Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens care

Eukio

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Well, I have gotten the approval for purchasing a female GBB. I have read they are terrestrials that are heavy webbers and like arid conditions. I would like to know: do they prefer the standard 5 inches+ of substrate, maybe some fake plants for anchor points, do they get the typical terrestrial setup (height of the enclosure not being more than 1.5x-2x of the leg span of the tarantula), and anything else I should know? Also, if you have a picture of a good GBB enclosure, that would give me a great place to start. Thank you.
 

PanzoN88

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You are correct about them liking dry conditions. When I had mine (she died in 2017), I gave her deep substrate, a hide, water dish, and plenty of anchor points for webbing.

They are fairly fast growers and the color change with each molt is amazing. They are among the best eaters.
 

Eukio

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You are correct about them liking dry conditions. When I had mine (she died in 2017), I gave her deep substrate, a hide, water dish, and plenty of anchor points for webbing.

They are fairly fast growers and the color change with each molt is amazing. They are among the best eaters.
So, would it suffice to say I would be better to go with maybe around 8 inches, rather than 5?
 

cold blood

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So, would it suffice to say I would be better to go with maybe around 8 inches, rather than 5?
They aren't heavy burrowers, so depth isn't critical for the t.....on the other hand, it's not the t, but rather the enclosure that will dictate substrate depth. Shallower enclosures require less, deeper enclosures can require a lot.

Because of the excessive webbing, you can actually get away with a little more height than the typical terrestrial....But don't go nuts....a lot of times people house them basically arboreally, which isn't really appropriate.

More anchor points will lead to more (and more elaborate) webbing.
 

Theneil

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Personally i have yet to see one actually dig a burrow. Move a little bit yeah but nothing close to significant. Primarilly they just web up the place so be sure to give them lots of anchor points and they will make cool web homes. Doesn’t hurt to give them a little bit more vertical height to the enclosure, especially since the species tends to be a little more jumpy.

Beautiful spider. Easy to keep.
 

Colorado Ts

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I would describe them as almost semi-arboreal. The 5 that I have right now are sort of using their hides, but not burrowing at all. They are actively webbing up their respective enclosures pretty consistently across the board.

For an adult enclosure, maybe 3 or 4 inches of substrate, with twigs, sticks and plants to use as anchor points for their webbing activities. A hide that they may or may not use. I would also consider using an enclosure with a bit of height so that they can web, and not interfere with the lid of the enclosure.

If they web all the way to the lid, you'll tear the webbing every time you open the enclosure. That will probably make your tarantula rather defensive every time you interact with it.
 

Feral

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This is my opinion on an ideal enclosure, based on what I've researched. I have not had GBBs, disclaimer, but I've thought and read a lot about it and this is what I would do.

Some people will say they can do perfectly well with less substrate, like only an inch or two, for any size T. That may well be perfectly true. I think everyone would probably agree that it shouldn't ever be less than 1"-2". My opinion is that it's my job to provide as ideal conditions as I possibly can. If the T never chooses to utilize the deeper substrate I give, that's cool. Spooders gonna spood. But her welfare is my responsibility so I try to give her everything she could possibly need, and what she does with it is her business. That's my opinion.

Enclosure size wise, I would ideally use an enclosure that is about three times their current DLS in height. I would fill 1/3 (one legspan) with substrate and then have 2/3 of the height (two legspans) for anchor point structures and eventually webbing. I feel like this would give enough space to offer the option to dig, enough height to create substantial webbing while keeping all/most of the webbing off the lid (which can cause behavioral issues), but not enough height to be too much of a fall hazard.

So for a 5" adult (12.7cm), that would mean a 15" (38.1cm) tall enclosure which has 5" of substrate and 10" of height to create webbing.

If I absolutely had to work with an enclosure I already had and couldn't adjust the size to match my ideal, then I would use however much substrate it took to leave twice the DLS in height open. For example, if the GBB was 5" and the enclosure was 12" tall, I would fill 2" of substrate. Or if, for some crazy reason, the enclosure were 24" tall, I would fill 14" with substrate for a 5" spider.
But, for me, I wouldn't be happy about having to settle for an enclosure that wasn't tall enough for at least one legspan of substrate. ymmv

So that's what I would do. Any which way, enjoy your new little fuzzbutt friend! That's super exciting!
 

Thekla

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I always provide a cork bark slab leaning to the side of the enclosure. My GBB always used this as a starting point for her web castle.

Also, I try to incorporate more sturdy anchor points like cork bark, fake plants or such. And I learned that at least my GBB loves to incorporate dry leaves into her den. ;)

This was her adult home when she moved in:
20190120_new home redone1.jpg

And this is how it's looking right now (about 10 months and 2 moults later):
20191111_GBB home.jpg
Behind and under the cork bark in the upper left corner she has built her bachelor flat. ;)

And these were her sling and her juvenile enclosures:
GBB_new enclosure.jpg GBB_juvie_enclosure.jpg
 
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Eukio

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thumbnail_20191111_193437.jpg

That is a cork bark round that can also be used to hide. I used gorilla hot glue to attach that plant to the side for anchor points. Bad design? More should be added?
 

Feral

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View attachment 325366

That is a cork bark round that can also be used to hide. I used gorilla hot glue to attach that plant to the side for anchor points. Bad design? More should be added?
I love that you have provided a hide! I think that the sense of security it provides is so important for their well-being. To have a suitable hide available, whether they use it or not, is especially important while their webbing is still under construction. Good choice!
 

