Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens enclosure?

octoo

Arachnosquire
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Feb 21, 2007
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I am considering getting an adult female Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens, but first I have a few concerns about housing that I would appreciate if they got cleared up.

I have read that they were "semi-arboreal" and also masters at webbing. I plan on getting a standard 10 gallon tank, keeping it horizontal, and using a regular mesh lid. My concerns are this:

Since they are nice webbers, I would prefer if mine wouldn't make any attempts at starting a web up on the lid so I can remove it as I please to do routine maitenence. Would it be perfectly fine if I just include a few inches of substrate? Maybe that way it won't feel it has to web up the lid? I'm concerned though, that maybe a nasty fall could cause a rupture if I did that. Could anyone please help me out with this? Or maybe even give me some ideas I could draw from your GBB enclosures?

I do plan on putting pieces of cork bark, plants, etc. in the enclosure so the GBB can have some fun webbing those things up and climbing... haha I would just like it if she doesn't feel tempted to web up the one thing I need to remove.

Thank you for your time.
 

Transylvania

Gondorian
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Dec 26, 2006
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Well dang boy, just get an H.mac! =B
(Pun intended - inside joke) :D
 
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SpiderZone2

Arachnoknight
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I also had mine in a 10 gallon tank and it never ever webbed the top of the lid. It had plenty of fun webbing everything else. It was great display of what great webbers they can be. If you provide proper hides like is seems you will, then I don't think it will attempt to decorte the lid. You will be very pleased with your colorful T. I know I had been with mine. Good luck!
 

octoo

Arachnosquire
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Ah thank you so much! I'd hate to have to reject such a beautiful tarantula just for the whole lid thing.. I just don't want to have to destroy what she's created everytime i need in. x-x

Thanks a lot for putting my mind at ease. :) I'll be sure to include a lot of nice things to web.
 

ballpython2

Arachnoprince
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Feb 28, 2007
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I am considering getting an adult female Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens, but first I have a few concerns about housing that I would appreciate if they got cleared up.

I have read that they were "semi-arboreal" and also masters at webbing. I plan on getting a standard 10 gallon tank, keeping it horizontal, and using a regular mesh lid. My concerns are this:

Since they are nice webbers, I would prefer if mine wouldn't make any attempts at starting a web up on the lid so I can remove it as I please to do routine maitenence. Would it be perfectly fine if I just include a few inches of substrate? Maybe that way it won't feel it has to web up the lid? I'm concerned though, that maybe a nasty fall could cause a rupture if I did that. Could anyone please help me out with this? Or maybe even give me some ideas I could draw from your GBB enclosures?

I do plan on putting pieces of cork bark, plants, etc. in the enclosure so the GBB can have some fun webbing those things up and climbing... haha I would just like it if she doesn't feel tempted to web up the one thing I need to remove.

Thank you for your time.
From what I read about these guys and I have one my self, they will mostly web stuff from the ground up to the middle of the tank. The more stuff you put closer to the top of the tank (like a tall fake plant or a piece of bark) the more likely your GBB will web closer to the lid. And I also think that if it webs a lot and walks mostly or only on the thick webbing it makes the less likely it will fall..so you won't have to worry about falls too much. also since these guys are burrowers you should really have deep substrate anyway so they can burrow. Oh yea more than likely she will web up the water dish. but if you gut load your crickets and make sure they have water too she can get her moisture from the food.

That's as much as i can help you with. so someone with more experience I'm sure will come and post after I do. Hope I helped.
 

Trey

Arachnoknight
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I have one as well and of all "4" spiders I have she is by far the funnest to watch. It seems like she's always doing something and they have a GREAT feeding response! As far as substrate I go with peatmoss. When making a setup ypu really just need to remember that a spider doesn't care what you put in there with it it's just what you want to look at. Me personally I have some fake plants, a few peices of grapevine, a small water and a hide. The main thing to remember is to keep them verrrrrrry dry. Humidity WILL kill these spiders. About the webbing, they do it ALOT. If you like this kind of thing (which I do) be sure to give them some good structure and it will kinda encourage them to web more. About the burrowing I don't know how much I read into all this. I have mine enclosed in a 20 gal which is way to much for any T. but it's what I got. On one side of the aquarium she has constructed a web home under a piece of grapevine about floor level. On the other side U have one of those hut hides that I have made into a burrow with substrate on top of it and she usually spends a few days a week at both so I don't know which she would like better. This could also be due to the fact that she might be looking for a mate. I have not seen any arboreal activity in mine with the exception of climbing on the glass and leaving a trail of webbing. I hope this helps and just look around on the board. There is a wealth of knowledge on this forum and don't hesitate to ask.
 

octoo

Arachnosquire
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Thanks both of you. That does help me out a lot. I guess I shouldn't worry too much about the lid. I guess I'll just fill the tank halfway up with peat moss and add in a few things for her to climb around on and web up as well as a hide and maybe a waterdish. Thanks for settling my worries. X).. The way people have talked, they are wonderful tarantulas and are indeed very beautiful.
 

Meaningless End

Arachnoknight
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mine never webs hier then the tallest thing in the tank.. usually about half way up. i love mine they are defianlty way cool spiders and have one hell of a feed responce.
 

Mushroom Spore

Arachnoemperor
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also since these guys are burrowers you should really have deep substrate anyway so they can burrow.
GBBs are burrowers? Since when? :?

Seeing as how the whole reason they web so much is to get some kind of stable spot in a very dry, dusty environment, burrowing would seem kind of counterproductive. :)
 

octoo

Arachnosquire
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I've only read that they tend to dig little pits throughout the tank, but seeing how I don't own one yet, I have no idea what to expect.. I'll just still include a few inches of substrate just incase.. I guess it's a matter of personality. My Aphonopelma seemani hasn't even burrowed yet and they're usually known for it haha.
 

Mina

Arachnoking
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Mine never burrowed, but he did use his coconut hide. He spent a lot of time half in half out of it, just kind of waiting for crickets. As soon as he was in premoult, he would gather some substrate and block up the entry way to the hut with webbing and dirt, and then not come out until he was dry, his fangs hardened, and he was ready to eat.
He only webbed halfway up the tank, not to the lid. He did however, cover his hut in webbing, and usually his water dish as well. I would have to "cut" his water dish out of the webbing with my tweezers to clean it.
They are great Ts. Fantastic eaters, active, fun to watch, and in my opinion, one of the most beautiful Ts you can have as a pet.
 

ballpython2

Arachnoprince
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Mine never burrowed, but he did use his coconut hide. He spent a lot of time half in half out of it, just kind of waiting for crickets. As soon as he was in premoult, he would gather some substrate and block up the entry way to the hut with webbing and dirt, and then not come out until he was dry, his fangs hardened, and he was ready to eat.
He only webbed halfway up the tank, not to the lid. He did however, cover his hut in webbing, and usually his water dish as well. I would have to "cut" his water dish out of the webbing with my tweezers to clean it.
They are great Ts. Fantastic eaters, active, fun to watch, and in my opinion, one of the most beautiful Ts you can have as a pet.
Mine burrows...and they are terresterials..so im sure if you made a burrow it would use one..and if it really wanted to it would make a burrow out of whatever you will put in there for a hide,,,
 

octoo

Arachnosquire
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Haha yeah. I wish I would have chosen a GBB before getting my seemani, but I'm still very happy with her nonetheless. I am very impatient however, and am counting down the days until I have one as my second tarantula. I now know why this hobby is so addicting.. and to think I once thought I would be fine with just one tarantula. X)

I'm sure I'll be very pleased with this beauty.
 
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