Enclosure rant/help

[Kingkidd801]

Since I'm getting back into the hobby again, I'm becoming reacquainted with information. I've been reminded my T. vagans is in too small of a enclosure, 14x8x10. She is about 6-6 1/2 inches. Although she mostly stays in her hide. My T. albopilosus and G. Rosea are somewhere in the 5 inch range now and currently in a 12x7x10 enclosure. They're out more often. The mixed information about what size the recommend enclosure should be vs what everyone actually keeps their tarantula in is beyond confusing for someone new, or for someone like me trying to do better for my T's while trying to save room and money for a larger collection. It doesn't help that trying to get bigger enclosures in the hobby seems near impossible, especially when wanting to showcase. Than you see certain company's being heavily endorced and the largest enclosure they have is 12x12x12. I acknowledge that enclosures are far ahead of 10 years ago, but it still amazes me that they still feel so far behind. The fact that their is no bigger enclosures that have become a staple for the hobby at a reasonable price is mind boggling. I'm not even talking about showcasing enclosures. Most of it is still DIY projects. Maybe I'm wrong, that's just been my experience the last couple weeks.

That was my rant. Now let's get to what I need help with. I'd love to get the new tarantula crib 18x12x12. But dropping $200 for the enclosure cant be done stress free. Especially when I'd like to do it 3 times. I also need to think about the future for 3 new arboreal slings. Do these enclosures last 20+ years? I've heard complaints with bowing in acrylic after awhile. I'd like to avoid heavy glass. Also any other great or cheaper options for 18x12x12 or bigger acrylic enclosure? Preferably made with tarantulas in mind. I'd like to be able to display them but I won't be able to drop $600 at once at the moment. I still want to give them better temporary enclosures though, so any suggestions with that? They have Faunariums for $20 that are 18x12x6.5. Looks like my best bet, I'm just worried it won't let me put deep enough substrate. Thanks in advance!

 

[DonLouchese]

I feel like none of your species require more than 12x12x10 or so. Hardly converse that into cm but I'd say 30x30x30 for any tarantula that isn't over 18-20cm+ in dls is just more than enough. Comes to around 7.5-8".

As I've checked the enclosures your talking about are 18x12x12 if I seen the right price tag which would be unnecesary anyhow.

But yeah if your trying to go for the ultimate display potential you are not gonna get anything cheap. There are multiple variants that people use to reform shoe boxes or something which are as well made out of acrylic to lower their budget expenses for terrariums. I know that a friend of mine is using some what of "outdoor lanterns" for arboreals , which cost him about 20-30$ and they are quite huge. As well they look extremely "appealing" with their look.

So yeah , I bet there is many DIY or non big terrarium makers in US that could make the same acrylic enclosures you'd want to have for fewer bucks. Imagine living in Europe where there is no tarantula cribs as well . So your stuck basicly with Exo terra's or searching for someone that can make your wish come true. Lately we have gotten EU "tarantula cribs" kind of store that I've been buying from , but it's the same acrylic costy variant. I do indeed spend a lot of money there.

Regards,
Don

 

[BoyFromLA]

I've been reminded my T. vagans is in too small of a enclosure,14x8x10.

G. Rosea are somewhere in the 5 inch range now and currently in a 12x7x10 enclosure.

I don’t know who has been reminding you, but you can kindly disregard that reminder.

The ones you’ve mentioned are already in good sized enclosures. Of course it depends how you initially set up the interiors for them. You probably want to post a picture or two of the full enclosure shots.

Larger enclosures with more spaces doesn’t necessarily mean proper housings when it comes to tarantulas.

 

[viper69]

200$ is way overpriced

 

[Kingkidd801]

I feel like none of your species require more than 12x12x10 or so. Hardly converse that into cm but I'd say 30x30x30 for any tarantula that isn't over 18-20cm+ in dls is just more than enough. Comes to around 7.5-8".

As I've checked the enclosures your talking about are 18x12x12 if I seen the right price tag which would be unnecesary anyhow.

But yeah if your trying to go for the ultimate display potential you are not gonna get anything cheap. There are multiple variants that people use to reform shoe boxes or something which are as well made out of acrylic to lower their budget expenses for terrariums. I know that a friend of mine is using some what of "outdoor lanterns" for arboreals , which cost him about 20-30$ and they are quite huge. As well they look extremely "appealing" with their look.

So yeah , I bet there is many DIY or non big terrarium makers in US that could make the same acrylic enclosures you'd want to have for fewer bucks. Imagine living in Europe where there is no tarantula cribs as well . So your stuck basicly with Exo terra's or searching for someone that can make your wish come true. Lately we have gotten EU "tarantula cribs" kind of store that I've been buying from , but it's the same acrylic costy variant. I do indeed spend a lot of money there.

