perfect. Even the chain shops cary some decent pieces now, but you'd probably find more variety of shape & size at a local that deals with reptiles. I personally stock up on the stuff, where I'll grab some tubes, half-round, & flat-ish pieces, & cut what I need from them as I need it. It's cork, so it's super light, basically water proof, soft enough to cut, drill, & affix to with little effort or the need for "real" tools, & it's cheap. That's what I'd recommend.

I haven’t found it cheap anywhere here, can’t buy any right now tho . Out of $$. You must have good shops there.

 

[viper69]

Hello! I am still pretty new to tarantula keeping, I got my first almost 2 years and now have 6, each of different species.

My young Caribena versicolor is finally due for an enclosure upgrade as she’s nearly grown out of the other one. I now have a 12” tarantula crib with creature soil ready to go! I just need a few pointers.

She’s my first arboreal and I’m wondering if this species seems to prefer any type of wood for climbing? Is pet store spider-wood workable or should I invest in a different type of wood? I’ll be misting it often of course and don’t want mold if I can help it. Also…What about plants, are fake plants okay? Does the water bowl stay on the ground? All these questions!

TYIA

Cork- nothing better

 

[Brewser]

Put a Cork in it

 

[Smotzer]

I use cork or this “African Root” stuff that my lps sold for a long time in bulk, it’s very dense stuff but it’s a more free form look which I enjoy. But generally cork is the most widely used
.

 

[IntermittentSygnal]

Cork is best as it doesn’t readily mold. Why are you “misting often”? It’s not needed and can create stuffy air that would kill an Avic type. Just a good sized water dish with occasional drops on the web is all they need.

 

[Smotzer]

I’ll be misting it often of course and don’t want mold if I can help it. Also…What about plants, are fake plants okay? Does the water bowl stay on the ground? All these questions!

Why would you be misting it ‘of course’? I reccomend not misting Caribena versicolor at all actually!!

Only fake plants!

I only use a water dish on the ground and I have never had issues over the years with them climbing down to drink!

Aviculariinae juvenile/subadult enclosure

• Smotzer
• Mar 18, 2023
• 2
• aviculariinae enclosure

Title says it all!

what is looks like now

This is using some of that ‘African Root’ I mentioned.

 

[Wolfram1]

cork is best because its usually available, light, sturdy and hydrophobic
meaning it is very rot resistant and will basically last forever

the surface can still mold if it is too damp or if it has been dry for a long time and comes into contact with moisture for the first time, but in general its much less prone to molding than other types of wood or bark and even if it does it will usually pass quickly

that said if you know what you are doing you could just as well use any other type, even self collected pieces, it just saves you major hassels to go for a known quality

don't mist, but a very light spriz into its web (after it buit one) is fine, it gives them a chance to drink a few drops

 

[Elizabeth Marie]

Why would you be misting it ‘of course’? I reccomend not misting Caribena versicolor at all actually!!

Only fake plants!

I only use a water dish on the ground and I have never had issues over the years with them climbing down to drink!

Aviculariinae juvenile/subadult enclosure

• Smotzer
• Mar 18, 2023
• 2
• aviculariinae enclosure

Title says it all!

what is looks like now
View attachment 478455
This is using some of that ‘African Root’ I mentioned.

Thanks for the reply! I should probably mention that the person I bought her from said I’m supposed to keep the humidity higher than average, I thought this meant to mist the enclosure every week! If I do go misting again, it will be in very small doses!!

Cork is best as it doesn’t readily mold. Why are you “misting often”? It’s not needed and can create stuffy air that would kill an Avic type. Just a good sized water dish with occasional drops on the web is all they need.

Hi I don’t know how to reply to multiple people on one post but here is what I said about that:
I should probably mention that the person I bought her from said I’m supposed to keep the humidity higher than average, I thought this meant to mist the enclosure every week! If I do go misting again, it will be in very small doses!!

 

[cold blood]

I should probably mention that the person I bought her from said I’m supposed to keep the humidity higher than average,

this is terrible advice...in fact its the best way to kill the t.

 

[corydalis]

"Best wood for Caribena versicolor enclosure"

Morning wood. I mean this one https://apps.cals.arizona.edu/arboretum/taxon.aspx?id=421 fast growing and hardy as the article states.