Enclosure - B.Smithi

Ryan C

Arachnopeon
Joined
May 11, 2016
Messages
2
Hey all,

I was wondering if I could get some pointers on improving an enclosure. I got my first Tarantula(B.Smithi) about 9 months ago and simply got it with the enclosure it came in. Has a plastic medicine cup as a water dish, plant pot hide with substrate about 1/4 to a 1/3 of the height of the tank. I've noticed enclosures for this T are usually pretty simple, but are there different things people have tried and had success with? I can provide pics at some point but I'd really like to hear ideas!.
 

chanda

Arachnoking
Old Timer
Joined
Jun 27, 2010
Messages
2,229
That's basically the same sort of setup I have for my B. smithi - and most of my other terrestrial species as well. They don't seem to much care about fancy decorations and they aren't a heavy webbing species so they don't need a lot of attachment points. As long as the cage is an appropriate size and he/she has a place to hide (not that mine ever uses hers), a water dish, and adequate substrate, it should be fine.
 

Red Eunice

Arachnodemon
Joined
Mar 2, 2014
Messages
666
Their needs are simple, substrate (suitable type), a hide, water dish/cap, prey (food) and plastic foilage to silk up.
More than these items are for the keeper's pleasure. I like to keep mine simple so I don't have too much to work around during cage maintenance. Plus prey uses them to avoid being eaten.
Pic of my B. smithi, now due for a rehousing, at 2.5". Just waiting on the topsoil to dry out.
 

Attachments

viper69

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 8, 2006
Messages
17,851
Their needs are simple, substrate (suitable type), a hide, water dish/cap, prey (food) and plastic foilage to silk up.
More than these items are for the keeper's pleasure. I like to keep mine simple so I don't have too much to work around during cage maintenance. Plus prey uses them to avoid being eaten.
Pic of my B. smithi, now due for a rehousing, at 2.5". Just waiting on the topsoil to dry out.
No "fancy" mini-acrylic container, that poor T! :wacky: You may need to forfeit your collection. I'll PM you my address.
 

Red Eunice

Arachnodemon
Joined
Mar 2, 2014
Messages
666
No "fancy" mini-acrylic container, that poor T! :wacky: You may need to forfeit your collection. I'll PM you my address.
Hahaha!!!
Truth be told, its my great niece's, I'm raising it to adult size for her. The final enclosure will be unique though, envision a pentagon shape. Acrylic, you bet, but with a glass top. :astonished:
You wouldn't want my collection, mostly OW and 17 species of OBs to boot. Plus, absolutely zero Avic. species. :anxious:
 

viper69

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 8, 2006
Messages
17,851
Hahaha!!!
Truth be told, its my great niece's, I'm raising it to adult size for her. The final enclosure will be unique though, envision a pentagon shape. Acrylic, you bet, but with a glass top. :astonished:
You wouldn't want my collection, mostly OW and 17 species of OBs to boot. Plus, absolutely zero Avic. species. :anxious:
You get a pass then! ;) That sounds pretty cool. I do like OWs, I've had other OW species not listed on my profile. I only keep what's currently alive on my pro. :D I've owned OBT, H. mac., Ceratogyrus, P. rufilata and Lv as well. I cycle in and out of OWs genera. I probably keep Avics the most because many are blue and I like that poofy look many of them have.

Imagine a poofy looking baboon hahaha.
 

mistertim

Arachnobaron
Joined
Sep 4, 2015
Messages
548
Yeah, B. smithi are pretty darn easy to please. Dry sub, a hide, water dish, food. Though mine likes to burrow every once in a while (or just landscape and move sub around) so I give her a bit extra; as @Chris LXXIX would say, I am not a substrate Scrooge :D
 

cold blood

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jan 19, 2014
Messages
13,223
There's a reason why people use simplistic enclosures...it just flat out works best. The more nice stuff you put in, the more places prey has to hide, and it can be a real PITA. I used to be of the more natural is better....after experience, I disagree with my former self's thoughts.

On top of that, so often plants just end up buried, or with many species (not smithi, theyre not much of webbers) they just get webbed into oblivion.
 

mistertim

Arachnobaron
Joined
Sep 4, 2015
Messages
548
Naturalistic terrariums are really cool to look at and there are truly some beautiful ones out there. But good god, I can't imagine having to find a runaway feeder in there when the T doesn't eat because its in premolt.
 

Andrea82

Arachnoemperor
Joined
Jan 12, 2016
Messages
3,686
My B.smithi let me know what she thought of the fake plants i put in her enclosure...she bundled them up, webbed them over and stuck em in her hide with a pile of substrate on it. I think she is trying to tell me something about her hide as well :D
 
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