DIY enclosure cautionary tale

Dorifto

He who moists xD
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Did you considered neodymium magnets? Cheap and not bad aesthetically
 

Buggylookslikeyou

Arachnosquire
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92
And something like this?

€ 7,18 36%OFF | Child Safety Strap Locks for Fridge Cabinets Drawers Dishwasher Self Adhesive No Drilling Security Lock Adjustable TS1

I'm pretty sure that we can find some more visually aesthetic ones
Was thinking the same thing lmao
 

Buggylookslikeyou

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Epoxy nice I’m always afraid of the fumes I’ve been using the gorilla glue gun and tubes and no problems abs low odor only when your face is right up in it and I let dry for days.
 

Nicole C G

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Jun 23, 2021
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Let’s talk about waking up and finding your 6” Pamphobeteus plastered to the wall OUTSIDE of his enclosure.

I was expecting to wake up today and exercise, but what I did instead was wrangle Paladin Pop-Tart back into his enclosure while trying not to panic that he was just 3 feet above my cat and is not built for a fall like that, nor a battle with a 17lb cat.

How did he get out? Well, the lids of these crystal clear shoeboxes I’ve been using as DIY enclosures for the last 3 years don’t lock, and I never imagined that one of my tarantulas could powerlift the top off and slide it aside so they could get out, but that’s exactly what he did.

So in case you’re thinking that you don’t need some sort of locking mechanism for your DIY enclosure, please learn with me that your tarantula can in fact escape them, and assume they will do it eventually.

Fortunately he’s fine, just a little upset. Sorry I failed you, little man.
Dang, this reminds me of a time with my Jumping Spider. I had bought an enclosure thinking I would be buying an adult Phidippus Regius Jumper, so I bought an enclosure with gaps, but are too small for the large species I was planning to get. Then I decided to keep the Platycryptus undatus I found instead. However, she is juvenile so she is really small. This species is also known as a “flat Jumper” too. Meaning they are extra vertically small. So I baby proofed the whole thing and covered up every hole I could see… About 30 minutes go by after I put her in and I go to check on her, and see her crawling around on my desk! Luckily I always keep a small container around in case she escapes! I had to buy a new enclosure after that lol
I later found her crawling and fitting through a 1.8mm hole in some fake leafs I had in her temporary cup. I had no idea she could fit through something so small! It finally made sense. There were multiple places in the old enclosure with openings about that size! So now I’m super cautious when it comes to any gap more than 1mm.
 

Buggylookslikeyou

Arachnosquire
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Dang, this reminds me of a time with my Jumping Spider. I had bought an enclosure thinking I would be buying an adult Phidippus Regius Jumper, so I bought an enclosure with gaps, but are too small for the large species I was planning to get. Then I decided to keep the Platycryptus undatus I found instead. However, she is juvenile so she is really small. This species is also known as a “flat Jumper” too. Meaning they are extra vertically small. So I baby proofed the whole thing and covered up every hole I could see… About 30 minutes go by after I put her in and I go to check on her, and see her crawling around on my desk! Luckily I always keep a small container around in case she escapes! I had to buy a new enclosure after that lol
I later found her crawling and fitting through a 1.8mm hole in some fake leafs I had in her temporary cup. I had no idea she could fit through something so small! It finally made sense. There were multiple places in the old enclosure with openings about that size! So now I’m super cautious when it comes to any gap more than 1mm.
Yea don’t tell me the enclosure was a zilla they are notorious for gaps I have two left now the other one was the late buggy and we can’t put another jumper in his old enclosure just yet he was tiny even though he was an adult and he got out till I found the flaw it came with two extra rubber bands as that’s all that keeps the enclosure together and there’s a lip where the front part opens and closes and when closed Leaves a size-able gap . So I took the extra rubber-bands and hook them on the door like so . That’s why I got the other tiny amac box pre decorated with tiny holes and just drilled more .
 

