Floor Space for Obligate Burrower

[High_Rolling_T]

What would you recomend for the required floor space for an obligate borrower? I know they pretty much stay in their burrower so I figure deeper would be better than wider. Thoughtsa? Opinions?

 

[webbedone]

Depth > floor space in this case, depending on the size.
you can get a plastic display case from here

http://www.containerstore.com/shop/storage?productId=10001593&N=62519+1000040&Nao=32

 

[High_Rolling_T]

Yeah that's what I was thinking, now thinking back on a lot of obligate burrower set ups I've seen, lots are tall and narrow.

So that leads to my next question: How much space should one allow in diameter?

The T in question is a H. gigas. Right now I'd say it's 2-2.5 inches, but of course will be 6-7 full grown. So if I were to put it in a round container, what diameter should I be looking for? The container I want to use is a giant cylindrical glass vase, probably about 3 feet tall and 5(maybe 6) inches in diameter. Would that be wide enough?

 

[xhexdx]

I have two E. murinus that wouldn't burrow when they were in a cereal container (i.e. about 14" tall, 4" wide, and 6" long), but when I rehoused then in ten-gallons with only about 8" of substrate but much more floor space, they burrowed.

I've not tried this with H. lividum, but I have two females in larger containers similar in size to the ten-gallons that have burrowed...I wonder what they would do if I put them in the now-empty ceral containers? :?

 

[High_Rolling_T]

I have two E. murinus that wouldn't burrow when they were in a cereal container (i.e. about 14" tall, 4" wide, and 6" long), but when I rehoused then in ten-gallons with only about 8" of substrate but much more floor space, they burrowed.

I've not tried this with H. lividum, but I have two females in larger containers similar in size to the ten-gallons that have burrowed...I wonder what they would do if I put them in the now-empty ceral containers? :?

Honestly, I was thinking about E. murinus when first considering this question because as far as I can recall I have not seen one in a tall narrow container but know that they are burrowers. Perhaps they like some spread out room around the top for them to construct their nice little trumpet mound versus other burrowers who just leave a hole at the top?

More questions: I've read H. gigas can build some intricate tunnel complexes. The idea I had in mind was just a really tall cylinder to watch it dig down down down. BUT with such a tendency to build more complex tunnels instead of one long one, would it be better to have something more spacey? In the wider container it is in now, it has only dug down and over at the bottom, nothing really extravagant or unusual

 

[xhexdx]

You should see the H. gigas communal I have right now.

I'll see if I can get some pics, but it really doesn't do the tunneling any justice, at all.

I'd give them something with space to play.

 

[webbedone]

when the container is narrow enough they feel comfortable not to burrow, if you give them wider floor space they will naturaly feel exposed and be forced to do what their instincts are telling them and go down. you would have to experiment with yours to see which container would drive em to burrow, i would start with one that is atleast 3 times the tarantulas leg span and give it some time and see if it burrows.

 

[xhexdx]

when the container is narrow enough they feel comfortable not to burrow, if you give them wider floor space they will naturaly feel exposed and be forced to do what their instincts are telling them and go down. you would have to experiment with yours to see which container would drive em to burrow, i would start with one that is atleast 3 times the tarantulas leg span and give it some time and see if it burrows.

I disagree with this. My E. murinus always appeared to be stressed out - certainly not comfortable. If they're comfortable...they will burrow.

 

[webbedone]

Mine burrowed when i offered a bigger floor space, dont get me wrong one tarantula is different from another. And while the case of mine may not neccessarily apply to yours, i always thought that mine did not wish to burrow in the narrow container since it felt snug so to speak. Here is how i figure why, when i first got it i got it i as well put it into a cereal container from thecontainerstore.com

this one
http://www.containerstore.com/shop/...besCases?productId=10001590&green=18529414651

and it didnt not burrow so i upgraded to

http://www.containerstore.com/shop/...besCases?productId=10001593&green=18529414651

and it finally burrowed when i transfered it to

http://www.containerstore.com/shop/collections/display/cubesCases?productId=10001591&N=233

how ever I should have said that it happened in my expirience and not generalized it i do appologize for that.

