Do Tarantulas Use Large Enclosures?

Tulip

Arachnopeon
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Apr 28, 2023
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In my experience, yes. All of my tarantulas are housed in enclosures that are bigger than what is usually the standard. They all use all of the available space, be it for simple exploring at night or to web around and make bigger hides or burrows.
 

IntermittentSygnal

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Same here. One problem with larger enclosures could be the prey happening upon your T, especially when they are smaller. A little more work for you sometimes. I have an active Avic that will hunt down anything in her enclosure without mercy, and a larger versi that will totally miss it’s prey if it doesn’t walk right up and bonk him on the nose.
 

me and my Ts

Arachnoknight
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In my expierience it just depends on the T. My stirmi pretty much never leaves their burrow and the same is true for my Grammostola pulchra. However my Vagans and my Psalmopoeus victori both utilize all their space.
 

coolnweird

Arachnobaron
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In my experience, it depends on the species and the temperament of the individual. I have a few "pet rocks" that wouldn't use a larger enclosure, but my P. sazimai juvenile takes full advantage of their space and seems to relish in sitting as spread out as possible. When I had a GBB, it was the same way. On the flip side, my adult female P. reduncus has a huge enclosure that she's been in for years, and only recently has she ventured more than a few inches from her burrow.

I think as long as the enclosure isn't so large that you're having trouble with finding the spider or issues with the spider finding prey, you're good to go.
 

Tulip

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Same here. One problem with larger enclosures could be the prey happening upon your T, especially when they are smaller. A little more work for you sometimes. I have an active Avic that will hunt down anything in her enclosure without mercy, and a larger versi that will totally miss it’s prey if it doesn’t walk right up and bonk him on the nose.
Yeah my versicolor is the same, I literally have to let the prey walk into her tunnels. To solve the eating problems I just prekill all of my slings prey, or at least squish them enough so they can’t really escape. The only small sling that gets the experience of hunting is my little P. cambridgei, they’re an absolute beast, chasing and taking down preys bigger then their body.
 

campj

Captive bread
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I keep mine in relatively small enclosures. Have done massive enclosures, medium size ones, and smaller ones... don't really notice visible signs of stress when they're in smaller enclosures, so that's what I roll with. Most every spider I've owned gets settled into their little living area (hide, burrow, etc) and hangs out there or in the immediate vicinity.
 

Pyrelitha

Arachnobaron
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So I use one large enclosure for my T stirmi.. And she doesnt go exploring often but over a year in this enclosure shes made herself three different burrows in three locations, idk if theyre all connected. I often also find her sitting infront of all three random entrances
 

Smotzer

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Tarantulas as a whole may not utilize a whole enclosure as a standard, nor do they utilize the whole of nature they tend to stay to their burrow or right around them waiting to ambush prey. How enclosures are set up, the species, temperament of individual, and other factors may affect how a tarantula does in a given set up. But tarantulas do not need very large enclosures and from my experience often grow better in smaller spaces.
 

Isaax Critterz

Arachnoknight
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The rule is 3 times the leg-span, they are wild animals so they don't need huge "enclosures" like dogs and cats. They just need room to burrow and feel safe.
 

IntermittentSygnal

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I believe, too, that it's dependent on the T in question. My 2" versi mentioned above is in a 3.5 * 3.5 * 6.3" Amac Box and won't be ready to rehouse for another molt yet, while my genic is constantly all over the entirety of her enclosure and will be rehoused into an 8 * 8 * 12 at 3". I'm sure the 6 * 6 * 8 isn't harming her, but with that level of activity, I'd rather give her more space to explore.
 

Pedipalpable

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So I use one large enclosure for my T stirmi.. And she doesnt go exploring often but over a year in this enclosure shes made herself three different burrows in three locations, idk if theyre all connected. I often also find her sitting infront of all three random entrances
That is interesting about the three different burrows. If I may ask, what size is your T. stirmi, and what size is its enclosure? Just curious since I do plan on getting one at some point in the future.