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Nicole C G

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Jun 23, 2021
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Yea don’t tell me the enclosure was a zilla they are notorious for gaps I have two left now the other one was the late buggy and we can’t put another jumper in his old enclosure just yet he was tiny even though he was an adult and he got out till I found the flaw it came with two extra rubber bands as that’s all that keeps the enclosure together and there’s a lip where the front part opens and closes and when closed Leaves a size-able gap . So I took the extra rubber-bands and hook them on the door like so . That’s why I got the other tiny amac box pre decorated with tiny holes and just drilled more .
How did you know? XD
It was a really nice quality enclosure. I read the reviews and it seemed to me at the time that it was only small jumpers that could escape. I also read that it could be fixed up with some tape. So I did that and Yeesh she still got out. That enclosure is definitely only for small tarantulas or mantis. Not jumping spiders. Which is too bad, because she could walk on the roof and walls easily, which she can’t do so well with the plastic in her new container, but on the bright side I can see her easier in her new container because it’s smaller. It’s also better ventilated. 1ACDE867-B921-4839-863E-1400807695CB.jpeg 3EE2BE6A-6022-47E0-981E-4DDCADEE548C.jpeg 274C5ECC-3FA9-4921-BDFB-2259EAC2C44D.jpeg
 

Dorifto

He who moists xD
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How did you know? XD
It was a really nice quality enclosure. I read the reviews and it seemed to me at the time that it was only small jumpers that could escape. I also read that it could be fixed up with some tape. So I did that and Yeesh she still got out. That enclosure is definitely only for small tarantulas or mantis. Not jumping spiders. Which is too bad, because she could walk on the roof and walls easily, which she can’t do so well with the plastic in her new container, but on the bright side I can see her easier in her new container because it’s smaller. It’s also better ventilated. View attachment 392574 View attachment 392575 View attachment 392576
Needs more substrate 🤣🤣🤣🤣
 

CommanderBacon

Arachnobaron
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May 21, 2018
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498
How did you know? XD
It was a really nice quality enclosure. I read the reviews and it seemed to me at the time that it was only small jumpers that could escape. I also read that it could be fixed up with some tape. So I did that and Yeesh she still got out. That enclosure is definitely only for small tarantulas or mantis. Not jumping spiders. Which is too bad, because she could walk on the roof and walls easily, which she can’t do so well with the plastic in her new container, but on the bright side I can see her easier in her new container because it’s smaller. It’s also better ventilated. View attachment 392574 View attachment 392575 View attachment 392576
Your decorations are nice but I really hate those enclosures.
 

CommanderBacon

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May 21, 2018
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@CommanderBacon may I ask what brand of shoebox these were? I'm shopping around for some and I want to think about how to secure them.
These are called "crystal clear high heel box" and are manufactured by a company called BoxBox, and can be obtained at the Container Store. Daiso sells an almost identical container but without the ventilation holes in the sides. I tend to pick them up at Daiso because $4 is a much better price than $10 and I am a cheap bastard.
 

Frogdaddy

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These are called "crystal clear high heel box" and are manufactured by a company called BoxBox, and can be obtained at the Container Store. Daiso sells an almost identical container but without the ventilation holes in the sides. I tend to pick them up at Daiso because $4 is a much better price than $10 and I am a cheap bastard.
Thanks I'll check that out. They are definitely cheaper than the mDesign boxes I was looking at.
 

The Snark

Dumpster Fire of the Gods
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It may sound silly and primitive, but the end all be all adhesive for acrylics is good old inner tube repair patch contact cement. The coat both surfaces and wait until not tacky. That stuff adheres with legendary tenacity to just about anything. Just be aware it's solvent attacks acrylics so it's a one shot deal. Get it on just the area required and get it right. No second chance, it's there for the next eon.
 

Smotzer

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@CommanderBacon I think we have different ideas of what “plastered to the wall”….means I was expecting something very grim and sad lol 😂

On the topic I have been using these since @Sterls turned me onto them but yes they are not secure!
 

Sterls

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The smaller ones I use for juvies have really snug lids. The bigger one I have a MM genic in is loosey goosey though.
 

KaroKoenig

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Dec 7, 2019
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438
I'll never understand how anyone ever could have come to the conclusion that a bunch of plexiglass sheets held together by a bunch of rubber bands is a good (or even remotely good-looking) way to make an enclosure.

Right now they seem to be all the rage. I'll lean back and wait for all the posts coming up in a few months, stating "My rubber bands have become brittle and broke - (*insert animal here*) escaped!"
 

CommanderBacon

Arachnobaron
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May 21, 2018
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498
I'll never understand how anyone ever could have come to the conclusion that a bunch of plexiglass sheets held together by a bunch of rubber bands is a good (or even remotely good-looking) way to make an enclosure.

Right now they seem to be all the rage. I'll lean back and wait for all the posts coming up in a few months, stating "My rubber bands have become brittle and broke - (*insert animal here*) escaped!"
Yeah, I think they're ugly but they also seem weirdly fragile. Why would I buy one of those when I can get an Amac box for $4?
 
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