 

[paassatt]

My E. murinus always appeared to be stressed out - certainly not comfortable. If they're comfortable...they will burrow.

I recently rescued an E. murinus from a LPS (this past Thursday, I believe) and it still will not burrow. Looks to be full grown (hopefully female) and there is 8 or so inches of substrate out of which I made a decent starter burrow, but it remains unused. I know the tarantula is moving around because of fresh substrate being placed in the water dish, and it eats heartily so I know it's not doing too badly. I definitely know what you mean by "uncomfortable" though because it's always in one of the corners of the enclosure with its legs over its eyes. I suppose it's just a waiting game with regards to using the burrow?

 

[High_Rolling_T]

You should see the H. gigas communal I have right now.

I'll see if I can get some pics, but it really doesn't do the tunneling any justice, at all.

I'd give them something with space to play.

Yeah definitely see if you can get some pics, I was searching for them since I know you had a communal.

And space is what I plan on giving, I remembered I have a 20 gal tall(shaped like 2 tens stacked on top of each other) down in my basement so I'm gonna go dig that out for mine to use.

Now as far as your communal goes, were they all sac mates and never separated? I was wondering since I have 3 which I'd assume were sac mates since I got them from the same source, and knowing her she got them all together, but they each are in their own container now and each around 2 maybe 3 inches. I'm not sure how tolerant H gigas are of each other so what would your be take on throwing them back together?

Mine burrowed when i offered a bigger floor space, dont get me wrong one tarantula is different from another. And while the case of mine may not neccessarily apply to yours, i always thought that mine did not wish to burrow in the narrow container since it felt snug so to speak. Here is how i figure why, when i first got it i got it i as well put it into a cereal container from thecontainerstore.com

how ever I should have said that it happened in my expirience and not generalized it i do appologize for that.

I think it might also have to do with species preference as well. Like i said earlier, I've never really seen E. murinus in small floorspace containers, but other species like P. muticus I have seen in just tall narrow cylinders burrowing away.

It was actually a thread on here a few months back of someone who got some sort of shipping tube that was about 1 1/2' feet tall for their P. muticus(though it was a juvie) which is where I got the idea for something like this. I searched and searched last night but couldn't find the link, anyone know what I'm talking about and where it is?

So good idea, but wrong species lol

 

[xhexdx]

Yeah, they're all sacmates and have never been separated. Same with my P. regalis, P. formosa, and H. incei communals.

 

[High_Rolling_T]

Yeah, they're all sacmates and have never been separated. Same with my P. regalis, P. formosa, and H. incei communals.

Yeah that's my main hesitation with throwing them back together. Oh well, maybe at another point in time

 

[xhexdx]

I believe AbraxasComplex has had success with spiders from multiple sacs - drop him a PM.

 

[NikiP]

I thought it'd be cool to design a nice swamp setup for my 5" E. murinus to burrow in, in a 10gal tank (knowing full well I was "over doing it" as far as space goes.)

Full front of what I intended to be the front, the premade starter burrow is on the left:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v75/nikipike/Tarantulas/frontside.jpg

Closeup of the premade burrow:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v75/nikipike/Tarantulas/burrowshot.jpg

She decided it was cool to burrow behind the premade burrow:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v75/nikipike/Tarantulas/hole.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v75/nikipike/Tarantulas/result.jpg

Since then she's thrown more dirt & webbing over the plants, & i've flipped the tank, so the burrow went from the left back corner to front right corner:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v75/nikipike/Tarantulas/eating.jpg

And just for kicks:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v75/nikipike/Tarantulas/emurinus.jpg

 

[Jacobchinarian]

There is this cool burrowing container in the tkg. Basically you put a slightly smaller cage inside a bigger cage. Then you fill it up with dirt just past the smaller countainer. That way the tarantula has to burrow on the side, were you can see it.