"Biotope" for Tarantulas

[Matttoadman]

In my freshwater fish days (dang parasites from the LPS ended decades of collecting), I was very big into biotopes. This is setting up an aquarium to mimic an exact local. Water chemistry, decor, plants and fish. So for an adult display tank has anyone tried this? Finding low light plants would probably be the hardest part.

 

[EulersK]

In my freshwater fish days (dang parasites from the LPS ended decades of collecting), I was very big into biotopes. This is setting up an aquarium to mimic an exact local. Water chemistry, decor, plants and fish. So for an adult display tank has anyone tried this? Finding low light plants would probably be the hardest part.

The main issue that people run in to with setups like this is humidity. Since you won't have unlimited ventilation like they have in the wild, even plants native to their natural environment could kill them due to the erequired moisture. You'd need to go with a tarantula that thrived in a very humid environment - H. gigas comes to mind, since some keepers actually house them with an artificial mini pond. My worry with an H. gigas would be them digging up the plants eventually, though.

I've personally wanted to set up a desert environment for quite some time. Clay, a (non-spiney) cactus or two, some brush. But the humidity and risk of infestation of flies always turned me off.

 

[Andrea82]

@lunarae has set up some live plant enclosures, i'm sure she has some info

 

[Matttoadman]

Darn practicality, I have always liked the pics of the scrubland terrariums. Where they use dead grasses and branches. That is probably the best way to have "plants".

So in a tropical tank you couldn't just adjust the ventilation to keep humidity correct?

 

[EulersK]

So in a tropical tank you couldn't just adjust the ventilation to keep humidity correct?

I'm certain that there's a way because I've seen it. I just don't know what that way is. But as has been brought up, @lunarae has got the system down to a science. Her projects have been featured several times. Hopefully she chimes in.