Enclosure Size

[Jeff23]

In regards to a "happy" tarantula, they are not capable of emotions as far as we know. They just don't have the brains for it. They respond to stimuli, and they acclimate themselves to whatever size enclosures we put them in. They don't perceive their surroundings the same way we do. They have no idea they're even in a box.

I am not speaking "happy" as in human terms. I am speaking happy as in not stressed or fearing for their lives. I have seen T's that are stressed in pictures and descriptions on this forum and have tried to avoid it. The "wandering" T or one that refuses to step on the substrate are the more obvious examples where the T is basically unhappy. When I open my deli cups and the psalms pulcher's turn away from me it shows a little bit of nerves is possibly occurring for the T. When I drop the cricket and the T scatters to the opposite side of the cup this was not a feeding session. It was an invasion in my interpretation. Perhaps it is not that big of a deal, but a larger container would have allowed the prey to be dropped in away from the spider while still triggering a web link somewhere. I have a few Megaphobema robustum and at one time I could sense that one of them seemed stressed on its actions. I never figured out what made it unhappy but at some point it went back to burrowing in the AMAC (terrestrial type - which I don't use any more).

Having said all of this, I have no plans to move away from deli cups. And I agree on the idea of getting the T to a more stable size so it will live long enough to be in a large enclosure.

 

[cold blood]

I understand that, but I have seen people say that once they reach 1.5-2" they are generally out of the most dangerous part of the cycle.

And I firmly believe that by that size, its far less of an issue than it is with slings.

 

[G. pulchra]

Think about slings in their natural environment, the wild. Is the enclosure too big? The size of the enclosure has nothing to do with the health of the T, it's how the enclosure is configured and the level of care provided by the owner. Is it easier to ensure they feed with a smaller enclosure, yes. Is it going to affect physical health (molting), not even close.

 

[Venom1080]

Some people have made comments that a T waits for the food to come to them. My Avic's and Tapi's definitely hunt. I was thinking that maybe this is arboreal versus terrestrial versus burrowing. But I am not getting different results for any of them. My Bumba cabocla will come out of the burrow to hunt and eat. My D. Pentalore will hunt live crickets as well. When I dropped a cricket in my D. Pentalore's hide she went into defensive mode like she was telling the cricket to get out. Later the cricket became dinner when she left her hide to search for it. Maybe they only hunt in captivity? I am not sure of the facts on this.

?

they are ambush predators, if you drop food just outside their hide theyre going to come out for it. but Avicularia dont wander aimlessly through the trees looking for food. they are built to ambush, not stalk and chase prey.

 

[cold blood]

Think about slings in their natural environment, the wild. Is the enclosure too big? The size of the enclosure has nothing to do with the health of the T, it's how the enclosure is configured and the level of care provided by the owner. Is it easier to ensure they feed with a smaller enclosure, yes. Is it going to affect physical health (molting), not even close.

This thread was not a question of spider health.

 

[G. pulchra]

This thread was not a question of spider health.

If you want to split hairs, so be it. The OP was asking if an enclosure that was too big would stress it out to the point that it wouldn't molt. To me that a health concern, question. Your welcome to call it what you want.