Enclosure Mistakes

xrickus

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jan 22, 2007
Messages
29
Hello Everyone,
I’m new to the board and tarantulas keeping.

I got my first tarantula 2 weeks ago. To be exact I have a 1.5” B. Smithi. (Tequila)
I made few mistake on making Tequila's house comfortable.
1st The enclosure is too big (Exo-Terra Plastic Terrarium 14.5"W X 8.5"D X 10"H) :?
2nd I used only 1.5” of substrate.
I was going to add more substrate but I realized that Tequila has started to dig under the half coconut that I included in the setup as hide.
The burrow goes to the bottom of the enclosure and then in the direction of the back wall for 3~3.5”
Judging by the color Tequila should be very close to molt.
What should I do? :confused:
 

elyanalyous

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Mar 23, 2006
Messages
484
i would leave the tank as is, until tequila molts, then wait until he/she hardens and takes some food. then at that time, i think it would be safe to fix the housing. and in all reality, the tank may be too big, but if you ensure that it gets food when you feed it and that it can find its waterdish (place a bottle cap of water near the hide for it to drink from (no sponge pls)) and raise the substrate, tequilia should be just fine.
 

xrickus

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jan 22, 2007
Messages
29
:worship: Thank you for the quick reply,
I don't have any sponge in my setup, I use a small disk tilted on the smaller side with 2mm of water; Tequila can use without any problem.
 

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eight leg goth

Arachnosquire
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 2, 2006
Messages
87
actually this is quite relavant to me. my tank is 12" high for my 3" b. emilia and the substrate is only 4" deep. sorry to barge in on your thread but i was just wondering whether to take my t out to raise the substrate or leave it in and gradually raise the height arond it.

dan
 

Windchaser

Arachnoking
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 13, 2004
Messages
2,996
Personally, I would rehouse it now. You could leave it in the larger enclosure and simply add more substrate. You could also decrease the enclosure size when you rehouse it. the major issue that you have currently is that it does not have enough depth to really establish a good burrow and secondly the height of the enclosure (from the top of the substrate to the top of the enclosure) is too high. If it starts climbing the walls it could possibly fall. A fall from even a few inches can result in a serious injury or even death. The general rule of thumb for terrestrial tarantulas is to limit the height from the top of the substrate to the top of the enclosure to be roughly equal to the leg span of the tarantula.
 

spid142

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 9, 2006
Messages
492
rehouse

Since shes not actually in-molt, you can rehouse her now. She really only needs an enclosure twice her width and maybe 2-3 lengths long. Personal choice, of course but thats the general guideline. Increase the depth of substrate for her so you cut down the risk of a fall. Good luck.
 

Windchaser

Arachnoking
Old Timer
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Dec 13, 2004
Messages
2,996
One more thing I should mention. I noticed you had the thermometer and a hygrometer in your enclosure. Neither are necessary. Don't worry about exact levels of humidity and temperature. Besides, the types of gauges that you have which are sold in the pet shops are not very accurate to begin with.

For temperature, if you are comfortable, your tarantula should be comfortable. As long as your temperatures are between 65 F and 80 F you don't need to worry about them. For moisture, provide a water dish for drinking and periodically overfill it to moisten the substrate. That is all you should need to do. B. smithi don't particularly care for moist environments and you will generally encounter less problems with a drier enclosure than one that is wet.
 

xrickus

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jan 22, 2007
Messages
29
So... should be ok to rehouse Tequila now....
Can the change stress her/him out?
This is my 1st T and the 1st molt, I have no experiece to react to any complication.

I know that the thermometer and the hydrometer are not precise :D
I only paid 2$. I have few gadget to precisely check umidity and temperature if I fill is necessary.
Thanks for your help.
 

Windchaser

Arachnoking
Old Timer
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Dec 13, 2004
Messages
2,996
So... should be ok to rehouse Tequila now....
Can the change stress her/him out?
This is my 1st T and the 1st molt, I have no experiece to react to any complication.

I know that the thermometer and the hydrometer are not precise :D
I only paid 2$. I have few gadget to precisely check umidity and temperature if I fill is necessary.
Thanks for your help.
What about the color makes you think a molt is near? Is its abdomen tunring black? If not, then a molt may not be near. If it has a bald spot it can help you see the skin darkening however a bald spot by itself is not a sign of a molt.

If you do think that a molt is very near then I would wait to rehouse it until after the molt. And by near I mean within the next day or so. B. smithi are generally easy to rehouse and don't appear to get overly stressed by it. (I did miss where you said you thought a molt was near in your first post.)
 

xrickus

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jan 22, 2007
Messages
29
The abdomen is loosing hair and the skin is patched black but he/she had a nice cricket for dinner 2 days ago.
 

eight leg goth

Arachnosquire
Old Timer
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Aug 2, 2006
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87
sounds like a molt will happen in a week or two coz thats what happened to mine. darkend bald spot but ate then about 10 days later molted.
 

Arachnobrian

Arachnoangel
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 27, 2004
Messages
863
Deep substrate tip:

If you want to raise the substrate, without going through to much soil or peat. Consider placing a container in the tank then add soil. For burrowers it helps to keep the tunnels along the glass.
 

xrickus

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jan 22, 2007
Messages
29
If you want to raise the substrate, without going through to much soil or peat. Consider placing a container in the tank then add soil. For burrowers it helps to keep the tunnels along the glass.
I don't have any problem with adding more substrate since I only have one T.
I like the Idea to keep the borrow near the glass... :clap:
Can you explain in more detaills?
 

spid142

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 9, 2006
Messages
492
tip on burrow near glass

You could place a container inside, upside down (like smaller aquarium inside bigger one) , and place substrate around the edges between the inner aquarium and the outer one, giving the T space to burrow near the outside glass, but not toward the center of the tank. If you started a shallow burrow near the glass, hopefully the T would continue burrowing there and continue burrowing next to the glass.
 

Arachnobrian

Arachnoangel
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 27, 2004
Messages
863
Thanks spid142 for going into more detail with regards to this.

xrickus - Only one "T"? Give it time, you'll eventually have a collection (lol). Good luck with the new setup.
 

xrickus

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jan 22, 2007
Messages
29
I know this hobby is addictive....

I m going to post pics of the new setup as soon I finish.

Thanks for your help
 

xrickus

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jan 22, 2007
Messages
29
new questions

I wake up this morning and I find out that my T. needs more privacy. :(
I can see her/him from the back glass, and she/he is ok.
Is she/he going to come out to eat?
Should I remove the substrate from the entrance?
Thanks
 

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Windchaser

Arachnoking
Old Timer
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Dec 13, 2004
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Just leave it alone. It is quite normal for a tarantula to seal itself in its hide or burrow. They can be preparing for a molt or simply want to be left alone. I have had some seal themselves up for months. When it is ready it will come out.
 

xrickus

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jan 22, 2007
Messages
29
Ok, I ‘ll leave it alone. So if it’s hungry it will come out.
Am I right?

I also have a question about the substrate.
Do I need to compact it? Or leave loose.
Thanks
Rick
 
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