Thekla

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Yes, the hide is nice. :) But to perfectly honest, I'm not sure if she'll appreciate those flimsy plants all around her enclosure. :wacky:

I learned with my GBB that it's not a good idea to put any anchor points in close proximity to the walls with a top-opening enclosure. When I first rehoused her into in her final enclosure I had this nice fake plant with its leaves reaching the wall of the enclosure and she decided to web there and stay there, right in the corner under the lid:
20190115_new home1.jpg
I had to cut the outer leaves short to convince her to web somewhere else. ;)

I wouldn't put any decorations/anchor points near the sides, not with a top-opening enclosure, but arrange them more to the middle of the enclosure. In her juvie enclosure, I had some anchor points placed to the back wall, I wanted to encourage her to web there because the lid wouldn't open in the back (which worked out quite nicely).
I would also use sturdier anchor points... a nice fake plant or some cork bark pieces. For example, I had found this nice fake mangrove root made from resin for her final enclosure, which is IMO a great anchor point for her webbing. :)
 

Pauli

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I would describe them as almost semi-arboreal. The 5 that I have right now are sort of using their hides, but not burrowing at all. They are actively webbing up their respective enclosures pretty consistently across the board.
My juvie (2.5") has been 100% arboreal since I got her. Initially, I thought it was because of some mistakes I made with inappropriate substrate that wasn't good for burrowing, but even after an eventual rehousing she made another hammock in the top corner of the enclosure and I only ever see her out and about for a second or two when I surprise her first thing in the morning. She just molted 3 days ago, so I'm hoping she's going to get more visible, but am not holding my breath.

A theory I just came up with (I hope this doesn't count as thread hijacking, since it's related): Her humidity is too high. (I know, I know, but bear with me) I live in a region well known for it's high rain fall - today the relative humidity is 92% outside which is not a Venezuelan desert , to say the least. As a result she parks it at the very top of her enclosure because thats where the ventilation is, so it's presumably drier than the substrate. (And, no, I don't mist or anything and her substrate is kept dry)
 

Feral

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My juvie (2.5") has been 100% arboreal since I got her. Initially, I thought it was because of some mistakes I made with inappropriate substrate that wasn't good for burrowing, but even after an eventual rehousing she made another hammock in the top corner of the enclosure and I only ever see her out and about for a second or two when I surprise her first thing in the morning. She just molted 3 days ago, so I'm hoping she's going to get more visible, but am not holding my breath.

A theory I just came up with (I hope this doesn't count as thread hijacking, since it's related): Her humidity is too high. (I know, I know, but bear with me) I live in a region well known for it's high rain fall - today the relative humidity is 92% outside which is not a Venezuelan desert , to say the least. As a result she parks it at the very top of her enclosure because thats where the ventilation is, so it's presumably drier than the substrate. (And, no, I don't mist or anything and her substrate is kept dry)
I very much think your theory is sound!
Very probably is fact.
It's very logical and based in known physiology and behavioral science.
Excellent!

Your theory really informs how we should keep them in captivity and why they act the way they do, very useful!
 

Chris LXXIX

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As long there's bone dry substrate and a lot of anchor points, doesn't exist something like a 'GBB care' and whatever. It's only web & eat & molt.

They even hate the water dish.

Substrate inches is not so important here, but never be a 'substrate Scrooge' anyway because being a 'substrate Scrooge' is bad. Always :bored:
 

Eukio

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Best I can do locally with what the exotic pet stores offer. Maybe I can go to a park if this doesn't work. 20191112_130708.jpg
 
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Colorado Ts

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My juvie (2.5") has been 100% arboreal since I got her. Initially, I thought it was because of some mistakes I made with inappropriate substrate that wasn't good for burrowing, but even after an eventual rehousing she made another hammock in the top corner of the enclosure and I only ever see her out and about for a second or two when I surprise her first thing in the morning. She just molted 3 days ago, so I'm hoping she's going to get more visible, but am not holding my breath.

A theory I just came up with (I hope this doesn't count as thread hijacking, since it's related): Her humidity is too high. (I know, I know, but bear with me) I live in a region well known for it's high rain fall - today the relative humidity is 92% outside which is not a Venezuelan desert , to say the least. As a result she parks it at the very top of her enclosure because thats where the ventilation is, so it's presumably drier than the substrate. (And, no, I don't mist or anything and her substrate is kept dry)
Awhile back I noticed that all my C. cyaneopubescens were at the tops of their enclosures hanging out at the vents. They were doing exactly as you described. I thought to myself, "How Odd?". So I opened the enclosures and started checking around and I found that the substrate was damp to moist in ALL the enclosures. They do not like moisture.

I rehoused them all into new enclosures with bone dry substrate and all is well.

I'm doing this home project with my grand son...as I was feeding, he was watering. It took me a couple of hours to figure out where all the moisture was coming from.
 

Thekla

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Best I can do locally with what the exotic pet stores offer. Maybe I can go to a park if this doesn't work. View attachment 325406
That looks way better. :) Just put her in there and see what happens.

Also, I can't see any ventilation. Just make sure you've got very good ventilation, preferably good cross ventilation, so everything stays nicely dry.
 

Eukio

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That looks way better. :) Just put her in there and see what happens.

Also, I can't see any ventilation. Just make sure you've got very good ventilation, preferably good cross ventilation, so everything stays nicely dry.
The wood won't be a risk if the spider is climbing and falls or is burrowing and the burrow collapses? I still haven't drilled any holes, but I am going to do that later. I don't actually have the spider yet. Making the home nice before the spider gets here.
 
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