Regards,
Don

What's the general rule you use for size of tarantulas? I obviously did it right 10-15 years ago, but I don't remember what I used too know. Now I keep reading online and hearing from youtubers that you should give T's 3x the length of the tarantula and twice the width. With that logic 18x12 should be the minimum for my 6 inch T.Vagans. Honestly I'm just trying to do right for them, and the information out there is conflicting. I also have plans to add a lot more tarantulas in the next couple years, so I'm just trying to figure out a game plan so I can design the room around it.

The lanterns do look pretty sweet, with the right setup and placement I could see it being an attractive piece. Thanks for the information, I do appreciate it.

I don’t know who has been reminding you, but you can kindly disregard that reminder.

The ones you’ve mentioned are already in good sized enclosures. Of course it depends how you initially set up the interiors for them. You probably want to post a picture or two of the full enclosure shots.

Larger enclosures with more spaces doesn’t necessarily mean proper housings when it comes to tarantulas.

As I just said in my reply to DonLouchese, I keep hearing enclosures should be 3x length and 2x width of tarantula.(4x depth for arboreals) The rest of the information I've recieved has been varied. Is there a rule you go by when it comes to size of enclosures? I have a plan to have a rack or two of T's in the future. I'd like to get a game plan of what adult enclosures I'm going to use so I know how much space I'll be working with. I wanna do right by them first and foremost, but I'd also like to save a little space if they don't need it. I guess a part of it is that I want to feel confident that I'm doing the right thing.

I can share some pictures of the enclosures. I'll take them tomorrow evening and post back. Thanks for the help.

 

[DonLouchese]

Well the tarantula keeping hobby always goes for dls , so the numbers come out bigger, because everyone wants to hear it I guess - that meaning your tarantula is deffinitly 6" in DLS. If you were to measure your tarantula from front left leg to back left leg the measures would then be about 4-4.5" - which is the the measure you are going for when you multiplying. So that being said, 95% of the species are made to be in 12x12x12 or smaller. (I go for less height cause they don't need it).

I also did try anything you want to try or I am having a 16x16x12 enclosure for one of my terrestrial species that is about 5.5-6" right now. What I ended up having is a big enclosure with spider covering usually half of it. - It was one of my first tarantulas ever and ofcourse the mindset of having a display enclosure.
It just doesn't work the way you think it would. So go with smaller , only exceptions are species that will grow larger meaning - Theraphosa, Pamphobeteus, Acanthoscurria, Lasiodora. They all grow above 8"+

Regards,

Don

 

[Kingkidd801]

So that being said, 95% of the species are made to be in 12x12x12 or smaller. (I go for less height cause they don't need it).

Are you only talking terrestrial? Or literally all species? So basically I can disregard the x3 and x4? I take it x2 both ways is more ideal? I also dont understand why arboreal adults are being put in 8x8x14. I guess their isn't a hard rule and I'm looking to much into it. Just trying to understand haha.

Can't thank you enough, Don. I started to wonder if that's the measurement I should go by, but like you said, everyone goes by DLS. That will help me feel better about my final decisions.

 

[DonLouchese]

I mean if you measure front "left" leg and back "left" leg distance of a 6" DLS spider the measures are gonna come to 4.5" aprox. That comes to 3x4 or 3x4.5" is about 12-13.5" which is about the appropriate size. That's why the size enclosure for species of 6" size is about 12x12x8 let's say.

For arboreal setups it's about 3-4x size in height , that's why it comes down to 14" height enclosures , because they are usually about 6-7" species and then again 4.5"-5" legspan(Not DLS) which comes to about 13.5"-15".

In any case maybe my "information" output isn't the greatest since I'm not an native speaker but yeah, the 12x12x10 and 8x8x14 is ideal for terrestrial and arboreal species.

The only terrestrials that can go bigger are the one mentioned above. And for arboreals , I'd say 14" is enough for most of them , maybe you can go bigger for Poecilotheria sp.

Best regards,

Don

 

[Kingkidd801]

I mean if you measure front "left" leg and back "left" leg distance of a 6" DLS spider the measures are gonna come to 4.5" aprox. That comes to 3x4 or 3x4.5" is about 12-13.5" which is about the appropriate size. That's why the size enclosure for species of 6" size is about 12x12x8 let's say.

For arboreal setups it's about 3-4x size in height , that's why it comes down to 14" height enclosures , because they are usually about 6-7" species and then again 4.5"-5" legspan(Not DLS) which comes to about 13.5"-15".

In any case maybe my "information" output isn't the greatest since I'm not an native speaker but yeah, the 12x12x10 and 8x8x14 is ideal for terrestrial and arboreal species.

The only terrestrials that can go bigger are the one mentioned above. And for arboreals , I'd say 14" is enough for most of them , maybe you can go bigger for Poecilotheria sp.

Best regards,

Don

Oops, that should have made more sense to me the first time. Thanks for the verification, Don! I feel much better about the situation, and happy that I'll be saving space and money as well! Thanks again!!