The rule is 3 times the leg-span,
This can be a good reference, but doesn’t necessarily make for a good rule to go by in my opinion. My reasoning is that diagonal legspan is a measure of the tarantula’s size with its legs fully stretched out. And most T’s don’t stretch themselves out fully except when doing their post-molt stretches, so going by this rule may give your T way more room than it realistically needs.
For example, my 2.8” DLS Acanthoscurria geniculata juvenile is in a roughly 4x4” enclosure. That might seem small at first, but it has plenty of space because it rarely stands stretched out. And it seems perfectly content in there, only really utilizing the front half of the enclosure. If I were to go by the 3x DLS rule and put it in a 9x9” enclosure, it would have way, way more space than it needs and might feel uncomfortable and exposed, becoming shy and reclusive as a result

A T’s activity level should also be take into account. A “pet rock” species like Grammostola rosea and most Brachypelma species that hardly moves at all when mature (for females; mature males move around a lot) might do just fine in an enclosure that is 2x2 diagonal leg spans in size. Slings are also often kept in containers that are smaller than 3x their DLS, relatively speaking, because from what I’ve read, they typically do better in smaller spaces. Just ask @cold blood. I believe he even performed an experiment on it.

My point is, while 3x DLS can give you a general idea of enclosure size for a given size T, it shouldn’t necessarily be taken as an absolute guideline.
 

PomPom

Arachnopeon
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In my experience, yes. All of my tarantulas are housed in enclosures that are bigger than what is usually the standard. They all use all of the available space, be it for simple exploring at night or to web around and make bigger hides or burrows.
So should I upgrade my adult curly hair to a 20 gallon long or a 55 gallon?
 

Pedipalpable

Arachnosquire
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So should I upgrade my adult curly hair to a 20 gallon long or a 55 gallon?
Both of those seem excessive for a Tliltocatl albopilosus, since although I do not keep one myself, I am under the impression from what I have read here that they tend not to be very active as adults, aside from mature males of course. I believe some have even referred to theirs by the label of “pet rock” due to how little they move. In cases like that, I would say a larger enclosure is impractical as the tarantula makes no use of the extra space. For a more active tarantula that moves around lots, maybe it would make more sense. But not for a pet rock.
 

PomPom

Arachnopeon
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Both of those seem excessive for a Tliltocatl albopilosus, since although I do not keep one myself, I am under the impression from what I have read here that they tend not to be very active as adults, aside from mature males of course. I believe some have even referred to theirs by the label of “pet rock” due to how little they move. In cases like that, I would say a larger enclosure is impractical as the tarantula makes no use of the extra space. For a more active tarantula that moves around lots, maybe it would make more sense. But not for a pet rock.
Is a B. smithi considered a “pet rock” too? I’ve heard of one person keeping theirs in a 40 gallon long and it would utilize all of the space.
 

Pedipalpable

Arachnosquire
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a B. smithi considered a “pet rock” too?
Unless they mature out male, I get the impression from my readings on here that adults of pretty much all Brachypelma species are indeed pet rocks. Not that it’s necessarily a bad thing; it means they will usually sit right out in the open looking gorgeous. But aside from feeding or drinking, they tend to sit still most of the time.

I’ve heard of one person keeping theirs in a 40 gallon long and it would utilize all of the space.
If you can find the post on here, I would be curious to read about that. I find it hard to believe that a Brachypelma would become so active just by being housed in an oversized enclosure. Unless the T in question is a mature male of course. Then it makes perfect sense for it to be active, regardless of enclosure size.
 

PomPom

Arachnopeon
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Unless they mature out male, I get the impression from my readings on here that adults of pretty much all Brachypelma species are indeed pet rocks. Not that it’s necessarily a bad thing; it means they will usually sit right out in the open looking gorgeous. But aside from feeding or drinking, they tend to sit still most of the time.


If you can find the post on here, I would be curious to read about that. I find it hard to believe that a Brachypelma would become so active just by being housed in an oversized enclosure. Unless the T in question is a mature male of course. Then it makes perfect sense for it to be active, regardless of enclosure size.
It’s a Facebook group unfortunately. The tarantula is a 1.5 year old female.
 
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