Feedback on ventilation holes please!

[rabbitseason]

Pepsi for size comparison. Im making enclosures out of shoeboxes like I saw a youtuber do, and it seemed he had about the same amount of ventilation holes. Should I put any in the lid or is this sufficient?

 

[A guy]

It's fine but I would put more and a bit lower

 

[fcat]

What they said ^ ideally just above the substrate line

Top ventilation is a good idea for hot air to escape. I like to put feeder holes on the lid so I don't have to open them all the time...those lids are loud and don't secure, so you'll need to secure it or weigh it down.

Who is this trailblazing you tuber anyway??? I kid, people have been repurposing clear containers for decades...but make sure you get your information from someone reputable (like here)...having ventilation holes that high is basically useless so I don't know if I'd trust them. Anyone can make a youtube video...anyone can comment...but here if someone gives you bad advice someone else will explain why it's bad...

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

I’d definitely have a row of top ventilation.

 

[viper69]

As long as air gets in cross vent- you’re fine generally

 

[Brewser]

Go with the flow...
Air Flow that is...

 

[rabbitseason]

What they said ^ ideally just above the substrate line

Top ventilation is a good idea for hot air to escape. I like to put feeder holes on the lid so I don't have to open them all the time...those lids are loud and don't secure, so you'll need to secure it or weigh it down.

Who is this trailblazing you tuber anyway??? I kid, people have been repurposing clear containers for decades...but make sure you get your information from someone reputable (like here)...having ventilation holes that high is basically useless so I don't know if I'd trust them. Anyone can make a youtube video...anyone can comment...but here if someone gives you bad advice someone else will explain why it's bad...

It was tarantula haven!

 

[fcat]

That T is at the mercy of those predrilled holes, being as it's moisture doused. In a well ventilated room it might help pull the air up but I woulnt bank my Ts life on it.

Thank mainstays not him

You haven't ruined it or anything, just add more holes lower, depending on how much dirt you put in, or put a very dry species in like a GBB.

I'm tagging my friend @Stu Macher hoping he will add some photos...he goes all out with his and even does cool designs.

 

[Introvertebrate]

Have any of you tried sharpening drill bits? Is it worth it? My ventilation holes are not as clean as they used to be.

 

[rabbitseason]

That T is at the mercy of those predrilled holes, being as it's moisture doused. In a well ventilated room it might help pull the air up but I woulnt bank my Ts life on it.

Thank mainstays not him

You haven't ruined it or anything, just add more holes lower, depending on how much dirt you put in, or put a very dry species in like a GBB.

I'm tagging my friend @Stu Macher hoping he will add some photos...he goes all out with his and even does cool designs.

does this look better ?

 

[fcat]

does this look better ?

View attachment 489478 View attachment 489479

Yes!!

 

[AphonopelmaTX]

does this look better ?

You had it correct the first time, but additional air holes are not wrong. Since tarantulas don't need a whole lot of air to support their extremely slow metabolism, ventilation of a cage is more to allow it to dry out to prevent stuffy stagnant conditions that would promote pathogen growth. Too much ventilation and you work harder than you have to in order to keep water in the spider's body; too little ventilation and you have an unsanitary environment which might eventually kill the tarantula.

I use small plastic shoebox containers for many of my adult and near-adult tarantulas and I always buy multiples just in case I don't add enough air holes or over do it. Sometimes you need spares to experiment with to find the optimal amount of ventilation.

 

[kingshockey]

Have any of you tried sharpening drill bits? Is it worth it? My ventilation holes are not as clean as they used to be.

just buy/use a soldering iron and a few extra iron tips so you can swap out when it gets to coated with melted plastic then clean them after

 

[Kada]

What I like to do is put loads of holes up and down the corners of plastic containers. Because I really enjoy looking and taking pictures. So I load up all 4 corners with holes, from ground level to the top.and leave the front viewing area free of holes except the top line as your fist photo

Corners tend to be the stagnation points anyways, so I think it works well practically as well as works well esthetically by leaving an unobstructed front viewing panel

What you have done works perfectly fine. But thats my preference, allow as much viewing area without compromising the spiders environment.

Here's a Pic of a tub I have for medium sized M. balfouri. I use this just before rehousing to the final home which is glass for more long term viewing hehe for my preferences/opinions, this tub is about the bare minimum I would have for ventilation personally. But I live in the tropics, and it gets quite humid and heavy during summer.

 

[Wolfram1]

nice job

i prefer having fly proof enclosures so i use stainless steel gauze to cover larger ventilation holes, it does the same job multible smaller holes would ventilation wise

i always put one down low & one up in the lid on the opposite side, this creates airflow

if you do another one, just one row down low and another high up on the opposite side is enough. Having no holes down low can trap stagnant air if you add too much moisture.

Corners tend to be the stagnation points anyways, so I think it works well practically as well as works well esthetically by leaving an unobstructed front viewing panel

smart